Review of The Hills Have Eyes (1977) by Aaron S — 29 Aug 2008

The Hills Have Eyes is the second film directed by Wes Craven after The Last House on the Left. Craven adjusted his directing style slightly from his first movie by using less blood and allowing the viewer to use their imagination more. With a runtime of less than 90 minutes the pace of the movie seemed to be just right with the exception of a few scenes that seemed to drag a bit. The desert setting is perfect for a car breaking down and having the characters roast in the heat of the sun. After the sun went down, there were plenty of great scenes and some tense moments. Another part that I liked about this movie was the dogs. Beast was mourning over the loss of his mate then seeking revenge. That part was unexpected but a pleasant surprise.

The Hills Have Eyes has a lot of graphic scenes that would make you squirm in your seat. Some of those scenes include a gang rape scene, a screaming burning body nailed to a cactus, and a gutted dog. Apparently Craven used a real dead dog for that scene (gross). They even kidnapped a baby and talked about eating it. With Pluto saying "We just caught us a young Thanksgiving Turkey" and "Baby's fat, you fat, fat and juicy." That is enough to make your skin crawl.

For a low budget movie, I found the acting to be solid for the most part except for Robert Houston who played the part of Bobby. Some of the lines he said felt forced. Michael Berryman, who played the part of Pluto, pulled the part off brilliantly and stole the movie.

The Hills Have Eyes ranks above A Nightmare on Elm Street and The Last House on the Left as being Wes Craven's best film. Recommended.