Hitch Hike to Hell (1977)

Take the bus instead…

Loving son and truck driver for a local commercial laundry, Howard Martin (, likes to pick up hitch hikers. It’s a noble thing to do, except for when the hitchhiker’s are running away from home. Howard will kill you for it!

Howard Martin is played by Robert Gribbin better known for his menacing role in Don’t Go Near the Park under the pseudonym Crackers Phinn. Why he wasn’t comfortable having his real name on that film remains a mystery, since Hitch Hike to Hell is just about as exploitative, though slightly less graphic. Martin’s problem with runaways stem from a very close relationship to his mother. That’s right; we have another psycho with severe mommy issues! At this point I’m beginning to wonder if this is the leading cause of serial killers. He is a simple and quiet soul except for his occasional murders. There is no reason to suspect a man like that! That was also the case with Ed Gein, but he turned out to have some rather nasty habits. Hitch Hike to Hell was also made in a time where there were several cases with real serial killers roaming the States. Both the Zodiac Killer and the Skid Row Slasher are briefly mentioned by the detectives trying to ground the film more in reality. It’s in bad taste, but works.

Say, may I offer you a ride in my van?

Now Hitch Hike to Hell is competently made for a 70s exploitation, even if it does add little to the serial killer genre. It all feels distinctly underdeveloped. Howard becomes less and less involved with his job as the murderous tendencies come more and more into play. Has he just started murdering when we enter the film or has it been going on for a longer period of time? I feel Hitch Hike to Hell would have benefited if we were given a catalyst for his behavior. His mother is a definite part, but what caused that final leap over to the dark side? It’s probably a bit too much to ask for in a low-budget 70s exploitation though.

There are a lot of good elements in Hitch Hike to Hell that unfortunately don’t add up to much in the end. I’m always weak when it comes to gritty 70s flicks, even if this one is quite mild and less exploitative than it should have been. Serial killers are always an interesting theme, so it’s too bad the execution wasn’t better. Still, you could do a lot worse.

5/10