Day 22: The Hills Have Eyes ((2006)

A Month of Horror

I have always wanted to do a marathon of "HORROR" throughout the month of October, one where I would revisit a new horror movie every day from the first to the thirty-first.  I will revisit the classics as well as new entries into the canon.  There are many movies that define this time of year, and I hope to showcase 31 of them this month...

October 22: The Hills Have Eyes (2006)

There is no creepier sensation than the feeling of being watched.  It's a simple concept, but one that will strike a nerve with any audience member.  It is something that Wes Craven preyed upon in his original 1977 version, and something that Alexandre Aja turned up to 11 in the 2006 sequel produced by Platinum Dunes (who also remade "Friday the 13th", "A Nightmare On Elm Street", "The Hitcher", "Amityville Horror", and many other classics of the past).

What Aja's remake does right, is the increase of tension from the original.  In 1977, the fears were similar, and Craven's original vision is definitely worth seeing, but the remake improves on so much of what was established in the original.

Much like the remake of Craven's "The Last House On The Left", Aja's version of "The Hills Have Eyes" forgoes much of the bizarre and out-of-place humour of the original and increases the terror and despair by considerable amounts.

The film follows the Carter family as they make their way across the American Southwest in a Winnebago.  When their transportation breaks down, it all seems quite innocuous at first, until things start going very, very wrong.

The destruction and dissolution of family and the American dream is often hard to watch, particularly once the family is beset by the irradiated mountain folk who have their eyes set on nothing but carnage.

While the original is a great film, the remake actually manages to create a little more tension by reinforcing the bonds of family and the lengths we will go to preserve those we love.

Tomorrow, I am taking a little trip out into the woods for a bit of a cabin getaway with a few friends...  Hope to see you there.