Written By: Jase Marsiglia
Charlie (Chad Lowe) and his girlfriend Rachel (the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Kristy Swanson) are on their way to Las Vegas to elope when a shortcut off the highway turns into the worst detour imaginable. The couple is ambushed by Sgt. Bedlam (Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives' C.J. Graham), who drags Rachel straight into Hell, leaving Charlie with only one option: follow her.
Armed with the help of an old gas station owner (Richard Farnsworth), a loyal dog, and a classic set of wheels, Charlie finds the hidden Highway to Hell, where the afterlife resembles a post apocalyptic desert littered with wrecked cars, bizarre roadside attractions, zombies, homicidal ice cream men, seductive hitchhikers, and every strange soul imaginable. Along the way, he encounters everything from mob run nightclubs to Hell's own gruesome processing plant, all while racing against time before he becomes another permanent resident.
Highway to Hell (1991)
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Written by Brian Helgeland before he went on to bigger Hollywood success, Highway to Hell feels like the kind of movie you'd accidentally discover at two in the morning while flipping channels and immediately wonder how you've never heard of it. Every few minutes there's another bizarre surprise waiting around the corner. One moment you're asking yourself if that's Ben Stiller's entire family on screen, the next you're wondering why Gilbert Gottfried is playing Hitler.
The story itself couldn't be simpler. Rescue the girl, survive increasingly bizarre obstacles, and confront the final villain. It borrows loosely from Dante's Divine Comedy, filters everything through a comic book and video game mentality, then wraps the entire experience in the aesthetics of an over the top drive in movie.
Patrick Bergin is an unexpected highlight as a mysterious mechanic who becomes Charlie's guide through Hell. It's a refreshing change of pace from the darker roles he was often known for, and his performance brings an unexpected warmth to the insanity surrounding him.
Director Ate de Jong, best known for Drop Dead Fred, somehow manages to keep all of this madness from completely spinning off the road. The surreal visuals, practical effects, impressive stunt driving, and energetic soundtrack give the film a personality that's impossible to mistake for anything else. Steve Johnson's makeup effects add another layer of fun, creating creatures that are grotesque without becoming overly grim.
The film also carries a bittersweet footnote, marking one of the final performances from Kevin Peter Hall before his tragic death from AIDS related complications in 1991.
HOME VIDEO
Collectors have had a rough ride with Highway to Hell. Kino Lorber's Blu ray, released roughly a decade ago, has long since gone out of print and now commands collector prices on the secondary market. The limited German Mediabook from Wicked Vision Media isn't much easier to track down.
For fans looking for the definitive release, Radiance Films' UK Blu ray is currently the strongest option, especially for anyone with a region free player. It combines nearly all of the supplements from both previous releases while adding several worthwhile new features.
Special Features include:
- Audio Commentary by director Ate de Jong
- Interview with special effects makeup artist Steve Johnson
- Original theatrical trailer
- Production stills and behind the scenes gallery
- "Greetings from Hell" interview with C.J. Graham
- New interview with Ate de Jong
- New commentary by critics Kim Newman and Sean Hogan
While it omits some of the German exclusive printed material, this is still the most complete package currently available.
BITS 'N' PIECES
Traum A Meter:
⭐⭐(2 out of 4)
The violence is mostly cartoonish rather than disturbing, although a handful of moments still manage to be genuinely creepy.
Today's Jam:
"You Could Be Mine" by Guns N' Roses. The perfect soundtrack for an ill advised road trip straight into Hell. Just don't pick up any hitchhikers.
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