Directed by Beverly and Ferd Sebastian, The Hitchhikers is a gritty, low-budget exploitation film that rides the wave of early ’70s counterculture cinema. With themes of female rebellion, sexual freedom, and crime on the road, it’s a provocative entry in the genre—part cautionary tale, part grindhouse spectacle.
Plot Summary
The story follows a pregnant teenage runaway who’s kicked out of her home and joins a group of young women hitchhiking across America. But these aren’t ordinary drifters—they lure unsuspecting male motorists, seduce them, and then rob them blind. As their journey unfolds, the group becomes entangled in increasingly dangerous encounters, testing their loyalty and survival instincts.
The film blends road movie tropes with softcore elements, reflecting the era’s fascination with youth rebellion and moral ambiguity. It’s raw, pulpy, and unapologetically aimed at the drive-in crowd.
Cast Highlights
- Misty Rowe in her theatrical debut, which also featured her first nude scenes
- Other cast members include John F. Goff, Linda Avery, and Rick Gates, though much of the cast was drawn from regional talent
Behind-the-Scenes Trivia
- Produced for just $45,000, the film grossed nearly $3 million, making it a surprise hit in the exploitation circuit
- Ferd Sebastian reportedly earned $300,000 from the film’s success
- Critics were divided: The Boston Globe called it “a stupid little movie… nothing more than a smirking skin flick,” while Spinning Image described it as “part dreadful warning to the squares, part invitation to the hippies”
- The Sebastians later became known for cult hits like Gator Bait and continued working in the exploitation genre as a husband-and-wife team
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.