Roadgames (1981)

"Road Games" features Stacy Keach as Pat Quid, an American truck driver working for a meat company in Australia. Meanwhile, a serial killer is kidnapping young women and dumping their dismembered body parts along desolate Australian highways. He picks up a young American hitchhiker, Pamela (Jamie Lee Curtis), and the two muse on the road over the killer's motives—that is until they come face to face with him.Unsung and relatively forgotten, "Road Games" is an effective road thriller that seems to have been inspiration for such films as "The Hitcher" and even elements of the post-millennial "Jeepers Creepers" (check out the body dumping scene at the beginning) and "Wolf Creek." The film has a slow-moving first act that demands patience—which, from my knowledge, seems to be an Australian filmic tradition—before ratcheting up the suspense as Quid and Pamela become embroiled within the killer's web. Richard Franklin, who would later direct the sequel to "Psycho," is very evidently inspired by Hitchcock on a visual level, though Everett De Roche's script is every bit as Hitchcockian. Many have remarked this feature of the film, but it also takes its cues from Aussie cinema, with the aforementioned slowburn approach, as well as an acute attention to the landscapes. In terms of scares, the film takes a more subtle approach, but is no less effective. Keach's scene in the truck freezer is among the most understated, terrifying scenes I've seen in a film.Stacy Keach is remarkably likable as the lonesome trucker, while Jamie Lee Curtis, just off her scream queen beginnings with "Halloween," "Terror Train," and "Prom Night," is fresh-faced and spunky as the snarky and insouciant hitchhiker. Of the post- "Halloween" horror and thriller films that she did, this is probably one of the classier, and not at all in the league of the slasher film. There is a lot of dialogue between the two, both handled very nicely, and in that sense the film is quite character-driven. Many have criticized the ending of the film as predictable, and I suppose they're right—but the truth is that it just works.Overall, I found "Road Games" to be a competent and unrelentingly entertaining thriller. As someone who enjoys road movies, coming across this film was a surprise and a pleasure. It's well-shot, well-acted, and has a solid second half that pays off the slow climb of the first. And, I mean, come on—Jamie Lee Curtis and Stacy Keach being stalked by a killer in the outback? There's nothing quite like that. 9/10.

"Road Games" is a classic Australian thriller, though its two key roles are played by American actors.Stacy Keach is a fantastic actor. How he has never been nominated for an Academy Award eludes me. He keeps the movie buoyant with his performance as the poetry quoting, eccentric truck driver Patrick Quid, who believes he may have seen the killer police are looking for, but then becomes a suspect himself.Jamie Lee Curtis is also great as usual, though her role is feels too small. She doesn't make her entrance until midway, and before then we meet another hitchhiker who adds little to the story. The plot could have been simplified.The beginning act, indeed, goes on a little too long for the thrills to really connect. It feels more like a road movie about Keach's character, which would have been fine. It is still a good thriller on top of everything else, and I was on the edge of my seat right at the end, but that was the first time in the movie I felt that way.Over all, "Road Games" is a classic Australian movie, but not quite as good a thriller.

Dear people at Criterion/Arrow etc,I recently watched this Australian film called Road Games starring American actors like Stacy Keach and Jamie Lee Curtis. Being an Indian, I do not understand the politics of the casting choices. But apparently there was an uproar about American actors acting in an Australian film.The film is very entertaining. It has this macho but creepy truck driver who has conversations with his dog and reads British poetry. He takes on a serial killer on the road. Stacy Keach plays the truck driver. Stacy was unlucky enough to be born in an era dominated by the likes of Brando, De Niro, Pacino and Nicholson. He is a very good actor. So much better than the likes of some of the chumps of the 90s and today.And there is Jamie Lee Curtis too. But she has a pretty small role.I watched the movie on Youtube and the daylight scenes had too much light in them. It is about time this movie got a Blu Ray treatment like Wake in Fright, another Aussie film which looks great on Blu Ray. Wont you guys at Criterion/Arrow help?The background score is by a guy called Brian May (not the guy who was in Queen). It is very good like in Hitchcock movies. But it does not elevate the film or anything.This is one of those movies that is almost entirely dependent upon the dialogs and the setting. The actors are solid. There are some interesting directorial flourishes which would be evident only if there is a good print of this film.Please release a Blu Ray of this film.Best Regards,Pimpin.

For me, this quirky little item came out of left field - and hit a home run. As has been oft pointed out, this is junior Hitchcock, and I think the master would have been impressed.The story, a mix of the familiar plus some very good new ideas, holds your attention. The Aussie outback scenery is most enjoyable and, of course, the acting is four-star.Jamie Lee looks so much better than she does on the tube hawking that yogurt, and Stacy Keach is always impressive. To digress: I spent the day with him and his brother, James, when they were in North Carolina's Outer Banks filming the Wright Brothers initial flight, exactly where it happened. It was for PBS and I'm not sure it was ever shown. A shame, too. The brothers were friendly - delightful company.Meanwhile, back in Australia and "Road Games." It is recommended for fans of suspense.The truck vs. van sequences were exciting. I always wonder, in scenes like those why there is no other traffic on the road. And, I wonder about the Aussies. The people in the store were nasty, the cops were nasty, Mel Gibson, in real life, is nasty.As for the Keach-Curtis flick, it is quite good and, by the way, the chemistry between the two was impressive. I picture them playing Monopoly between takes.