THE HILLS HAVE EYES

• Director: Wes Craven
• Cast: Susan Lanier, Robert Houston, John Steadman, Dee Wallace, Michael Berryman
• 1977 | Film: 90mins | USA | Subtitles | Event: 18:30 – 21:00 [18+]
• This event takes place at Beer Merchants Tap in Hackney Wick, E9 5LN
• Book £6 tickets through my Token Homo Eventbrite page

“THE LUCKY ONES DIED FIRST…”

The Carter family run into trouble when their campervan breaks down in the American wilderness. 

Cult film night BAR TRASH pops up at Beer Merchants Tap in Hackney Wick to launch film nights at the venue. Our programme continues with Wes Craven’s apocalyptic masterpiece, THE HILLS HAVE EYES (1977), which screens as part of BANNED, an uncensored season of the Video Nasties.

THE HILLS HAVE EYES is a radical essay in extremes, exposing the contrasting sides of human nature, and was inspired by both true and fictional stories of cannibalism and its punishment. The shoot was an ordeal, with temperatures in the Nevada desert soaring to 49C during the day before plunging to -1C at night. Future horror icon Michael Berryman (Pluto) struggled as he was born without sweat glands and needed medical treatment. The film was a commercial success, spawning a franchise that includes the infamous sequel in which the surviving dog, Beast, has a flashback…

“Following on from his notorious 1972 directorial debut, THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT, Craven’s THE HILLS HAVE EYES stands alongside the likes of THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE and NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD as one of the defining classics of American horror.”

Arrow Video

THE HILLS HAVE EYES was originally passed with cuts by the British Board of Film Censors with an ‘X’ rating for cinema release in 1978. Uncertified videocassettes of THE HILLS HAVE EYES were seized and confiscated in the UK under Section 3 of the Obscene Publications Act 1959 during the Video Nasties furore. Section 3 gave police the powers to seize materials suspected of being ‘obscene’. The film was re-released with over 2 seconds of cuts to achieve an 18 certificate for home video in 1987. The film was finally released fully uncut in 2003.

Polite warning: THE HILLS HAVE EYES contains “strong violence and horror” (BBFC), scenes of violent sexual assault, and violence against animals. We are showing THE HILLS HAVE EYES fully uncensored with subtitles from the best available digital source.

/// BAR TRASH is a celebration of cult and curious cinema, hosted by queer film fanatic, Token Homo. Films are served with themed drinks, introductions, intermissions, prize giveaways, and subtitles/captions where possible. Tickets from £3. Strictly adults 18+ only. Follow @tokenhomo on Instagram for news and updates. ///