The Hills Have Eyes

From the mind of Wes Craven, The Hills Have Eyes stands alongside the likes of Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Night of the Living Dead as one of the defining moments in American indie horror.

Taking an ill-advised detour en-route to California, the Carter family soon run into trouble when their RV breaks down in the middle of the desert. Stranded, they find themselves at the mercy of monstrous cannibals lurking in the surrounding hills, perhaps a product of atomic testing happening nearby. With their lives under threat, the Carters are forced to fight back by any means necessary.

Horror master Craven achieved critical and commercial success with the likes of A Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream — but for many genre fans, the director’s seminal ‘77 effort remains his masterpiece.

Part of our "The American Nightmare" series. Courtesy of the American Genre Film Archive.