The Hills Have Eyes is not a brilliant film, but it it is an important one, at least with regards to the history of horror cinema. The story centres around a suburban middle-class American family who are targeted by a group of ruthless savages when they get stranded in the Nevada desert. It is a typical exploitation film, grubby and violent. It was made for around $230,000 and filmed guerilla style. It was reportedly an intense, draining shoot. Initially given an X due to the excessive violence and gore, Craven (who also acted as editor) and his producers cut the film down substantially in order to achieve a more commercially viable R. That cut footage has never been found and is thought to be lost. Not that audiences cared. The Hills Have Eyes was a big success and has achieved a substantial cult following in recent years. It's not a masterpiece, but it is certainly an effective example of old-school schlock.
