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archives (1)  DVDs from TCM Shop  Detour A hitchhiker takes on a
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teaser Detour (1946)  It might be extremely low-budget and it
might not have any major stars but Detour (1945), with a brisk
running time of only 68 minutes, may be the most bleak and
nihilistic film noir thriller ever made....and that's a
compliment. The film has long enjoyed a cult reputation in
Europe and among American film buffs for its existential tone.
The main character, Al Roberts (Tom Neal), is an unemployed
piano player intent on hitchhiking from New York to Hollywood
where his girlfriend is a singer. When he reaches Arizona, he
thumbs a ride with a dissipated gambler who relates a disturbing
tale about a female hitchhiker he recently encountered. From
that point on, the film travels quickly into nightmare territory
with border crossings into paranoia, death and despair.  Edgar
G. Ulmer, one of the most resourcef