Cisco Pike (1972)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Bill L. Norton

Writer:

Bill L. Norton (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

1 October 1979 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Gene Hackman and Kris Kristofferson and Karen Black and Viva and a footrace...a crooked cop...a lot of money and so little time.

Plot:

Cisco is an ex-rock star who has become a drug dealer. A corrupt cop blackmails Cisco to sell marijuana for him...

Plot Keywords:

Drugs | Nudity | Venice Beach | Los Angeles California | Corruption

Cast

Kris Kristofferson	...	Cisco Pike
Karen Black	...	Sue
Gene Hackman	...	Sergeant Leo Holland
Harry Dean Stanton	...	Jesse Dupre (as H.D. Stanton)
Viva	...	Merna
Joy Bang	...	Lynn Goodson
Roscoe Lee Browne	...	Music Store Owner
Chuy Franco	...	Mexican Man
Severn Darden	...	Lawyer
Herb Weil	...	Suspicious Customer
Antonio Fargas	...	Buffalo
Doug Sahm	...	Rex
Howard Hesseman	...	Recording Engineer (as Don Sturdy)
Allan Arbus	...	Sim Valensi
Frank Hotchkiss	...	Motorcycle Officer
Hugh Romney	...	Reed
James Oliver	...	Narc
Nawana Davis	...	Mouse
Timothy Near	...	Waitress
Lorna Thayer	...	Swimming Lady
William Traylor	...	Jack
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Anthony Caso	...	Music Store Customer (uncredited)
Martin Fierro	...	Saxophone (uncredited)
Frank Millen	...	College student (uncredited)
Frank Morin	...	Saxophone (uncredited)
Johnny Perez	...	Drums (uncredited)
Jimmy Stallings	...	Bass guitar (uncredited)

Directed by
Bill L. Norton

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Bill L. Norton		writer
Robert Towne		uncredited

Produced by
Gerald Ayres	....	producer
Herb Wallerstein	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Kris Kristofferson

Cinematography by
Vilis Lapenieks

Film Editing by
Robert C. Jones

Production Design by
Rosanna Norton		(as Rosanna White)

Art Direction by
Alfred Sweeney

Set Decoration by
Ray Malyneaux

Makeup Department
Jo Ann Phillips	....	hair stylist
Karl Silvera	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Herb Wallerstein	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John M. Poer	....	second assistant director
Sheldon Schrager	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Jack Solomon	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Carl Boles	....	gaffer

Production Companies

• Acrobat Productions
• Columbia Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:X (theatrical rating) | Sweden:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Acrobat Productions

Trivia:

Seymour Cassel was set to star but left shortly before filming began. Kris Kristofferson was a last minute replacement.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Crew and tripod clearly visible in reflection of phone booth 23 minutes into the movie, after he rents the car.

Kristofferson's debut is excellent.

Anyone looking for a downbeat, humorous melodrama should track down Kris Kristofferson's acting debut as the title character. Gene Hackman, Harry Dean Stanton and Karen Black compliment him nicely in a dated yet refreshing picture about a has-been musician who's recently quit dealing drugs. Hackman is a psychotic narc who blackmails him into selling stolen marijuana and Black is his put-upon live-in girlfriend that's just about had it with Pike's freewheeling ways. An extremely moody piece, punctuated with quick but successful comedic moments and quietly tense scenes. CISCO PIKE is from that early 70's less-is-more period of filmmaking and makes a great diversion from the feces currently hurled at us from Hollywood. Just goes to show that good movies age well, regardless of the pop culture it contains within.