Cisco Pike (1972)

Director:

Bill L. Norton

Writer:

Bill L. Norton (written by)
(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 | Marijuana | Nudity | Cannabis | Venice Beach California

Cast

Kris Kristofferson	...	Cisco Pike
Karen Black	...	Sue
Gene Hackman	...	Officer Leo Holland
Harry Dean Stanton	...	Jesse Dupre (as H.D. Stanton)
Viva	...	Merna
Joy Bang	...	Lynn
Roscoe Lee Browne	...	Music Store Owner
Chuy Franco	...	Mexican Man
Severn Darden	...	Lawyer
Herb Weil	...	Suspicious Customer
Antonio Fargas	...	Buffalo
Doug Sahm	...	Rex (as Douglas Sahm)
Howard Hesseman	...	Recording Engineer (as Don Sturdy)
Allan Arbus	...	Sim Valensi (as Alan Arbus)
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		(as B.L. Norton)

Writing credits
Bill L. Norton		(written by) (as B.L. Norton)
Robert Towne		uncredited

Produced by
Gerald Ayres	....	producer
Herb Wallerstein	....	associate producer (as Herbert Wallerstein)

Cinematography by
Vilis Lapenieks		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Robert C. Jones

Casting by
Fred Roos
Jennifer Shull

Art Direction by
Alfred Sweeney

Set Decoration by
Ray Malyneaux

Costume Design by
Rosanna Norton		(as Rosanna White)

Makeup Department
Jo Ann Phillips	....	hairdresser
Karl Silvera	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Herb Wallerstein	....	unit production manager (as Herbert Wallerstein)

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

Sound Department
Arthur Piantadosi	....	sound
Jack Solomon	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Carl Boles	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Music Department
Ralph Hall	....	music editor
Bob Johnston	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Douglas Bleeck	....	assistant to producer
Stanley Gray	....	assistant to producer
John Hartman	....	technical advisor
Jaclyn Hellman	....	assistant to director
Velda Reimer	....	production secretary

Production Companies

• Acrobat Productions
• Columbia Pictures Corporation

Distributors

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

Other Companies

• Edit International  sound effects editing (as Edit-International)

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.

Soundtrack:

Loving Her Was Easier

One of the most underrated movies ever made

This is a wonderful movie about a unique time and place in the life of America, done with wonderful, almost creepy authenticity. It is smoggy LA with a beautiful score. Kris Kristofferson and Gene Hackman are just plain terrific, and so are Viva and Harry Dean Stanton. (And it's got a great cast of Hollywood character actors.) Along with The Player and Boogie Nights, it is one of the best movies ever made about L.A. Along with Nashville and This Is Spinal Tap, it's one of the best movies ever made about the American music scene. If you can find it, see it!