Dennis Hopper

Jodie Foster

Dean Stockwell

Vincent Price

John Turturro

Fred Ward

Julie Adams

Tony Sirico

Charlie Sheen

Catherine Keener

Sy Richardson

Frank Gio

Satya De La Manitou

Helena Kallianiotes

John Apicella

Katherine LaNasa

Anthony Pena

Sarina C. Grant

Tomás Goros

Lauren Lloyd

Michael Yama

Bob Dylan

Joe Pesci

Ted Markland

Toni Basil

Alex Cox

David E. Harshbarger

Grand L. Bush

Robert Rothwell

Pat Gerhardt

Leslie Ann Anderson

Jeannie Laughlin

Rachel Kronstadt Mann

Ann Louise Bardach

Curt Sobel

James M. Tanenbaum

Edward Lachman

Robert L. Hoyt

Ron Foreman

David Rawlins

Nancy Cone

Joyce King

Doug Botnick

Jeffrey Perkins

Glenn R. Wilder

David R. Ellis

Gary McLarty

Vic Manni

Beth Nufer

Buddy Joe Hooker

Eddy Donno

Chris Howell

Ronald Batzdorff

Tommy J. Huff

Randall Badger

Hugo Cortina

Tony Donno

Dale L. Martin

Jeff Dashnaw

Mark Giardino

Craig Beaudine

Lisa Demberg

Dan Paulson

Paul Lewis

Mitchell Cannold

Dick Clark

Janet Brady

Steven Reuther

Drama

Action

Thriller

Romance

Catchfire

Vestron Pictures

Precision Films

Mack-Taylor Productions

Dick Clark Productions

United States of America

English

mafia

Pretty weird and quirky action-thriller-romance-comedy that features over-the-top acting from both Hopper and Foster. Kind of awkward scenes and parts are on the slow side, however while Hopper isn't as insane compared with in other roles, there were a few weird moments like playing the saxophone. Not bad and from what I read, an improvement over the theatrical version that Vestron heavily edited without Hopper's knowledge (and was credited as Alan Smithee). I think this would play great in a group setting as there are some good-bad scenes. **2.75/5**

**_Amusing crime thriller road trip with Dennis Hopper and Jodie Foster_**

A hitman for the mob in Western America (Hopper) falls for his prey (Foster) and they find themselves running from both the mob and law enforcement. 

“Backtrack” was shot in 1988 and originally released in Europe as “Catchfire” in 1990, but the director/star disowned it and credited the film to Alan Smithee. So, he did a Director’s Cut that was released to cable in 1991, retitled “Backtrack.” It was influenced by Eastwood’s “The Gauntlet” from a dozen years earlier. While it’s superior to Hopper’s contemporaneous “The Hot Spot,” it’s not as effective as his “Chasers” (1994).

Yet it’s worthwhile for the great cast (also including Vincent Price, Joe Pesci, Charlie Sheen, Dean Stockwell and several other recognizable faces), not to mention Jodie in her physical prime. In other words, she never looked better.

The version I saw runs 1 hour, 39 minutes, but there’s a version that runs 1 hour, 56 minutes (the Director’s Cut) and, supposedly, a 3-hour version. It was shot in the Los Angeles area, Seattle and New Mexico (Albuquerque, Lindrith, Lamy, Taos, Rio Grande Gorge Bridge and Ranchos de Taos).

GRADE: B/B-

Backtrack (1990) Original Trailer [HD]

Catchfire( 1990)

When murder is your business, you'd better not fall in love with your work.

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A review by JPV852

Written by JPV852 on Sun Apr 23 2023

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