Cisco Pike

This hard to find film has always been a favorite presenting the changing L.A. music/hippie scene of the early 70's. Kristofferson, in his starring film debut, is marvelous as the down-on-his-luck troubadour of the title. At times he appears genuinely and functionally smashed, but it fits the character to a tee. It's also interesting to watch him composing his often sad, literate tunes, as one realizes this was probably how he wrote many of his greatest songs ("Help Me Make It Through the Night", "For the Good Times", "Me and Bobby McGee", "Sunday Morning Coming Down"): in lonely desperation. None of them are here, but he does do "Loving Her Was Easier" and "Pilgrim Chapter 33". The latter autobiographical song is perfectly fitting for the character of Cisco Pike. Kristofferson is so charismatic and his screen presence is such that we root for him in typical early 70's anti-hero fashion even though he is essentially a drunken pothead who cheats on his girlfriend (the always welcome Karen Black) and is racing to unload $10,000 worth of marijuana in a single weekend. But you'll seldom find a more real and lived-in performance than this debut. Sam Peckinpah saw this and cast him as the doomed Billy the Kid in his next film.

Kristofferson's desperation is fueled by crooked cop Gene Hackman (in fine if eccentric form) who himself is desperate for the money. So the thrust of the film is Kristofferson racing around L.A., weaving on the freeways in his beat-up station wagon full of pot, and encountering Roscoe Lee Browne, Wavy Gravy, Antonio Fargas, Severn Darden, Howard Hesseman, Doug Sahm, and a menage a trois with Viva and Joy Bang. It's a time capsule to be sure. In the final reel Harry Dean Stanton shows up memorably as an old buddy who's even more wasted and down-on-his-luck. The underrated B.L. Norton is behind the camera, and the film is highly recommended. This begs for a DVD release with extras. A Krisofferson commentary would be particularly insightful.

Interesting little movie set in California in the early seventies. Kris Kristofferson plays Cisco Pike, a musician trying to stop dealing drugs and get back to recording music. Unfortunately corrupt cop Holland (Gene Hackman) has an offer for Cisco. Sell some marijuana for him in two days and he'll look at charges made against Cisco (Holland's busted him twice before). Selling the drugs is harder than it looks as he has some stolen and other buyers are trying to make deals with him. He ends up getting the amount of money he needs but Holland is unstable and starts shooting anything in sight.

It's a movie where almost everyone seems stoned or drugged up, Kristofferson is great as the main character and his songs are good too. Enjoyable performances too from Hackman, Karen Black and Harry Dean Stanton make this a decent watch about the tail end of the sixties drug scene.

One of the lost 70s movies that seldom turns up in books or on 'best' lists, and yet it defines the time (1972) and place (Venice Beach, CA) like no other. Leading the stellar cast is Kris Kristofferson, playing a down-on-his-luck musician - kind of ironically as his soundtrack is every bit as good as his performance. The ever-wonderful Karen Black is his much put-upon girlfriend, though a strong character in her own right. Harry Dean Stanton strums a guitar and shoots up, while Gene Hackman plays a rogue cop, Factory model Viva appears looking somewhat out of place in LA, and the Doug (Sahm) in the Sir Douglas Quintet plays himself, even doing a turn in the studio. Finally, there's the perfectly named Joy Bang, and that's pretty much all you need to know. Sure, there's a story going on about a dope deal that inevitably goes tits up, but we've all seen that before. This is a character driven movie with a vengeance and while it may be the only film of note from writer/director Bill Norton, it's a great one.

I've never seen so many reviews miss the mark so entirely. It's important to understand that this is mainstream money behind a bleeding- edge art-flick of it's day. Kristoferson was reviled by the mainstream. Truly loathed. It's one of the reasons his star never quite took-off. Seriously, having one of his albums back in those days would have had your folks shipping you off to boarding school.

Many are characterizing this as "down-beat", "low-key", one person even said, "humerous melodrama". Wrong. The aloof demeanor of Kristoferson's character is just how Kristoferson was. That lumbering meter was omnipresent in films of the day. He wasn't intoxicated, or leastwise effected by it, that was just what passed for kool in those days kids. Those guys grew up on Gary Cooper and the strong-silent type was the guy every kid emulated. This was disingenuous coming from a long-haired California kid. Part of the reason he was so hated.

The copyright date in the film says 1971. Hackman's character was driving a car depicted as a police cruiser and it was a '70 model. Also, Kristoferson's character rents a car at one point, and it's a '71. So I'm guessing this film is early '72 at the latest and not '79 like the info says.

Anyway. This is an incredibly enjoyable watch. 'Play Misty for me', Clint Eastwood's directorial debut is a better look at the early 70s. That came out in '70 as a matter of fact. To me LA was just a set along with the period in Cisco Pike. Again I think there are way better cultural history tours of the time. This was fantastically directed, and if often poorly lit, was cinematographically quite professional looking. The script is tight with great dialog that dates well but it moves a little fast. They needed about 10 more scenes in the film to flesh it out a little. Probably budget issues.

Somebody please bring this out on DVD, because I'm desperate to own a copy so I can watch it whenever I feel like it. It's rarely seen and it's a fantastic piece of 1970's cinema.

Strong, realistic, natural performances from Kris and Harry Dean, stacks of great cameos including the might Antonio Fargas. Fantastically evocative and one of the few occasions when Kristofferson's great presence and offscreen persona have been used to good effect in front of the camera.

If you love 1970's American films (and if you have any feeling for movies at all, you have to love this period), then this is up there with the best.

If you have a chance to see it, take it.