 | |
List Price: $14.94 | | Label: Sony Pictures
Salesrank: 35607
Released: January 24, 2006 |
| Our Price: $6.89 |
| Used Price: $4.45 |
|
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
|
Editorial Review:
Just released from prison for drug-dealing, Cisco Pike (Kris Kristofferson) dreams of making a comeback. A once-famous rock singer, he finds his music contacts are more interested in his dope connections than his new songs. Pike's plans to go straight, however, go somewhat awry when he's blackmailed by a crooked narc (Gene Hackman) into selling $10,000 worth of stolen marijuana. Forced back into a business he thought he was out of, Pike drops in on friends, groupies and musicians as he tries to move a 100 kilo stash in just 53 hours. Co-starring Karen Black, Harry Dean Stanton, Doug Sahm, Joy Bang and Warhol superstar Viva!, Cisco Pike is a revealing look at the LA music scene of the early '70s, off-beat, unique and "surprisingly good." (Leonard Maltin).
Cisco Pike Reviews:
A Great Portrait of a Bygone Era 
2009-12-20 - As a Kris Kristofferson fan, I had long wanted to see Cisco Pike. Critics (including Pauline Kael) gave Kristofferson good reviews for his performance as the title character. When I finally tracked down a copy, the film lived up to my high expectations.
Cisco Pike concerns a singer-songwriter who became a drug dealer and spent time in prison after his music career hit the skids. Much to the approval of his girlfriend (Karen Black), Cisco tries to get out of dealing and back into the music business. However, a crooked narc (Gene Hackman) makes Cisco an offer he can't refuse - go back to dealing or head back to prison. Cisco Pike is short (94 minutes) and the plot is fairly straightforward; the film, however, easily holds the viewer's interest.
Other than Kristofferson, the best thing about Cisco Pike is that it does such a good job of evoking early-1970s Los Angeles. The visuals alone - the cars, the clothes, the hair - make the film worth watching. Kristofferson also contributed a great soundtrack that includes many of his best-known songs ("Sunday Morning Coming Down" and "The Pilgrim," among others). Finally, the cast is excellent; it includes Warhol superstar Viva and the always-seedy Harry Dean Stanton as Kristofferson's former bandmate. Look for Antonio Fargas (Starsky and Hutch's "Huggy Bear") as the drug dealer Buffalo.
It might take some searching to find a copy of Cisco Pike. For those with an interest in the 1970s, Kris Kristofferson, or offbeat cinema, it will be worth the effort.
SO-SO 
2009-12-09 - I am a Kris Kristofferson fan and have loved his music for many years. He has lyrics that are in my estimation are extremely philosophic and poetic, plus many quotable phrases. This movie had several of his songs from his alblum "The Silver Tongued Devil and I" and was the reason I purchased the DVD. His ability as an actor are definitely limited. Gene Hackman as tough guy with problems is old hat. Karen Black has always been sexy, and has many better roles. The movie is dated and has an unbelievable plot, that in reality makes it "corny". Really a stretch to have to sit through just to hear a couple of songs that can be hear under less boring circumstances.
time capsule
2007-09-05 - Great to watch this movie again, and happy it is at last available.
Brought back a heap of memories. First time I saw it was on a Halliburton oil drilling ship out at sea off the Tasmanian coast, in 1972.
A completely straight crew of oilmen.
I couldn't believe that such a film was flown out to us.
Very basic acting etc, clunky plot etc, but I love it. Bought the vinyl of the music about the same time.
Kris Kristofferson=Cisco Pike 
2007-03-14 - When it comes to playing Cisco Pike, there is virtually no acting required for Kris Kristofferson. Pike is a down on his luck musician who is coming off of a pot bust and is looking for a way back into the music business. Gene Hackman is Holland, a seemingly straight laced LAPD cop who blackmails Pike into getting back into the pot dealing business. The film focuses on Pike working his old contacts to try to move 100 kilos of pot within 59 hours (kind of a take on "Gone in 60 Seconds"). During this weekend Pike is forced to lie to his live in girlfriend (Karen Black) about his reasons for getting back into dealing and he is reunited with his old singing partner Jesse (Harry Dean Stanton), who is by now a hopeless heroin addict.
"Cisco Pike" is a good movie with a solid cast. Kristofferson is highly believable playing a variation of himself, even singing some of his own songs in the movie. (For those interested in the music, check out "The Silver Tongued Devil and I by Kristofferson, as close to a soundtrack to this movie as you will find and a very good album on it's own merits). Gene Hackman plays a quirky role in the middle of his most successful period as an actor (Bonnie and Clyde, French Connection, The Conversation and the Poseidon Adventure). Karen Black is Kristofferson's beautiful, earthy girlfriend and Viva appears as a variation on the part she played in almost every movie, an offbeat woman seemingly in a world of her own. Viva always had the ability to make her dialogue seem ad-libbed, whether it was or not. Finally, Harry Dean Stanton puts in another great character performance and would soon appear with Kristofferson in another role seemingly modeled after Kris' own career and persona, "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid". Also look for Alan Arbus playing an unsympathetic character (the manager) before his very sympathetic turn as Dr. Sydney Friedman on "MASH".
"Cisco Pike" is dark and downbeat, but enjoyable as an honest portrayal of a man, trying to straighten out his life, who is forced into a bad situation and finally loses all that he cares for. I highly recommend this to Kris Kristofferson fans and those who enjoy the look and feel of early 70's cinema.
Long overlooked classic
2007-01-16 - I first discovered this film through an interview with Robert Towne at the Los Angeles Film Festival several years ago. I decided to give it a watch and afterwards wondered why this film has been overlooked throughout the years. It is classic 1970s cinema. With a cast that includes Gene Hackman, Harry Dean Stanton, Karen Black, Kris Kristofferson it really should have been more popular. Shows how important the distribution process can be in affecting a film's place in history.
All this to say that this film should be more recognized than it is and is worth owning on DVD next to all the other classic 1970s films.
