Catchfire (1990)

Directors:

Dennis Hopper
Alan Smithee

Writers (WGA):

Rachel Kronstadt Mann (story)
Rachel Kronstadt Mann (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

3 April 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Drama | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

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

Plot:

An artist (Foster) witnesses a Mafia hit and calls the police. At the police station she realizes that the Mafia has a man in the force...

Plot Keywords:

Mafia | Hitman | Artist | Snowball | Stockings

Cast

Dennis Hopper	...	Milo
Jodie Foster	...	Anne Benton
Dean Stockwell	...	John Luponi
Vincent Price	...	Mr. Avoca
John Turturro	...	Pinella
Fred Ward	...	Pauling
Julie Adams	...	Martha
Tony Sirico	...	Greek (as G. Anthony Sirico)
Sy Richardson	...	Capt. Walker
Frank Gio	...	Frankie
Helena Kallianiotes	...	Grace Carelli
John Apicella	...	Man at Refinery
Clifford Bartholomew	...	Fed #2
Kevin Bourland	...	Ad Agency Man
Carl David Burks	...	Ad Agency Man
Grand L. Bush	...	Bank Teller (as Grand Bush)
Burke Byrnes	...	Fed #1
Tod Davies	...	Hit Woman
Satya De La Manitou	...	Car Thug
Ayres Donno	...	Girl in Restaurant
Tomás Goros	...	Golf Course Fed
Sarina C. Grant	...	Hooker (as Sarina Grant)
Catherine Keener	...	Trucker's Girl
Katherine LaNasa	...	Waitress (as Katherine La Nasa)
Lauren Lloyd	...	Margaret Mason
Anthony Pena	...	Taos Sheriff
Robert Rothwell	...	Ad Agency Exec
Charlie Sheen	...	Bob
Jerry Summers	...	Rianetti
Gary Wills	...	Police Sargeant
Michael Yama	...	Technician
John Zenda	...	Trucker
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Toni Basil	...	(uncredited)
Alex Cox	...	D.H. Lawrence (uncredited)
Bob Dylan	...	Artist (uncredited)
David E. Harshbarger	...	Free Base Cocaine User (uncredited)
Ted Markland	...	Man in Van (uncredited)
Jeff Penley	...	Boy in Car #2 (uncredited)
Joe Pesci	...	Leo Carelli (uncredited)
Morris Lee Sullivan	...	Seattle Citizen (uncredited)
Hugo Urrutia	...	Boy in Car #3 (uncredited)
Ellie Wood Walker	...	Woman in Van (uncredited)

Directed by
Dennis Hopper		(as Alan Smithee)
Alan Smithee		(really Dennis Hopper)

Writing credits (WGA)
Rachel Kronstadt Mann		(story)
Rachel Kronstadt Mann		(screenplay) and
Ann Louise Bardach		(screenplay)

Produced by
Mitchell Cannold	....	executive producer
Dick Clark	....	producer
Lisa Demberg	....	co-producer
Paul Lewis	....	line producer
Dan Paulson	....	producer
Steven Reuther	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Curt Sobel
Michel Colombier		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Edward Lachman		(director of photography) (as Ed Lachman)

Film Editing by
David Rawlins

Casting by
Lauren Lloyd

Production Design by
Ron Foreman

Art Direction by
Pamela Marcotte		(as Pam Marcotte)

Set Decoration by
Jeannie Laughlin

Costume Design by
Nancy Cone

Makeup Department
Leslie Ann Anderson	....	hair stylist (as Leslie Anne Anderson)
Pat Gerhardt	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Scott Kramer	....	executive in charge of production
Paul Lewis	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Randall Badger	....	key second assistant director
Craig Beaudine	....	first assistant director
Bruce Solow	....	additional second assistant director

Art Department
Marienus Cetani Sr.	....	painter (as Dominic Cetani)
Scott De Shields	....	carpenter
Jeff Grizzard	....	carpenter
David E. Harshbarger	....	property master (as David Harshbarger)
Jenny Holzer	....	art creator: Anne Benton's art
Steven Jarrard	....	lead person (as Steve Jarrard)
Scott W. Leslie	....	set dresser: swing gang (as Scott Leslie)
Ron Moser	....	construction coordinator
John Slatsky	....	set dresser: swing gang
Tedi Tate	....	assistant props
Douglas M. Vaughn	....	set dresser: swing gang (as Doug Vaughn)

Sound Department
Doug Botnick	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Douglas Botnick)
David D. Caldwell	....	sound editor (as David Caldwell)
David B. Cohn	....	adr editor
Michael P. Cook	....	sound editor (as Michael Cook)
Robert Deschaine	....	adr mixer
Thom 'Coach' Ehle	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby (as Tom Ehle)
Robert L. Hoyt	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ken Pawlak	....	boom operator
Jeffrey Perkins	....	sound re-recording mixer
Warren Smith	....	sound editor
Elizabeth Snyder DeSantis	....	adr recordist (as Elizabeth Snyder De Santis)
James M. Tanenbaum	....	sound mixer (as James Tanenbaum)
James Troutman	....	sound editor
Stu Bernstein	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Sandy Gendler	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Gary Mundheim	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Bob Newlan	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Tim Philben	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Clancy T. Troutman	....	sound designer (uncredited)
Robert Waxman	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Dale L. Martin	....	special effects coordinator (as Dale Martin)
Robert E. Worthington	....	special effects assistant (as Bob Worthington)

Visual Effects by
Rocco Gioffre	....	miniatures
Mark Sullivan	....	miniatures

Stunts
Janet Brady	....	stunt person
Jeffrey J. Dashnaw	....	stunt person (as Jeff Dashnan)
Eddy Donno	....	stunt coordinator
Eddy Donno	....	stunt person
David R. Ellis	....	stunt person
Mark Giardino	....	stunt person
Buddy Joe Hooker	....	stunt person
Chris Howell	....	stunt person
Tommy J. Huff	....	stunt person (as Tom Huff)
Vic Manni	....	stunt person
Gary McLarty	....	stunt person
Beth Nufer	....	stunt person
Glenn R. Wilder	....	stunt person (as Glenn Wilder)
Tony Donno	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Paul Amorelli	....	electrician
Mark Assante	....	electrician
Dustin Ault	....	grip
Herb Ault	....	first company grip
Ron Batzdorff	....	still photographer (as Ron Batzdorf)
Rob Bennett	....	clapper loader
Bennie R. Brothers	....	video assist operator (as Bennie Brothers)
Jeffrey R. Clark	....	aerial assistant camera (as Jeff Clark)
Hugo Cortina	....	chief lighting technician
Blaise Dahlquist	....	assistant lighting technician
Mark Gambino	....	second company grip
John Graf	....	electrician
Kurt Grossi	....	grip
Bob Hall	....	first assistant camera
Vic Keatley	....	electrician (as Victor Keatley)
Brian LeGrady	....	second assistant camera (as Brian Le Grady)
Walt Lloyd	....	additional camera operator
Gregory Lundsgaard	....	panaglide operator (as Greg Lundsgaard)
Larry McCarron	....	grip
Roger Spurgeon	....	musco light operator
Jeffrey Ray Strong	....	electrician (as Jeff Strong)
Donald Vetick	....	dolly grip (as Don Vetick)
Fred Waugh	....	aerial camera operator

Casting Department
Paul Adler	....	casting associate
Sally Jackson	....	extra casting: New Mexico
Victoria Kern-Giles	....	extra casting assistant: New Mexico
Gail Levin	....	casting consultant
George Palelei	....	extra casting: Dir. Casting Service, Los Angeles

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Laura Goldsmith	....	costumer
Kayla Koeber	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Matthew Cassel	....	editing room assistant
Linda Fitzwater	....	assistant editor
David Jimenez	....	assistant editor
Terry Kelley	....	assistant editor (as Terry Kelly)
Wende Phifer Mate	....	additional editor (as Wende Pfeiffer-Mate)
Clay Rawlins	....	editing room assistant
Barbara Riley	....	negative cutter
William Mark Roche	....	post-production executive
Jan Wesley	....	additional editor
Melissa Wyn	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Sharon Boyle	....	music supervisor
Gary Goetzman	....	music supervisor
Carlton Kaller	....	music editor (as Carl Kaller)
Tom Kramer	....	music editor
William Ross	....	conductor
William Ross	....	orchestrator
Dennis S. Sands	....	music scoring mixer (as Dennis Sands)
Robert Schaper	....	music mixdown (as Bob Shaper)
James Thatcher	....	musician: French horn (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Cesar Angobaldo	....	company driver
Ray Appel	....	company driver
Dave Garber	....	driver: insert car
Chuck Hanson	....	company driver
Phil Hedley	....	production van driver
Jim Huffey	....	company driver (as Jim Hoffey)
Marty Huffey	....	company driver
Dennis Janovici	....	company driver
Tom MacDonald	....	company driver
John 'J.P.' Pratt	....	driver: honeywagon (as John Pratt)
Kino Quintana	....	company driver
Anne Renfro	....	company driver (as Annie Renfro)
Wayne Roberts	....	company driver
Lenny Rogel	....	company driver (as Len Rogel)
Mario Simon	....	transportation captain
James E. Vargas	....	company driver (as James Vargas)
Thomas Vilardo	....	company driver (as Tom Vilardo)
Eddie Lee Voelker	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Alicia Anthony	....	accounting: Vestron
Lisa Batsu	....	assistant to executive producers
Dori Berinstein	....	production executive (as Dori Bernstein-Wasserman)
Jennifer Bleakley	....	production assistant
Christine Bonnem	....	location assistant: Los Angeles (as Chris Bonnem)
George Chavez	....	set security: C.A.S.T. Security
Satya De La Manitou	....	location coordinator: New Mexico
Robert Dean	....	production assistant
Robert Easton	....	dialogue coach (as Bob Easton)
Gary Fibbins	....	assistant: Mr. Hopper
Will Fowler	....	video services
Donna Glasser-Hancock	....	assistant accountant (as Donna Glasser)
Kim Goddard	....	assistant to production executive
Peter Grossman	....	legal services: Weissman/Wolff/Bergman/Coleman & Silverman
Mark Gutierrez	....	production assistant
Pam Halstead	....	assistant to executive producers
Julie Jones	....	production accountant
Jeff Joy	....	stand-in: Mr. Hopper
Joyce King	....	script supervisor
David Logie	....	caterer: S&H Catering (as Dave 'Hatch' Logie)
Gillbert M. Loust	....	set police officer (as Gil Loust)
Steve Mason	....	caterer: S&H Catering
F. Renee Mayo	....	LED/computer operator
Peter McKernan	....	helicopter pilot (as Peter McKernan Jr.)
Kate Mytron	....	assistant to executive producers
Craig Pointes	....	location manager: New Mexico/Seattle
Alan D. Purwin	....	helicopter pilot (as Al Purwin)
Mary T. Quigley	....	first aid (as Mary Quigley)
Debra Scutari	....	production coordinator
Kris Shreffler	....	production secretary
Jeffrey T. Spellman	....	location manager: Los Angeles (as Jeffrey Spellman)
Robert Stulberg	....	legal services: Weissman/Wolff/Bergman/Coleman & Silverman
Charles A. Tamburro	....	aerial coordinator (as Chuck Tamburro)
Charles A. Tamburro	....	helicopter pilot (as Chuck Tamburro)
Michael Tamburro	....	helicopter pilot (as Mike Tamburro)
Neal Thompson	....	title designer: Cinema Research Corporation (as Neil Thompson)
Arthur Tostado	....	lab liaison (as Art Tosado)
Gary Wills	....	craft service

Thanks
Charles Arnoldi	....	producers wish to thank
R.C. Gorman	....	producers wish to thank
Laddie John Dill	....	producers wish to thank
Brian Liptrot	....	producers wish to thank
Liz Rawlins	....	producers wish to thank
Edward Ruscha	....	producers wish to thank

Production Companies

• Vestron Pictures
• Precision Films
• Mack-Taylor Productions
• Dick Clark Productions (as dick clark cinema)

Distributors

• Vestron Pictures (1990) (USA) (theatrical)
• Aquarius TV (2006) (Greece) (TV)
• Artisan Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Atlantic Film (2013) (Finland) (DVD)
• Avid Home Entertainment (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (200?) (UK) (DVD)
• Concorde Home Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Live Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA (1992) (Canada) (video)
• Showtime (1990) (USA) (TV)
• Vestron Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• Video Film Express (200?) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Video Omega (199?) (Argentina) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Van der Veer Photo Effects (special optical effects & mattes)

Other Companies

• Albert G. Ruben and Company  insurance (as Albert G. Ruben, Co.)
• American Motors (AMC)  producers wish to thank (as AMC Jeep)
• Amtrak  producers wish to thank
• Animal Actors of Hollywood  animals (as Animal Actors of Hollywood Animal Rentals)
• Arts Scene L.A.  producers wish to thank
• BMW  producers wish to thank
• C.A.S.T. Security  set security
• Cinema Research  title design (as Cinema Research Corporation)
• Clancy's Sound Vibrations  sound supervision
• Completion Bond Company  completion bond
• Consolidated Film Industries (CFI)  color and prints (as CFI)
• Continental Camera Systems  helicopter mount (as Continental)
• Creative Film Promotions  producers wish to thank
• Dir. Casting Service  extra casting: Los Angeles
• Disc Payroll Services  payroll services (as Disc Payroll Service)
• Fred Hoffman Gallery, The  producers wish to thank
• Group IV Recording  music recorded at
• Hill-Top Productions  location projection
• Hoffman Travel  travel arrangements
• Hollywood Rental Company  grip and electric equipment (as Hollywood Rentals)
• International Recording  re-recording by (as International Recording Corp.)
• Levi Strauss & Co.  producers wish to thank (as Levi Co.)
• Lion's Gate Studios  sound transfers (as Lions Gate Studio)
• New Mexico Film Commission  producers wish to thank (as The New Mexico Film Commission)
• New Mexico Flying  Cesna 210 (as New Mexico Flying Service)
• Norm Marshall and Associates  producers wish to thank
• Patterson Enterprises  helicopter mockup and special mounts
• Ray-Ban  producers wish to thank (as Rayban)
• Reebok  producers wish to thank
• S&H Catering  catering
• Seattle Film Commission, The  producers wish to thank
• Sequoia Illumination  musco light
• Sunrise Systems Inc.  LED signs
• Unique Product Placement  producers wish to thank
• Van der Veer Photo Effects  titles and opticals
• Victor Duncan  panaglide
• Video 24  video services
• Weismann, Wolff, Bergman, Coleman & Silverman  legal services
• West Coast Helicopters  helicopters supplied by

Also Known As:

"Backtrack" - USA (TV title (director's cut))

Runtime:

180 min (original cut) | 116 min (director's cut) | 98 min (cut version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Iceland:16 | Norway:15 | Singapore:M18 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16 | Portugal:M/12 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Company:

Vestron Pictures

Trivia:

Directed by Dennis Hopper under the pseudonym "Alan Smithee", which is a common Hollywood pseudonym used by any director who is too unhappy with the finished film to put his real name on it.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When the camera climbs the stairs in Anne's hideout in New Mexico, its shadow is visible on the wall to the left.

Quotes:

Milo:There's something going on here that I really don't understand, but I like it.

Movie Connections:

References Last Tango in Paris (1972)

Backtrack!

Splendid, offbeat film that blurs the line between the refined arty types (Foster's Anne Benton), and lowlifes (Hopper, Pesci). Exceptional cinematography and editing, plus a neat script, make this film appear to be a template for Tarantino, as we sort of define the term "opposites attract" with this film!

Hopper, Pesci, Price, and Turturro all give terrific performances, but Foster steals the flick in an extremely uncharacteristic performance. Made around the time of The Accused, this is Foster at her unrestrained, corset-less best. This is Foster as truly one of the hottest, sexiest women in Hollywood. She seriously could have had a career as a sex kitten (Hard to believe I know, but watch Backtrack, whoo!), but after The Silence of the Lambs, she never really returned to this turf. It's sad, because her wonderfully loopy, sexy performance, is glorious... one of her best.