Catchfire (Backtrack)

Movie #23

Date Released: 4.3.90

Date Watched: 6.11.2020

Reaction:

Before watching, this one is already a disaster. Catchfire wasn’t even available, but the 1992 version “Backtrack” was. From what I can glean, Dennis Hopper made this movie, released in 1990, but he was so unhappy with the studio’s edits that he released it under the Alan Smithee name. I decided, since the film was actually shot and made in 1990, I could watch Backtrack instead. I’m sure I’m in for a disaster.

Totally, totally bizarre movie. The first 20 minutes are strong, the rest is befuddling. First of all, and what is almost impossible to get past, is that Dennis Hopper abducts Jodi Foster’s character and essentially rapes her and then they fall in love? It’s pretty hard for me to get past that.

So, you’ve got Dennis Hopper, Jodie Foster, Joe Pesci (uncredited), Charlie Sheen (uncredited), Bob Dylan (I think uncredited), Vincent Price, Dean Stockwell, John Turturro, and Pollie from The Sopranos, but you still can’t make this movie work? I think Joe Pesci does a great job, maybe his best performance. The plot itself isn’t terrible but the movie just lacks cohesiveness and tightness and the tension that it starts but never really builds. 

Could’ve been a chicken tender!

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