Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		3.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Cisco Pike Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov May 18, 2020

Bill L. Norton's "Cisco Pike" (1971) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; new audio commentary by the director; new program featuring writer/director/producer Elijah Drenner; archival production and promotional materials; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

You work for me now, buddy.

The internet has devalued terms like ‘classic’ and ‘gem’ so much that nowadays they are practically meaningless. It is the truth. Virtually all black-and-white films are now declared ‘classics’, and there is always someone around the corner willing to argue that the latest older film he discovered on a disc is a ‘gem’ that is ‘criminally underrated’. Naturally, I probably should not waste virtual ink to describe Bill L Norton’s directorial debut, Cisco Pike, as a ‘lost classic’ because I already know that the description will not resonate with you as I wish it would.

But I am doing it anyway.

This film is a genuine lost classic, a diamond in the rough, a prime example of everything that once made American cinema powerful, authentic, and illuminating. What is on display in it is what Hollywood permanently destroyed after the box office success of Jaws.

The time is the early ‘70s and the location is sunny LA. Former rock musician-turned-drug dealer Cisco Pike (Kris Kristofferson) is trying to get back in the music business but because of his time on the streets he is constantly reminded that his real talent is handing out pot, not tapes with his latest tunes. The only person that truly believes in Cisco’s ongoing transformation is his girlfriend, Sue (Karen Black), who also wants a new life and does not mind enduring a rough patch to see him succeed. But when a crooked cop (Gene Hackman) steals a very large shipment of pot and begins blackmailing Cisco -- the cop wants Cisco to sell the pot to his former clients during a single weekend and deliver $10,000 to him or he will have him busted again, ensuring that he spends the best years of his life behind bars -- he is forced to start dealing again to remain a free man. Because the cop’s product is top-quality at first it looks like Cisco might be able to quickly spread it out across the city and get him off his back, but when complications arise, he finds himself stuck in a lose-lose situation. With time running out, Cisco is visited by his former stage partner, Jesse Dupre (Harry Dean Stanton), now an accomplished loser and drug addict, and while recalling their glory days together they slowly begin drifting into the city’s underbelly.

Though it does have a slightly rougher edge that makes its drama even more hard-hitting, Cisco Pike oozes the exact same unfiltered atmosphere that transforms Aloha, Bobby and Rose into one giant and unforgettable nostalgia trip. So, these two ‘70s films are the exact opposite of the soapy mainstream dramas critics praised at the time.

Kristofferson made his acting debut in Cisco Pike and as odd as it may sound it is very easy to make a case that it is his best performance. Why? Because he is essentially playing himself, a laidback and sensitive crooner that can easily go off if pushed around by the wrong guy. There is a degree of authenticity in his performance that is quite simply impossible to script and then reproduce by a first-timer. With the exception of Hackman, who at times has the crooked cop looking a bit too perfect for this type of film, it greatly benefits the other actors around him as well. It makes their characters equally credible and together they all become part of a crowd that never leaves the impression that it was assembled to appear in a film.

The city’s ‘performance’ in the film is just as impressive. Norton captures it as it is, alive and breathing, not looking artificially glamorous and mysterious.

The songs that are heard throughout the film are all from Kristofferson’s classic album "The Silver Tongued Devil and I" -- "Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)", "Breakdown (A Long Way from Home)", and "The Pilgrim: Chapter 33".

Cisco Pike Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.84:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Cisco Pike arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films.

The release is sourced from an older master. I like it because it is organic, but it has limitations, and if this film is redone in either 2K or 4K it is guaranteed that it will look quite a bit better in high-definition. What are the limitations? Overall delineation and depth are mostly good, but in darker areas they begin to struggle and on a larger screen you will notice how the grain can become quite noisy. Needless to say, shadow definition and some ranges of nuances can be improved. Density also fluctuates, and there is one short sequence where it becomes problematic (see screencapture #21). The color grading job is very nice, but some nuances and highlights can be expanded and rebalanced. Image stability is very good. A few nicks and tiny blemishes remain, but there are no distracting large debris, cuts, warped or torn frames to report. So, this film could and should look better on Blu-ray, but because the current master is free of awful digital adjustments, I think that the presentation is rather nice. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Cisco Pike Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 1.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The audio is clear, stable, and clean. I am convinced that when Sony prepared the current master it was transferred the right way, so even if it is redone in the future, I do not expect to hear any dramatic improvements. Right now the audio is healthy and boasting the type of proper dynamics that I expected to hear.

Cisco Pike Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - original trailer for Cisco Pike. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• TV Spot - original TV spot for Cisco Pike. In English, not subtitled. (1 min).

• Ode to Joy - in this video program, critic Kier-La Janisse discusses the work of actress Joy Bang. In English, not subtitled. (43 min).

• Walking Contradiction - Cisco Pike Then and Now - an outstanding new program that identifies many of the LA locations that are seen in Cisco Pike. The program is narrated by writer/director/producer Elijah Drenner. In English, not subtitled. (10 min).

• Image Gallery - a large collection of original production and promotional materials.

• Commentary - in this new audio commentary, writer/director Bill L Norton and Elijah Drenner discuss how Cisco Pike came to exist, the era in which it emerge and the LA scene that is captured in it (with some great information about the different locations that are seen throughout the film), the different casting choices, Kris Kristofferson's performance and his music, etc. A really, really informative commentary, so fans and admirers of the film should find the time to listen to it in its entirety.

• Booklet - limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by Christina Newland, the original soundtrack EP liner notes, an archival interview with Kris Kristofferson, Stephen Farber's 1972 article on Cisco Pike, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits.

Cisco Pike Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Cisco Pike is a humongous acquisition for Indicator/Powerhouse Films. Right now my enthusiasm for this film is such that I would rank it right next to Midnight Cowboy and Easy Rider, though it really is just as great of a time capsule as Aloha, Bobby and Rose. Kris Kristofferson is so good in it that all of the critical praise he received later in his career looks completely misplaced -- how could the Academy miss this type of performance? (It is a rhetorical question, of course). This upcoming release is sourced from an older and somewhat uneven master, but the technical presentation provides the film with a fine organic appearance and I think that it would be a crime to miss it. As I wrote elsewhere in this article, Cisco Pike is a genuine lost classic that puts on full display everything that once made American cinema powerful, authentic, and illuminating. If you decide to pick up the release, please keep in mind that it is Region-B "locked". VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.