CHASERS

US, 1994, 101 minutes, Colour.
Tom Berenger, William Mc Namara, Erika Eleniak, Crispin Glover, Dean Stockwell, Gary Busey, Seymour Castle, Frederick Forrest, Marilu Henner, Dennis Hopper.
Directed by Dennis Hopper.

Chasers got very bad reviews. Dennis Hopper was criticised as losing his touch. After his breakthrough in direction with Easy Rider, his made the very self-indulgent The Last Movie. During the late 1980s he began again to direct with such films as Colours and Hot Spot. However, after studio clashes with Catchfire, his directing career faltered. However, he continued to act in a great number of films, usually giving some kind of variation on a manic character.

This is a film about two navy personnel accompanying a prisoner across country. It is a road film, the prisoner trying to escape, the chasers (those commissioned to accompany a prisoner) keep getting her back. The film is a routine action adventure with touches of comedy. Many of Dennis Hopper’s friends take cameo roles.

1. An entertaining action comedy thriller?

2. The south, the navy, the road, transporting the prisoner? The various locations on the road, diners, houses…? The musical score, the songs?

3. The title, the reference to the work with the sailors accompanying the prisoner? Their being tricked into accompanying Toni? Their not wanting to do it, their trying to avoid it?

4. Fast Eddie Devane and his age, experience, conman, last day in the navy? His wanting to get his push? His being forced to transport the prisoner? His relationship with his partner, Rock Riley? The reaction to getting Toni Johnson? On the road, the incident at the diner, her disguising herself as a waitress, the getaway? Their getting her back, the breakdown of the van? The episode at the mining shaft? Her getting on their shoulders to get out of the shaft, her deciding to save them?

5. Rock Riley, gruff, the usual navy veteran? His reaction to being with Eddie? To Toni? Keeping an eye on Toni, her escapes, the getaway, the breakdown? In the mine shaft?

6. Toni, her offence, the transport back to the base? Her reaction to the two men, her wanting to escape, as a waitress, the car breakdown, the sexy overtones of the mine shaft escape? Her deciding to save the two chasers?

7. The subsequent reaction, their getting to now one another, their discussions, their life stories? Toni and her striking the officer, her wanting to visit her brother, his overdose? Eddie and his talk about the Porsche? Riley and his story? The irony of Eddie releasing Toni, her escape, taking the car? Her being recaptured yet again?

8. Finally getting Johnson to the navy? Riley and Eddie and their clashes, the fight?

9. Riley, his change of heart towards Toni, again organising an escape, Eddie helping?

10. The postscript, Eddie and Toni in Mexico, the phone call to Riley, his living in retirement? The future get-together?

11. The portrait of the navy, chaser duty?

12. The range of minor characters, the people encountered on the way, the officers, the diner, the mine, the salesman…?