Slither (1973 film)
Encyclopedia
Slither is a 1973 comedy film
starring James Caan. It was directed by Howard Zieff
.
This was the first screenplay by W. D. Richter
, who went on to adapt stories like Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Big Trouble in Little China
for the screen and directed the cult film The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
.
Caan plays an ex-convict
, one of several people trying to find a stash of stolen money.
Harry's dying words tell Dick to go find Barry Fenaka, a guy who supposedly knows where to find a stash of stolen cash that Harry has hidden. Dick picks up a hitch-hiker along the way, Kitty Kopetzky, who starts out as a friendly free spirit, then turns into a nut case who robs a diner where she and Dick go to eat.
Fenaka turns out to be a small-time bandleader. He and his wife take Dick and Kitty along as passengers in their recreational vehicle on their way to retrieve Harry's money. But a mysterious black van is following them every foot of the way, resulting in a big surprise for all concerned.
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
starring James Caan. It was directed by Howard Zieff
Howard Zieff
Howard Zieff , was an American director, television commercial director, and advertising photographer.-Biography:...
.
This was the first screenplay by W. D. Richter
W. D. Richter
W. D. Richter is a screenwriter and has occasionally directed and produced. He is best known for adapting Invasion of the Body Snatchers , directing The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, and helping write Big Trouble in Little China.- Biography:Richter graduated from...
, who went on to adapt stories like Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Big Trouble in Little China
Big Trouble in Little China
Big Trouble in Little China is a 1986 American martial arts comedy film directed by John Carpenter. It stars Kurt Russell as truck driver Jack Burton, who helps his friend Wang Chi rescue Wang's green-eyed fiancee from bandits in San Francisco's Chinatown...
for the screen and directed the cult film The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension!, often shortened to Buckaroo Banzai, is an American spoof science fiction film that was released in 1984. It was directed and produced by W. D. Richter, and concerns the efforts of the multi-talented Dr...
.
Caan plays an ex-convict
Convict
A convict is "a person found guilty of a crime and sentenced by a court" or "a person serving a sentence in prison", sometimes referred to in slang as simply a "con". Convicts are often called prisoners or inmates. Persons convicted and sentenced to non-custodial sentences often are not termed...
, one of several people trying to find a stash of stolen money.
Plot
Car thief Dick Kanipsia gets a parole from a penitentiary. He intends to go straight, but first he goes directly to see an old friend, Harry Moss, only to be shocked to see Harry get shot.Harry's dying words tell Dick to go find Barry Fenaka, a guy who supposedly knows where to find a stash of stolen cash that Harry has hidden. Dick picks up a hitch-hiker along the way, Kitty Kopetzky, who starts out as a friendly free spirit, then turns into a nut case who robs a diner where she and Dick go to eat.
Fenaka turns out to be a small-time bandleader. He and his wife take Dick and Kitty along as passengers in their recreational vehicle on their way to retrieve Harry's money. But a mysterious black van is following them every foot of the way, resulting in a big surprise for all concerned.
Cast
- James CaanJames CaanJames Caan is an American actor. He is best known for his starring roles in The Godfather, Thief, Misery, A Bridge Too Far, Brian's Song, Rollerball, Kiss Me Goodbye, Elf, and El Dorado...
as Dick Kanipsia - Peter BoylePeter BoylePeter Lawrence Boyle, Jr. was an American actor, best known for his role as Frank Barone on the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, and as a comical monster in Mel Brooks' film spoof Young Frankenstein ....
as Barry Fenaka - Sally KellermanSally KellermanSally Clare Kellerman is an American actress and singer known for her role as Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan in the film MASH , for which she was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.-Early life:...
as Kitty Kopetzky - Louise LasserLouise LasserLouise Lasser is an American actress. She is known for her portrayal of the title character on the soap opera parody Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. She was married to Woody Allen and appeared in several of his films.-Personal life:...
as Mary Fenaka - Allen GarfieldAllen GarfieldAllen Garfield, born and sometimes credited as Allen Goorwitz , is an American film and television actor.-Biography:...
as Vincent J. Palmer - Richard B. ShullRichard B. ShullRichard Bruce Shull was an American character actor.-Career:Shull was born in Evanston, Illinois, the son of Zana Marie , a court stenographer, and Ulysses Homer Shull, a manufacturing executive. Shull attended the University of Iowa and served in the U.S. Army before starting his Broadway career...
as Harry Moss - Alex RoccoAlex RoccoAlex Rocco is an American actor. His roles have ranged from comedy to playing gangsters in Mafia movies.-Early life:...
as Ice Cream Man