This sometimes-hilarious hybrid of the detective and thriller genre makes for an outrageous East-meets-West concoction when an ex-cop, his teenage daughter and two Japanese Yakuza get caught in the crossfire of a bank job.
Directed, edited, and co-written by Roger Nygard; starring Michael Rooker, Ryo Ishibashi, Danielle Harris, and featuring Bobcat Goldthwait as the psychopathic, explosive-laden bank-robber.
“BOBCAT GOLDTHWAIT EXPLODES! Folks, if that isn’t reason enough for you to rent this movie, I don’t know what is. Back to Back is surprisingly good. Non-stop action sequences, decent performances by the majority of the cast, and the Bobcat Goldthwait explosion make decent cinema. Michael Rooker turns in a fair performance. Granted, his hot-tempered, boiling-over persona is reminiscent of his most famous role in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, but I gotta admit, I dug it anyway. The true scene stealer, however, is Ryo Ishibashi. Though it sounds horribly cliché’, I find it impossible not to compare him to action film god Chow Yun-Fat. Now, he has yet to reach Chow’s level of overall coolness, but in Ishibashi’s defense, I must say that he holds his own fairly well.” J. Bannerman, www.StompTokyo.com
Seattle International Film Festival, USA Film Festival Dallas,
Minneapolis/St. Paul International Film Festival
Production Stills
Key art from BACK TO BACK.
Hideo (Koh Takasugi) and Koji (Ryo Ishibashi) in their limo after arriving at LAX.
Director Roger Nygard directing Bobcat Goldthwait, Koh Takasugi, and Koji Ryo Ishibashi in the finer aspects of hand dismemberment.
Bobcat Goldthwait after losing a hand to Koji (Ryo Ishibashi).
Bob Malone (Michael Rooker) with a shot-gun, hunting the hunters.
Mob hitmen riddling Bob Malone’s (Michael Rooker) house with bullets.
Koji (Ryo Ishibashi) has Lt. Dusseq (John Jaughlin) in his sights.
Michael Rooker and Director Roger Nygard after Rooker disagrees with Nygard’s ideas. (Make up effects by Kenneth Michael Beck and Constance Hall.)
Bob Malone (Michael Rooker) thwarts one of Bobcat Goldthwait’s bank robbery crew.
Bob Malone (Michael Rooker) with a street sweeper shot-gun, preparing to unload a clip.
Bobcat Goldthwait detonates.
Michael Rooker and Ryo Ishibashi preparing to take on the mob.
Fred Willard, who plays the bank manager, with Director Roger Nygard.
Back to Back sales art.
Back to Back DVD artwork.
Bobcat Goldthwait in mid robbery attempt.
Bob Malone (Michael Rooker) fires at one of Bobcat Goldthwait’s bank robbery crew.
Koji (Ryo Ishibashi) observes as Bob Malone (Michael Rooker) tests a handgun
The house walls after Bob Malone (Michael Rooker) passes through with the street sweeper shot-gun.
Mob Boss Delorenzo (Frank D’Amico) attempts to squeeze Koji (Ryo Ishibashi) to death.
Director Roger Nygard.
Director Roger Nygard with Elvis impersonator Steve Peri.
Back to Back artwork.
Back to Back artwork.