zardoz-13 Before he helmed his three most prominent films: "Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back" (1980), "Never Say Never Again" (1983), and "RoboCop 2" (1990), director Irvin Kershner got his big-screen start with "Stake Out on Dope Street" in 1958. Kershner wrote this crime story with Andrew J. Fenady, who later scripted the John Wayne cattle western "Chism" (1970). Lensed in black & white by the incomparable Haskell Wexler of "Medium Cool" fame, with an atmospheric voice-over "Dragnet" style narration, this 82-minute melodrama concerns the loss of two pounds of uncut heroin after a drug bust. Los Angeles narcotics agents had arrested a white drug peddler carrying a satchel containing a can filled with two pounds of uncut heroin when they were fired on by assailants. The drug peddler died in the shooting, but he threw the satchel away. Nobody has any idea where the satchel landed, so both the police and the dope peddlers embark on a massive search for the heroin. Three teenagers-- Julian "Ves" Vespucci (Jonathon Haze), aspiring artist Jim Bowers (Yale Wexler) and bodybuilder Nick Raymond (Morris Miller)--discover the satchel and its content, but they aren't sure about the contents of the can. Initially, Julian throws it again, but when learn that it is heroin, they search high and low for it. Finally, they drive out to the city trash dump and stumble upon it. Meantime, the police send out their detectives roust anybody suspicious, while the underworld is doing the same thing but without to restraint. Nick turns his friends on to an older guy with a prison record, and he helps them see the heroin. It is only a matter of time until the cops catch up with both the teens and the criminals. The best scene deals with an oldster who once used heroin. He describes the nightmare that using heroin can induce. Naturally, the mob finds the teens and the drugs. Everything works out well in the long run. Most of the cast are unknowns. Nevertheless, Kershner keeps the action moving swiftly enough.

XhcnoirX A drug bust goes wrong, and in the deadly aftermath a briefcase containing a can holding 2 pounds of uncut heroin gets lost. Teenagers Yale Wexler, Jonathan Haze and Steven Marlo find the briefcase but are unaware that among its contents is the heroin. They pawn the briefcase and use the money for a night at the bowling club. The next morning they read about the drug bust and the lost briefcase and put 2 and 2 together. They manage to find the can of 'facial powder' with the heroin and turn to local junkie Allen Kramer to find a buyer. But of course both the police and the mobsters are looking for the briefcase and the heroin. It's not long before the police find the briefcase and the mobsters find Kramer...This movie was made on a shoestring budget, and it shows. The movie feels quite raw at times, even amateurish, esp the acting is pretty wooden at times. But on the other hand, the script is full of great lines, and the movie flows rather well. There is an authoritarian voice-over narration that gives the movie a documentary-style feel, which works well here. And while many scenes look rushed, some key scenes are executed rather well with nice set-up's and room to breathe, including a scene where the guys look for the can of heroin on a garbage site, a harrowing account of a junkie going through withdrawal and the climax at an industrial complex.I don't think I'd ever heard of any of the actors in this movie before watching it. And aside from Kramer, who is quite convincing as a junkie, most of them are adequate at best... None of the actors seemed to have moved beyond these cheap B-features and/or moved on to TV, which is maybe for the best. Actors from that time with similar 'looks' as the main characters like Vince Edwards or John Cassavettes would've really lifted this movie up a notch or two.The real talent in this movie tho was behind the camera. Director Irvin Kerschner in his first movie would later direct 'Star Wars V - The Empire Strikes Back', it doesn't get much bigger than that! And DoP Haskell Wexler (brother of one of the 3 kids, Yale Wexler), also lensing his first feature-length movie here, would go on to win 2 Oscars for his cinematography in his long career, for 'Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf' and 'Bound For Glory'. Their work here is really great, considering the shoestring budget. All in all, this movie exceeded my expectations, but I was let down by the mediocre acting. Still a pretty confident recommendation. 7+/10

boblipton This is a surprisingly strong AIP feature, a first for Irvin Kershner as writer and director. Although stylistically it seems, at first sight, little more than an expanded DRAGNET episode in which you get to see the criminals' viewpoints, this largely no-name cast gives a bunch of decent performances with some well-written characters.The feature is about a group of rather clueless teenagers -- who appear to use all their off-screen time body building -- who discover a cannister of heroin. Neither hard core criminals nor saints, they want all the things that society says they should want, and are not choosy about how they go about getting it.The writing and direction are stronger than the acting, but the overall effect is quite striking. Definitely worth your time.

David (Handlinghandel) Irvin Kershner has directed some excellent, some famous, movies. This one was his first. It certainly isn't famous but it is indeed excellent.It's about three young men who find a briefcase that contains, hidden among cosmetics, a can of heroin. The guys reminded me of characters from "West Side Story," though they are more middle-class. They kind of hang out, kind of have jobs. One kind of has a girlfriend. (She is played by Abby Dalton, the only name in the cast list I'd ever heard, and I'm not sure where I heard it.) That girlfriend notwithstanding, one of them has also drawn a head and unclothed torso of one of the others. This drawing is shown throughout the film.Though it's a sensationalistic film, it is not pro-drug. I am going to risk some brickbats but I never liked "Easy Rider." And I'm a baby boomer. Yes, I liked Jack Nicholson but the whole stoned thing: No, not for me.This little film has a jazz score. It plays out for us like a poem. It reminds me of Allen Ginsburg. It's smart, it's hip. It's everything a movie ought to be. And, I'd guess, it accomplishes this on a pretty low budget.The movie has a Police Gazette type title. And it may have played at drive-ins. But make no mistake: This is real art.