
Skip Tracer (1977)
Skip Tracer (1977), directed by Zale Dalen, starring David Petersen and John Lazarus.
score
He Intends to Collect ... No Matter What!
Synopsis
An accomplished repo man from Vancouver takes a new hire under his wing, while their morals and limits are tested on the job.
- Ron OrieuxCinematography
- Zale DalenDirector, Editing, Screenplay
- Laara DalenProducer
- Linton S. GarnerOriginal music
About the film
Skip Tracer, also known as Deadly Business, is a Canadian drama film, directed by Zale Dalen and released in 1977.
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Skip Tracer, also known as Deadly Business, is a Canadian drama film, directed by Zale Dalen and released in 1977.
Plot
The film stars David Petersen as John Collins, a repo man who begins to regret his career choice after being paired with Brent Solverman (John Lazarus), a new trainee whose very different perspective on the job begins to trigger Collins' conscience.
Production and Release
Skip Tracer was Dalen's feature-length directorial debut. The film was made for a budget of just $250,000 after Dalen and his wife Laara, acting as the film's producer, decided that they were dissatisfied with their jobs and wanted to work in film.
The film was released on VHS under the name Deadly Business.
Reception and legacy
Petersen received a Canadian Film Award nomination for Best Actor, and Dalen received the Wendy Michener Award for "most promising new talent", at the 28th Canadian Film Awards. In 1978, Skip Tracer was screened at the Chicago International Film Festivall, and would also become the first Canadian film ever selected for screening at the New York Film Festival.
The film received generally mixed reviews, with Elliott Stein for Film Comment calling the film "more tedious than interestingly harrowing."
It was later screened at the 1984 Festival of Festivals as part of Front & Centre, a special retrospective program of artistically and culturally significant films from throughout the history of Canadian cinema.
The film has gained reputation as a cult classic, with many categorizing it as "Canuxploitation."
In 2022, the film was remastered for the first time on Blu-Ray by Canadian independent distributor, Gold Ninja Video.
References
External links
Skip Tracer at IMDb
Man of the Year: Debt and Redemption in Skip Tracer, a video essay by Stephen Broomer
Text from Skip Tracer on Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skip_Tracer
Trivia
- The production budget was US$ 250.000.
- It premiered on August 27, 1977, a Saturday.
- It runs 1h35 — a typical feature length.
- This film's quiz has 12 questions — enough to play more than once without repeats.
Production
- StudiosHighlight Productions, Canadian Film Development Corporation
- CountriesCanada
- LanguagesEnglish
- BudgetUS$ 250,000
- StatusReleased
Cast
-
David Petersen
John Collins - John Lazarus Brent Solverman
- Rudy Szabo Leo Gabrowski
- Mike Grigg Henry Belden
- Alan Rose George Pettigrew
- Sue Astley Sara Pettigrew
- Jack Leaf Walter Tchoryk
-
Stephen E. Miller
The Welder -
Mark Acheson
Bob Sheldon
Quiz about this movie
Questions from the whole catalogue.
Play nowIf you liked this one
-
Uma Vida Marcada
6.7
-
O Segredo das Joias
7.5
-
O Sucesso a Qualquer Preço
7.3
-
A Quadrilha Drama from the 1970s
6.7
-
Na Rota do Inferno
6.7
-
Rebelião no Presídio
7.1
-
O Último Respiro
6.9
-
Liberdade Condicional Drama from the 1970s
7.1
-
A Maleta Fatídica
6.9
-
2073
6.7
-
Uma Estrada Para Recomeçar
6.7
-
Jogo Entre Ladrões
6.0
Tags
Crew
- Ron Orieux Cinematography
- Zale Dalen Director
- Zale Dalen Editing
- Laara Dalen Producer
- Linton S. Garner Original music
- Zale Dalen Screenplay
Questions about this film
What is Skip Tracer about?
Skip Tracer: An accomplished repo man from Vancouver takes a new hire under his wing, while their morals and limits are tested on the job.
Who directed Skip Tracer?
Skip Tracer was directed by Zale Dalen in 1977.
Who stars in Skip Tracer?
The cast of Skip Tracer includes David Petersen, John Lazarus, Rudy Szabo, Mike Grigg and Alan Rose.
How long is Skip Tracer?
Skip Tracer runs for 95 minutes, or 1h35.
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Page updated on 09/15/2026.
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