To the reviewer who mentioned she had been searching for it for 25 years, my heartfelt sympathies. I indeed know the feeling. Seven year search to find it on DVD. No luck.I saw it, as a kid, on a Friday night in a theater during the late Seventies. The next night I was back in my seat to see it again. My parents wanted to know why I was going to see the movie again. I just said it was that good, I had to. I couldn't get enough of Karen Lamm. I hated the nasty villains, and as I became a dabbler in the art of writing fiction for my own pleasure, much of my inspiration comes from TRACKDOWN. Of course, in this movie, the young lady doesn't get rescued. I well remember the nightmarish scene, how that guy took off his belt, how she tried to get to the door...But decades have past, and I cannot really submit a decent review. I suppose by today's standards it might look lame on DVD. But I'm begging for a copy of my own. Just now here on IMDb saw the bit by the reviewer stating that there is a release by Warner on DVD, and I will get Takealot on this case again. So, if anybody out there is checking out the worthiness of this one as a movie on cable tonight, or as a video to rent, I only wish I could have been as lucky...I can still hear the words of the trailer. Jim Mitchum, a one-man posse, on the trackdown... There are lots of older movies available on DVD. Why not this one?ADDENDUM, 22 May 2014. After submitting my review, I went into searching mode again, and once more became lucky just after an IMDb visit. Are you guys my lucky charm or what? Anyway, I have this item on order now, and will, all going well, review it more properly in the near future. Not soon, as I prolong the excitement by setting it up for screening on a far-off date. But I do now at least have a hope.My ordered set is a 4 movie special featuring what sounds like a bunch of junk in the worst degree, with TRACKDOWN included. Well, no other option was available for me. Anybody else looking for it, go to Amazon.com and simply select TRACKDOWN.15 June 2014 :) I've seen a truly horrible movie tonight, really, really weak, why it even exists is beyond me, really it is yuck, a buncha barf in a leaking barf bag would be more fun. It was promoted as Scorchy, but was actually Race with Death. why am I all happy then? Cause the reason why I own this junk is because it's part of the quadruple bill featuring TRACKDOWN, and after a ruined evening, I took a sneak peak at the main attraction that I've only seen twice almost 37 years ago... And by just viewing the bit at the beginning I can see I've got something to look forward to. Scheduled for sometime during the next year. Proper review to follow. But, really people, those other three movies on the Action Packed Movie Marathon Vol. 2. Utter dreck! Do buy it though if you're after TRACKDOWN! :)17 July 2014. After experiencing trouble with my Region-free Philips DVD player which I am unable to replace as Philips don't bring their units into this country anymore, I watched this movie while I still can.Lots of things were far different from the way I remembered it. But the movie is every bit watchable. It might be old, but it has stood the test of time remarkably well. Jim Mitchum appears unlikely to be a Hollywood lead actor, but in those action scenes. Wow, just like Chucho felt, you gotta have this guy on your side! Karen Lamm, I am dismayed to have learned she is no longer with us, but thank you, you were an excellent Betsy Calhoun. The street thugs were so real I shudder to think they were cast off the street, reality imitating art...Oddly enough, the meanest character gets away with the worst crime, and the script allows him to. If you like to beat up little girls like Betsy, you are lower than pond scum. You need a ladder to look a snail in the eyes. This bastard should have been in that car in the end scene.Recommended viewing. And I stand by my original estimation, eight stars.

It might paint itself as a rough and tumble, by-the-numbers 70s revenge thriller and for most part it's typically generic in its story's progression, but there are some strong themes and capable performances by its cast led by Jim Mitchum and Cathy Lee Crosby. There's a brutal and downbeat side to some scenarios, but never does it becomes overly exploitative despite its angle on forced prostitution and underground violence. The bad guys are scum… truly scum. Where the seedy backdrop of Los Angeles breeds crime and those people take advantage of young naïve runaways looking to hit it big in LA. Some sequences do pack a punch and the script, while not entirely rounded does do enough to evoke some emotional pull when it comes to the overall payback. Sixteen year old Betsy Calhoun flees from her Montana ranch heading to Los Angeles, but her dreams soon become a nightmare when she's kidnapped and sold to a prostitution ring. Her older brother Jim heads to Los Angeles to find her, but finds little help until he meets a social worker and a former gang member who knew of his sister's kidnapping. Jim Mitchum in the lead role is stolid, but fitting with a more psychical performance told through his facials and in doing so making it more effective. You do feel his pain. He shares good chemistry with a head strong Crosby. Half of the film focuses on his search, while the other follows that of Karen Lamm's wholesome turn as Betsy. Watching how she becomes a prostitute, to how she copes with it and the touching relationship she forms with Anne Archer's prostitute character. Some moments do have a disturbing edge. Not unexpected, but they're powerful because there's enough time invested in these characters. So the story moves between different plot arches before all coming together and offering a surprise or so. The film looks bare-bones and on the cheap, but it remains authentic with its on shot locations and gritty action exchanges. Nothing about the direction really ignites itself, but there are set-pieces that craft out an exciting barrage of vicious violence. Like the intense gunfire jousting involving moving lifts was a nice touch. Its plain look might have that made for TV feel, but it doesn't hurt it. At times it can be slow and talky, but its steady handling keeps to its strengths and never over delivers on the old-hat set-up."You know. You're breaking my chops".

Back when I was in school and my classmates were "Stayin' Alive" or tripping through "A Galaxy Far, Far Away", I preferred to take my best girl to some very good movies - Trackdown is one of these movies. James Mitchum is as good as any. Though the plot is a little thin, Mitchum's on-screen presence continued to bring the story together to it's inevitable conclusion. Guys, rent it - you'll be glad you did!

United Artist seems to have ignored this 1976 classic for it's not even on video! Karen Lamm runs away from her Montana home to go to the city and gets raped by mexican gang and sold to a high class beverly Hills pimp Johnny Dee (well played by Vince Cannon). Jim Mitchum plays her brother who goes to Los Angeles looking for her with a help from Cathy Lee Crosby and Erik Estarda. Great finale, Good action, like a suspenseful action sequence on the roof of and in the elevator at Johnny dee's building, to the finale, which involves a high speed car vs a rifle (which also had some "distance" bloopers)! Great cast (with early performance as Ray Sharkey), and Hollywood later sort of remade it with "THE COWBOY WAY" with Woody Harreson 14 years later. Intresting note is Ivan Nagy is credit was "story by", when he is the director that was boyfriend of Heidi Fleiss in real life. I think the film is not on video because of musical copyright problem (Kenny Rogers sings the end credit song). The Late Vince Cannon could've been good villian actor, it's too bad he never did much films. The film was re-released by the producers (not United Artist) in 1980 with Estadra on the cover holding a knife with Cathy Lee Crosby also on the poster. The new poster said something like "He's a killer, He's lover, and only Cathy Lee Crosby can tame him". False advertisement, but the film is worth a good release back then as it still stood up to the action films of 1980. And it is still a great exciting action film with a important message!