The original script, written by star Robert Chapin, was much darker than the final product in which Alex, the main character, was suckered so deeply into the world of drugs, money, women and bloodsport that by the time he was reunited with Elena, he doesn't even recognize her. When MCA/Universal picked it up for home video distribution, they deemed the original script too dark and hired another writer to revise it to make it more lighthearted.
The film was briefly considered for expansion into a TV show.