In Germany, it was distributed as "a film from Oliver Stone", even though Oliver Stone was only one of the movie's producers.
The villain has a lot of similarities to real-life NYC serial killer David Berkowitz (also known as the "Son of Sam" and dubbed the ".44 Caliber Killer" by the media). Like the Son of Sam, the killer in this film is referred to as the ".44 Magnum Killer" by the media, commits his crimes in New York City, appears to hear voices (as the Son of Sam once said he did), and taunts the police.
According to co-screenwriter Eric Red, this movie "is just a female version of The Hitcher (1986)" (which Red also wrote).
Was originally set to be released by Vestron Pictures and its offshoot label Lightning Pictures but ultimately acquired by MGM due to Vestron's financial problems and eventual bankruptcy at the time.
Clancy Brown shadowed NYPD homicide Detectives for 2 weeks. Jamie Lee Curtis also took part in several weeks of the NYPD Academy, including its firearms training.