While trying to come up with an ad campaign to this seemingly unmarketable film, New World's advertising committee came up with this humorous fake tagline: "He came into town with his cock in hand, and what he did with it was illegal in 49 states."
The film has never been released in the UK and was banned from public showing at the 2006 Edinburgh Film Festival following intervention by the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA). According to the BBFC the movie would never receive a UK certificate, as it contravened the Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act of 1937 because the cockfighting scenes were organized for the purpose of filming.
Despite generally positive critical reception, this film was, according to Roger Corman, the only New World Pictures release to lose money.
According to Jon Davison, Roger Corman came across Charles Willeford's original novel at an airport bookstore. He bought the adaptation rights after reading no more than the back cover, telling his story editor, "I don't have to read it. With a title like this, if we can't sell it, we're in big trouble." Ironically, the film's title would be changed three times because New World had difficulties marketing it.
Roger Corman wanted to direct this but in the end, just acted as producer for Monte Hellman. After seeing Hellman's cut, he sent editor Lewis Teague to film extra scenes and got Joe Dante to spice up the trailer.