by carlyinrome
Thunderheart is a 1992 film by Michael Apted (director) and John Fusco (writer).
You can watch it for free at Veoh.com, but you have to install their player; I'm not sure exactly how that works.
You used to be able to see the whole thing at Crackle.com, but it looks like now it's just clips. (If you're going to watch a clip, I would suggest forgoing the trailer in favor of Listen to the Trees, or, as I like to call it, Ray and Crow Horse's Second Date.)
You can watch it for $6.49 on Amazon.
It's also available from Netflix and Blockbuster, and probably your local video store. If none of these options work for you and you want to see the film, contact me privately and I'll see what I can do.
You can watch it for free at Veoh.com, but you have to install their player; I'm not sure exactly how that works.
You used to be able to see the whole thing at Crackle.com, but it looks like now it's just clips. (If you're going to watch a clip, I would suggest forgoing the trailer in favor of Listen to the Trees, or, as I like to call it, Ray and Crow Horse's Second Date.)
You can watch it for $6.49 on Amazon.
It's also available from Netflix and Blockbuster, and probably your local video store. If none of these options work for you and you want to see the film, contact me privately and I'll see what I can do.
Thunderheart is a busy movie, and difficult to define. It was billed as a new spin on the two cops from different worlds come together to solve the same crime, and it is that. It is also a historical snapshot; many of the events of the film are loosely based on events that occured on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, a confrontation between the FBI and the American Indian Movement (AIM) in the late 70s.
But I usually think of it as the story of a man learning something about himself that opens his eyes and changes his life forever.
But I usually think of it as the story of a man learning something about himself that opens his eyes and changes his life forever.
Here's a brief rundown of the major players.
Meet Special Agent Ray Levoi of the FBI. (Played by Val Kilmer, who really needs to call me.) Yes, he does know how good he looks in that suit. In an early draft of the script (unfortunately it's the only one I have; I cannot tell you the things I would do for a copy of the shooting script), John Fusco writes about Ray: "there is something insatiable about him -- a hungry energy that won't let him go." Ray is tightly wound, and laser-focused. He works deep cover for the FBI; he is very good at his job, and he believes that his job is helping people. Ray is pulled from his province to go to the Bear Creek Indian Reservation in South Dakota because he is a quarter Lakota Sioux, and the FBI brass is hoping sending in an "Indian official" will help Fed relations with the rezidents. Ray is taken aback; his Indian blood was on his father's side, and the man is long dead. He has no idea how to be Indian.
Whether he wants to or not, he's about to learn.
Whether he wants to or not, he's about to learn.
Meet Walter Crow Horse. (Played by Graham Greene.) As you may have already gleened from this photograph, Crow Horse is a badass. He is described as, "Sitting Bull with aviator shades," and, "Chief Pain in the Ass." He is "a fucking cop," irreverent sheriff for the rez PD, tired of being pushed off cases by the Major Crimes Act. He and Ray have wicked sexual chemistry, and are clearly meant for each other.
Meet Special Agent Frank "Cooch" Coutelle, ASAC Denver. (Played by Sam Shepard.) He is described as, "an old dog who doesn't like new tricks, or new agents on his block," and, "a legend." Ray is thrilled to be working with him. Cooch, less so.
Meet Maggie Eagle Bear. (Played by Sheila Tousey in her first screen role.) She is based on AIM activist Anna Mae Aquash. She is brave and reasonable and honorable, and she doesn't take crap from anybody, least of all slick PR Indians who wander onto her property.
Meet James "Jimmy" Looks Twice. (Played by John Trudell.) He is based on AIM activist Leonard Peltier. He is really tired of having his rights trampled on, and he expresses his displeasure with less patience than Maggie. He is a veteran of the Vietnam War and possible shapeshifter. Coutelle likes him for the murder; Ray is less sure.
Meet "Grampa" Samuel Reaches. (Played by Chief Ted Think Elk in his first film role.) As Crow Horse tells Ray: "Best part of his life a medicine man, communing with the earth; he can read you like last month's Sears Catalogue, kola." Grampa takes an interest in Ray, and convinces the rezidents to help him with the case, and learning to be Indian.
Meet Jimmy. He sneaks into Ray's truck, and also his heart. SERIOUSLY, HOW CAN YOU NOT LOVE THAT FAAAAACE? (A question I also ask re: Val Kilmer. Heh.)
There is so much awesome in this film, I could go on for hours. But you'd all leave, so instead: a highlight reel.
The Writing
The writing in this film is absolutely fantastic. It's like a perpetual motion machine; absolutely everything you need to understand the plot is contained within the film. Everything is foreshadowed; everything is explained. But it's all done with a very light touch, so you generally don't realize, hey, that's a clue! until the thing being foreshadowed has come to pass. At the same time, the script is relevant beyond its own borders; there's a lot of information about how Indians have been treated by the government, about reservation life, about what it means to be of mixed ancestry. And it's smart, smart writing. The dialogue is realistic, but still really lovely, and it does so much to describe the characters, and the setting. And it's funny! It's really funny; there are even jokes in Lakota. Come on. Bilingual joking: does your fandom have it?
The Acting
Every role in this film is perfectly acted, which is amazing considering that a number of the actors -- including two of the principle actors -- were in their first roles. If you watch itmany, many times obsessively carefully, you can spot a lot of times where it would be so easy to push over into grand, melodramatic moments, but all the actors keep a tight rein on things. It's realistic, and so it feels more genuine.
The Directing
Everything in this movie is thoughtful. There are hundreds of fabulous details and really smart choices everywhere: in the set design, in the scene length, even in costuming.
Ray and Crow Horse's Inevitable Love
Thunderheart is too busy doing fifteen other things to be a love story, but the subtext is enormous. Sometimes it's so enormous, it stops being sub and moves right in to normal text. For example:
The Writing
The writing in this film is absolutely fantastic. It's like a perpetual motion machine; absolutely everything you need to understand the plot is contained within the film. Everything is foreshadowed; everything is explained. But it's all done with a very light touch, so you generally don't realize, hey, that's a clue! until the thing being foreshadowed has come to pass. At the same time, the script is relevant beyond its own borders; there's a lot of information about how Indians have been treated by the government, about reservation life, about what it means to be of mixed ancestry. And it's smart, smart writing. The dialogue is realistic, but still really lovely, and it does so much to describe the characters, and the setting. And it's funny! It's really funny; there are even jokes in Lakota. Come on. Bilingual joking: does your fandom have it?
The Acting
Every role in this film is perfectly acted, which is amazing considering that a number of the actors -- including two of the principle actors -- were in their first roles. If you watch it
The Directing
Everything in this movie is thoughtful. There are hundreds of fabulous details and really smart choices everywhere: in the set design, in the scene length, even in costuming.
Ray and Crow Horse's Inevitable Love
Thunderheart is too busy doing fifteen other things to be a love story, but the subtext is enormous. Sometimes it's so enormous, it stops being sub and moves right in to normal text. For example:
RAY: Hey Crow Horse. Fuck you.I don't want to give too much away, but trust me: clearly they are made for each other. Their cranky, irreverent, banter-filled love? Awesome!
CROW HORSE: Yeah, you'd love to.