Thunderheart (1992)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Michael Apted

Writer (WGA):

John Fusco (written by)

Release Date:

3 April 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Mystery | Thriller | Western

Tagline:

Two men from different worlds. Two cops after the same killer. Together they must uncover the secrets. Together they must discover the truth.

Plot:

An FBI man with Sioux background is sent to a reservation to help with a murder investigation, where he has to come to terms with his heritage...

Plot Keywords:

South Dakota | Native American | Neo Noir | Based On True Story | Independent Film

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Val Kilmer	...	Ray Levoi
Sam Shepard	...	Frank Coutelle
Graham Greene	...	Walter Crow Horse
Fred Ward	...	Jack Milton
Fred Dalton Thompson	...	William Dawes
Sheila Tousey	...	Maggie Eagle Bear
Ted Thin Elk	...	Grandpa Sam Reaches (as Chief Ted Thin Elk)
John Trudell	...	Jimmy Looks Twice
Julius Drum	...	Richard Yellow Hawk
Sarah Brave	...	Maisy Blue Legs
Allan R.J. Joseph	...	Leo Fast Elk
Sylvan Pumpkin Seed	...	Hobart
Patrick Massett	...	Agent Mackey
Rex Linn	...	FBI Agent
Brian A. O'Meara	...	FBI Agent

Runtime:

119 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Sioux

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | Iceland:14 (original rating) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | South Korea:12 | Netherlands:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Finland:K-14 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Badlands National Park, Interior, South Dakota, USA

Company:

TriStar Pictures

Trivia:

During the early to mid-Seventies, there were fifty-seven unsolved murders on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation due to the fighting between the "Traditionals" and Tribal government sanctioned "goons". This made the Village of Pine Ridge (Pop. 1100) the "Murder Capitol of the Nation" with the highest number of violent death per capita in the United States.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The events upon which the story is based happened in June 1975. There is a portrait of Richard Nixon in the FBI director's office. Nixon resigned in August 1974. Gerald Ford's picture should have been there. Also, as Val Kilmer is driving in the opening sequence, "Badlands" by Bruce Springsteen is playing on the car radio. The album containing this song was released in June 1978. The car driven by Kilmer in the opening scene is a Ford Mustang convertible which wasn't released until 1983.

Quotes:

Ray Levoi: This land is not for sale!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Last Action Hero (1993)

Poignant real-life drama mixed with great acting and directing

This movie, based upon a true incident at the Oglala Indian Reservation in South Dakota, seamlessly combines great acting, much of it by native Americans, taut direction, and delicious dialogue. It is thought-provoking, enlightening, well-paced, and always entertaining. As poignant a movie as I've ever seen, I rate this alongside L.A. Confidential, Life Is Beautiful, as one of the Three top movies of the 1990's. Val Kilmer has never been better and Graham Greene is simply magnificent, even better than he was in Dances with Wolves. This is a must-see for the entire family.