Thunderheart

Summary

“Third world slap-dab in the center of America.”

Sony Pictures has recently released Michael Apted’s 1992 film Thunderheart on Blu-ray. This was welcome news for fans of the picture who did not know if the film would ever receive the upgrade it deserved. Thunderheart is a minor gem but it seemed destined to be overlooked and forever left behind on the DVD format. Luckily, when Sony commits to bringing a film to the Blu-ray format, they employ some of the best quality control technicians in the business. Roger Deakins’ beautiful cinematography shines through on their new release of the film, and fans will be elated to see how great the film looks now. I feel confident in saying that this release was well worth the wait.

Written by John Fusco, Thunderheart’s script was inspired by events that took place on several American Indian reservations during the 1970’s. While the film is essentially a police procedural, it is very different from the norm due to its setting on a Sioux reservation and the social issues it explores. The film has a great cast including Val Kilmer, Sam Shepard, Graham Greene, Fred Ward, and Sheila Tousey.

As the film begins, a Native American man, whom we later learn is Leo Fast Elk, is shot to death and falls into a river. In Washington D.C., FBI Agent Raymond Lavoy (Val Kilmer) meets with his controller Agent William Dawes (Fred Thompson.)  Ray has a history of undercover work and his birth father was half Sioux. He has intentionally blocked his father from his memory after his father’s death when he was only seven years old. Ray has never allowed himself to acknowledge the Native American aspects of his genealogy, but it is because of this genealogy that Ray is being assigned to work with Frank “Cooch” Couttelle (Sam Shepard.) There has been a homicide in South Dakota in the badlands near Bended Knee. The area is hectic because two Native American tribes are fighting each other with regards to the land under their feet. The FBI are sending Ray in as one of their own, despite the fact that he does not speak the Lakota language. They want the murder case closed in three days. Arriving in South Dakota, Ray meets with Frank and they drive on to the Bear Creak reservation. They look at the crime scene of Lee Fast Elk. His body rests in the dirt. Lee was a member of the tribal council. Near the body is an eagle feather placed within a circle of rocks. Frank believes that Lee’s killer is Jimmy Looks Twice, a member of the Aboriginal Rights Movement. To help apprehend Jimmy, Frank has worked with the tribal council president Jack Milton (Fred Ward,) who has hired a local militia to check the roads. At the murder scene, Ray meets Walter Crow Horse (Graham Greene) who works for the tribal police department. Walter is suspicious of all outside law agencies and calls the F.B.I. the “Federal Bureau of Intimidation.” As Ray investigates the case, he comes to know more about the Sioux people, the oppressive nature of life on the reservations due to exterior and interior factors, and about himself.

Thunderheart is one of the most uncommon police procedurals I have seen in a long time. The focus of the film squarely on the cultural differences between the typical life in America and the Native American nation is fascinating. The script by John Fusco hits all the right notes, even if a few moments stepped into the realm of disbelief for me. I think this is a case where the occasional wonky moment doesn’t disqualify the overall excellence of the film or the film’s script. The dialogue for the most part is well crafted and the characters are well drawn. The events that take place in the picture are pretty exciting at times and threw me for a loop at least twice (although certain beats of the story will probably be predicted by the viewer before the end of the film.) The only other stumbling block I noted while watching the film was the use of a canned sound of an eagle’s call, which felt both cliche and overused by the end of the film. Like I said, any issues with the film are minor compared to the riches of the film as a whole.

Director Michael Apted is aided in bringing the film to life by the wonderful score by James Horner and brilliant cinematography by Roger Deakins. I have never been shy about my complete adoration for Deakins’ cinematography, and Thunderheart is an early showcase for his talent. Apted capably directs the strong cast in the film. Val Kilmer is pretty terrific as Ray Lavoi, and he is equaled by great performances by both Graham Greene and Sam Shepard. Sam Shepard is a talent I sorely miss, and if you are interested in his work and life story, I highly recommend the book True West: Sam Shepard’s Life, Work, and Times. It will only make you appreciate the actor and Pulitzer Prize winning playwright even more. The cast is rounded out by Fred Ward, Sheila Tousey, John Trudell, and a number of excellent Sioux actors. David Crosby even has a blink-and-you-will-miss-it totally bizarre cameo as a bartender which ends with him saying a racist epithet. I had to rewind the film to make sure it was actually him. 

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Thunderheart and hope that this great Blu-ray release will help more film collectors such as myself discover the film. It is a minor gem that deserves to be better known.

Video

Sony Pictures has presented Thunderheart in 1080p using an MPEG-4 AVC encode in 1.85:1 aspect ratio. Sony has given the film a brand new master from what looks to be a 4K scan, and the results are fantastic. Cinematographer Richard Deakins is arguably the finest cinematographer working today (alongside Robert Richardson, Emannuel Lubezki, and a couple others,) so it should come as no surprise that his visuals taking in the dessert terrains of South Dakota would be stunning. It would have been an absolute shame to have this visually striking picture left in the DVD era, and Sony’s presentation is going to blow away fans of the film. I don’t have any notes. I don’t think it could look much better on the format.

Audio

Sony has presented Thunderheart with a solid DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround track. The track presents the original sound design well. While the track is not as robust as the more complicated 5.1 mixes that would come to dominate the Nineties, it is still a solid track. The only issue I had with the original sound design is a persistently used eagle noise that occasionally took me out of the film. You will know it when you hear it.

Supplements:

• Audio Commentary with screenswriter John Fusco 
• Theatrical Trailer

Overall Scores:

Video – 4.75/5 

Audio – 4.5/5

Supplements – 3/5

Overall – 4.5/5

Thunderheart is an excellent police procedural, mystery, and drama that takes place in South Dakota. Aided by a great score by James Horner, and tremendous cinematography by Roger Deakins, Michael Apted’s film is a winner. Val Kilmer is great, and so is the tremendously talented ensemble cast which includes Graham Greene, Fred Ward, the eternally cool Sam Shepard, and a number of Sioux actors. The script by John Fusco is really unique and interesting, even if a few beats might be predicted along the way or a few moments may have played better on the page than on the screen. This was certainly one of my better discoveries this year, and I am thankful that Sony has brought the film to Blu-ray with a great looking transfer. Fans will be ecstatic to finally retire that old DVD. Recommended!

The film can be purchased at www.moviezyng.com.