Thunderheart

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Thunderheart
Theatrical release poster
Directed byMichael Apted
Written byJohn Fusco
Produced byRobert De Niro
Jane Rosenthal
John Fusco
Starring
Cinematography
Tribeca Productions
Waterhorse Productions
Distributed byTriStar Pictures
Release date
  • April 3, 1992 (1992-04-03)
Running time
119 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguagesEnglish
Lakota
Box office$22.6 million[1]

Thunderheart is a 1992 American

Wounded Knee incident in 1973,[2] when followers of the American Indian Movement seized the South Dakota town of Wounded Knee in protest against federal government policy regarding Native Americans. Incorporated in the plot is the character of Ray Levoi, played by actor Val Kilmer, as an FBI agent with Sioux heritage investigating a homicide on a Native American reservation. Sam Shepard, Graham Greene, Fred Ward and Sheila Tousey star in principal supporting roles. Also in 1992, Apted had previously directed a documentary surrounding a Native American activist episode involving the murder of FBI agents titled Incident at Oglala. The documentary depicts the indictment of activist Leonard Peltier during a 1975 shootout on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation
.

The film was a co-production between the motion picture studios of

Columbia TriStar Home Video for home media. Thunderheart explores civil topics, such as discrimination, political activism and murder.[3] Following its cinematic release, the film garnered several award nominations from the Political Film Society. On November 24, 1992, the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was released by the Intrada Records label. The film score was composed by musician James Horner
.

Thunderheart premiered in theaters in-wide release in the United States on April 3, 1992 grossing $22,660,758 in domestic ticket sales. The film was considered a minor financial success after its theatrical run, and was met with generally positive critical reviews before its initial screening in cinemas.

Plot

Leo Fast Elk, a

Native American reservation in South Dakota, is murdered. FBI Agent William Dawes assigns Agent Ray Levoi to help investigate. The latter is chosen for his mixed Sioux heritage, which might assist in the inquiry as they interview residents of the reservation. Ray is apprehensive as he is disconnected from his heritage and does not speak Lakota
. Ray is partnered with veteran Agent Frank "Cooch" Coutelle, who has narrowed down the suspect list to Maggie Eagle Bear, a peaceful Native American political activist and schoolteacher, and Jimmy Looks Twice, leader of the radical Aboriginal Rights Movement (ARM).

Ray and Frank meet tribal police officer Walter Crow Horse at the murder scene. Walter is resistant to their claims of jurisdiction as he generally distrusts the government, and Ray and Frank tell him not to impede their investigation. Frank has already determined that Jimmy Looks Twice is the prime suspect and has been working with tribal council president Jack Milton to apprehend him. Jack has hired an unofficial militia to protect the reservation from Jimmy and the ARM, who oppose the tribal council's efforts to modernize the reservation. Jimmy is successfully caught and taken into custody, but escapes after a gunfight with the FBI and tribal police.

When Walter informs him that the murder took place on Maggie's property, Ray goes to collect evidence and finds bullet casings but is told to leave by Maggie. Ray is initially mocked and ridiculed by the locals (being called a "

Washington Redskin
"), but tribal elder Grandpa Sam Reaches tells him that he comes from strong Native American blood. Ray returns to Maggie's to question her grandmother, and commends her for her activism. While Ray is visiting, Maggie's son is shot in the arm by Jack's militia, who claim the shooting was actually committed by the ARM. Ray drives Maggie and her son to the hospital, and gets into a fight with Jack's men when they arrive. After witnessing the harrowing conditions and violence from Milton's pro-government faction on the reservation, Ray gradually becomes sensitized to Native American issues.

Although Frank is convinced that Jimmy committed the murder, Walter tells Ray that the killer was heavier than Jimmy is and also stole Leo's car, which was used to take the body from Maggie's property to the dump site. Leo's car is still missing, but Frank dismisses the lead and tells Ray to focus on locating Jimmy instead of talking to Walter. Ray continues to meet with Walter and Grandpa Sam Reaches despite Frank's orders and starts his own investigation off the record. Leo's car is found with a large jacket in the trunk, supporting Walter's claim that the killer was bigger than Jimmy is. Ray surreptitiously takes a raffle ticket stub from the jacket pocket and takes it to Maggie, who organized the raffle, to see if she can identify who it belongs to. Maggie informs Ray that she is concerned about the possibility of contaminated water on the reservation, and thanks him for his help with her son.

Ray visits Grandpa Sam Reaches and finds Jimmy, who he is now convinced is innocent. Ray warns Jimmy to leave quickly or the FBI will kill him, but Jimmy is apprehended by Frank and the rest of the FBI agents who were called in for the manhunt. Much to Frank's anger, Ray comes to suspect a conspiracy and cover-up involving the reservation and Leo's murder. After Jimmy is arrested, Maggie matches the ticket stub for Ray. The ticket was purchased by Richard Yellow Hawk, a convict on the reservation who uses a wheelchair. Ray visits Richard, who admits to killing Leo after Ray tells him to get out of his wheelchair, which he does. Richard confirms that Frank and other FBI agents visited him in prison, offering to reduce his sentence if he did favors for them. Richard stirred up tensions between the ARM and the tribal council, and was effectively blackmailed by Frank under the threat of going back to prison.

After being told to find 'the source', Ray and Walter travel to Red Deer Table, a location that Leo was investigating prior to his death. Ray tells Walter about a dream he had about the

strip mine uranium
on the reservation. The mining is polluting the water supply and fueling the bloody conflict between the reservation's anti-government ARM and Milton's men. While the land is not owned by Milton, he receives kickbacks from the leases. Ray and Crow Horse discover Maggie's body at the site. Ray rushes back to Richard, but finds him dead in his wheelchair, his wrists slit to make his death look like a suicide.

Walter and Ray are pursued by Frank, Jack, and his pro-government collaborators. Ray reveals that he recorded Richard's confession, implicating Frank in Leo's murder. Ray and Walter are eventually cornered but before they can be killed, the ARM shows up to protect them. Frank and Jack are apprehended after being cornered and outnumbered by the armed resistance. Ray, disillusioned by the corruption, leaves the FBI.

Cast

Actor Val Kilmer who portrayed FBI agent Ray Levoi.

Production

Filming

Graham Greene played the role of Indian officer Walter Crow Horse.

The film was shot primarily on location in

Oglala Sioux people, who trusted Apted and Fusco to express their story.[5]

Soundtrack

The original motion picture soundtrack for Thunderheart was released by the Intrada Records music label on November 24, 1992.[6] The score for the film was composed by James Horner, while original songs written by musical artists Bruce Springsteen, Ali Olmo, and Sonny Lemaire, among others, were used in-between dialogue shots throughout the film. Jim Henrikson edited the film's music.[4]

Thunderheart: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Film score by
James Horner
Released11/24/1992
Length43:59
LabelIntrada Records
Thunderheart: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
No.TitleLength
1."Main Title"2:13
2."The Oglala Sioux"2:38
3."Jimmy's Escape"3:34
4."Proud Nation"1:59
5."Evidence"1:40
6."First Vision"1:16
7."Ghost Dance"3:16
8."The Goons"2:36
9."Medicine Man"1:02
10."My People/Wounded Knee"4:30
11."Thunderheart"5:26
12."Run for the Stronghold"5:25
13."This Land is Not For Sale/End Titles"8:24
Total length:43:59

Marketing

Novel

A paperback novel published by HarperCollins titled Thunderheart based on John Fusco's screenplay, was released on May 28, 1992. The book dramatizes the fictionalized events of the Wounded Knee Incident, as depicted in the film. It expands on the ideas of how an FBI agent's assignment to uncover the truth behind violence on an Indian reservation leads to a wide-range conspiracy.[7]

Reception

Critical response

Rotten Tomatoes reported that 89% of 19 sampled critics gave the film a positive review, with an average score of 6.5 out of 10.[8] Following its cinematic release in 1992, Thunderheart received two nominations from the Political Film Society Awards in the categories of Exposé and Human Rights.[9]

"A film this intent on authenticity might easily grow dull, but this one doesn't; Mr. Apted is a skillful storyteller. He gives 'Thunderheart' a brisk, fact-filled exposition and a dramatic structure that builds to a strong finale, one that effectively drives the film's message home."
—Janet Maslin, writing in The New York Times[2]

Chris Hicks, of the

35 Up he pays great attention to the people themselves - not just what they do, and how that pushes things along."[12]

Time Out said that "Apted and cinematographer Roger Deakins focus unblinkingly on the poverty endemic to the reservation. This directness, however, contrasts with an over-complicated script by John Fusco." But he acknowledged that "the story boasts integrity and serves as a forceful indictment of on-going injustice."[15]

"In Thunderheart we get a real visual sense of the reservation, of the beauty of the rolling prairie and the way it is interrupted by deep gorges, but also of the omnipresent rusting automobiles and the subsistence level of some of the housing."
—Roger Ebert, writing for the Chicago Sun-Times[12]

Sean Axmaker of Turner Classic Movies boasted on the film's merits by declaring, "Thunderheart dispenses with clichés of Indian culture while respectfully showing the traditions kept alive on the reservation and exposing conditions on the reservation, all within the conventions of an entertaining and involving Hollywood murder mystery with a message."[5] Rating 3 Stars, Leonard Maltin wrote that the film was an "engrossing thriller" that is "notable for its keen attention to detail regarding Sioux customs and spirituality, and its enlightened point of view."[16]

Box office

The film premiered in cinemas on April 3, 1992 in wide release throughout the U.S.. During its opening weekend, the film opened in 5th place grossing $4,507,425 in business showing at 1,035 locations.[1] The film White Men Can't Jump came in first place during that weekend grossing $10,188,583.[17] The film's revenue dropped by 26% in its second week of release, earning $3,324,500. For that particular weekend, the film fell to 8th place screening in 1,090 theaters. The film Sleepwalkers unseated White Men Can't Jump to open in first place grossing $10,017,354 in box office revenue.[18] During its final weekend in release, Thunderheart opened in a distant 14th place with $1,111,110 in revenue.[19] The film went on to top out domestically at $22,660,758 in total ticket sales through a six-week theatrical run.[1] For 1992 as a whole, the film would cumulatively rank at a box office performance position of 55.[20]

Home media

Following its theatrical release, the film was released on VHS video format on October 14, 1992.[21] The Region 1 Code widescreen edition of the film was released on DVD in the United States on September 29, 1998.[22] The film is set for release on Blu-ray on May 21, 2024.[23]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Thunderheart". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on July 5, 2018. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Maslin, Janet (April 3, 1992). Thunderheart (1992) Archived August 11, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. The New York Times. Retrieved 2011-03-06.
  3. ^ Michael Apted. (1992). Thunderheart [Motion picture]. United States: TriStar Pictures.
  4. ^ a b c "Thunderheart (1992)". Yahoo! Movies. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
  5. ^ a b c Axmaker, Sean (1992). Thunderheart. Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 2011-03-06.
  6. ^ "Thunderheart Soundtrack". Amazon. Archived from the original on September 14, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
  7. ISBN 978-0-380-76881-3
    .
  8. ^ "Thunderheart (2018)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on July 25, 2021. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  9. ^ Previous Political Film Society Award Winners Archived January 28, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Political Film Society Awards. Retrieved 2011-03-06.
  10. ^ Hicks, Chris (April 8, 1992). Thunderheart Archived August 11, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Deseret News. Retrieved 2011-03-06.
  11. ^ Variety, (December 31, 1991). Thunderheart Archived November 7, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Variety. Retrieved 2011-03-06.
  12. ^ a b Ebert, Roger (April 3, 1992). Thunderheart Archived October 12, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2011-03-06.
  13. ^ Maher, Kathleen (April 10, 1992). Thunderheart Archived June 29, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 2011-03-06.
  14. ^ Gleiberman, Owen (April 17, 1992). Thunderheart Archived September 7, 2014, at the Wayback Machine. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2011-03-06.
  15. Time Out
    . Retrieved 2011-03-06.
  16. ISBN 978-0-452-28978-9
    .
  17. ^ "April 3–5, 1992 Weekend". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on October 20, 2017. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
  18. ^ "April 10–12, 1992 Weekend". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on August 30, 2017. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
  19. ^ "May 8–10, 1992 Weekend". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on August 30, 2017. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
  20. ^ "1992 Domestic Grosses". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on August 30, 2019. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
  21. ISBN 0800115821
    .
  22. ^ "Thunderheart - DVD". SonyPictures.com. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
  23. ^ https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Thunderheart-Blu-ray/44345/

Further reading

External links
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