City Cinema Classic of the Month: Thunderheart

Mystery/Thriller.
14A.
Dir: Michael Apted, US, 1982, 118 min.
Val Kilmer, Graham Greene, Sam Shepard, Sheila Tousey.

Presented In Memory of Graham Greene.

“A thriller set on an Indian reservation in the 1970s, Thunderheart has both passion and power… John Fusco’s script, inspired by the real, bloody clashes between pro-government Indians and the radical traditionalist American Indian Movement, sends a hotshot young FBI agent from Washington, Raymond Levoi (Kilmer), to investigate the murder of an Oglala Sioux at the Bear Creek ‘Res’ in the Badlands of South Dakota… The journey unfolds in gripping, fresh details. Kilmer’s performance is full of subtle, internal details, and he works well with Sam Shepard as his seasoned FBI partner. As the very cool tribal cop who steers him in the right direction (and gets the funniest lines), Graham Greene practically walks off with the movie… Director Apted… obviously connects with his subject. Stylishly balancing thrills, mysticism and political outrage, he’s produced his most absorbing movie since Coal Miner’s Daughter.”