Rolling Thunder

Rolling Thunder (1977)

Runtime: 99 minutes

Directed by: John Flynn

Starring: William Devane, Linda Haynes, Tommy Lee Jones, James Best (RIP)

From: AIP

In the past, I talked about the movie in an entry but I only mentioned that I had seen it on MGMHD and I enjoyed what I saw. I spotted the Blu last night and I figured by watching it I could pay tribute to the late James Best. The Letterboxd review is below and I will return Sunday night.

As a kid I used to watch The Dukes of Hazzard so I was familiar with James Best and his most famous role of bumbling sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane. It wasn't until later that I saw him in some random movie roles and realized he was a talented actor capable of far more than being a goofy comedy character on a goofy show. For example, in this classic revenge film he is simply known as Texan and while his role is small, it's certainly memorable as he plays a real evil SOB (real sweaty, too, although he isn't even the sweatiest person you encounter in this motion picture set and filmed during a hot southern Texas summer) and I figured I should watch this again so I could tip my hat towards him and rewatch a great film also, featuring quality talent in front of the camera (William Devane and Tommy Lee Jones) and behind it (director John Flynn, screenwriter Paul Schrader.

I presume many are familiar with this Tarantino favorite, but in case you need the details on the film that was hard to find for years until Shout Factory put it out on Blu two years ago, here you go: Charles Rane (Devane) and Johnny Vohden (Jones) return to southern Texas after years away as POW's in Vietnam. Understandably both men have trouble re-adjusting back to normal lives with their families. Several bad men-led by Texan-pay a visit to Rane's house to rob him and tragedy happens; as it's on the poster I'll reveal that he now has a hook for a right hand and he drags along self-professed groupie Linda on his ride for revenge in his 1973 Cadillac convertible.

The movie is not just a simple revenge tale with a bloody finale; it's a lot more than that. You get to see Rane and also Vohden struggle with civilian life after all the horrors they dealt with in Vietnam, and with the added awfulness Charles experienced, it's real tough for him; he begins thinking that he's pretty much dead, nothing left in his soul anymore, so he has nothing to lose by going for revenge and reverting back to his This is a serious film but not one so overwhelmingly depressing or sad it's ugly. While greatly exaggerated I imagine that many soldiers who served in Vietnam had difficulties after returning home, having to get back to routine and dealing with what is now known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

I think the cast as a whole does well, but besides the great performances from the two highest billed people, I also have to make note of Linda Haynes as the aforementioned groupie; she has to go through a range of emotions, from love and adulation to frustration and fear. She didn't have many film roles but she did quite dandy here. If you've never seen this cult classic and revenge films are up your alley, you should definitely check this out.