Thunderheart

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

1992 1h 59m EN

😐

6.4

MID

★6.4TMDB · 334

CrimeMysteryThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A young mixed-blood FBI agent is assigned to work with a cynical veteran investigator on a murder on a poverty-stricken Sioux reservation.

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

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Cast

Val Kilmer
Ray Levoi
Sam Shepard
Frank Coutelle
Graham Greene
Walter Crow Horse
Fred Ward
Jack Milton
Fred Thompson
William Dawes
Sheila Tousey
Maggie Eagle Bear
Ted Thin Elk
Grandpa Sam Reaches
John Trudell
Jimmy Looks Twice

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Michael Apted
Writers: John Fusco
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

34 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Michael Apted, shot by Roger Deakins. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by James Horner. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Ian Crafford shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Val Kilmer and Sam Shepard and Graham Greene carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0105585 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Michael Apted directs. Roger Deakins behind the camera. James Horner scores. Ian Crafford cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

134 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Directed by Michael Apted, shot by Roger Deakins. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by James Horner. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Ian Crafford shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Val Kilmer and Sam Shepard and Graham Greene carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "Two men from different worlds. Two cops after the same killer. Together they must uncover the secrets. Together they must discover the truth.".
7IMDB entry: tt0105585 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Roger Deakins
Original score: James Horner
Editing: Ian Crafford
Production design: Dan Bishop
Costume design: Susan Lyall
Makeup / hair: Joani Yarbrough
Sound: Rick Kline
Stunt coordinator: Webster Whinery
Runtime: 119 min · 1h 59m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Thunderheart (1992)

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Michael Apted

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Wuchak2020-09-20
★ 6/10
Val Kilmer and Sam Shepard investigate a murder on a South Dakota Reservation A young, half-Sioux FBI agent (Val Kilmer) teams-up with a veteran agent (Sam Shepard) to investigate a murder on a Reservation in western South Dakota where the pro-government faction conflicts with ARM, the Aboriginal Rights Movement radicals. Graham Greene plays a tribal police officer. “Thunderheart” (1992) is a Western that takes place in the modern day loosely based on events relating to the Wounded Knee incident in 1973. ARM from this movie is an expy of AIM, the American Indian Movement, which is a traditionalist organization that was radically active in those days and still exists. Some understandably consider AIM a terrorist organization back then in light of actions such as Leonard Peltier’s murder of two FBI agents in 1975 at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, which is referenced by Cooch in the movie (Shepard). You don’t have to be knowledgeable of any of this stuff or to take one side or the other to appreciate the movie. While it takes a side (which I’m not going to reveal), I’m in the middle and just here for the picture. I like the film, but it’s slightly hindered by wannabe hip banter. Moreover, the almost god-like powers of certain AmerIndians are laid on too thick, but I appreciated some of the spiritual elements. The film runs 1 hours, 59 minutes, and was shot in South Dakota at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Wounded Knee Cemetery and Badlands National Park, as well as Washington DC. GRADE: B-

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