(2013-05-24 23:08:44)

clint eastwood thunderbolt and lightfoot

This review is from: Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (DVD) a rare find for me, truly a classic, very happy to receive this dvd, kudos to my favorite site AMAZON!!! condition was mint, arrived early, and would do business with the anytime in future, actually i have many more titles in transit as we speak. cant say enough good things about AMAZON and their venders. thank you sincerely mike beaver

bluebrooks

(2013-05-24 11:53:55)

Never heard of this film? There's a reason for that

I had never seen this film before. I may have heard of it, I'm notsure. But...fantastic cast, famous director, nominated for Oscar, armedrobbery, car chases, hot girls....how could it not be great?! How haveI never seen this before?!Why? Because it's really bad. REALLY bad. Boring plot. In Clint's longlist of cool characters, this isn't among them. Jeff Bridges is the onenod I'll give for a well acted part in his youth. George Kennedy andGeoff Lewis have mildly humorous characters, but again, they've bothhad so many better roles you can't count them. Catherine Bach waslisted as a co-star, and while she was better looking here than in "theDukes" (and 5 years younger), she was only in the movie for 1 minute.This movie reminded me of "Let's Get Harry". 1986 action film starringRobert Duvall, Mark Harmon, and Gary Busey. Sounds cool....was theworst 90 minutes of film ever.Hey, they can't all be winners. And not every Clint film can stack upto Josey Wales, "Any Which Way But Loose", or "the Good, the Bad, andthe Ugly"

kai ringler

(2013-05-23 02:58:41)

clint and jeff

most people remember Michael Cimino for his classic masterpiece theDeerHunter,, this film while not quite that is very close i think to acult classic,, Clint Eastwood and Jeff Bridges work so well together,,add in Geoffrey Lewis,, George Kennedy,, small parts for Catherine BachVic Tayback , and Gary Busey, plus a great story,, and music, you havea wonderful film to behold,, Johnny is on the run from Red,, from a jobhe pulled 10 years ago,, Red tries to kill him but with Lightfoot'shelp Johnny lives another day,, he then convinces Johnny to pull theexact same job as 10 years ago, because they would never expect it..the job involves blowing a safe, and high tailing it out of town,, Redgets greedy decides he wants all the cash,,,, but alas our heroes havesomething close to them Red does not,,, the wherabouts of the original500,000 ,,, great movie,, i'd watch it over and over again,, Hollywoodneeds to make these kinds of movies,,

PierceMcginley

(2013-05-22 18:10:23)

Thinking man's buddy movie

Anyone who dismisses this as a badly paced action film just isn'tlooking closely enough. Cimino's inherent intelligence as a directorwas more clearly stamped on "The Deer Hunter"; it's more elusive here,but the sly subtext of a 70s-bound generation gap (as examined in therelationship between Jeff Bridges and George Kennedy) is compellinglymixed into the script amidst the more conventional plot elements. Eastwood and Bridges make for an incredibly charismatic pairing, andeach complement the other without any apparent clash of egos. Thenuances of human interaction are studied in such a way as to make thedialogue-led scenes more interesting than the straight-up actionsequences. Exuberant comedy is often at the centre of the exchanges ofspeech, offset by the vague sense of foreboding near the end, concludedby a searing poignancy. An excellent multi-genre piece, and testamentto the golden years of filmaking that was the 70s.

steffan-3

(2013-05-20 23:46:22)

Great roadmovie,love it!

I really like this movie, and I believe Thunderbolt and Lightfoot areoneof the better movies with Clint Eastwood, and he really make a great pairwith Jeff Bridges. The location where Thunderbolt and Lightfoot is filmedare wonderful, the casting is perfect, good plot, great theme song in thebeginning and at the end of the film, add this together and you have areally good movie! This movie is a must for those who loves the moviesfromthe seventees!I gave this movie 9 stars out of 10

TrevorAclea

(2013-05-20 18:21:06)

"Stick with me kid and you'll live forever!"

How times change. Back in 1974, after paying his dues co-writing SilentRunning and Magnum Force, Michael Cimino was one of the most promisingnew directors on the scene thanks to his directorial debut Thunderboltand Lightfoot. In 1978 he was an Oscar winner whose place in moviehistory seemed assured by The Deer Hunter. Two years later he was theposter boy for directorial excess and hubris in the wake of theunjustly maligned Heaven's Gate. Now he's unemployable.Thunderbolt's once-sterling reputation seems to have fallen victimalongside Cimino's career. It's become one of the less-remembered filmsfrom the days when Clint Eastwood ruled the box-office yet it holds upas one of the best pictures of its over-rated decade, managing the neattrick of both delivering what the audience wants and subverting theirexpectations at the same time. Eastwood plays a crook on the run fromex-partners in crime George Kennedy and Geoffrey Lewis (oftenhysterically funny here) who teams up with Jeff Bridges' extrovertdrifter to retrieve the loot from a previous robbery only to find hisold accomplices tagging along and things – naturally – not going at allto plan. It's an almost perfectly judged mixture of comedy and actionwith both feet firmly on the ground despite the more absurd moments ina way that would be almost unthinkable today. There's a real rapportbetween the outstanding cast and an affection for the characters thatadds to the impact of the very Seventies ending – not only is thecentral pairing of Eastwood's old hand and Bridges' cocksure kid farmore convincing and genuinely affecting than it has any right to be,but Kennedy and Lewis' untrustworthy partners in crime are beautifullydrawn too.Cimino handles the mood swings adeptly and even injects a subtleundercurrent of sexual ambiguity that never gets in the way of theentertainment. While his direction is bang on target - there's a greatuse of mid-Western landscape too - it's the strength of his script thatkeeps the film surprisingly fresh today. It's basically a road moviecrossed with a heist movie, but Cimino throws in so many unexpected andquirky left turns that catch you off guard that you never get thefeeling that you're going over the same old ground. This was a terrificmovie in 1974, and if anything it's an even better one today. Justremember; never accept a lift from a man with a raccoon in thepassenger seat and a trunk full of bunnies! Sadly the DVD transferisn't great, but it is in the original 2.35:1 widescreen ratio.

kyle_c

(2013-05-20 01:51:42)

*** out of ****

Directorial debut of Michael Cimino is an entertaining, if notparticularlydistinguished, action piece / buddy movie. Cimino's strong direction,combined with two very charismatic leads (Clint Eastwood and Jeff Bridges)and a solid script makes it an entertaining way to spend two hours.Ultimately though, it feels like just a Eastwood vehicle, punctuated by astrange tacked on ending. Not the best work of anybody involved, but asolid effort.

davetex

(2013-05-19 23:56:22)

did someone re-edit the ending of this movie at some point?

Warning, May contain a spoiler.I love this movie, it's great for a bunch of reasons. There is thetalent involved, Eastwood in his prime, Jeff Bridges laying out thekind of persona he would riff on for the next thirty years, GeorgeKennedy in full blown red neck psycho mode, and Michael Cimino workingon the friendship/futility of life themes that would then be refined inthe masterpiece that is Deer Hunter. It's also a nice period pieceshowing life in Montana in the 70s including assorted muscle cars.My irritation is that I watched an old VHS copy last night and wastroubled by the ending. This was probably the fourth or fifth time Iwatched it, and I was sure that at the end, Clint disposes ofLightfoot's body by tossing it off a bridge and then driving off. Yetwhen I watched this copy, that scene was not there. Bridges dies andClint drives away with him in the car and then you see Clint drivingalone and then the credits.Maybe it was another movie, but I was sure that scene is in there. Andit bugs me because I think it belongs there, the equivalent of afuneral...Anyway, a nice little movie that just matures with age and gets finereven it it was hacked for some stupid reason. Maybe the anti-litterlobby complained about the reckless dumping....

(2013-05-18 00:00:04)

classic

This review is from: Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (DVD) The movie was exactly as described, my uncle loved it & couldn't find it anywhere! It was received very quickly, great attention to shipping! Great product! at an amazing price for such a classic product! thank you

marcmahan

(2013-05-17 22:52:02)

This film works on every emotional level.

I have seen 'Thunderbolt and Lightfoot' many times and every time it endsI'm all choked up. This is the first film by Michael Cimino, director of'The Deer Hunter', and he clearly shines. All his early movies are firstseen as drama's, then as adventures, but what many fail to point out is thegenuine humor and goodwill spread throughout. Even the wonderful 'Heaven'sGate is laced with it. But after that movie was critically banned, Ciminolost the humor which, sadly, has yet to regain. But 'Thunderbolt AndLightfoot' has seriously wacky scenes that happily come out of nowhere.Great story enhanced by wonderful actors such as Jeff Bridges who asks for"American" fries. There's so many amazing moments, just see it!

M. J Arocena

(2013-05-14 13:56:01)

Eastwood and Bridges

Two misfits and a love story between two loners. That in itself it's anintriguing premise but if you add to that mix, Clint Eastwood and JeffBridges as the two loners, then we'll have something we've never seenbefore. Lightfoot (a superlative Jeff Bridges) has a crush onThunderbolt (an astonishing Clint Eastwood) at first sight. Thunderboltseems to be aware of it, if only subconsciously but eventuallysurrenders to the kind of feeling he, probably, never experienced. Afather with a son who hero worships him. Tragically romantic. Brutaland deeply felt, Michael Cimino's debut as a director is a feast forthe senses. Highly recommended.

(2013-05-14 02:05:51)

Great casting makes this movie

Thunderbolt and Lightfoot is Michael Cimino?s first film as a director. This film takes its time in building its characters and story which in the hands of a lesser cast would have made it a marginal movie. But what saves it is the acting and actors involved in the project.Clint Eastwood plays an ex Korean war veteran working as a pastor in a mid-western town whose past one day shows up to haunt him. He meets up with Jeff Bridges and they begin a journey that at first takes on the story of escaping two killers on their tail. Eventually the two killers, played by George Kennedy and Geoffrey Lewis whose past with Eastwood is explained, join up with the duo and they plan a robbery together. All the main players here are simply excellent in their roles and there is a real comedic aspect the film. Particularly funny is when the group is forced to find work; Lewis ends up as an ice cream truck driver. Ignore the concept of a supposed ?sub-text? that others see in Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, it?s mainly wish fulfillment more than anything else. This is an above average road movie that shows what Cimino was capable of early on in his carrier before ?The Deer Hunter? made his reputation and ?Heaven?s Gate? ruined it.

jessewillis

(2013-05-13 23:13:49)

A male Thelma And Louise!

Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) isn't perfect, but it has a lot going forit. The pairing Eastwood and Bridges is great, these aren't the same kindsof actors, and yet their on-screen relationship works well. Supportingcharacter actors George Kennedy and Geoffrey Lewis round out rest of theheisters, and Gary Busey makes an early appearance in a small role. Also ofnote is the striking Montana scenery, quite unseen on film, this movie doesan admirable job showcasing it. What I'm really surprised about is how noone else seems to have noticed a couple of things about this film.First: The title of this film, and its two main characters are an homage to a pairof famous 19th century highwaymen who called themselves respectively`Captain Thunderbolt' and `Captain Lightfoot'. This isn't the last timeHollywood film criminals would be named after real life bandits. In the film`The Way Of The Gun' the characters are called `Mr. Parker and Mr.Longbaugh' which of course were the real names of Butch Cassidy and TheSundance Kid! Also of interest is the fact that Geoffrey Lewis appears inThe Way Of The Gun!Second:Those interested in a companion piece to this film might consider watching`Thelma and Louise' which mirrors the on-the-road relationship of this filmvery closely. Though the plot is different, the relationship with thelandscape and the emphasis on two characters is strikinglysimilar.In short a good film, worth watching!

Infofreak

(2013-05-13 06:20:54)

A fascinating character-based comedy drama masquerading as a buddy action movie.

I found 'Thunderbolt And Lightfoot' in the "action" section of my localvideo store, and a quick glance at the cover and blurb might make you thinkyou're in for a buddy action comedy, like Eddie Murphy et al made in the1980s and Jackie Chan is making now. This is not entirely correct. While itis essentially a buddy movie and there is "action" in it, it is much morecharacter-driven and episodic than most movies in the genre, and has more incommon with forgotten 1970s gems like 'Scarecrow' or 'Fat City', than yourtypical Clint Eastwood fare from this period. Michael Cimino, who co-wrotethe ecological SF sleeper 'Silent Running', and wrote the first (and best)movie in Eastwood's 'Dirty Harry' series, debuts impressively as directorhere. Eastwood himself is very good as enigmatic thief Thunderbolt, evenbetter is Jeff Bridges who steals the movie as his young protege Lightfoot.Some people dislike this movie because it appears to meander along for noparticular reason, but I really enjoyed the interaction between Eastwood andBridges, who really seem to be having a ball working together. The ploteventually comes together with a robbery involving the two and characteractors George Kennedy ('Cool Hand Luke' and Eastwood regular Geoffrey Lewis('The Way Of The Gun'). I still really wouldn't call this a caper movie (ala'Rififi', 'The Killing', 'The Anderson Tapes', etc,etc.), it's not asstraightforward as that. The robbery plot is almost an excuse for a bunchof enjoyable scenes between the actors, who are all excellent and reallyplay off each other in an entertaining way. Also keep an eye out for bitparts by Gary Busey ('Big Wednesday'), Catherine Bach (Daisy Duke!), DubTaylor ('The Wild Bunch') and others, especially an unforgettable bit withthe legendary Bill McKinney ('Deliverance'), one of the highlights of themovie. There's no way I'm going to argue that 'Thunderbolt And Lightfoot' isa forgotten classic, but it is a lot of fun to watch, it is unpredictableand interesting and features some fine performances, and that is a lot morethan you can say for most subsequent Hollywood movies of this type.Recommended to 1970s buffs and anyone who enjoys Jeff Bridges.

(2013-05-08 12:08:25)

Thunderbolt and Lightfoot

This review is from: Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (DVD) This is one of Clint's quirkier but interesting films. Jeff Bridges received his first nomination for an Academy Award for his role as Lightfoot. Definitely a worthwhile purchase.

(2013-05-08 09:10:47)

"You stick with me kid. You're gonna live forever."

This 1974 caper movie manages the neat trick of both delivering what the audience wants and subverting their expectations at the same time. Clint Eastwood plays a crook on the run from ex-partners in crime George Kennedy and Geoffrey Lewis (often hysterically funny here) who teams up with Jeff Bridges' extrovert drifter to retrieve the loot from a previous robbery only to find his old accomplices tagging along and things - naturally - not going at all to plan. It's an almost perfectly judged mixture of comedy and action with both feet firmly on the ground in a way that would be almost unthinkable today. There's a real rapport between the outstanding cast and an affection for the characters that adds to the impact of the very Seventies ending. Writer-director Michael Cimino handles the mood swings adeptly and even injects a subtle undercurrent of sexual ambiguity that never gets in the way of the entertainment: this was a terrific movie in 1974, and if anything it's an even better one today. The transfer isn't great, but it is in the original 2.35:1 widescreen ratio.

knsevy

(2013-05-05 08:54:42)

Fine performances from a talented cast

I'm fond of this film for two reasons, and both of them have to do withGeorge Kennedy. His character (Red) is definitely the most complex of thefour leads, able to turn in subtle comedy and incredible, savage brutalityin one believable package. You can watch his personality swing from oneextreme to the other in the last twenty minutes of the film, when thingsstart to unravel for the main characters and it's suddenly every man forhimself. I'm going to tiptoe around so I'm not spoiling, here, but I have tosay that putting Jeff Bridges in drag for the climax of the film was amasterstroke, even if only accidentally. There's something strangelyvulnerable about a man in a dress, making the violence just a little morepoignant. I only wish Hollywood today had the cojones to make movies withunhappy endings. The final song was perfect; I only wish the soundtrack wasstill available.

george.schmidt

(2013-05-04 20:13:16)

Underrated on all counts; one of Clint & Jeff's best

THUNDERBOLT AND LIGHTFOOT (1974) *** Clint Eastwood, Jeff Bridges, GeorgeKennedy, Geoffrey Lewis, Gary Busey. Light-hearted buddy flick with Clintand Jeff as two found friends on a cross-country trek to pull a bank heistand retire in style with Kennedy in dogged pursuit of one-time crony ismwith Clint. Fine performances (Bridges earned an Academy Award nominationfor Best Supporting Actor) and a breezy comic air all about. Directed by upand coming filmmaker Michael Cimino.

(2013-05-01 00:26:05)

Nice light entertainment that will conjure up a thunderous applause...

There really is a lot of enjoy about this movie, a fast paced and well executed caper movie that has some well developed characters and some very fine acting. I love me some Jeff Bridges, an actor I find to be at the head of the pack, so tagging his name to anything will get my attention. I had just seen `The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' for the first time and so the idea of another Eastwood picture was actually welcomed (I don't find him the greatest actor, but some of his movies are rather enjoyable). Overall `Thunderbolt and Lightfoot' is a very entertaining film.The film tells the story of former thief turned preacher who is on the run from his former business partners who think he has the stolen loot from their last robbery. While fleeing gunshots he runs into Lightfoot, a free spirited young man who has a way with the ladies and his mind set on learning a thing or two from Thunderbolt. When they finally meet up with Thunderbolt's previous partners they decide to all go into a dangerous robbery together only to have their plans botched as the job takes a turn for the worse.The film is crafted rather well, with smart dialog and interesting character development, and surprisingly some sentimentality I didn't expect; especially as the film draws to a close.The acting is the films biggest highlight; both Eastwood and Bridges pulling out superb performances. I'm a little baffled at the Oscar nomination for Bridges, not because it wasn't deserved but because it fell in the supporting category. He feels like a total co-lead, but maybe I'm wrong. I don't always have the best judgment when it comes to category placement. He steals the show, that is for sure, giving Lightfoot such natural charm and spunk. I loved every minute of his performance. Eastwood was effectively somber, as he is almost always, but there is an added layer of humanity here that I don't often see in him.George Kennedy is a tad over the top here, but whatever.I was shocked to see that this came from Michael Cimino for it just doesn't feel like it, but I guess not every movie can be as dominating as `The Deer Hunter'. This is a great little popcorn film. It is nothing spectacular, but it is truly entertaining and is a film you won't regret spending the time and or money to watch. So maybe the applause won't be `thunderous', but really, I liked the pun.

(2013-04-30 17:30:04)

DVD reivew

A beautiful transfer with sharp detail and great color. Film is an overlooked 70's classic and it is good to see it get the transfer it deserved. Kelly's Heroes got a equally great transfer too. Widescreen, baby!