Category: Z-View

“Reacher”: Season 2 (2024) starring Alan Ritchson / Z-View

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Reacher: Season 2 (2024)

Directors: Sam Hill (Eps.1 – 2); Omar Madha (Eps. 3 – 4); Carol Banker (Eps. 5 – 6); Julian Holmes (Eps.7 – 8)

Teleplay: Nick Santora (Showrunner, Executive Producer, Writer – Ep. 1); Scott Sullivan (Ep. 2, 5, 8); Penny Cox (Ep. 3); Cait Duffy (Ep. 4); Cait Duffy & Michael J. Gutierrez (Ep. 6); Penny Cox & Lillian Wang (Ep. 7)

Starring: Alan Ritchson, Maria Sten, Serinda Swan, Shaun Sipos, Ferdinand Kingsley, Robert Patrick, Domenick Lombardozzi, Luke Bilyk and Malcolm Goodwin.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Jack Reacher, an ex-Military Police Investigator is contacted by, Frances Neagley (Swan) a former member of his team.  Someone is targeting the team for execution.  And it ain’t pretty.  One of the members was dropped from a helicopter after being tortured.  Reacher and Neagley have no idea why they’re being targeted, but they plan to warn the other team members… find out the reason… and then get revenge.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I was glad to see Frances Neagley played by Serinda Swan brought back for season two.  Neagley especially if teamed with Karla Dixon (Serinda Swan) could carry their own series.

Domenick Lombardozzi plays a cop who may or may not be crooked.  Lombardozzi is excellent as always.

It goes without saying, but I’m going to anyway: Alan Ritchson IS Jack Reacher.

Bring on Season 3!

“The Incredible Shrinking Man” (1957) directed by Jack Arnold / Z-View

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The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)

Director:  Jack Arnold

Screenplay: Richard Matheson, Richard Alan Simmons based on THE SHRINKING MAN by Richard Matheson

Stars: Grant Williams, Randy Stuart, April Kent, Paul Langton, William Schallert, Frank J. Scannell, Helene Marshall, Billy Curtis and Raymond Bailey.

Tagline: Victim of weird mist ! Day by day he shrinks! Science is baffled! Cat becomes monster! Terror at every turn! Deadly spider attacks! Lost in a flood’s fury!

The Plot…

Scott Carey (Williams) and his wife, Louise (Stuart) are vacationing on a small boat.  When his wife goes down to get some drinks a strange mist passes over the craft.  Scott is covered with particles from the mist.  Six months later Scott realizes he’s shrinking.

The best doctors confirm that Scott is shrinking and begin searching for a cure.  As Scott continues to shrink life becomes more difficult.  Before too long even the household cat becomes a danger.

If no cure is found, what will become of Scott as he continues to shrink…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Incredible Shrinking Man is based on Richard Matheson’s novel THE SHRINKING MAN.  Some scenes from the book were to risqué for 1957 and probably still are today.  They include Scott sleeping with a female midget, Scott abused by a drunk homosexual, and Scott peering through the window to watch a teenage baby-sitter.

Although the story ends with no cure found to save Scott, the studio got cold feet as filming progressed.  Director Jack Arnold, hot off The Creature from the Black Lagoon, refused.  Instead Arnold came up with a soliloquy for Scott to speak that ends the film.  Test audiences proved the decision to be a winner.

The large props used when Scott shrinks were later used on the Universal Studios Tour and the television series Land of the Giants.

Look for Mr. Drysdale (Raymond Bailey) of The Beverly Hillbillies fame playing a doctor.

The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“American Nightmare” (2024) / Z-View

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American Nightmare (2024)

Director:  Bernadette Higgins, Felicity Morris

Tagline:  No One Would Suspect the Truth.  It’s Always Revenge.  It’s Always the Boyfriend.  It’s Always the Scorned Ex.

The Plot…

Aaron Quinn calls 911.  He tells them that his girlfriend, Denise Huskins, was kidnapped from his house the night before.  They ask why he didn’t call sooner, he replies that he had been drugged with Nyquil and zip-tied.  The police bring him in for questioning. Aaron repeats his story.  He says the kidnapper was wearing a scuba suit.  The police ask if either he or his girlfriend put up a fight?  No, the kidnapper had a gun with a laser pointed at them.

The police say that a blanket is missing along with his girlfriend.  What could the blanket have been used for?  Aaron says to carry out a body.  The police say blood was found on the steps and Aaron has failed the lie-detector test.  Aaron says he can’t explain either.  A ransom demand comes in for $15,000.  That’s too low of a ransom for the risk.  The police are ready to arrest Aaron.

A day or so later, Denise shows up at her dad’s house about 300 miles away.  She tells police the kidnapper dropped her off.  The police question her and she tells the same story.  A break in by a guy with a laser pistol in a scuba suit.  He zip-ties and forces Aaron to drink Nyquill to knock him out.  The man then kidnaps Denise.  The police believe it to be a hoax and go to the media with this crazy story.  Denise and Aaron are destroyed when the story goes viral.

Time passes and the truth eventually comes out.  You know the saying, “Truth is often stranger than fiction?”  This time it is.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

After the first episode of American Nightmare, you are convinced Aaron killed Denise.

After the second episode, you believe Aaron and Denise came up with this outlandish story.

After the third episode, you will be in shock when the truth comes out.

American Nightmare (2024) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“Fargo”: Season 5 (2023) starring Juno Temple, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Sam Spruell and Jon Hamm / Z-View

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Fargo: Season 5 (2023)

Created by:  Noah Hawley

Directors:  Noah Hawley (eps. 1 -2); Donald Murphy (eps. 3 – 4); Dana Gonzales (eps. 5 – 6); Sylvain White (eps. 7 – 8); Thomas Bezucha (eps. 9 – 10)

Screenplay:Noah Hawley (eps. 1 -5, 9 – 10); Noah Hawley & Bob DeLaurentis (ep. 6); Noah Hawley & April Shih (ep. 7); Noah Hawley & Thomas Bezucha (ep. 8)

Stars: Juno Temple, Jennifer Jason Leigh, David Rysdahl, Joe Keery, Lamorne Morris, Richa Moorjani, Sam Spruell, Dave Foley, Lukas Gage and Jon Hamm.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

When a riot breaks out at Dot Lyon’s (Temple) daughter’s school board meeting, Dot accidentally tasers a police officer.  She’s arrested and booked.  Her fingerprints indicate she’s not who she says she is.  Soon this seemingly quiet housewife and mother will find herself in danger from kidnappers, her former husband who’s now a corrupt sheriff in a neighboring county and the F.B.I..

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Fargo presents new characters and story with each season.  All have been excellent and season 5 may be the best yet.

The story is full of twists and fantastic characters.  Every member of the cast is a standout.  I would not be at all surprised to see nominations and awards for Juno Temple, Jennifer Jason Leigh (has she ever been better?), Sam Spruell and Jon Hamm.  Their characters were quirky and the actors made the most of them.  Kudos also to Joe Keery, Lamone Morris, Richa Moorjani and Dave Foley.

Fargo: Season 5 (2023) earns 5 of 5 stars.

“Extended Family”: Season 1 (2023) starring Jon Cryer / Z-View

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Extended Family: Season 1 (2023)

Created by:  Mike O’Malley

Directors:  James Widdoes (eps. 1, 3); Ali LeRoi (eps. 2)

Screenplay: Mike O’Malley (ep. 1); Jim Vallely  (ep. 2); Ajay Sahgal (ep. 3)

Stars: Jon Cryer, Donald Faison, Abigail Spencer, Sofia Capanna, Finn Sweeney and Lenny Clarke.

Tagline:  Marriages End. Families Don’t.

The Plot…

Jim (Cryer) and Julia (Spencer) are divorced.  Rather than have the kids move back and forth between parents, the parents have decided the children will stay in the same house and they parents will move in during their periods of custody.  Matters are complicated when Julia gets engaged to Trey Taylor, the super rich owner of the Boston Celtics.

Let the hijinks begin.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I tuned in because of Jon Cryer.  I stuck around because it sometimes takes a show an episode or two to get going.

Episode One was bad.  One of the kids’ goldfish dies.  There’s a lot of drama about how to best approach this. They ultimately get a new goldfish to spare the child’s feelings. Turns out the kid doesn’t get upset over the fish’s death.  She’s upset over the divorce.  The parents apologize to her and everyone goes to a Celtics game.

Episode Two was bad.  Julia invites her fiance, Trey to spend the night while she is watching the kids.  Jim is upset because according to the “divorce constitution” that they wrote, he should have been consulted.  They argue. Jim ultimately agrees to Trey staying over.  Then Trey can’t sleep on the mattress that used to be shared by Julia and Jim.  So he buys a new mattress.  Constitutional crisis!  Then they settle that and painting the bedroom becomes an issue.  You guessed it.  Constitutional crisis.

More like series crisis, says I.  I’ll try one more episode.

Episode 3 was bad.  Jim has had the kids for a week on his own.  When Julia returns, Jim heads home.  She learns the daughter doesn’t like math and earned a C- on her test.  Her son is hooked on a violent video game.  She thinks that her kids are going to be failures.  She tries some things that don’t work.  She calls Jim back and he doesn’t see the problem.  Trey gets involved.  The kids end up concerned that there will be no future because of climate change.

Strike three.  I’m out.  Your mileage may vary but Extended Family is not for me.

Extended Family: Season 1 (2023) earns 1 of 5 stars.

“For Heaven’s Sake” (1926) starring Harold Lloyd / Z-View

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For Heaven’s Sake (1926)

Director:  Sam Taylor

Screenplay: John Grey, Ted Wilde, Clyde Bruckman, Ralph Spence (titles)

Stars: Harold Lloyd, Jobyna Ralston, Noah Young, Paul Weigel

Tagline: There’s a new Lloyd comedy in town. You have laughed yourself hoarse at every one you have ever seen, but when you see him trying to “uplift” a gang of underworld crooks you will think you never laughed before.

The Plot…

J. Harold Manners (Lloyd) is a millionaire who accidentally sponsors a mission to provide relief to the poor.  When the publicity hits the newspapers that the J. Harold Manners’ Mission has opened, J. Harold goes down to have his name taken off the mission.  He’s embarrassed and doesn’t want to come off as a publicity seeker.

At the mission J. Harold meets Hope (Ralston), the daughter of the man running the mission.  J. Harold is attracted to Hope.  When she tells him the mission isn’t getting many folks coming in.  J. Harold decides to get down and out people to the mission by going through the poor section of town and provoking them.  The idea is they will chase him back to the mission.

What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

This was a tough production for Harold Lloyd.  Many scenes were cut (but later used in his film Speedy).  Lloyd reportedly wasn’t happy with the final product.  Surprisingly, For Heaven’s Sake became one of Lloyd’s most successful films and the 12th highest-grossing film of the Silent Era.

For Heaven’s Sake (1926) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“The Mad Doctor of Market Street” (1942) / Z-View

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The Mad Doctor of Market Street (1942)

Director:  Joseph H. Lewis

Screenplay: Al Martin

Stars: Una Merkel, Lionel Atwill, Nat Pendleton, Noble Johnson and John Eldredge

Tagline: GENIUS – OR FIEND?

The Plot…

Dr. Ralph Benson (Atwill) changes his name and boards a passenger ship after a man dies during one of Benson’s crazy experiments.  While on the ship Benson is recognized so he lures the man to a secluded area and throws him overboard.  A fire breaks out on the ship.  Benson and five others are the sole survivors.  Their lifeboat lands on an island populated by natives ready to kill them.

Benson learns that the Chief’s wife is on her deathbed.  Benson claims he can cure her.  When a shot of adrenaline revives the woman, the Chief thinks Benson has magical powers.  Benson sets himself up as a god.  He plans to continue his experiments starting with the other survivors.  Trapped on an island with a mad doctor and natives ready to kill them, the survivors have little chance for life.

Unless…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Mad Doctor of Market Street is about what you’d expect for a low budget B film of the early 40s.  The murders are tame or appear off screen.  There’s an attempt at humor.  The one surprising thing and it is pretty grim even though it appears off screen is — BIG SPOILER ALERT — the fire that alerts the search party that there are survivors on the island comes from the natives burning the doctor alive!

The Mad Doctor of Market Street (1942) rates 2 of 5 stars.

“Synchronic” (2019) starring Anthony Mackie / Z-View

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Synchronic (2019)

Director:  Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead

Screenplay: Justin Benson

Stars: Anthony Mackie, Jamie Dornan, Ally Ioannides and Ramiz Monsef

Tagline: Time is an illusion

The Plot…

Steve (Mackie) and Dennis (Dornan) are New Orleans paramedics.  Recently they’ve been getting calls where the victims have used a new street drug called Synchronic.  The drug often leaves the user incoherent or dead under unusual circumstances.  One person appeared to be victim of a sword fight, another died from the bite of a poisonous snake not found in the state and yet another was found stabbed with an ancient sword.

While at a local smoke shop, Steve is able to purchase several Synchronic pills.  A man claims to be the chemist who invented Synchronic attempts to buy the pills from Steve.  He offers much more than Steve paid.  The chemist wants to destroy the pills. Later Steve learns that the chemist believes the pills allow young people who take Synchronic to easily travel through time.  Adults, because of their body chemistry, have problems when taking the pills.

When Dennis’ daughter (Ioannides) doesn’t come home and can’t be found, Dennis and Steve learn she was last seen at a party where Synchronic was available.  Steve believes that the only hope to find her is to take the Synchronic himself…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I like well done time travel films and Synchronic qualifies.

Anthony Mackie is always good and this outing is no exception.  Ally Ioannides doesn’t have a lot to do, but I enjoyed seeing her.  She’s grown up since Into the Badlands.

The Invisible Woman (1940) / Z-View

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The Invisible Woman (1940)

Director:  A. Edward Sutherland

Screenplay: Robert Lees, Frederic I. Rinaldo, Gertrude Purcell, story by Curt Siodmak, Joe May

Stars: Virginia Bruce, John Barrymore, John Howard, Oscar Homolka, Donald MacBride, Margaret Hamilton, Charles Lane, Mary Gordon  and Shemp Howard.

Tagline: The YEAR’S FUNNIEST FUN!

The Plot…

Richard Russell (Howard) has always used part of his wealth to fund eccentric Professor Gibbs’ (Barrymore) inventions.  When Gibbs comes up with a method to turn people invisible he needs a test subject.  Out-of-work model, Kitty Carroll (Bruce) volunteers.  When gangsters learn of the device, they decide to steal it.  Kitty, Professor Gibbs and Richard are in over their heads.

Let the fun begin!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Invisible Woman was a 1942 Oscar Nominee for Best Special Effects.

If at times John Barrymore seems to be looking past who he’s talking to or in different directions as he speaks, it’s because cue cards were placed in strategic locations around the room.  Sadly Barrymore’s alcoholism had taken a toll.

Watch for Shemp Howard as the gangster named Frankie!  Margaret Hamilton of Wizard of Oz fame also has a supporting role.

The Invisible Woman (1940) earns 3 of 5 stars.

“The Strain”: Season 1 (2014) / Z-View

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The Strain: Season 1 (2014)

Created by:  Guillermo del Toro, Chuck Hogan

Directors:  Guillermo del Toro (ep. 1); David Semel (eps. 2 – 3); Keith Gordon (ep. 4); Peter Weller (eps. 5 – 6, 11); Charlotte Sieling (eps. 7, 9); Guy Ferland (ep. 8); John Dahl (ep. 10); Deran Sarafian (ep. 12); Phil Abraham (ep. 13)

Screenplay: Guillermo del Toro, Chuck Hogan (eps. 2, 8); David Weddle, Bradley Thompson (eps. 2, 7); Chuck Hogan (ep. 3); Regina Corrado (eps. 4, 9); Gennifer Hutchison (eps. 5, 10); Justin Britt-Gibson (ep. 6); Justin Britt-Gibson, Chuck Hogan (ep. 11); Carlton Cruse, David Weddle, Bradley Thompson (ep. 12); Carlton Cruse, Chuck Hogan (ep. 13)

Stars: Corey Stoll, David Bradley, Jim Watson, Mía Maestro, Kevin Durand, Jonathan Hyde, Richard Sammel, Jack Kesy, Natalie Brown, Miguel Gomez, Ben Hyland, Ruta Gedmintas, Pedro Miguel Arce, Adriana Barraza and Sean Astin.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

A passenger plan lands in New York City.  All but four people on board are dead.  Dr. Ephraim “Eph” Goodweather (Stohl) of the CDC is sent in with a small team to determine the cause.  When his efforts to quarantine the four survivors is refused, Eph believes that they will potentially transmit the unknown virus to to others.

Meanwhile Professor Abraham Setrakian (Bradley), a holocaust survivor, believes the cause is strigoi more commonly referred to as vampires.  Setrakian explains these are nothing like movie vampires.  Of course no one believes the old man.

The truth is strigoi are behind the deaths.  A “Master” strigoi is making his move to bring war on humans. The Master is aided by a sickly billionaire who has been promised eternal life and a former Nazi commandant who has aided the master for decades.  Eph and Setrakian are pulling together a team of people who have seen strigoi in action.

The fate of the world hangs in the balance.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan have created a modern day vampire tale with a backstory that extends not just decades, but centuries.  The vampires aren’t the classic creatures of the night seen in countless movies.  And the stakes aren’t just a beautiful woman’s soul.  Here the fate of the world is at risk.

The writers should be commended for creating a huge cast of interesting characters with wonderful backstories.  Dr. Ephraim “Eph” Goodweather played by Corey Stoll is the lead.  It isn’t often the “star” is given so many character flaws.  Several members of the supporting cast have lived up to the title co-star.  Kudos to David Bradley as Professor Abraham Setrakian, Kevin Durand as Vasiliy Fet and Miguel Gomez as Augustin “Gus” Elizalde for playing characters that make the show sing. Jonathan Hyde as Eldritch Palmer, the sickly billionaire who aides the Master and Richard Sammel as Thomas Eichhorst, the Nazi vampire acolyte who has served the Master for decades deserve kudos as well.

Although Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan wrote a Strain trilogy of novels, the series doesn’t follow them exactly.

The Strain: Season 1 (2019) earns 5 of 5 stars.

The Why Files: Season 1 (2020) starring Andrew Gentile / Z-View

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The Why Files: Season 1 (2020)

Creator:  Andrew Gentile

Stars: Andrew Gentile

Tagline: Where Cool Nerds Laugh and Learn

The Plot…

The Why Files started as a weekly Youtube podcast where the host, Andrew Gentile looked at myths, legends, strange phenomena and more.  Gentile approaches each subject with respect and the right touch of humor.  After explaining the subject he then explains what part is true, debunks parts that can be and admits if the truth isn’t known.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Andrew Gentile is an excellent host.  His sidekick is a Hecklefish that adds humor.

Some of my favorite episodes from season one include: Top Scariest Places You Can Actually Visit; Rain of Terror; The Most Top Secret Places in the World; Nanorobotics & Nanotechnology – Can We Live Forever?; The Voynich Manuscript; Stay out of the Nevada Triangle; CIA Declassifies UFO Documents; The Philadelphia Experiment and Time Travelers Caught on Film.

The Why Files: Season 1 (2020) earns 5 of 5 stars.

“In the Shadow of the Moon” (2019) starring Boyd Holbrook, Cleopatra Coleman & Bokeem Woodbine / Z-View

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In the Shadow of the Moon (2019)

Director:  Jim Mickle

Screenplay: Gregory Weidman, Geoff Tock

Stars: Boyd Holbrook, Cleopatra Coleman, Bokeem Woodbine, Michael C. Hall, Tony Craig and Rachel Keller.

Tagline: Some Crimes Defy Time

The Plot…

The year is 1988.  Three people in different locations bleed from their ears and eyes and then die.  Police officers Lockhart (Holbrook) and Maddox (Woodbine) along with Detective Holt (Hall) are assigned to the case.  Lockhart discovers similar wounds on each victim.  The trail leads Lockhart and Maddox to a suspect in the subway.  She is a young, African-American female who tells Lockhart details she shouldn’t know about his life.  She tells him the date his wife will have a baby.  She further predicts her own death.  When Lockhart attempts to arrest her, a struggle ensues.  She is thrown in front of subway car and dies.

Nine years later people begin dying after bleeding from their ears and eyes.  Lockhart, now a Detective, believes that a copy cat killer is at large.  But when he locates a suspect, he is shocked to discover it is the same woman as before.  She didn’t die and hasn’t aged.

Why are these people being killed?  Is the killer a time traveler?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The film has an interesting premise and starts off well enough.  Along the way I began to lose interest.  I finished the movie but just found it to be okay.

Boyd Holbrook, Cleopatra Coleman, Bokeem Woodbine deserved better.

In the Shadow of the Moon (2019) earns 2 of 5 stars.

“Pickup” (1951) directed by Hugo Haas, starring Hugo Haas & Beverly Michaels / Z-View

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Pickup (1951)

Director:  Hugo Haas

Screenplay: Hugo Haas, Arnold Phillips based on GUARD No. 47 by Josef Kopta

Stars: Hugo Haas, Beverly Michaels, Howland Chamberlain, Art Lewis and Bernard Gorcey.

Tagline: Easy to “pick-up” – but you won’t – if you know what’s good for you!

The Plot…

Jan “Hunky” Horak (Haas) is a middle-aged widowed railroad dispatcher who works alone at an isolated water stop.  When Hunky takes his first day off in a year, he heads in to town.  He’s surprised to find a carnival set up.  As Hunky walks through the amusements, he is targeted by Betty (Michaels), an attractive blonde.

Betty figures to get a free meal and maybe a couple of bucks from the old guy.  Betty is broke and about to be evicted.  When she learns Hunky has several thousand in his savings account she works him into marrying her.  Betty knows that if Hunky dies… or is killed, the money is hers.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Pickup has a classic set-up.  A gold-digger has plans to end her older husband’s life to take sole possession of all he owns.  Along the way we’re treated to an interesting twist that alerts Hunky to his wife’s plans.  Up until the very end it felt like we were getting a poor man’s The Postman Always Rings Twice or Double Indemnity.  The ending isn’t bad, just not quite in line with the noir that had been set up.

Hugo Haas is perfect as Hunky.  Beverly Michaels is also just right as Betty, the girl that’s easy to pick-up at your own risk.  Watch for Bernard Gorcey (of The Bowery Boys fame) in a small role.

Pickup (1951) earns 3 of 5 stars.

“The Prince of Pennsylvania” (2015) / Z-View

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The Prince of Pennsylvania (2015)

Director:  Jesse Vile

Stars: Mark Schultz, John du Pont, Robbie Calabrese, Dave Schultz.

Tagline: None

The Plot…

Multimillionaire, John DuPont wanted to create a mecca for US amateur wrestlers. He recruited the best and they were on their way.  Then DuPont killed their best athlete.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

DuPont created a training facility that was state of the art.  He invited the best wrestlers from across the country to live and train there for free.  Using filmed interviews and never-before-seen footage we get access to life there and DuPont’s gradual decline that lead to murder.

The Prince of Pennsylvania (2015) earns 4 of 5 stars.

“Rolling Thunder” (1977) starring William Devane & Tommy Lee Jones / Z-View

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Rolling Thunder (1977)

Director:  John Flynn

Screenplay: Paul Schrader, Heywood Gould; story by Paul Schrader

Stars: William Devane, Tommy Lee Jones, Linda Haynes, James Best, Lisa Blake Richards, Luke Askew, James Victor, Cassie Yates and Dabney Coleman.

Tagline: CHARLES RANE: EXECUTIONER! The war had turned him into a machine for murder. He had nothing to live for…except revenge

The Plot…

After seven years in a prisoner of war camp, Major Charles Rane (Devane) returns home.  The years a prisoner were brutal.  Rane was repeatedly tortured.  Adjustment to his new freedom will be difficult.  Making it worse, his son, who was a baby when Rane was captured, doesn’t remember him.  His wife now loves another man,

Although his hometown considers him a hero, Rane doesn’t feel like one.  At a ceremony honoring his return, Rane is presented with a new Cadillac and 2,555 silver dollars – one for every day he was captive, plus one for luck.  Later three lowlifes break into Rane’s house to steal the money.  They torture Rane but he refuses to tell them where he hid the cash.  Even when they force Rane’s hand into a garbage disposal, he won’t talk.

When Rane’s wife and son enter the house, the thugs threaten them.  Rane’s son tells where the silver dollars are hidden.  The thieves then shoot Rane, his wife and son.

Only Rane survives.  He awakens in a hospital,  His mangled hand had to be removed, replaced by a hook.  Rane reaches out to  Johnny Vohden (Jones), another soldier from his unit that also was a POW with him.  Rane plans to get revenge on three murderers who killed his son, wife and left him for dead.  Johnny doesn’t hesitate to join him.

Major Charles Rane has come home to war.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I’m not a fan of the movie’s poster shown above.  It makes Rolling Thunder look like a cheap horror film.

Paul Schrader who co-wrote the film originally had Rane written as a “white-trash racist”.  He wanted Rane’s killing spree to be metaphor for Vietnam.  The rewritten screenplay takes out that aspect and makes Rane a hero.

James Best known as the bumbling Sheriff Roscoe Coltrane on The Dukes of Hazzard plays one of the three murderers.  If you only know him from The Dukes, it’s odd seeing him play a tough guy thug.  In Rolling Thunder, Best’s character always seems to be sweating.  He achieved his effect by placing ice cubes under his hat.

Rolling Thunder (1977) earns 3 of 5 stars.