Exoticalot People are voting emotionally.

Console best movie i've ever seen.

Intcatinfo A Masterpiece!

Gurlyndrobb While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

classicsoncall When I select a quote from a film to use in my summary line, it's generally done to capture the flavor of the story or place an emphasis on one of the principal characters. Contrary to what many of the positive posters for the movie have to say about it, I think the thunderbolt I came up with pretty much sums things up. This might be the best example of a film for me where I depart so widely from what looks like the majority. I guess that's why they say it takes all kinds.You know, if I were Johnny Thunderbolt (Clint Eastwood), I don't think I'd have been so open minded about letting my potential assassin come along after patching up a disagreement. Red haired women might have been bad luck, but it seemed like a guy named Red (George Kennedy) could do a lot more damage. Turns out he did too, a bad career move for the trusting bank robber.So what was this, a buddy movie, a heist film, a crime story, what? There were just too many irrelevant things happening and coming out of nowhere that didn't do anything to advance the story, that it eventually slid into boredom for this viewer. Vic Tayback and Gary Busey in the credited cast? I saw each of them on screen for about three seconds - what did I miss? And say, what was that piece of heavy duty artillery that Thunderbolt used to blow a hole through the safe? The darn thing was longer than the car they were driving but it fit into the trunk!!?? I'll give director Cimino one kudo here for putting the 'trunk full of rabbits' guy (Bill McKinney) into the picture, that for me was the best part of the story. It didn't make any sense or have anything to do with anything else going on, but it was a pretty cool diversion. I never had any trouble with tribbles, so for one brief moment, the movie had my attention.

Mark Turner I can remember the first time I saw this movie, back when it was first released and ended up playing at the local drive in. That drive in was the only place to see movies in town so when word reached it was coming I knew I'd be there. I wasn't disappointed. The owner of the drive in would hold posters for me and the half sheet on this one remains in my collection, a perfect piece of movie poster art that captured the movie well. But while the poster displayed star Clint Eastwood with his foot resting on a big gun it was about more than that.The movie kicks off with a panoramic shot of a wheat field, a small country church on a Sunday morning off to the side. A car drives up and we cut back and forth from outside of the church and a man about to enter to a preacher (Clint Eastwood) delivering a sermon. The man enters, pulls out a gun and begins shooting. This prompts Eastwood to run out the back and across that field.At the same time this is happening a young man (Jeff Bridges) walks from train tracks to a used car lot. Talking to the salesman he's invited to sit in and listen to a sporty new car to see how powerful it is. It is indeed and even more so when he speeds off the lot, stealing the car.These two stories intertwine when Eastwood runs out of the field into the road and is nearly hit by Bridges and attempts to jump into the car. As Bridges tries to lose him he careens off into the field, hitting the man chasing Eastwood. The pair drive off and a friendship is begun.As things progress Bridges tells Eastwood his name is Lightfoot and the two travel down the road together, stealing along the way and swapping cars when needed. He lets Eastwood know he could see there was something different about him and he wants to learn from him. When he discovers the men chasing them were involved in a major bank heist years ago he remembers the name of the man who operated a cannon to rob the bank, the Thunderbolt.The pursuing ex-gang members eventually catch the pair with plans to kill them. When they learn that the loot from the old robbery is gone they back down. It's then that Lightfoot suggest that they pull off the same heist all over again. Who would ever suspect a group of thieves doing the same heist using the same plan? It isn't just the story that makes this movie work although there is more story going on here than in many movies being made today. It isn't just a heist movie. It's a movie that talks about friendship, about loyalty, about greed, about achieving a dream and it's done in such a way as to make what should be considered bad guys out to be a combination of killers and anti-heroes. Many movies released at the time had that ambiguous lawbreaker as the central character in their films. Burt Reynolds made a career out of it.At the core of this film is the relationship between Eastwood and Bridges. You get the feeling that in Bridges Eastwood's character sees himself when he was younger. Brash, mouthy and ready to take on the world Bridge's character is constantly joking with the others earning him the rancor of gang member Red Leary (George Kennedy). A butting of heads is inevitable between these two and you're just not sure where that will lead. The interaction between all four crooks, including Geoffrey Lewis as Eddie Goody, makes you wonder at times if they can pull of the heist at all.All of the performances seen here are great. Eastwood's cool demeanor, Bridges' cocky youngster, Lewis' bumbling sidekick to Red and Kennedy's anger driven criminal meld together to make the story work. While you would never think of these four different people coming together to achieve anything the fact that they did once and got away with it seems amazing. That they could possibly do it again is even more questionable.The movie was another landmark as well. It was the first film directed by Michael Cimino. Having written the screenplays for both SILENT RUNNING and MAGNUM FORCE this was his first film in that position. Four years later his next film was released to stunning success. It was called THE DEER HUNTER. While that movie raised his level in Hollywood his next film brought it crashing down, the often discussed financial disaster HEAVEN'S GATE. To date he's only directed 8 movies which is a shame when you watch those that he's made. Hollywood isn't a forgiving town though.Twilight Time is releasing this movie in a limited edition series. As with all Twilight Times films this means there are only a limited number being made so if you want one make sure you get it now. The transfer is amazing with a widescreen presentation that uses the full frame to tell the story. The extras are small in number but it is the movie itself presented this clear that makes this worth picking up. This one is a definite add to the collection for all movie fans and Eastwood fans in particular.

Scott LeBrun An excellent character based comedy / drama, "Thunderbolt and Lightfoot" is a well above average 1970s vehicle for established star Clint Eastwood. Clint plays the role of "Thunderbolt", a bank robber laying low (masquerading as a preacher!) when an old associate shows up, ready to do him in. Saving Thunderbolts' life is amiable, carefree youngster "Lightfoot", played with charm and likability by Jeff Bridges. They become quick friends. Soon, they'll find that they won't be able to escape Thunderbolts' old partners in crime, Red Leary (George Kennedy) and Eddie Goody (Geoffrey Lewis). Lightfoot gets the bright idea that they should mastermind the second robbery of a bank that the others had previously hit.As could be expected with any good caper film, it's fun to see the participants discuss all the obstacles in their way, and all of the preparations that they will have to make. This material is immensely enjoyable, but it's the characters and performances that really make an impact. Clint does a typically solid, engaging job, with very fine support from the foaming-mad Kennedy and the always reliable Lewis. There's quite a few other familiar faces in the cast, too: Catherine Bach, Gary Busey, Jack Dodson, Burton Gilliam, Roy Jenson, Bill McKinney, Vic Tayback, Dub Taylor, Gregory Walcott, and Cliff Emmich. But make no mistake, this is Bridges' film. Whether he's taunting Red in an interesting way, or being made to dress in drag as part of the robbery scheme, he steals the show.Michael Cimino, the filmmaker who later scored big with "The Deer Hunter", and earned himself infamy with the notorious spectacle "Heaven's Gate", made his directing debut here. He'd previously co-written the "Dirty Harry" sequel "Magnum Force", and Clint had lots of confidence in the up and coming talent. Cimino gives his film great pace, and, in collaboration with cinematographer Frank Stanley, gives "Thunderbolt and Lightfoot" some impressive widescreen compositions.Endearing entertainment all the way, further enhanced by Paul Williams's touching song "Where Does a Fool Go".Nine out of 10.

AaronCapenBanner Clint Eastwood & Jeff Bridges star in this peculiar crime/road picture as they portray a veteran crook/thief and his willing/free-spirited young partner who reunite with Clint's(Thunderbolt) old partners(George Kennedy & Geoffrey Lewis) to finish a heist job they had committed seven years earlier, but were unable to collect the loot. They formulate an elaborate plan to get it back from where it is still hidden, but of course they can't quite trust each other either as personalities clash.I say peculiar because(despite the good actors) three of the lead characters are unsympathetic crooks, and the fourth seems too immature to care about. Being quite profane at times doesn't help matters either, nor does the over length. Michael Cimino directs in his debut.