Rolling Thunder (1977)

Hell yeah

Which is the better line "I'll just get my gear" or "Lets go clean'em up"? Awesome Movie

Couldn't help but think of this as a fun inversion of Taxi Driver. In terms of differences - an actual veteran vs. a possible one, a woman doggedly pursuing a man vs. the man creeping on the woman, a hero with a reason for revenge vs. imagined/existential revenge fantasy brought to life, a quiet hero vs. jabber-jaw Bickle. But obviously since they're both Schrader, similarities include - ending with a bloodbath in a whorehouse. And uh... hmm there's def some other similarities. But the whorehouse bloodbath.. that's what we call a motif!

The retreat episodes have all been fun, I hope the ABZ enjoyed the holiday period, it was well earned. If anyone is interested all the episodes of Hunter are playing back to back as an entire channel on Pluto TV. I don’t know if that’s a worldwide service but it’s great when you can’t be bothered picking something to watch or have other things to do and just want a light background show. The first episode guest starred Brian Dennehy and the female lead got to kick arse in good action scenes (which is pretty incredible for 1984 seen as they still rarely get it right in 2026!).

Talking about sweaty movies, going through a Burt Reynolds 70's run and White Lightning delivers. Why we ever got away from the realness I'll never fully understand when you can clearly see its magic on screen

I broke my ankle pretty badly while walking my dog. Currently I’m Rolling Thunder in a wheelchair. Also, now I’m staunchly Anti-Barxist. And, if Global warming is a thing, what’s with all the ICE on the sidewalk?

JanuaRevenge!

It was a bit surprising to see Automatic Slim walk around perfectly normal after getting hooked in the ballz.

How is there not a full on sleazy Roger Corman revenge movie with Dick Miller in the lead?

Can’t even imagine anyone but Devane in this role, also that kid was throwing some wash during catch to be the pitcher on his team

All the dog naming litigation is good stuff.

i went to listen to this this morning only to find out i watched Cannonball Run instead. i do not regret my mistake

I finally got closure learning Linda was one of the white ho's in Coffy.

1 hour 46 mins is Dr. Runtime approved, and I welcome a 4+ hour ep ANYDAY. Gimme all you got, ABZ

Willam Devane is so damn funny in The Grinder. Great show. Also, more movies should have the final action scene in a whore-house. We always get lava or ice factory, let's mix in some brothels more often.

Are garbage disposals still a thing? Also why were they so prominent in the 80s/90s. I’m not marveling.

When Ben said that “Gabrus and Stanger bought hats” in Texas I heard “Stangerbot” and it activated my Manchurian candidate protocol MMMM BY YOUR COMMAND

1 hour and 46 minutes i just fell to my knees in the parking lot

William Devane is great. I watched The Family Plot recently and was sure The Simpson's character that runs the gun store, has his voice based on him. He's also lost a limb, á la Rolling Thunder 🤯

I'm so interested in the "guy comes home from Vietnam" sub-genre of action flick that this movie is a part of, along with First Blood. Horribly reactionary and contributed to the "bring our POWs back" movement that was such a plague in American politics. John McCain got himself elected to office as a part of that trend and eventually moderated somewhat. But it was such a toxic trend.

My new neighbors across the hall drink all day and night and their trash bags full of cans has made that smell in my entrance way 💀

“Manual Thick” slayed me

I liked Jones’ line “Let’s go clean ‘em up” better. Jones had a pretty solid career in the 70s-80s. I remember Lonesome Dove was the first thing I saw him in and thought he was great holding his own alongside Duvall. His career really took off in the early 90s with his Oscar winning role in The Fugitive. (Shame we didn’t get him and Ford together in another movie). Siskel & Ebert even devoted an entire episode just on TLJ back in the 90s that’s worth watching on YouTube. For anyone needing more TLJ as an emotionally scarred Vietnam vet, check out Oliver Stone’s 1993 film Heaven and Earth. It’s one of Stone’s least remembered films (came out same year as Schindler’s List) but he deserved credit for presenting the Vietnamese POV and centering the film on a young female unknown. Jones might have been too old to play the part of a vet returning home when the film was made but he’s excellent as always. Don’t know if Heaven & Earth qualifies as ABZ material but it’s worth checking out.

shout out to Stanger's Pee-Chee folders reference. Maybe it's a west coast 80s thing b/c I'm about the same age and grew up just outside Berkeley and those things were very popular when I was a kid in elementary school.

My Instagram keeps showing me rigby brand dog products. 😡

When it comes to movie theater etiquette, what do the Boyz think about someone making notes on a little notepad during a screening? I had this yesterday at the TIFF theater in Toronto... annoyed me but I didn't say anything...

We’re all wearing our sunglasses for the next 105 minutes

Kept thinking of The Fugitive through this movie

At current silver prices that sack of coins could be worth over $200K.

Happy Dr. King’s Day, Rolling Thunder!

Don't mind the short runtime. Great Ep.

I love it when the boys do a proper Goddamn movie. Schrader's rich psychological character study elevates what could just be a b-movie. William Devane and Tommy Lee Jones project their character's relationship and history without any crude expositionary dialogue. Look at that great scene where Devane just shows up at Jones house and Jones agrees to head off to kill a bunch of people without Devane even having to ask. That's a world away from characters constantly rehashing the plot on Netflix movies. Also it feels weird to see a young Jones without his aged craggy face. He's one of those actors who always feels middle aged onscreen.

Hadn’t heard of this film before. Went in blind and wow. What a wild ride.

Is this part 1 of a 2 part episode or something?

Finally!