Vicious Thunder

Rolling Thunder is a 1977 American neo-noir psychological thriller film directed by John Flynn, with a screenplay by Paul Schrader and Heywood Gould, based on a story by Schrader. It stars William Devane, Tommy Lee Jones, and Linda Haynes, along with James Best, Dabney Coleman, and Luke Askew in supporting roles. The film follows a Vietnam War veteran (Devane) who, after returning home to tragedy, sets out on a mission of revenge against the criminals who killed his family. The film was originally set to be distributed by 20th Century Fox, but was dropped over concerns about the film's violence. It was instead distributed by American International Pictures (AIP). Rolling Thunder was released in the United States on October 7, 1977, and also premiered in seven other countries. Upon its release, the film received generally positive reviews from critics, and has developed a cult following.