1989 Directed by David Mitchell
A con-artist meets a tough fighter and sees him as her ticket to a better life. The two make an agreement and head off to New Orleans to arrange a match with "the man" - the mysterious king of bare-knuckled boxing. There are no rules for this fight...one man wins when the other dies.
Boxcar Blues
USA
USA
You know after Predator and The Running Man I didn't imagine Jesse Ventura's next major acting projects to be back to back straight to video movies shot in rural Ontario.
I'd assumed Thunderground was an action movie based on Ventura's presence and the title but aside from the occasional bare-knuckle boxing match this is pretty much a straight up drama, a road movie where a young con artist and a washed up drifter connect over Mark Twain as they journey to New Orleans to fight "The Man". More surprisingly though is it's actually not half bad.
I once got to talk to Thunderground writer/producer Damien Lee at a screening of the -other- Ontario made Jesse Ventura movie, and he said…
M. Emmet Walsh tribute:
Canuxploitation poor man’s friendlier version of Hard Times
wife, passing through the room while I was watching this: that guy looks kinda like the daughter from HARRY AND THE HENDERSONS
me: mmmmhhmmmm
me, to myself, ten minutes later: holy shit that IS the daughter from HARRY AND THE HENDERSONS
Low budget underground boxing/roadtrip drama with alcoholic Paul Coufos teaming up with young firecracker Margaret Langrick to ride the rails and bum-fight a man in New Orleans. Starts and ends well, with ok action and Jesse Ventura. Pack a lunch for the middle.
