BILLY JACK    1971
Directed by Tom Laughlin
114 minutes
In English

People are still discussing the events in Syria, but of course the whole issue if whether violence can can be used to create peace, or if peace can only come through pacifism has been heatedly debated for the last few thousand years in Western culture. Nowhere in cinema is this question as relevantly and poignantly addressed as in this 70s utra-cult classic.
This is the film that kicked off the whole Billy Jack phenomena in the states in the early 70s. What was that all about, you ask?
It was something that was totally unprecedented in the US..... the director/main actor Tom Laughlin made an independent film that was able to become a smash box office success, only by word of mouth... no big advertising campaigns for this small budget feature! It was a tiny, but well aimed spark that caused a tremendous forest fire in American cinema... independent of the Hollywood system.

This emotionally gut-wrenching film moved people simply through its total commitment and sincerity, and it spurred on three sequels. And since this whole phenomenon passed Europe by, now 45 years later, let's finally take a nostalgic look at this counter-culture masterpiece, what many people think is the best american film ever made!

What is it about? It centers on Billy Jack, an ex-Green Beret and half-Indian who returns home from Vietnam to defend the students at a very alternative school on an Indian reservation. Laughlin's wife Delores Taylor plays Jean, the schools' extremely idealistic leader who embraces non-violence even when it gets her and her students beaten up. Billy Jack tries to hold himself back, but in the end resorts to his war skills to protect the innocent. This film is really a product of its time, and has to be seen as such.

Eventually it became one of the highest grossing films, and remains among the top 100 of all time (if its adjusted to inflation).

What a movie.
Is it totally innocent and a bit naive in the spirit of the 60's? Yes.
Cheesy in a way that Tarantino loves? Yes.
Totally biased against the whole american political system right from the start? Of course!
Is it full of love and war? Does it have a brilliant sentimental soundtrack? Yes, Yes!
Does it reveal the true situation of the american Indians like no other american film ever has? Definitely.

This will be a high-definition projection.