Rolling Thunder / Town that Dreaded Sundown (1977 / 1976) UK Quad DB Poster #New

John Flynn's ferocious psychological thriller Rolling Thunder, with a script by Paul Schrader (rewritten by Heywood Gould) has William Devane as a returning prisoner of war from Vietnam after seven years in captivity. When robbers mutilate him and kill his family, he goes after them, with a girl and POW buddy in tow. Originally slated for a 20th Century Fox release, the previews caused such a riot due to the suddenness of the violence that they passed the release to Americal International Pictures. Flynn said they 'distributed it, as is, without re-cutting it. It made them a fortune.'

The Town That Dreaded Sundown was a retelling of a series of real-life attacks and murders carried out by the 'Phantom' in Texarkana just after the end of WWII. Changes to victims and dates were inevitable, but some of the more sensational details (murder by trombone) were faithfully recreated. Director Charles B. Pierce - The Legend of Boggy Creek (1973), filmed in and around the actual area, frequently using locals to act or as extras. As the killer was never caught, the US 1 Sheet poster tagline originally read 'In 1946, this man killed five people...today he still lurks the streets of Texarkana, Ark.' City officals threatened to sue and the poster was amended, although original versions still occasionally slipped out.

Artwork: Rolling Thunder - unknown / Town That Dreaded Sundown - Ralph McQuarrie (Star Wars' conceptual artist)

Condition: VERY GOOD / FINE - some fold wear on glossy paper stock

Cast: William Devane, Tommy Lee Jones, Linda Haynes, James Best, Dabney Coleman, Luke Askew - Culpepper Cattle Company (1972) / Ben Johnson, Andrew Prine, Dawn Wells, Jimmy Clem, Charles B. Pierce as a comedy cop.