The Sunchaser

The Sunchaser
Theatrical release poster by Dan Chapman
Directed by	Michael Cimino
Written by	Charles Leavitt Michael Cimino
Produced by	Arnon Milchan Michael Cimino Larry Spiegel Judy Goldstein Joseph S. Vecchio
Starring	Woody Harrelson Jon Seda
Cinematography	Douglas Milsome
Edited by	Joe D'Augustine
Music by	Maurice Jarre
Production company	Regency Enterprises
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release dates	May 29, 1996(1996-05-29)(Cannes) September 27, 1996(1996-09-27)(United States)
Running time	122 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$31 million
Box office	$21,508(Domestic)

The Sunchaser(marketed simply asSunchaserin promotional material) is a 1996roadcrime dramafilm directed byMichael Cimino,written byCharles Leavittand starringWoody HarrelsonandJon Seda.It was director Cimino's last feature-length film.

It was selected to compete for thePalme d'Orat the49th Cannes Film Festival.

Plot

Brandon "Blue" Monroe, a 16-year-old half-Navajogang member fromEast L.A.,is serving time in prison for murdering his abusive stepfather. On an annual medical visit, Blue is told by Dr. Michael Reynolds, a wealthy, materialisticoncologistwith a wife and daughter, that he is dying ofabdominal cancerand has very little time left to live. Convinced that he can heal if he gets to amedicine maninArizonahe knew when he was 8, Blue kidnaps Michael, holding him at gunpoint, and forces him to drive them to a nearby garage where they switch cars.

Blue seeks to findDibé Nitsaa(one of the six mountain lakes sacred to the Navajo people), said to heal the wounds of anyone who swims in its waters. Michael, however, bemoans his capture to Blue, seeking help to anyone who he comes across and complaining that he is missing out on a dinner engagement for promotion as head of the oncology department. The two men are instantly at odds with each other, separated by their education, class, race, and two very different world views. Michael believes that modern medicine has all the answers to whatever ails human beings, while Blue believes inNative Americanspiritualitywhich honors thespirit world,sacred places, andherbal medicine.

En route to Arizona, Michael and Blue have a rough encounter with agroup of bikersin a small town, and a chase pursues. Later, Michael is bitten by arattlesnakebut is quickly treated for it by Blue, without medical equipment. Back in Los Angeles, Mrs. Reynolds elicits apolice manhunt,and the authorities then attempt to track the two men on their eastward journey. As Michael grows closer to his abductor, he comes to terms with a harbored childhood secret that had haunted him; he was forced to take the life of his older brother, who was on his death bed and had asked a young Michael topull the plug.

As Blue's condition worsens, Michael resorts to illegal means to obtain the needed medicine by breaking into a hospital inFlagstaff.The next morning, the two enter theNavajo reservation,but spot apolice cruiserparked ahead of them. To escape, Michael drives off the main road and blends in with acattleherd,becoming unnoticed in thedustkickup.

Eluding the authorities and finally committed to helping Blue on his quest, Michael manages to whisk Blue up the mountain. Meanwhile, a police helicopter spots their car parked nearby. Reaching the top, Blue is reunited with the medicine man, who directs him to the lake. Michael and Blue embrace, and the two part ways. As the helicopter spots Michael, Blue runs toward the lake, beforemystically disappearing into its waters.Back in L.A., Michael, escorted by the police and wearing handcuffs, is reunited with his family.

Cast

• Woody Harrelsonas Michael Reynolds
• Jon Sedaas Brandon "Blue" Monroe
• Anne Bancroftas Renata Baumbauer
• Alexandra Tydingsas Victoria Reynolds
• Matt Mulhernas Chip Byrnes
• Talisa Sotoas Navajo Woman
• Richard Baueras Dr. Bradford
• Victor Aaronas Webster Skyhorse
• Lawrence Pressmanas FBI Agent-In-Charge Collier
• Michael O'Neillas FBI Agent Moreland
• Harry Carey Jr.as Cashier
• Carmen Dell'Oreficeas Arabella
• Brooke Ashley as Calantha Reynolds
• Andrea Rothas Head Nurse
• Bob Minoras Deputy Lynch
• Brett Harrelsonas Younger Highway Patrol Officer
• Andy Bermanas Person In Oncology
• Linda M. Duenasas Hot Mexican Waitress

Production

In 1994, Cimino was approached byRegency EnterprisesproducerArnon Milchanto directThe Sunchaser,a script byCharles Leavittthat had been offered previously toDiane KeatonandMel Gibson.Taking creative liberties with the screenplay, Cimino spent several months researchingthe gang culture of Los Angeles.

Parts of the film were shot inDowntown Los Angeles,theMojave Desert,Arizona,Zion National Park,UtahandColorado.To give authenticity to the dialogue, Cimino had severalNavajoadvisors on set at all times, including actor Leon Skyhorse Thomas, who gave input on the scenes betweenWoody HarrelsonandJon Seda.

Mickey Rourke,a collaborator and friend of Cimino's, believed the director "snapped" sometime during the making ofThe Sunchaser."Michael is the sort of person that if you take away his money he short-circuits," Rourke said. "He is a man of honor."

Post-production

Although Cimino was not grantedfinal cut privilege,the producers did not interfere with the editing.Pablo Ferro,the film's main title designer, recommended Joe D'Augustine after the original editor was fired.D'Augustine recalled his first meeting with Cimino: "It was kind of eerie, freaky. I was led into this dark editing room with black velvet curtains and there was this guy hunched over. They bring me into, like, his chamber, as if he was the Pope. Everyone was speaking in hushed tones. He had something covering his face, a handkerchief. He kept his face covered. And nobody was allowed to take his picture [...] Welcome to Ciminoville."

Eventually, he began to like working with Cimino; "He was a genius. I wanted to be his friend," said D'Augustine. "We're sitting there watching the movie, looking for places to add sound effects. We get to the scene where the kid is on the phone, calling911,shouting, 'There's a guy here with a gun.' I said, 'Do want to put in their side of the conversation?' Michael says, 'I don't know what they'd say,' and then he picks up the phone and dials 911. He says, 'There's a man here with a gun, a very large one,' and then he hands the phone to the sound guy so he can write down what they say. "

Jack Nitzschewas originally slated to compose the music for the film, however, creative differences between him and Cimino led to Nitzsche's replacement byMaurice Jarre.Jarre was chosen on the basis of his scores forDavid Leanepics such asLawrence of ArabiaandDoctor Zhivago,which Cimino loved. He once said that his favorite part of making a film was watching the recording of the soundtrack over the film:

"Suddenly you see this music come on the screen and you think for the first time:I really made a movie. My God, it looks like a movie up there!And it's like, you feel like you're about 12, and it's the first time it occurs to you that you've done a movie [...] It's sublime. Really sublime moment. The best moment in movies I think. "

In the end credits, Cimino dedicates the film "To Hal", referencing fellow directorHal Ashby,who himself refused medical treatment for, and died ofpancreatic cancer.Coincidentally, on his deathbed, Ashby had still believed he could pull through and pondered making a film with similar themes ofThe Sunchaser,dealing with how he had miraculously cheated death.

Release

The film had its world premiere in France where it was entered into competition at the1996 Cannes Film Festivalfor thePalme D'Or.A theatrical release was intended, but the film fared so poorly with test audiences that it went straight to video in the United States.

According to composerMaurice Jarre,the film was blocked from receiving theSpecial Jury PrizebyFrancis Ford Coppola,who was head of the jury that year:

"Everybody from the Cannes organization loved the film and they wanted to give itLe Prix du Jury,but Francis Ford Coppola disliked Cimino and so the prize was given to another film. "

Critical reception

The film received largely negative reviews.Todd McCarthyofVarietywrote, "Michael Cimino's return to filmmaking after a six-year layoff is a conceptually bold tale marked, in its execution, both by visceral intensity and dramatic sloppiness."Jo-Ann Pittman wrote inFilm DirectorsthatThe Sunchaserhad "a predictable and often laughable script. Not good considering it is a drama. The characters are stereotypical and the story again lacks direction. It attempts to handle too many stories at one time. TheNew Agemystical healing waters are cliche as is the kidnapper/victim story. "Leonard Maltingave the film one and a half stars: "Misbegotten mess tries to touch all trendy bases, scrambling American Indian mysticism, 'New Age' theories and buddy-movie clichés into the format of a road movie."

Kevin Thomas ofLos Angeles TimesgaveThe Sunchaserone of its few positive notices. While noting the predictability of the script, Thomas added, "Yet all that's so familiar in Charles Leavitt's script has been given a fresh, brisk spin by the sheer audacity and force of Cimino's style and by an incisive, wide-ranging performance by Harrelson..."

On review aggregation websiteRotten Tomatoes,The Sunchaserhas a "rotten" approval rating of 17% based on 6 reviews, with an average rating of 4.8/10.

See also

• Monument Valley

Further reading

• Camy, Gerard. "Sunchaser." Jeune cinéma n238 Summer (1996)
• Troubiana, Serge. "Loin d'Hollywood." Cahiers du cinéma n503 Jun (1996) [on The Sunchaser]
• Saada, Nicolas and Serge Troubiana. "Entretien avec Michael Cimino." Cahiers du cinéma n503 Jun (1996)
• Cieutat, Michel. "Sunchaser." Positif n425/426 Jul/Aug (1996)
• Ciment, Michel and Laurent Vachaud. "Un film optimiste et plein d'espoir." Positif n425/426 Jul/Aug (1996) [on The Sunchaser]
• Feeney, F.X. "Between Heaven and Hell." People 46.20 (1996) [Interview]
• Kemp, Philip. "The Sunchaser." Sight & Sound 7 Jan (1997)

External links

• The SunchaseratIMDb
• The SunchaseratRotten Tomatoes
• The SunchaseratAllMovie
• The SunchaserArchived2017-03-08 at theWayback MachineatUnofficial French websiteArchived2009-06-28 at theWayback Machine