Billy Jack

A misunderstood classic
I have always been puzzled by the hostile reaction of critics to Billy Jack. The puzzling aspect is not the negativity itself, but rather the almost blanket misrepresentation or - to be charitable - misunderstanding, of what the movie is about. Thus potential buyers are disserviced by the prevailing conventional wisdom i.e. "Billy Jack preaches peace while practising violence"; "Billy Jack wants to have its cake and eat it with regard to pacifism"; "the film is hypocritical" etc. In reality, the character of Billy Jack NEVER preaches peace. The only hint of this being true comes when he REJECTS Delores Taylor's view that violence in the face of violent bigotry won't solve anything. Given his instincts as a Shoshone warrior and a Green Beret trained (ironically by the US government) for war - against the extent of brutality of the bigots he faces, there is clearly no room for touchy-feely encounter sessions. These morons are not merely...

Tom Laughlin is Billy Jack
Some people just don't get it. Tom Laughlin wrote the script, directed, starred, and controlled distribution for Billy Jack because no major studio wanted to support a film that exposed bigotry and prejudice in Amercian society. Laughlin staged a one man stand against the commercial capitalists who controlled the movie industry and won. Laughlin's unprecendented move to control the film's distribution rights opened the door for future independent film making to reach mass audiences. Laughlin's struggle against studio powers mirrored Billy Jack's inner angst towards violence, peace, and civil libertites. Sure the film's message of a counterculture existing in a deeply rooted, cynical, white Southern/Western community seems overbearingly blatant, but the film still stands firm as a testimony of one man challenging the morals and values that define his world. Who cares if the Indian attire used in the spirtual dance did not comform to the actual Indian dress used in such a...

One tin script rides away(with the boxoffice)
If like me you grew up in the 70's you KNEW who Billy Jack was and what he was about. If you didn't you must have been under a rock because Billy was everywhere. This isn't a great movie as much as it is a time-capsule of 60's and 70's ideas placed in what now is a simple action story.

Tom Laughlin stars,writes and directs this pagan to the "hippie" counter-culture of the time. The fact that the "heroes" in this movie are now annoying and not very sympathetic goes to show why the movement died out. Billy protects the "FREEDOM SCHOOL" from fat rednecks who want it gone. He talks about peace but if you disagree with him this Green Beret,half-breed Indian will beat you into the ground. Along for the ride are many bad folk songs and comedy skits that are jammed into this one with a shoe horn. I still enjoy this dinosaur of another era, but to be fair it hasn't aged very well. Still it is a lasting tribute to an era's believes and that makes it worth a look.

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