[FormerViperDriver]

Iron Eagle 1, 2 and 3.

Ha ha, had you going there for a second, didn't I...

FVD

[flyXwire]

Originally Posted by FormerViperDriver

Iron Eagle 1, 2 and 3.

Ha ha, had you going there for a second, didn't I...

FVD

I could've sworn your were one of the pilots of that F-16!

[Ara1]

Strategic Air Command
starring Frank Lovejoy as Angry General
with set design by Herschel
Featuring a Communist troop invasion of a top secret US base via C-47

"Probably the best acting by stuntmen departing transport aircraft ever filmed..." - Popular Review Magazine, June 1953

[fileasfog]

WWI : l'as des as with Belmonde

WWII Battle of Britain / Memphis Belle

[MoMo]

If you've ever looked at the thread " Movies and Model...." you'll know my favourite Aviation movies. I kinda mixed up the aviation ones with war movies in general while we wait on further news of " Dam Busters" ( may it be soon! ).

A few aviation movies which I don't think I've commented much on are : " Dr Strangelove " and " The Spirit of Saint Louis ", both of which are worthy of some attention. I mention these because " Dr S. " is by my favourite director of all time, Stanley Kubrik, and the second was made by Billy Wilder, also one of my favourites.

In many respects both movies are a-typical of their respective directors. Doctor Strangelove has a convincing optical tracking shot of the infamous B52 as it struggles to complete its mission to attack a missile base deep in the Northern reaches of Soviet Russia. The black humour in this movie is only matched by Kubrik's " Lolita" and, perhaps, the black humour in " Full Metal Jacket ". The well-disciplined order in the close confines of the B52 contrasts well with the mayhem and dissent within the vast cavern of the War Room.

" Doctor Strangelove" has more jokes in it than any other Kubrik movie and the ironies abound. Not typical Kubrik.

" The Spirit of Saint Louis" is not a typical Billy Wilder movie. The script is flat and spare, and the opportunity for drama is limited. Nevertheless, it is a fairly watchable film for James Stewart's sympathetic performance of Lindy. I guess that there was no room to come and go with the script of this movie otherwise Wilder and I A L Diamond would have injected some humour into its otherwise reverential portrait of an American Saint, in the making.

They had to give Lindberg someone to talk to during the flight, otherwise the movie would have died of internal monologue and flashback, so they invented a hitch-hiker in the form of a fly. Steward manages to make the fly an aimiable companion and is able to voice his thoughts, fears and doubts to the insect.

Both these movies are worth watching for their flying content and themes.

MoMo

[mapleflag]

Strategic Air Command, probably some of the best air-to-air footage of the Cold War, and lots of the B36 and B47 early models.
Jimmy Stewart plays the lead well, why not, he really wasn't acting!

[Ara1]

Originally Posted by mapleflag

Strategic Air Command, probably some of the best air-to-air footage of the Cold War, and lots of the B36 and B47 early models.
Jimmy Stewart plays the lead well, why not, he really wasn't acting!

Stewart did OK, considering the movie came very, very close to being an unabashed propaganda film. The star of the show is the B-36, and yes co-starring the B-47.

They really get into the nuts and bolts of B-36 operations, which is rare and cool.

[FormerViperDriver]

MoMo, glad you brought up "Dr. Strangelove"; I love that movie Used to watch it while sitting alert in the F-111 (ah, the irony of it all...).

Not sure I would brand it as an "aviation movie" per se, but since the B-52s play such a prominent role, I guess it qualifies.

FVD

[jim]

There are so many movies out there but I have to say Top gun has been watched over and over again at my place. Even though I am not really a jet fan I can watch those ariel scenes again and again. Great fun.

I would like to add an observation tied into another thread about the best jet fighter.

I am amazed at the ability of modern pilots to fly these modern jets. How the heck anyone can process so much information and make instant judgements almost at the same time plus fly the plane as well beats me.

Total respect goes to all those guys, they are just ????? (words fail me).

[mikeb1958]

Originally Posted by STARMAN 352ND

You know i put in Pearl Harbor just to watch it for fun this afternoon at work because it was so darn boring today and that's the only movie we had in the office.
You know that is the only movie that has the Doolittle Raiders in it...Since "30 seconds over Tokyo".
I thought that was kinda neat.

Yes, I agree and with all the special effects, It is pretty good. for the special effects ONLY. NOT the overall movie!