Aviation movies that we should all see...?

[mirrodie]

Well, of course, there are these, which you can usually catch on TV from time to time.

Airplane!
Airport
Airport 1975
Airport '77
Airport '79 (The Concorde)


Then I was loking at this, http://www.airodyssey.net/articles/movies.html and I'd love to see some of these but can't find them anywhere. :(

I recall there was this great site with an alphabetical list of all the aviation -related movies....ost it. Any tips?

[Midnight Mike]

This is a must-see movie:

Crash Landing: The Rescue of Flight 232
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104020/


Tagline: In 1988, Sioux City Iowa organized a revolutionary "Disaster Preparedness Program." On July 19th, 1989, they needed every trick in the book.

[moose135]

After the first Airport movie, the rest were pretty silly...

My favorite aviation movies:
12 O'clock High - my favorite aviation movie, more about the psychology of warfare and command, but great B-17 footage
The High and the Mighty - a classic
Top Gun - some silly parts, but the utimate fighter jock movie
Strategic Air Command - ignore the soap opera parts and enjoy the great aircraft footage, including the B-36!
Airplane! - "...and don't call me Shirley!"

[mirrodie]

Mike, after having heard Cpt/ Haynes speak, is the movie still worth seeing? His talk was great and I've started applying his discussion to the way I practice.

Moose, I am not sure if I saw 12 Oclock High. BUt loved High and Mighty(recent release, right) and SAC ( Jimmy Stewart, right?) ANd AIRPLANE is just THE BEST!


Wasnt there a movie about the Gimli GLider?

Also,...still trying to find that aviation movie site. It was so comprehensive and now I just cant find it :(

[nwafan20]

Well, Airplane! is a must see (But don't see Airplane! 2, it will make you mad)

Air Force One was good
Redeye was ok, Flightplan was ok too.
The Airport series

That is pretty much all I can remember watching.

[Midnight Mike]

Mike, after having heard Cpt/ Haynes speak, is the movie still worth seeing? His talk was great and I've started applying his discussion to the way I practice.

:(

Yes! Charleston Heston is a superb actor & he bring Captain Al Haynes to live, also, the movie shows other events that were going on

[mirrodie]

Well, Airplane! is a must see (But don't see Airplane! 2, it will make you mad)

Air Force One was good
Redeye was ok, Flightplan was ok too.
The Airport series

That is pretty much all I can remember watching.

Why does Airplane 2 make you mad??? RedEye and Flightplan were TERRIBLE.

In retrospect, I did like Airport 75. thought the plane hitting the big 747 was unique and of course Karen Black was unforgettable ;)

Mike, I'll have to check it out.

[nwafan20]

Airplane! 2 was a disrespect to the name "Airplane!" I mean, the movie was worse than terrible. I could barely stand to watch it!

I thought RedEye was Ok, not much of an aviation movie, but for an action movie it was decent.

[moose135]

Moose, I am not sure if I saw 12 Oclock High. BUt loved High and Mighty(recent release, right) and SAC ( Jimmy Stewart, right?) ANd AIRPLANE is just THE BEST!

12 O'clock High stars Gregory Peck as a B-17 group commander - it's out on DVD, I'll have to add it to my next Amazon order, to replace the worn out tape I have. Yes, High & the Mighty was recently released on DVD, and SAC is the Jimmy Stewart movie.



Air Force One was good

As a former Air Force pilot and officer, I found so much wrong with Air Force One as to make it unwatchable.

[T-Bird76]

The Crash of flight 401 and the Ghost of flight 401 were good flicks also.

[nwafan20]

Oh, well of course there was a lot of stuff fictional in Air Force One, that is what sort of ads to the movie! But, if you remember it is fiction, I thought it was a great movie!

Ghost of 401 was good also.

[Derf]

THE GREAT WALDO PEPPER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
also see Memphis Belle, Flight of the Intruder and what Moose said.

[SCOTYDEMCO]

The Final Countdown!!

[Alex T]

I love the movie "View From the Top"

Alex

[T-Bird76]

The Final Countdown!!

OMG how could I forget that movie!!! Fantastic flick! There was a few other movies I can't remember the name of but one I think was called "Hijack", then there was another movie on the Aloha accident and Air Florida flight 90 was a good movie.

[mirrodie]

The Crash of flight 401 and the Ghost of flight 401 were good flicks also.

Haven't seen those nor Final Countdown. Not yet at least.

[Nonstop2AUH]

In addition to many of the others mentioned, I also like "No Highway In the Sky" (1951), a drama that manages to soberly address some of the technical concerns about longhaul aircraft in the early '50s, and "Come Fly with Me" (1963), a comedy about flight attendants from the swinging '60s. Both of these occasionally show up on late night cable.

[hiss srq]

Top Gun!!! The greatest movie ever created!

[tipek]

I can add to the list "Passenger 57" with Wesley Snipes. It is action movie, something like Air Force One.
Also I liked Si Fi movie about people that got lost in space. I forgot the title, but they were flying TWA L1011 and when they landed at BDL they saw some monsters eating earth. They took off again and landed at LAX. I think it was Stephen King's book before they've made it into a movie. The movie starts with letter G or H. If anyone remembers it please let me know.

Rafal

[mirrodie]

I think it was the Langoliers. And I think Dean Stockwell was in it.

[hiss srq]

passenger 57 has some awesome tristar scenes inside and out... I would not doubt its ability to fly from some seriously smallairports with a wing like that.

[mirrodie]

Well, I found another list of aviation movies but its not the site I had in mind. The site I did have in mind gave a synopsis of all the films. Will keep searching.

Meanwhile, have a look.
http://faculty.dwc.edu/nicosia/apcm_list_of_aviation_movies.htm

[N790SW]

Howabout Executive Descion: That Oceanic 747 looked great- and kinda like a Kuwait Airlines plane doesnt it ?


http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j310/N475WN/OA3432.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j310/N475WN/OAFF.jpg

[SengaB]

Thats cause it was :)
9K-ADA
cn 21541

Senga

[Matt Molnar]

What about Snakes On A Plane??!

[nwafan20]

Oh, how could I forget Executive Decision? Great movie!!!

Don't even mention Snakes on a Plane around me! LOL!! :D

[mirrodie]

What about Iron Eagle?! I always loved that movie, and thought it was better than Top GUn...except for the "migs" Even Iron Eagle 2 was pretty good.

[Iberia A340-600]

I just saw Snakes on a Plane and I'm going to say don't see it.

*shivers*

:shock:

[PhilDernerJr]

Wow. Lou Gosset Jr. Iron Eagle kicks ass.

I finally saw Airport (thanks to a good friend) and it was great! Eager to see the others int eh series. :)

[mirrodie]

Iron Eagle was the friggin BOMB!! Saving your father from the enemy all the while haveing Lou Gosset Jr talk smack down to you! LOL


Oh, I had Highheels watch Flight of hte Intruder this past weekend. For lovers of hte A-6 (and Ea-6B), itsa nice film. I love the A-6 Intruder and the corresponding Prowler.


That and the A-10, the unloved beast :(... The A-10 deserves some good movie footage!



Oh, I had a question regarding "Flight..Intruder." Toward the end of hte film, they used a prop plane they called "sandies". They were able to go lower and closer to the groungd in 'Nam. Were they really used in Nam? ANd what are sandies anyway?!

[Nonstop2AUH]

Iron Eagle rocks if only because Twisted Sister is on the soundtrack, or was that Iron Eagle 2 (or 3, or however many they made?)...

[nwafan20]

What was the name of that movie where a rock star holds a concert on a 747 but terrorists or somthing take over the plane and the rock star ends up having to land (with the help of an avid flight simmer at home)?

It was ok, not very good, but not terrible either.

[moose135]

Yes, they did Mario. They were A-1 Skyraiders, often called Spads, flown by both the USAF and USN. Sandy was the tactical call sign the Air Force A-1 typically used. The A-1 was used widely for the close air support, especially in escorting rescue helicopters picking up downed airmen. They would put down suppressing fire while the choppers picked up the crewmen.

Air & Space Museum has a page describing the aircraft and it's history.

http://www.nasm.si.edu/research/aero/ai ... las_a1.htm (http://www.nasm.si.edu/research/aero/aircraft/douglas_a1.htm)

[Nonstop2AUH]

Matt- Don't tell me you prefer Slade Craven to Twisted Sister? The movie in question was Turbulence 3: Heavy Metal. Possibly one of the worst movies ever made, but worth seeing for that reason, just like Soul Plane...

[emshighway]

Flying Leathernecks

[njgtr82]

atc type movies-
Pushing Tin (John Cusack, Billy Bob Thorton, Angelina Jolie)
Ground Control

[flyboy 28]

Never did care for Iron Eagle, even when I was younger. It was on Spike earlier this afternoon and it just reaffirmed in me how much of a low-budget film it was. :D

[lijk604]

Matt- Don't tell me you prefer Slade Craven to Twisted Sister? The movie in question was Turbulence 3: Heavy Metal. Possibly one of the worst movies ever made, but worth seeing for that reason, just like Soul Plane...

Soul Plane was worth seeing???? Sorry, I dont care how funny a purple 747 w/spinners and hydraulics looks, that's just sac-relig.

[mirrodie]

Yeah, seeing it on Spoike brought it to mind.

Top Gun got all the popularity, but INtruder and Eagle were decent for what they were, IHMO.

[Tom_Turner]

Well, theres probably a hundred of them...and Moose mentioned an excellent one above....but in no particular order, here are some of the highlights..

1> Passenger 57 - Wesley Snipes and his opponent seem as if they lept off the screen from Enter the Dragon in the final minutes. See a Tri star land at an amusement park.

2> Executive Decision - Steven Seagal's best role to date.. you'll see what I mean when you watch this one. John Leguzamo & Halle Berry round out the cast led by Kurt Russel. Alot of fun.

3> Fate is the Hunter - excellent oldie... Glenn Ford and Rod Taylor. Quoting from IMDB

If this happens to be on your cable channel it is a MUST SEE!! Ford plays Sam McBane, a VP with an airline which has just lost a plane in a crash. Taylor plays the pilot of the aircraft, who also happens to have been a war-buddy. The rest of the cast is top-notch and the story outstanding. However, it bears pointing out that YOU MUST WATCH THE FIRST 10-12 minutes and MOST DEFINITELY the finale as it brings all of the film to full circle. Watch it and enjoy!!

4> By Dawn's Early Light - HBO film not to be missed. Marred only by a hallow love story, but more than made up for by James Earl Jones chewing up the scenery, as "Alice" commander of the Strategic Air Command. in the final half hour. If you like 747s, this film delivers BIG TIME. Only about a million times better than the Sum of all Crap.
Darin McGavin has a nifty role here as well.

5> San Francisco International. - Opens with an absurd scene about a Convair 990 .... so bad that I'd have to recommend the Mystery Science Theatre 3000 version. Hard to imagine anyone not enjoying this one.

[hiss srq]

An excellent oldie is the movie Midway. It is based on the battle of midway.

[mirrodie]

Well, its' been mentioned a few times.

One of my first cousins, a true black sheep of the family, was in Passenger 57. She had a small role, where she was TSA/Security person who let him through the security gate. 15 seconds of fame.


Tom, I have to see those. I've never heard of most of them!

[T-Bird76]

Flight of the Intruder blows Top Gun away, you can't even compare the two movies. IMO Top Gun is one of the worst movies ever made. To this date I still don't know what the plot was about.

[nwafan20]

Matt- Don't tell me you prefer Slade Craven to Twisted Sister? The movie in question was Turbulence 3: Heavy Metal. Possibly one of the worst movies ever made, but worth seeing for that reason, just like Soul Plane...

No not really, but any movie with airplanes in it (Omit Soul Plane and Snakes on a Plane) IMO is worth watching once for some airplane scenes. Like I said the movie wasn't that good, but it had an airplane :D

Soul Plane is right down there with Snakes on a Plane, in the category "Movies that should have never been thought up, let alone produced"

[moose135]

Flight of the Intruder blows Top Gun away, you can't even compare the two movies. IMO Top Gun is one of the worst movies ever made. To this date I still don't know what the plot was about.

But who needs a plot when there was all that great F-14 footage :D

[mirrodie]

Flight of the Intruder blows Top Gun away, you can't even compare the two movies. IMO Top Gun is one of the worst movies ever made. To this date I still don't know what the plot was about.

You mean you missed the entire plot of Top Gun?! It was summed up in a few words. "We were inverted."

In fact, the moment you throw a love story into any one of these films, its crap. Flight of the INtruder was just good stuff, and thanks for hooking my up om the A4 Skyraider knowledge, Moose!

Take Deep Impact and Armageddeon, for instance. I felt Deep Impact was as realistic as it could get whereas Armagedeon was a bunch of muppets with special fx. ;)

[RDU-JFK]

Stewardess School! Hard-to-find 80s movie similar to Police Academy. Ultimate campiness, but great!

[uplander]

There's also Cabin Pressure, a documentary about the design of the plane (the Aalto E-474) for the film Flightplan.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0828371/

Haven't seen the documentary, but the Bonus Feature on the movie DVD shows a bit of this. I remember first watching the movie and wondering how they got those hovering camera shots inside the cabin. This tells it all.

[mirrodie]

Stewardess School ...was that the one with Gwyneth Paltrow? If so, I liked it. OR was it the one where toward the end of the movie, she's some gal, up in the church rafters, singing "I've got no panties one!"

[FlyingColors]

The Crash of flight 401 and the Ghost of flight 401 were good flicks also.

This man has gooood taste!

[nwafan20]

What about One Six Right (the documentary) Great GA film! Very good!

[FlyingColors]

Island in the sky, with John Wayne.

Harry and Tonto, with Art Carney. OK, its not an airplane based movie, BUT it has a few moments of some killer 1973 footage of the then new Terminal A at EWR. You see the "Braniff" ticket counter sign, then take a walk through the terminal and see a TWA 707, CV-880 and an Allegheny CV-580!

The French Connection, another non airliner movie, but features a few precious seconds of an Eastern DC-8 footage in flight. (plus one of the best movies of all time too)

Commando: Governor Arnold having fun at LAX in the 80's. Western DC-10, TWA L-1011, Hawaiian DC-10 and 2 Eastern A300's are the reason to see it.

Delta Force: some good 720B footage.

[Nick]

Uh what about Behind enemy lines? I've seen Top Gun more times than I can count, and even after I learned how acft work I still like it.. Hell I was 3 when it came out. Final Countdown and Flight of the Intruder were also good. Iron Eagle.. hmph.. it does include my favorite acft of all, but when you have a jet change midair from a A model to a B model then back again, it's hard to believe. But with all Hollywood flicks, gotta seperate the movie from real life, cos it's not! Stealth wasn't bad either.

[Nonstop2AUH]

Don't think it was mentioned before, but how about "The Bridges at Toko-Ri?" This is in some ways the original Top Gun, early days of carrier jet operations in the Korean War (remember when the Chinese were not our friends? Hello!).
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046806/

Moose said it already but another good military aviation flick from 1955 is "Strategic Air Command." Part of what makes it cool is that Jimmy Stewart was really a pilot, so when you see him, it's not just acting.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048667/

[moose135]

Another good '50s-era military aviation flick is "Strategic Air Command" but I think someone mentioned it already. Part of what makes that one cool is that Jimmy Stewart was really a pilot.

Actually flew B-17s and later B-24s in WW2 (had 20 combat missions in the B-24) and ultimately retired from the AF Reserve as a Brigadier General. An old Air Force buddy ended up working in the public affairs office at Nellis (maybe 20 years ago?) and got to escort him around one day when he visited the base.

[Nonstop2AUH]

Moose-thanks for the Jimmy Stewart info, didn't realize he had such combat experience. Wow, the guy was hardcore and most people just remember him as good old George Bailey.

Toko-Ri is a favorite because if those Grumman Panthers don't get you excited, a young pre-princess Grace Kelly certainly will.

[FlyingColors]

And on a Jimmy Stewart note....

How about The Spirit of St Louis!

He plays Lindy, another must see.

[SCOTYDEMCO]

Memphis Belle. And yes Moose, Stratigic Air Command was a cool flick.

[mirrodie]

Memphis Belle! YEs, that was a great movie!

Remember the scene when I think of the radar guys wants to give the rear gun a shot? Ahd when he does, he downs an enemy plane that later slices through an Ameircan Bomber? Just wicked stuff. I was a book regarding similar inflight experiences in London. WIll see if I can fine a title.



And Yes, Behind Enemy Lines was great... Till they blow her out of the sky. Good missle shot scene though.

[Mateo]

Dr. Strangelove has lots of footage of a B-52 model for the exterior shots as well as a cockpit mockup for the interiors. I love seeing the 8 engine gauges lined up in front of Slim Pickens.

To be all artsy, one of the iconic pieces of French New Wave filmmaking was a short called "La Jetee" which revolves around a picture of a woman at Orly Airport. Another movie from the same time period (1961 +/- 2 years) also has a couple of scenes at Orly - I'm pretty sure it was Breathless (A bout de souffle), but I haven't revisted that genre in a few years now.

[Midnight Mike]

By Dawns Early Light was a pretty good flick, lots of aviation scenes.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099197/

[MORS-AB-ALTO]

1955's The Bridges at Toko Ri (Korean War vintage naval aviation) , 1979's The Great Santini (Marine F-4's at MCAS Beaufort) and 2006's Speed & Angels (documentary with the best Tomcat footage ever!)

[mirrodie]

Dr. Strangelove has lots of footage of a B-52 model for the exterior shots as well as a cockpit mockup for the interiors. I love seeing the 8 engine gauges lined up in front of Slim Pickens.

I finally saw that last year. While hte footage was cool, I just couldnt get into the genre nor undersand the impact it had for its day. The Baby boomers can relate to it but I can't ;)

To be all artsy, one of the iconic pieces of French New Wave filmmaking was a short called "La Jetee" which revolves around a picture of a woman at Orly Airport.

Is it worth seeing?

Another movie from the same time period (1961 +/- 2 years) also has a couple of scenes at Orly - I'm pretty sure it was Breathless (A bout de souffle), but I haven't revisted that genre in a few years now.


I'd be willing to see both, I love foreign cinema.


By Dawns Early Light was a pretty good flick, lots of aviation scenes

Great stuff, James Earl JOnes right?


There is also Jet Lag, with Jean Reno and Juliette Binoche. I happen to like both for their acting. Reno is just great. GOod roles. But I don;'t remember if I actually saw this movie. Has anyone else?

[Midnight Mike]

For those that like to read, you may want to read the book, "Flight of the Old Dog". In the book, they have a B-52 armed with sidewinder missles, sparrow missle, enhanced engines, etc....

[FlyingColors]

Skyjacked, staring Charlton Heston.

Tons of "World Airways" 707 action.

[FlyingColors]

SST: Death Flight, 1977.

[mirrodie]

SST: Death Flight, 1977.


...is that the same as airport..77? The Concorde one?

[FlyingColors]

SST: Death Flight, 1977.


...is that the same as airport..77? The Concorde one?

I'm shocked and disappointed you got the date wrong..."Mr Concorde"

Airport 79 is the Concorde episode.

[FlyingColors]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SST:_Death_Flight

http://www.nycaviation.com/hosting/_k13-015_dr_.jpg

[mirrodie]

I didn't get the date wrong.. I was just really confused!


WOW, so does that mean that by flying on COncorde, I skirted death?!

:)

[FlyingColors]

I didn't get the date wrong.. I was just really confused!


WOW, so does that mean that by flying on COncorde, I skirted death?!

:)

Check that year! :wink:

http://www.nycaviation.com/hosting/The_Concorde_Airport_79_movie_poster.jpg

[mirrodie]

wow, so I actually skirted death! Golly!!!

LOL

Dude, I just realized that the below screenshot is from Mystery Science Theater 3000! So it HAS to be a flick worth seeing! LOL

I've got Airport 79. I checked it ;)


http://www.nycaviation.com/hosting/_k13-015_dr_.jpg

[SCOTYDEMCO]

Don't forget about the 2005 movie Soul Plane. LOL

[T-Bird76]

Don't forget about the 2005 movie Soul Plane. LOL

Thanks Scott I almost forgot about that thing....

[nwafan20]

Soul Plane is one of those movies that should have never been made! (along with Snakes on a Plane)

[emshighway]

Don't forget about the 2005 movie Soul Plane. LOL

It was on yesterday. I couldn't watch it. It was terrible.

[Tom_Turner]

Ah, I sure wasn't expecting to like Soul Plane much at all...but watching it on cable not too long ago, I have to say whats not to like? I got more than a few laughs out of that one anyway.. esp Snoop Dog and the other pilot...

Tom

[Ari707]

I saw Jarhead on HBO and when they land in the Desert, there are TWA L-1011's and 747's all around....

Only glitch is when you watch them walk off the plane, ( a 747) there is a wingtip on the wing......