|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on May 25, 2008 22:45:04 GMT 12
What do you consider to be the best scenes or moments in aviation films (or TV episodes)?
I reckon there are loads but those that come to mind right now include:
In Tora, Tora, Tora, the scenes where the P-40's are mixing it with the Zeros up in the clouds, really beautifully filmed.
In Battle of Britain as the big criscendo nears there's a scene where three Spitfires are on an evening patrol with the sun setting behind them, as they tail chase behind the camera aircraft.
In 'Piece of Cake' there's a great scene as the squadron takes off, the adjutant 'Uncle' tells the Intelligence Officer 'Skull' which pilot is which. He knows their individual flying styles, and it shows Uncle really knows his squadron. Great scene, you'd have to see it.
Do you have any favourite aircraft film moments?
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on May 26, 2008 0:17:21 GMT 12
Another brilliantly dramatic moment in Battle of Britain is when Park and Leigh Mallory are squabbling over big wings in Dowding's office, and Dowding points out the facts that they're not seeing with, "Gentlemen, you're missing the essential truth..we're short of pilots. Those we do have are tired, strained, and all overdue for relief. We're fighting for survival....and losing. We don't need a 'big wing', or a 'small wing'.....we need pilots.....and a miracle..... "
Surely this film was one of Olivier's greatest film appearances.
|
|
|
|
Post by flyjoe180 on May 26, 2008 10:41:28 GMT 12
The very last ending credit on Pearl Harbor.
|
|
|
|
Post by corsair67 on Jun 20, 2008 14:14:03 GMT 12
The ejection sequence from "Behind Enemy Lines" is pretty spiffy - althought the rest of the movie is a bit stupid.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 20, 2008 14:32:05 GMT 12
That very point of the movie is where the writers gave up I think. It was good up till then, and I reckon it's the best filming of an ejection I've seen. After that it turned to tripe, and the makers still claimed it was based on a true story.
|
|
|
|
Post by flyinkiwi on Jun 23, 2008 14:45:54 GMT 12
That very point of the movie is where the writers gave up I think. It was good up till then, and I reckon it's the best filming of an ejection I've seen. After that it turned to tripe, and the makers still claimed it was based on a true story. I thought it was loosely (and by loosely I mean really really loosely) based on the USAF F16 pilot who punched out over Serbia when his plane was hit by a SAM. He was rescued the next day after spending a night in hiding. |
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 23, 2008 15:53:54 GMT 12
Exactly, very loosely as in some Hollywood hack wached the news and was inspired to write a movie wthout any bearing on the true story, but failed to tell the publicitydepartment who put "Based on a true story" on the posters, etc.
|
|
|
|
Post by flyinkiwi on Jun 23, 2008 16:20:19 GMT 12
"True story" is an oxymoron anyway, as the word story implies fiction. "Based on actual events" works better for me.
My favourite scenes in BoB:
The really low level ME109s strafing the airfield in France
The trust in God and pray for Radar scene
The "repeat please" scene with the accompanying "Polish chitchat" sequence
I've said it before on this forum, but I really like the chase sequence in Iron Eagle. Aileron rolling a Pa38, doing wingovers in a 152 Aerobat so close to terrain, all done before the days of CGI so its the real deal. The rest of the movie is unadulterated garbage.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 23, 2008 17:15:52 GMT 12
The low level flying by those Spanish pilots in the Buchons in that Battle of Britain scene was superb, but it always annoys me that the ground pyrotechnics simulating the bullets hitting the ground in one scene went off in the wrong sequence compared to the aircraft flying over. I wish they'd re-edited it (which could easily be done with digital software, for the re-release when it was remastered.
I haven't seen any Iron Eagle films for years. They never seem to play them on TV, but I reckon they'd go down well on C4 (right target audience).
|
|
|
|
Post by stu on Jun 23, 2008 17:33:43 GMT 12
The ejection sequence from "Behind Enemy Lines" is pretty spiffy - althought the rest of the movie is a bit stupid. Looks good full screen. |
|
|
|
Post by Bruce on Jun 23, 2008 17:47:19 GMT 12
The XF-11 Flying sequence in "The Aviator" is pretty impressive, Although I understand it is the dreaded CGI. The producers went to great lengths to ensure this long - dead prototype was accurately represented - The sound of the aircraft was particularly difficult aparently.
Absolutely stunning aircraft.
|
|
|
|
Post by flyinkiwi on Jun 23, 2008 18:00:37 GMT 12
I haven't seen any Iron Eagle films for years. They never seem to play them on TV, but I reckon they'd go down well on C4 (right target audience). The wonders of the interweb plus some nice person uploading to Youtube means you can watch the best part of all 4 of the movies right here. |
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 23, 2008 21:47:55 GMT 12
Tempting flyinkiwi, but on dial up I'd be here for months... ;D
|
|
|
|
Post by flyjoe180 on Jun 24, 2008 10:36:38 GMT 12
Hey Bruce, I agree, that part of The Aviator was superb.
|
|
|
|
Post by flyjoe180 on Jun 24, 2008 10:38:26 GMT 12
Not really an aviation movie, but from 'We Were Soldiers' I thought the nap of the earth CGI Hueys and the Broken Arrow scenes were very well done. Even a Skyhawk was depicted using it's cannons to strafe the enemy.
|
|
|
|
Post by Bruce on Jun 24, 2008 10:41:41 GMT 12
Doing some research I find that "The Aviator" actually used minimal CGI - a lot was done with Hanging models, Mattes etc - old style. The XF11 flying sequence (except the takeoff) was a beautiful 1/4 scale flying model!
|
|
|
|
Post by flyjoe180 on Jun 24, 2008 10:48:12 GMT 12
|
|
|
|
Post by stu on Jul 3, 2008 9:44:13 GMT 12
I may have posted this before - apologies if I have - but even though there are numerous scenes in equally numerous movies that I'd rate as best moments, the "splash the Zeros" scene from The Final Countdown has stuck with me as one of my favourites - shock.military.com/Shock/videos.do?displayContent=170964&page=1I even bought the DVD just for that one scene. On a tangent but sort of similar premise, has anybody read the excellent (in my opinion) "Axis of Time Trilogy" series of novels by Australian author John Birmingham? The series involves a US led multinational task force being zapped from anti-terrorist duties off the coast of Indonesia in 2021 and plonked in 1942 just prior to the Battle of Midway resulting in a much altered WW2, clashes of culture and social changes. Cheers, Stu. |
|
|
|
Post by corsair67 on Jul 3, 2008 11:18:03 GMT 12
Same here. Well worth the money too.  I have these books, but they have been sitting in my "To Be Read" pile for a couple of years now. Must get on to them. |
|
|
|
Post by dav3469 on Jul 7, 2008 11:07:59 GMT 12
I've always kind of liked the sequence in "Strategic Air Command" that shows the B-36 outbound for Alaska while a practice intercept is being conducted on it. I like most of the sequences in that movie as it is a real kick to see actual color footage of the B-36.
I also like most of the flying in the original "The Aviator" which had Christopher Reeve in it.
|
|
