Blue Thunder (1983)

The cop test pilot for an experimental police helicopter learns the sinister implications of the new vehicle.

Director:

John Badham

Writers:

Dan O'Bannon, Don Jakoby,

Stars:

Roy Scheider, Warren Oates, Candy Clark

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Roy Scheider	...	Officer Frank Murphy
Warren Oates	...	Capt. Jack Braddock
Candy Clark	...	Kate
Daniel Stern	...	Officer Richard Lymangood
Paul Roebling	...	Icelan
David Sheiner	...	Fletcher
Joe Santos	...	Montoya
Malcolm McDowell	...	Col. F.E. Cochrane
Ed Bernard	...	Sgt. Short
Jason Bernard	...	Mayor
Mario Machado	...	Himself
James Murtaugh	...	Alf Hewitt
Pat McNamara	...	Matusek
Jack Murdock	...	Kress
Clifford A. Pellow	...	Allen (as Clifford Pellow)

Storyline

Blue Thunder is a specially modified helicopter. It is for police work, but is armed and designed to counter street insurgencies. Its makers want to show what it will do, but have to train Los Angeles Police pilot Frank Murphy to fly and use it in order to allow it to operate in the city. Murphy and the project pilot have differences going back to Vietnam. The conflict between them continues to heat up as Murphy begins to suspect that Blue Thunder is more than has been disclosed.

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Plot Keywords:

police | helicopter | pilot | police helicopter | surveillance | 

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Taglines:

He's Out There...

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 May 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

Relámpago azul

Filming Locations:

876 South Main Street, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$42,300,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Rastar Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Dolby (35 mm prints)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The television control room shown early in the film is the same control room set seen extensively in The China Syndrome.

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Goofs

In the dogfight with Cochran, Murphy's Gattling cannon fires but does not rotate.

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Quotes

Jack Braddock: You think I don't know about that silly twit up in Encino, for Chrissakes? I had twenty years in this outfit, when your idea of a good time was sittin' in front of the TV tube, watchin' Bugs Bunny and gnawing on your fudgcicle.

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Crazy Credits

There are no opening credits after the title is shown.

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Connections

Referenced in Breaking In: Pilot (2011)

User Reviews

Great Action

Always liked this one. Well written and acted, with excellent aerial action sequences. It's a shame this was Warren Oate's last role - he was magnificent. Other reviewers made a valid point about this film presaging the use of military hardware against civilians. We already use airplanes to catch speeders on the ground - doesn't the aviation fuel cost more than the amount of revenue taken in through summonses?