Blue Thunder (1983) 6.1
The cop test pilot for an experimental police helicopter learns the sinister implications of the new vehicle. Director:John Badham |
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Blue Thunder (1983) 6.1
The cop test pilot for an experimental police helicopter learns the sinister implications of the new vehicle. Director:John Badham |
|
| Watch Trailer 0Share... |
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Roy Scheider | ... | ||
| Warren Oates | ... | ||
| Candy Clark | ... |
Kate
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| Daniel Stern | ... | ||
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Paul Roebling | ... |
Icelan
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| David Sheiner | ... |
Fletcher
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| Joe Santos | ... |
Montoya
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| Malcolm McDowell | ... | ||
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Ed Bernard | ... |
Sgt. Short
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Jason Bernard | ... |
Mayor
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Mario Machado | ... |
Himself
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| James Murtaugh | ... |
Alf Hewitt
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Pat McNamara | ... |
Matusek
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Jack Murdock | ... |
Kress
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Clifford A. Pellow | ... |
Allen
(as Clifford Pellow)
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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. Written by John Vogel <jlvogel@comcast.net>
Having now worked on an attack helicopter program, I was interested in
seeing "Blue Thunder." I skipped it on its first release. Good thing. "Blue Thunder" is more timely than ever, what with federal abuse of
power with massacres and attempted massacres in Philadelphia (MOVE incident, Ruby Ridge and Waco. Structurally, the film is a mess, taking a fair amount of time introducing us to "Blue Thunder" an "antiriot" (now call "antiterrorist") helicopter better equipped for mass murder than crowd control. Roy Scheider plays Murphy, a former Vietnam helicopter pilot haunted by his memories of 'Nam (this gimmick was getting tiring in 1983). Murphy finds himself the target of a "government conspiracy" when he "gets too close" for the REAL intentions of "Blue Thunder."
Reels of film must have been left on the cutting room floor. Certainly Candy Clark and Warren Oates shine in "nothing" roles, their "real" relationships to Scheider remaining pretty obscure. Malcolm McDowell makes an excellent villain, though his "real" relationship with Scheider doesn't pay off).
HOWEVER, when "Blue Thunder" works, it really rocks. See it.