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Blue Thunder
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Blue Thunder (1983) More at IMDb Pro »

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Overview

User Rating:
6.0/10   4,707 votes
Director:
John Badham
Writers:
Dan O'Bannon (written by) &
Don Jakoby (written by)
(more)
Release Date:
13 May 1983 (USA) more
Genre:
Action | Crime | Drama more
Tagline:
He's Out There...
Plot:
The cop test pilot for an experimental police helicopter learns the sinister implications of the new vehicle. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 2 nominations more
User Comments:
Solid Work All Around more

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

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)
Paul Lambert ... Holmes
Phil Feldman ... Col. Coe
John Garber ... Tough mechanic
Anthony James ... Grundeltus
Robin Braxton ... Diane McNeely (as Robin Brantos)
Anna Forrest ... Nudy Lucy
Ricky Slyter ... Timmy
Reid Cruickshanks ... Chief of Police
Billy Ray Sharkey ... Air controller
Fred Slyter ... Air controller
John Gladstein ... Fighter pilot
Ross Reynolds ... Helicoper pilot
Karl A. Wickman ... Helicopter Pilot
James W. Gavin ... Helicopter Pilot
Thomas H. Friedkin ... Helicopter Pilot (as Tom Friedkin)

James Read ... Policeman at Bridge
Mickey Gilbert ... Policeman
William T. Lane ... Policeman (as Bill Lane)
Lolly Boroff
Patti Clifton ... Hooker
Ernest Harada ... John
Frances E. Nealy ... Mayor's Aide
Jose Pepe R. Gonzales ... Drive-In Custodian
Jerry Ziesmer ... Pilot
Tom Lawrence ... Observer
John Ashby ... Thief

Tony Brubaker ... Thief
Norman Alexander Gibbs ... Man in Beanie
Bill M. Ryusaki ... Vietcong Soldier (as Bill Ryusaki)
Gary Davis ... Motorcycle Cop

Thomas Rosales Jr. ... Thug (as Tom Rosales)
Larry Randles ... Thug
Peter Miller ... Detective
Mike H. McGaughy ... Observer (as Mike McGaughy)
Calvin Bronx
Lucinda Crosby ... Bel-Air Woman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Shaaron Claridge ... Police Dispatcher (uncredited)
Eurlyne Epper ... Girl with bike (uncredited)

Ted King ... Car crash rescuer (uncredited)
Terry Leonard ... Assault Man 2 (uncredited)
Frank Morriss ... F-16 Pilot (uncredited)
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Directed by
John Badham 
 
Writing credits
Dan O'Bannon (written by) &
Don Jakoby (written by)

Dean Riesner  uncredited

Produced by
Gordon Carroll .... producer
Gregg Champion .... associate producer
Phil Feldman .... executive producer
Andrew Fogelson .... executive producer
 
Original Music by
Arthur B. Rubinstein 
 
Cinematography by
John A. Alonzo 
 
Film Editing by
Edward M. Abroms 
Frank Morriss 
 
Casting by
Dianne Crittenden 
 
Production Design by
Sydney Z. Litwack 
 
Costume Design by
Marianna Elliott 
 
Makeup Department
Greg LaCava .... makeup artist
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gregg Champion .... second unit director
Kevin G. Cremin .... first assistant director: second unit (as Kevin Cremin)
James W. Gavin .... second unit director: aerial
Terry Leonard .... second unit director: stunt
Jerry Ziesmer .... assistant director
 
Art Department
Larry Clark Bird .... property master
 
Sound Department
Roy Bean .... cable person
Don Digirolamo .... sound re-recording mixer
John Glascock .... sound mixer
Robert Glass .... sound re-recording mixer
Robert Knudson .... sound re-recording mixer
Anthony Marinelli .... special sound effects
John Roesch .... foley artist (uncredited)
 
Special Effects by
Chuck Gaspar .... special effects coordinator
Jeff Jarvis .... special effects supervisor
Richard Ratliff .... special effects
Richard Stutsman .... special effects technician
Gary Zink .... special effects (uncredited)
 
Visual Effects by
Rocco Gioffre .... matte artist
Tom Pahk .... model maker
Keith Shartle .... motion control production assistant
Hoyt Yeatman .... motion control supervisor
 
Stunts
John Ashby .... stunts (uncredited)
Gregory J. Barnett .... stunts (uncredited)
May Boss .... stunts (uncredited)
Colvin Brock .... stunts (uncredited)
Tony Brubaker .... stunts (uncredited)
Steven Burnett .... stunts (uncredited)
Steve Cremin .... stunts (uncredited)
Alex Daniels .... stunts (uncredited)
Gary Davis .... stunts (uncredited)
Kevin Donnelly .... stunt double: pilot (uncredited)
Kevin Donnelly .... stunts (uncredited)
Ted Duncan .... stunt driver (uncredited)
Greg Wayne Elam .... stunts (uncredited)
Kenny Endoso .... stunts (uncredited)
Richard Epper .... stunts (uncredited)
Glory Fioramonti .... stunts (uncredited)
Mickey Gilbert .... stunts (uncredited)
Clifford Happy .... stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Hice .... stunts (uncredited)
Jeff Imada .... stunts (uncredited)
William T. Lane .... stunts (uncredited)
Julius LeFlore .... stunts (uncredited)
Terry Leonard .... stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Terry Leonard .... stunts (uncredited)
Mike H. McGaughy .... stunts (uncredited)
Bill McIntosh .... stunts (uncredited)
Gary McLarty .... stunts (uncredited)
John Meier .... stunts (uncredited)
Bennie Moore .... stunts (uncredited)
Jeff Ramsey .... stunts (uncredited)
Larry Randles .... stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Roberson .... stunts (uncredited)
Thomas Rosales Jr. .... stunts (uncredited)
Kerry Rossall .... stunts (uncredited)
Bill M. Ryusaki .... stunts (uncredited)
Fred Scheiwiller .... stunts (uncredited)
Ben Scott .... stunts (uncredited)
John-Clay Scott .... stunts (uncredited)
Joe Stone .... stunts (uncredited)
Michael M. Vendrell .... stunts (uncredited)
Rock A. Walker .... stunts (uncredited)
George P. Wilbur .... stunts (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Wayne Baker .... assistant camera: second unit
Michael Barrett .... set lighting technician
Thomas Del Ruth .... director of photography: additional photography
Paul Jacobsen .... set lighting technician
Michael Douglas Middleton .... still photographer: location
Dutch Presley .... best boy electric
Stuart A. Spohn .... gaffer
Kenji Takama .... camera operator
 
Editorial Department
Clay Mitchell .... assistant to editor (uncredited)
 
Music Department
Anthony Marinelli .... musician: synthesizer
Anthony Marinelli .... song producer
 
Transportation Department
Robert Neilson .... transportation coordinator
 
Other crew
Wayne Fitzgerald .... title designer
Ernie Gustafsson .... helicopter mechanic
Dana Satler Hankins .... assistant to director
Anthony Marinelli .... synthesizer programmer
Art Scholl .... pilot
Laurie Arnow-Epstein .... construction accountant (uncredited)
Robert H. Lemer .... associate to producer (uncredited)
 
Thanks
Warren Oates .... in memory of
 

Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Blue Thunder the Movie (UK) (video box title)
more
Runtime:
109 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.20 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)
Filming Locations:
Lancaster, California, USA more
MOVIEmeter: ?
V 13% since last week why?

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The stunt driver who drove the police motorcycle chasing Kate, and later crashed into the car carrier, actually broke his ankle on that attempt. more
Goofs:
Continuity: The first time we see Kate, when she retrieves her blender from Murphy's house, her car is parked directly behind his. As she leaves, his Trans Am has disappeared and she drives straight down the road. more
Quotes:
Col. F.E. Cochrane: [repeated line]
[pointing with forefinger and thumb like a gun]
Col. F.E. Cochrane: Catch you later!
more
Movie Connections:
References Taxi Driver (1976) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
8 out of 9 people found the following comment useful:-
Solid Work All Around, 7 January 2005
9/10
Author: channel_3_tv from United States

John Badham is a curious director and I think he gets it right in this one. After all Roy Scheider never stunk it up in his illustrious career and he hits all the right notes in this one as Frank Murphy the Vietnam Vet trying to escape the memories of his war experience. When Malcolm McDowell shows up (and honestly, who plays an a--hole better than McDowell in his heyday?) to become Murphy's nemesis. The very underrated Warren Oates as the crotchety commanding officer and Candy Clark as Murphy's girlfriend, who is the ultimate heroine of the plot, turn in solid performances. The helicopter clearly steals the show though as anyone between the ages of 7 and 21 had to just be glued to the screen watching that bird strut its stuff. Great action sequences and rather good photography during the climactic chase scene.

I still have fond memories of this film which I saw in the drive in as a kid and I think it's what films of this genre should be...a couple of hours of wild fun!..."Follow My Leader"

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Message Boards

Discuss this title with other users on IMDb message board for Blue Thunder (1983)
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