Airwolf (TV 1984)

A scientist who has created a super helicopter has defected to Libya and taken the machine with him. A secretive government agency hires an ex-Vietnam War pilot to go to Libya, steal the chopper and bring it back.

Director:

Donald P. Bellisario

Writer:

Donald P. Bellisario

Stars:

Jan-Michael Vincent, Ernest Borgnine, Alex Cord

Won 1 Primetime Emmy.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jan-Michael Vincent	...	Stringfellow Hawke
Ernest Borgnine	...	Dominic
Alex Cord	...	Michael Coldsmith Briggs III
David Hemmings	...	Dr. Charles Henry Moffet
Belinda Bauer	...	Gabrielle Ademaur
Deborah Pratt	...	Marella
Eugene Roche	...	Senator William Dietz
W.K. Stratton	...	Chuck Gordon
Dean Wein	...	Mark, Co-Pilot
Frank Annese	...	Major Mufta Ben-Kamal
John Calvin	...	Blaze
Philip Bruns	...	Mitch, the Director
Tina Chen	...	Faye
Herbert Jefferson Jr.	...	Carrier Commander
Gary Epper	...	Red Star Controller

Storyline

Airwolf is a high tech helicopter created by a government agency called "THE FIRM". The scientist who created it, is also a bit deranged, he steals it and takes it to Libya. Deputy Director Michael Colesmith Briggs, codenamed Archangel, who oversaw the Airwolf project has to try and get it back. Stringfellow Hawke, the only other man other than the creator who knows how to fly Airwolf, is recruited by Archangel to go to Libya to try and get it back. Only problem is that Hawke is a bit of a loner and an introvert, and his fee for doing this job is that THE FIRM must locate his brother, who is MISSING IN ACTION in Vietnem, dead or alive.

---

Plot Keywords:

helicopter | aviation | tv series pilot

---

Genres:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller

---

Details

Official Sites:

Official soundtrack site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 January 1984 (USA)

Also Known As:

Airwolf - Eine unschlagbare Waffe

Company Credits

Production Co:

Belisarius Productions, Universal TV

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

While Moffet tortures Gabrielle next to the jeep, she has her shoes on. When Hawke finds her, she appears to be barefoot.

---

Quotes

Major Mufta Ben-Kamal: [Major Ben-Mufta and Dr. Moffet are watching a scantily clad dancer in a nightclub] I don't understand what you Westerners see in women with such skinny bodies, in the desert a body like this would wither and die in a matter of hours.
Dr. Charles Henry Moffet: After a few hours with such a body, what would it matter?
Dr. Charles Henry Moffet: [watches the dancer intently] I want her...
Major Mufta Ben-Kamal: Ah... That will be difficult, we believe she is an American spy.
Dr. Charles Henry Moffet: Perhaps I can question her for you...
Major Mufta Ben-Kamal: I could do that... Of course, Brother Kadafi was most pleased...
[...]

---

Connections

Followed by Airwolf (1987)

---

Soundtracks

"Moonshadow"
by Cat Stevens

User Reviews

Pilot lacks the action and fun of the series

What will probably surprise viewers who find the video of this pilot in video stores is the amount of foul language in something that was made for TV. Well, that's explained by the fact that what's on video is the edit that was released to theaters overseas, with the language a silly way to try and hide the made-for-TV origins.

I can see why this was released to theaters overseas; some of the production values are pretty high, and would fit pretty comfortably on a movie screen at the time. Still, I am sure that the people who did see this in a theater were pretty disappointed. Now, the opening sequence is great, flashy and action-filled. However, after that point there is hardly any action until the very end, and filled with talk talk talk. Strange thing is that despite all that talk, a number of plot points remain unclear, like why the two pilots decided to defect to Libya with Airwolf's designer. And while some production values are high, there are also some surprisingly shoddy moments. The island assault sequence, for example, is incompetently directed and edited. And some cost-saving measures like stock footage or reused footage come across like contempt for the viewer. Still, I must admit these cost-saving measures are nowhere as blatant and lazy as what was done for the ill-advised fourth season of the show!