BLUE THUNDER
US, 1983, 109 minutes, Colour.
Roy Scheider, Warren Oates, Candy Clark, Malcolm Mc Dowell, Daniel Stern.
Directed by John Badham.
An adventure with special aerial effects and action stunt work. It led to a television series.
However, there are some serious undertones to the film. The focus is on Vietnam veterans and their settling back after the war. It highlights police situations in the big cities like Los Angeles (in anticipation of the 1984 Olympic Games). It also focuses on the development of sophisticated weaponry and the invasion potential and its merits. It is also about corrupt politicians exploiting explosive social situations for development of their technology and weaponry. The film uses the media as the means for an expose of corruption. Another alarming feature, however, in the heroics is the seeming devil-may-care attitude of Roy Scheider's hero as he takes the helicopter, The Blue Thunder, and uses the weaponry in his trying to evade the police and his enemy, Cochrane, the snarling Malcolm Mc Dowell.
Though it is not to be taken too seriously, it has serious undertones. Direction is by John Badham who made such films as Saturday Night Fever, Dracula, Bird on a Wire, The Hard Way.
1. Interesting action adventure? The serious undertones? A piece of Americana?
2. The use of Los Angeles locations, authenticity, the streets, the air, the storm water channels? The importance of the aerial photography? The special effects for The Blue Thunder, its weaponry, its surveillance styles? The musical score?
3. The title and the focus on the helicopter, its use for police surveillance, its use for inciting or quelling riots, its being abused? The presentation of the helicopter itself, its weaponry and techniques?
4. Frank Murphy as hero? His background in Vietnam, the flashbacks and nightmares of his experience? The clash with Cochrane and the death of the crew member? The possibility of court martial? His wounds? His work with the Los Angeles police? Lyman Good as his assistant? His training the rookie? His home life with Kate and her son? The importance of the surveillance and the techniques - with the danger of police voyeurism? The crisis with the counsellor, the murder case, suspicions? His finding the note with Thor on it? The change of pace with the demonstration of Blue Thunder? His being chosen to fly it? The encounter with Cochrane and Cochrane's experience with the helicopter, the demonstration flight with Lyman Good and their having to go down? Murphy's growing suspicions? The surveillance of the building, the taping of the conspiracy talk and the revelation about what had happened with the counsellor, the death threat to Murphy? The use of the computer to alert him? The group wanting to kill Murphy? The death of Lyman Good? Murphy's decision to take up the helicopter? His pulling a gun on the attendant? The clashes with Braddock and his decisions? The media talking about his taking the plane - and the discovery through the tape that he was the hero? The reaction of the media men? His guiding Kate to pick up the tape, hovering over the police? The battle in the air of Los Angeles against the police? Their crash-landings? Cochrane and his decision to pursue, the chase, the cat-and-mouse techniques amongst the buildings of Los Angeles? Cochrane's death after Murphy's decision to fly vertically and turn? His return and the revelations? The final voice-over and the commentary? An 80s American hero?
5. Cochrane and his service in Vietnam, his decisions, reactions? The antagonism towards Murphy? Discovering that he was to fly the Blue Thunder demonstration? Tampering with the helicopter? being part of the conspiracy and his decision to eliminate Murphy? His being exposed - and his decision to fly the helicopter in pursuit? His inability to catch Murphy despite his techniques in tracking him? His death? The military villain?
6. Lyman Good as the young policeman, his skills, as Murphy's buddy, sharing in the surveillance and prying? The flight in the Blue Thunder? His technical skills, the surveillance and the taping? His keeping the tape, hiding it, being pursued by the toughs, the torture, his escape, the accident and his death?
7. Braddock as Chief of Police, relationship with Murphy, their verbal sparring, his not understanding the situation, their clashes, his orders? The picture of the Los Angeles police and their work?
8. The military and government conspiracy? The agents? The purpose of the Blue Thunder, the contriving of the riots and Ceath to use the helicopter? The pride of the demonstration? The techniques of aiming at targets, the various techniques of identifying the targets, accuracy of shooting and explosions? The conspiracy, the orders to kill, the attempts to get back the tape, the hoodlums and the killing of Good? Fletcher's attempt to get the tape from Kate?
9. Kate and her relationship with Murphy? The outing sequence and her reckless (though skilful) driving - and its being picked up by her driving to evade the police and find the tape? Her not trusting Fletcher? Giving the tape to the media personalities?
10. The use of media for exposes, the use of video and audio tapes as evidence against conspiracies? Overtones of the 1970s?
11. The film as action adventure? The more serious overtones of weaponry, the risks to life and property, discriminate and indiscriminate use? The picture of the tough American hero?
