Looking for some good Aviation movies?

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Pilotl1234

Filing Flight Plan
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Does anyone have any recommendations for Aviation movies, preferably WWI/WWII and based on a true story? I've already seen Flyboys, Red Tails, The Aviator and Red Baron, but I was wondering if anyone had any other suggestions? Thanks!
 
Memphis Belle. And for immediately after WWII, Strategic Air Command, which IMHO, has some of the best air to air photography ever shot.
 
Twelve O'Clock High, for one.

Ernie Gann's Island in The Sky and The High And The Mighty were loosely based on events more accurately chronicled in Gann's nonfiction book, Fate Is The Hunter.
 
I don't recall the title, but there is one with Spencer Tracy about bush flying in Canada. Then when the war starts, he and the other pilots attempt to join a squadron.

Photography of the flying is short of a Ray Harryhausen film, but it's still a good story and movie.

Flying Leathernecks is good. And the one with John Wayne in an F86.
 
The Battle of Britain, The Blue Max, Squadron 633, Piece of Cake (series), Tuskegee Airmen, and The Final Countdown. None of those are really true stories but based on real events (except Final Countdown).
 
Bridges of Toko-Ri, with William Holden, Grace Kelly (*wolf whistle*), and Mickey Rooney.
 
Fandango, the flying is brilliant the skydiving funny. Only good movie Kostner ever did.
 
AggieMike88 said:
I don't recall the title, but there is one with Spencer Tracy about bush flying in Canada. Then when the war starts, he and the other pilots attempt to join a squadron.

Photography of the flying is short of a Ray Harryhausen film, but it's still a good story and movie.
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Sounds like "Captains of the Clouds," but that's James Cagney, not Spencer Tracy. Movie has the only film appearance of Billy Bishop, playing himself....

Ron Wanttaja
 
Warrior said:
Airplane, the Airport series
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The only Airport movie worth watching was the first one modeled directly on Arthur Hailey's book of the same name. Another good one is Zero Hour, based on Runway 08, another Hailey novel. This was the plot spoofed into Airplane (complete with some of the corny dialog used in the latter).

One of my favorites was always Strategic Air Command with Jimmy Stuart.
 
moonshine said:
Dark Blue World is a good WWII movie
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I liked Dark Blue World too, but some won't watch movie which are subtitled. I tried recommending it to someone and that was his reaction.
 
Velocity173 said:
That's because he was looking for WWI / WWII stuff.
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I read the OP to say that he would prefer the War stuff but he also said that he was looking for "good" aviation movies. I hope it was ok to suggest my favorites since someone else listed Spirit of St. Louis.

There is a movie I like about the China Clipper from way back but I don't know its title.
 
If you're looking for a list of good aviation movies in general you can go to the thread Top 5 Aviation Movies. Just so happens I started that thread and has 5 pages of recommendations.
 
Warrior said:
There is a movie I like about the China Clipper from way back but I don't know its title.
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220px-ChinaClipper.jpg


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_Clipper_(1936_film)
 
Thread drift alert

Sorta interesting that all of these movies being recommended are 50-70 years since production... And they still are way more watchable than most of the stuff that has been produced over the last 10 years.
 
In Failsafe, I really liked the B-52 flight deck scenes. The actual flying stuff is pretty much crap. Those Magnificent Men and their Flying Machines is hilarious if you like slapstick humor. Reel three of Apocalypse Now has the best helicopter footage I've ever seen.

Does anyone know where I can find NatGeo Aircam stuff on the internet?
 
thanks for pointing me in the direction of that movie China Clipper. I will have to see if I can buy it or find it on Netflix.


edit: this thread just separated me from 20 bucks as I ordered China Clipper from Amazon. :)
 
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AggieMike88 said:
Thread drift alert

Sorta interesting that all of these movies being recommended are 50-70 years since production... And they still are way more watchable than most of the stuff that has been produced over the last 10 years.
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That's because CGI killed real aviation movies. Oops, more thread creep.
 
I suspect it's because aviation is no longer new and glamorous. Moreover, most of the old movies being recommended are utter crap, and were in their day (just like the ones being made now).

I am surprised no one mentioned The Right Stuff.
 
Velocity173 said:
That's because CGI killed real aviation movies. Oops, more thread creep.
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I don't think it necessary has anything to do with aviation. Many people like all that visual and aural stimulation. Look at the news. It's all flashy graphics and swoopy sounds. People can't jut sit and talk.
 
How about Air America I really enjoyed the movie it was before Mel Gibson had his first melt down LOL
 
anyone remember an old movie where someone comes back from the dead and tells a pilot "she likes crazy flying"? I think the dead pilot was jealous of his loves new love.
 
Always - as mentioned above. Richard Dreyfus played the deceased pilot. They were firefighting pilots.
Hmmmm,,,,,,

I had the biggest crush on Holly Hunter with her country accent and spunky attitude. I was young. :)
 
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