I'm sure it was for the first half of the 20th century. But for sure "O Canada" over film of the new Maple Leaf flag swaying in the air only played in the 60's and maybe 70's. After that playing the national anthem in movie theatres and other entertainment venues mostly fell out of favour by the major exhibitor chains in the big cities. The anthem may have continued to play in small town theatres and for all I know maybe still does.Originally Posted by MEdwards
I'll throw out a couple that aren't on the list...
The Gypsy Moths - It's more of a skydiving film though. Amazon Prime has it, but I don't believe it's free.
The Red Baron - I got this movie from the EAA when they were giving away stuff to be reviewed. My review was "It's like Fly Boys, but from the German perspective," or words to that effect. It also stars Lena Heady who played Cersei in Game of Thrones. It can be watched for free on IMDB.
Someday I'll come up with something profound to put here.
Almost forgot...
There are two completely different movies called "The Aviator." The one everyone knows is a biopic on Howard Hughes and starred Leonardo DiCaprio. The second lesser known movie was based on a book written by Earnest K Gann and starred Christopher Reeves, who not only played Superman, but was also an accomplished pilot.
DiCaprio's movie
Reeves' movie
Someday I'll come up with something profound to put here.
I liked both Flyboys and the Red Baron. They flow into the category of “faction.” Somewhere between fact and fiction. Flyboys is more “historical fiction”. Red Baron is something else as it is about a real person and includes a lot of truth with some (a lot?) of “liberties” to try to give a general perspective without being specifically accurate. (It is probably no more inaccurate than other biopics like “Patton” and “The Desert Fox.”) A fun movie nonetheless.
"Flyboys"....? Well, that one makes me cringe. My wife still laughs about how I was so excited to go to it, then started grumbling. It's not just the airplane stuff....I have a lot of tolerance for Hollywood there...but the hackneyed plot.
Ironically, the TIVO caught this a few years ago, and I girded my loins and watched it again. Thought it wasn't as bad as I remembered...then realized the movie had been extensively cut and tightened up. Including completely eliminating the romantic sub-plot and cutting the "saving the girlfriend" ending.
"The Red Baron" I enjoyed, and have re-watched since the first time. Like Chris says, there are a lot of liberties taken with the truth, but felt the movie did things decently.
Mmmmm...quiet Sunday afternoon, wife is out of town for the weekend. Time to get out "The Blue Max" DVD.....
Ron "There's something of the cobra in you" Wanttaja
P.S., Read the book. It's different from the movie in a number of ways, not least of which that Stachel survives the war....."
Next to Hells Angels 2nd best dramatic depiction of WW1 aviation warfare. Almost 100% real flying with purpose built replicas and some modifications(like DH Moths dressed up as German and British aircraft) but real flying unlike Flyboys which also made me squirm.
Good that you pointed this out. I'm betting not too many have seen the Christopher Reeves movie. It's not too bad. The DiCaprio flick is OK, but not stellar in my view.
And then Ron W. mentioned "The Blue Max". Now I gotta dig that one out and watch it again!!
Cheers!
Joe
I need to mention "Black Sunday" released in 1977 and starring Robert Shaw as the hero & Bruce Dern as a terrorist. The short version of the plot is:
Terrorists get a man into the cockpit of a blimp loaded with explosives, and its Superbowl Sunday. Bruce Dern maneuvers it inside the filled Superbowl. A helicopter gets a rope on it, tows it clear where it explodes.
Ive seen better plots, photography and acting. What makes it important for me is the company that I flew 135 for was contracted for the pilot and helo for this movie. Air Logistics, a Louisiana based oil field outfit also had a small operation near L.A. where the movie was shot. The Bell 212 "Twin Huey" (the real star) was one our working aircraft. Later, I was assigned N92AL on routine Gulf of Mexico jobs many times. The credits listed someone I've never heard of as the pilot. I understand that this gent was a member of SAG and all the cockpit shots were done by him. The REAL pilot was an Air Logistics pilot by the name of Jim Cullpeper. No mention of Jim in the credits. N92AL didn't make the credits either. Jim was with the company for years.
Tonight, just saw "Parachute Jumper", 1932 on TCM. I didn't know this title, have never seen it before. "A" lister cast with Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Bette Davis about a couple of former military pilots who have fallen on hard times during the depression. They meet a mobster who pays them big bucks to fly booze from Canada across the border during prohibition.
A few good flying scenes with vintage aircraft including a dog fight with 2 US border patrol aircraft that they literally shoot down with gangster type tommy guns.
There are some oldies on Amazon Prime; movies from the '30s that feature flying.
Note I'm not saying "oldies but goodies," some of these are pretty bad. Though the flying scenes are mostly real. There's one with John Wayne as pilot in the French Foreign Legion.....
Ron "Tiens, voilą du boudin" Wanttaja
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