Blue Thunder: Amazon.ca: Candy Clark, Malcolm McDowell, Roy Scheider, Daniel Stern, Warren Oates, John Badham, Gordon Carroll, Inc. Rastar Films: DVD

Product Description

From Amazon.com

"Suspense in a void" is how critic Pauline Kael described this action-packed hit from 1983. In other words, this is one of those flashy, superbly crafted high-tech thrillers in which the star is a machine, while intelligent plotting and human characters are a lesser priority. The machine in question is Blue Thunder--a heavily armored prototype helicopter that is secretly being tested for use in a devious government conspiracy. Roy Scheider plays the police pilot who catches on to the nefarious plot and takes to the skies against an evil army colonel (Malcolm McDowell) who will defend his coconspirators at any cost. Director John Badham was a hot property in the early '80s (he directed WarGames the same year), and Blue Thunder served as the popular model for many formulaic action thrillers to follow. That doesn't make it a great movie, but with a fine cast (including Daniel Stern in a memorable supporting role) and a dazzling aerial chase among big-city skyscrapers, Blue Thunder qualifies as slick entertainment. --Jeff Shannon

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Customer Reviews

20 Reviews

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
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Average Customer Review

4.2 out of 5 stars (20 customer reviews)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Silly at times, but Thunder-ously fun, April 3 2004

By

Zagnorch (Terra, Sol System) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blue Thunder (DVD)

Havin' been a big fan of the short-lived show this was based on, as well as Airwolf, it was a given that I'd eventually check this booger out. And I gotta admit that, for a mid-80s bit of super-chopper-action-conspiracy-busting fluff, this ain't all that bad. It's fun enough to watch that I can overlook the usual moments of silliness and plausibility-stretching that I've come to expect from such fare. You've got the exploding barbecue chicken factory incident, and primary villain Malcolm McDowell's (surprise!) troubles doing other expressions besides that glaring scowl he maintains for half the movie. The sabotaged chopper crashing into the contractor's shed at a construction site with our hero (Roy Scheider) and his ill-fated sidekick (Daniel Stern well before his 'Home Alone' glory days) somehow surviving was also good for a laugh. Then there's the nude yoga scene, which was filmed in such a way that if the camera caught anything just a smidge above or below what it eventually shot, a mere 'R' rating would've been right outta the question. Finally there's the end, where we see the way-too-easy disintegration of-- well, I think I'll let'cha see it for yourself. Throw in our hero's weird quirk involving his stopwatch, demonstrations of the super-chopper's high-tech tchochkes, and the sidekick trying to find out what J.A.F.O. stands for, and you've got... well, you've got somethin' to watch if you've nothin' better to do with yer time...

Also thrown in for fun is the obligatory theatrical trailer, and the option of viewing the flick in Pan-'N'-Scan or Widescreen-- the 'option' being flipping the disc over to the side that has the format ya wanna watch...

'Late

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This is not an anamorphic widescreen release, Mar 3 2004

By

"mrb55" (Sacramento, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blue Thunder (DVD)

Contrary to what the details reports, this dvd is full screen only and single sided. There is no anamorphic transfer (for widescreen tv's) included on this dvd even though other reviewers here have stated that one does exist. The widescreen review even stated "incorrectly" that the anamorphic transfer looked good.

If you want to purchase this for your widescreen tv, seek out alternate versions (british region 2) that include the actual widescreen (anamorphic) print.

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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Blue Thunder Bowl ..., Jun 30 2004

By

Keith M. Murray "xxkeithmurrayxx" (Hollywood, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Blue Thunder (DVD)

An iron-plated Huey gunship with duel-mounted .50 caliber machine guns threatens to destroy the world. Only Roy Sheider can save the day by hanging off a flagpole on the side of a building and firing a rifle at Blue Thunder's gas tank, causing the shark to explode and then Sheriff Brody has to swim back to shore with a guy who has been "counting money all [his] life". Something like that. Blue Thunder had slightly less appeal than the hit tv series "Airwolf" (starring critically acclaimed alcoholic wife-beater, Jan Michael Vincent). As the film moves toward the end, you will look back and realize that the woman getting naked in the first 15 minutes of the movie was the best part ... and you will want to rewind it and watch that part again. If Popeye, Iron Eagle, and Red Dawn are in your movie collection, you may as well round it off and purchase Blue Thunder as well.

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best high flying action films ever, A must see
I saw this movie four years after it came out and it continues to be one of my favorites. Not only do you have great action, but what a cast; Roy Scheider from Jaws as the hero... Read more

Published on July 29 2003

4.0 out of 5 stars Still Cool After All These Years

As a boy growing up in the 80's, this was just about as cool as it got this side of Star Wars. Although my tastes have become somewhat more sophisticated over the years, I... Read more

Published on May 28 2003 by Timothy Michael Resh

5.0 out of 5 stars Great action epic...holds up even better today
BLUE THUNDER is an outstanding action film that holds its own, and even surpasses some of today's Hollywood escapists fare. Read more

Published on Feb 26 2003 by Lymangood

4.0 out of 5 stars Still revelant 20 years later...
After seeing reviews on this flick, I decided to pick it up at the local Media Play. I remembered loving the t.v. Read more

Published on Feb 7 2003

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favorite movies of all time!
Simply put, this a great movie! Roy Scheider and Daniel Stern give wonderful performances, and the helicopter chase scenes are unbeleivable! Read more

Published on Dec 12 2002

4.0 out of 5 stars Crosses "X-Files", "Top Gun" and "Starsky & Hutch"
"Blue Thunder" is an experimental police helicopter planned to keep LA safe by the time the Olympics come to town (this flick came out a year or two before the '84 Summer games)... Read more

Published on Nov 27 2002 by Rottenberg's rotten book review

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent action-political thriller from the 1980's
What can be said about Blue Thunder? It is an excellent action and political techno-thriller with a fine cast, solid plot, good special effects, excellent aerial stunt work,... Read more

Published on Sep 24 2002 by Christopher Dalton

5.0 out of 5 stars Action Packed Movie!
This movie is quite exciting.You have Roy Scheider in the lead role as your hero. He is the lead pilot of an ultra modern helicopter called Blue Thunder, He soon discovers a... Read more