This “Limited Edition” 4K Ultra HD disc from Arrow Video is now available for purchase.
As a little kid, this reviewer went to the movies a lot, usually with one or both of my parents. And, in the early 1980s, we also had a VCR, which meant we rented a lot of titles. Blue Thunder was one of those pictures that I saw with my dad. Then, for some reason, we saw it again on tape. And then, I saw it again and again at the homes of friends whose parents had also rented it, as well as on cable TV. As such, I’ll always have a certain nostalgia for this title and other movies of the era.
While some haven’t aged well, Blue Thunder still stands as an excellent action picture with jaw-dropping aerial stunts, and a deeper meaning well ahead of its time. Action films from this period often featured muscly tough guys brandishing their own justice from the barrel of a gun. This picture gives its comparatively normal-looking lead character a piece of high-grade military equipment with all sorts of bells and whistles, and then questions whether or not this kind of power in the hands of any individual is a good idea.
Arrow Video has now produced an excellent “Limited Edition” 4K Ultra HD presentation of the movie, with upgraded image quality and a number of wonderful extras. It’s clear from the new presentation and analysis from those remembering the movie that it still is every bit as dynamic as it was more than forty years ago, and still contains relevant themes in today’s world.
Frank Murphy (Roy Scheider) is Los Angeles Police Department air serviceman breaking in new trainee Richard Lymangood (Daniel Stern). On his first night, the rookie explains that he’s excited to join the division and get away from violence on the streets, but Murphy quickly shows him that their job is quite dangerous. Adding even more stress is the fact that Murphy also suffers from PTSD from his time as a pilot in Vietnam. While on the job, they witness the death of a councilwoman fighting for the rights of underfunded neighborhoods. Her death is blamed on random street crime, and the pair are soon taken to a showing of a new military combat aircraft. They are told that the chopper is designed to quell possible terrorist attacks during the upcoming Olympic Games. Murphy isn’t so sure, especially when he learns that ex-SAS and now US Army Colonel F.E. Cochrane (Malcolm McDowell) is involved. The protagonist previously witnessed shocking, sociopathic behavior from the man while on duty in Vietnam.
When LAPD Captain Jack Braddock (Warren Oates) assigns Murphy and Lymangood test pilot duties with the helicopter, they immediately use it to uncover shocking truths about the project. The chopper has incredible surveillance abilities and is also designed to be used to quell civil unrest with its arsenal. The heroes end up recording a conversation with Cochrane and government officials in which they reveal themselves to be the ones who set up the murder of the congresswoman, as well as their real plans for the machinery. Murphy and Lymangood record the conversation and the villains set out to kill them both. Murphy steals the chopper and asks for the help of estranged girlfriend Kate (Candy Clark) in getting their damning evidence to the public before they are murdered. This leads to a lengthy and thrilling chase in the skies through downtown Los Angeles.
Early scenes in the film are fairly typical from an early 80s action picture, with dashes of humor as Lymangood is taught the ropes and the pair take down various robbers and criminals. But, once the war helicopter is introduced, the story really kicks into high gear. The plot may be relatively simple and it doesn’t take all that long for Murphy to find himself under threat, but this also means that viewers are treated to a number of memorable chases. These occur not only in the air, but on the ground as well when Kate (who tries to help by picking up the evidence and getting it to a news station) has to race around the streets while being pursued.
The action is expertly handled, brilliantly edited and is genuinely pulse-pounding. Of course, it also helps that much of what you’re seeing is real… or, at least, the stunts are real. Helicopters really do swoop down and between buildings, as well as under the Los Angeles viaduct, and it all looks remarkably dangerous. Not only that, but the cast are really in the cockpit for much of it, lending a real sense of authenticity to the action. Scheider carries an everyman persona to his role and is easy to relate to. A young Daniel Stern is extremely likable, and McDowell makes a memorable impression as the arrogant villain, who delivers his catchphrase, “Catch ya later!” with aplomb (this is the line that every youngster in the 80s would repeat when another kid mentioned this movie).
It was a visual stunner back in the day, and this 4K upgrade is no exception. There are a few darker scenes involving conversations between characters that have light, natural grain, but the footage with the chopper looks incredible here. It’s clear and crisp, so you can see every detail out of the cockpit window during the daylight chase scenes. Even at night, there are moments that wow. Of course, this includes what occurs to the helicopter at the end of the picture, a spectacular sight that is repeated from several angles. Sony Pictures provided a 4K restoration from the original camera negative for this release. It is also presented in Dolby Vision, and the picture looks consistently excellent.
The bonuses old and new are also a blast. The first extra is a 2006 commentary track featuring director John Badham (Saturday Night Fever, WarGames, Short Circuit, Stakeout, Bird on a Wire, The Hard Way), along with his editor and the motion control effects supervisor (who added the pair of jet fighters that arrive to take down the helicopter). Badham is an excellent speaker and always give great insight into his work on every track that I have ever heard him speak on. He notes all the difficulties in shooting the picture (including how to light an airborne black chopper at night), as well as casting the roles and relaying great stories from the set. One of the funniest involves a production hiccup involving McDowell, which the actor also goes into on another feature. They both have slightly different versions of what occurred, but both stories are entertaining to listen to.
There is also a lengthy three-part documentary on the production that was made in 2006 and includes interviews with many cast and crew members. Additionally, you’ll get an archival featurette on how the title helicopter was created, as well as a promotional featurette for the movie. An extended scene is also included that involves more of the car chase through an alley, and a theatrical trailer and image gallery are included too.
As for new material, there are wonderful interviews here. Badham appears to talk about shooting the picture and getting footage with the actors in the choppers. Scheider actually ended up learning how to fly and did a bit of piloting in a few shots. One person who did not was Malcolm McDowell. Badham recalls that the actor was excited to do the film and easy to work with, but with one stipulation. McDowell didn’t want to fly and expected his scenes to be shot against a green screen. The director remembers that, after seeing Scheider and Stern going up and down into the helicopters, he felt obligated to do so as well, but was sick as a result.
Another is with Candy Clark, who talks about how much fun she had making the picture. She notes that her role was great, and that the character was anything but a passive love interest of the protagonist. The actress was also allowed to do a lot of her own stunt driving, and described just how much fun it was to hurtle through streets and over bumps in a drive-in movie theater (while director Badham was being bounced around in the seat next to her). She also notes that the themes in this picture are still relevant today, also noting that Los Angeles will soon be hosting the Olympics once again, and that much of what is being depicted feels pertinent again.
The discussion with Malcom McDowell is great, as he gives his side of the story. McDowell agrees and notes that he is terrified of helicopters. Two friends of his had died in a crash a few years earlier after hitting power lines. He knew that with all of the dangerous flying and only one engine in the aircraft, if anything went wrong, it would be the end for himself and the pilot. After learning that all the other cast members had gone up and watching incredible footage of them in the air, Badham explained to him that he would have to go up and do the same.
McDowell reports that the first time they shot, it was dreadful and he ended up being sick after landing. The actor later received a call from an acquaintance who was one of the Sony Pictures studio heads. This individual told him that they had seen the rushes and that, instead of appearing threatening, he looked petrified the entire time. So, McDowell had to go up again and reshoot his reaction shots so that the editors would have something to cut to. His description of the unusual situation is very relatable and the story is enjoyable to listen to.
If that wasn’t enough, you’ll also get a booklet with new writing on the picture, in addition to a reversible sleeve for the disc with original and newly commissioned artwork.
In the end, Blue Thunder holds up remarkably well. It’s a tense and exciting picture with a great cast and a strong message that still plays well today. Arrow Video has done another fantastic job presenting the movie in 4K Ultra HD with incredible aerial photography that not only wows, but will likely never be topped (as it would all be done with CGI now). I would argue this underrated picture is a must own for anyone who appreciates action cinema from the 1980s.
