Question about aviation media
Posted by F35_Lightning_C@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 48 comments
Ok so I have no idea if this is the right place to ask, but does anyone know/ have recommendations for fictional aviation media? I’m talking something like Top Gun but maybe less military? Or like Fast and Furious but aircraft?
Iknow that it sounds weird but I’ve noticed that there’s a lot of ‘car media’ (like Inital D, Fast and Furious, etc) but I can’t think of anything other than Top Gun for aircraft, so I’d like to know if anyone knows of anything.
I’m mainly looking for something that will make me go ‘planes! cool!’ instead of being 100% realistic.
That being said, I obviously don’t want it to be extremely unrealistic either.
Thanks!
Several-Customer7048@reddit
Airplane! with Leslie Nielsen.
F35_Lightning_C@reddit (OP)
I’ve seen clips of that and I’ve been meaning to try it
Imprezzed@reddit
So much pop culture will make sense after you see it.
Imprezzed@reddit
Pushing Tin.
kilkenny99@reddit
Always - it's kind of a weird one but has some really cool firefighting scenes with waterbombers converted from WWII bombers
F35_Lightning_C@reddit (OP)
That sounds dope i’ll give it a look. why’s it weird?
kilkenny99@reddit
Some more ideas - a couple of them because the Airframe rec jiggled something in my brain:
In commercial aviation-set films around a major incident (one real, one made up):
Action/Thriller movies set on a plane:
Airplane crash/survival movies:
kilkenny99@reddit
The tone is kind of inconsistent, going from comedy to romantic schmaltz. There was even a quasi-musical/dance number in it. Depending on you mood, that can hit the bullseye for you or be kind of saccharine sweet. But it's Spielberg, and looks great, and the flying sequences are great with really good practical effects. And a great cast.
There is an aspect that I think I'll only mention in a spoiler tag, though people who saw it in theatres knew that going in because it's kind of core to the movie's concept & therefore marketing... so :
SoloSquirrel@reddit
Michael Crichton's Airframe is a good aviation safety thriller.
F35_Lightning_C@reddit (OP)
I’ve read the book it’s great! there isn’t a movie is there?
kilkenny99@reddit
Not yet, it hasn't been adapted.
mattrussell2319@reddit
I loved the Harrier scenes in True Lies, some of which used the real thing IIRC. Gets very silly right at the end but in a fun way.
Then there’s Wings! Quite the opposite of Top Gun but I quite enjoyed the small regional airline culture it portrayed.
F35_Lightning_C@reddit (OP)
Seeing as I eventually want to get into commercial aviation I think I’ll enjoy Wings, thanks!
kilkenny99@reddit
Wings is a sitcom, fyi.
New_Line4049@reddit
Not really less military but airwolf. I mean.... technically it is less military..... its a civilian bird flown by civilians..... but.... it does have missiles and guns and stuff.
JStevenYork@reddit
Okay, one more vintage classic that might well otherwise be ignored. The 1949 critically acclaimed Oscar-winner, "Twelve O'Clock High." It's a gritty, character-driven drama, based loosely on true events, about B-25 bomber squadrons stationed in Britain, bombing heavily defended, high-value German targets in WWII. No CGI here. It combines actual combat footage (some of it captured from the Germans) combined with high production values and a lot access to flyable surplus WWII planes. Paul Mantz is again head pilot on the movie, and flies an actual, jaw-dropping, belly crash landing of a B-25. Great cast, great drama, AND it was required viewing at all US military US service academies, which should tell you something.
JStevenYork@reddit
Another oldie I'd recommend is "Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours and 11 Minutes", usually just known by just the first seven words of the title. It's a comedy set in 1910 featuring an air race from London to Paris in the early days of aviation. Unlike modern CGI laden films, there are dozens of functional, full-sized, period-accurate airplanes, both real and custom built replicas, and lots of stunt work. As a movie it isn't the greatest, but lots of amazing planes and literal stick and rudder flying.
JStevenYork@reddit
I'd recommend "Flight of the Phoenix" (The 1965 original, not the more recent remake). Not exactly action packed, and the vintage cargo plane at the center isn't sexy, but there's a great cast and story. The plane crashes deep in the Sahara, and an eccentric airplane designer who is a passenger convinces the other survivors that they can rescue themselves by BUILDING A NEW AIRPLANE out of the parts of their damaged Fairchild C-82! Sadly, master stunt pilot Paul Mantz was killed in an accident during the film. But still one of my favorite movies.
OldStromer@reddit
Do helicopters do it for you? There's a couple of examples I can think of if you're interested.
F35_Lightning_C@reddit (OP)
I’m not as big a helicopter nerd as I am with regular aircraft but I’m willing to give it a shot. I say blue thunder when i was younger and i enjoyed it immensely
JStevenYork@reddit
If you can tolerate helicopters with some helicopter-on-airplane action, with "ripped from current headline" themes, you might try "Blue Thunder."
OldStromer@reddit
Yup that's one of them. Me and a buddy who was in A&P school at the time saw it in a theater. Quite impressive for the day. The other one is a TV series Aerowolf.
Dirty_Harry44@reddit
Flight of the Intruder is on prime atm. Havent seen it since it was released so ill have to rewatch soon.
IFartOnCats4Fun@reddit
Snakes on a Plane
OldStromer@reddit
I was finally able to subject my wife to that. She was not nearly as big of a fan as I was.
IFartOnCats4Fun@reddit
I've still never seen it.
OldStromer@reddit
A coworker of mine said his big takeaway was that "snakes REEEEEEEALY hate white people". I would not dispute that finding. For me it was worth it just to get a few more Samuel L Jackson MFs in before I die. ;)
LordEevee2005@reddit
No one mentioned "Area 88" yet, so I will. It's anime Top Gun.
F35_Lightning_C@reddit (OP)
That sounds dope I’m gonna start with that lol
Puppy_1963@reddit
Denzel Washington ''Flight'
F35_Lightning_C@reddit (OP)
I’ve seen that and I enjoyed it quite a bit!
Mikoriad@reddit
There are some very cool aircraft centered anime's. Some are more realistic than others.
The Cockpit
Macross Plus
Macross Zero
Sky crawlers
Warlords of Sigrdrifa
... There are many more.
F35_Lightning_C@reddit (OP)
I’ve been meaning to watch more anime ones so these will be great!
FAJStracker@reddit
Book wise.
I would say, Tom Clancy, aviation is a backdrop.
The Dale Brown, books.
F35_Lightning_C@reddit (OP)
Those sound great thanks!
Majestic-Affect-2924@reddit
It's really not a good movie, but "Fast Glass" is literally Fast and the Furious with airplanes. Cool airplanes, some good flying scenes, those are about it's only redeeming qualities IMHO.
F35_Lightning_C@reddit (OP)
Haha great I’ll give it a shot!
philocity@reddit
Idk, most airplane movies are either war, documentary, or otherwise based on real events. The fictional ones are mostly action thrillers set on an airplane but are not about aviation.
The thing about airplane movies is that aviation enthusiasts don’t have a tolerance for poor technical accuracy. Most aviation media takes itself pretty seriously.
All that in mind, if you want to be inspired about aviation, watch “The Right Stuff” and “The Aviator.”
You also really ought to watch the Miyazaki films “The Wind Rises” and “Porco Rosso.” The Wind Rises isn’t about airplanes as it is about other things, but it’s one of my favorite films ever.
F35_Lightning_C@reddit (OP)
I’ve seen the Miyazakis ones and they’re gold. I’ll give The Aviator and The Right Stuff a try, thanksb
AbbreviationsOld2507@reddit
The gang beats Boggs episode of it's always sunny
F35_Lightning_C@reddit (OP)
Oo ok thanks
Altruistic_Cause9442@reddit
I recently read Fate Is The Hunter by Ernest K. Gann and it was really good. It’s a memoir so it’s realistic, but it was a fascinating look at aviation in the 1930s/40s. I think it was really cool and definitely worth reading.
upliftinglitter@reddit
I loved FireFox with Clint Eastwood
dilemmaprisoner@reddit
You can find usually find Youtube stuff dialed in to your individual taste.
IFartOnCats4Fun@reddit
Soul Plane
IFartOnCats4Fun@reddit
Wings
Bob3y@reddit
„Good Luck!!“ is great
FAJStracker@reddit
Airline Babylon might be worth it.