By Gayne C. Young
Reel Man Rewatch looks at the movies from the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s that defined what it means to be a man. Today’s entry is “Blue Thunder.”
What’s It About?
Troubled Vietnam Veteran and LAPD helicopter pilot Frank Murphy (Roy Scheider) and his rookie partner uncover a government conspiracy to use an experimental, heavily armed military chopper nicknamed “Blue Thunder” for unauthorized surveillance and civil disobedience and/or terrorism during the upcoming 1984 Summer Olympics.
When I Saw It
“Blue Thunder” was everywhere prior to its release on May 13, 1983. It was heavily promoted on talk shows, on entertainment shows, and in print media. The hype didn’t surround the movie’s action or star power but rather the fact that everything in the movie was actually real. The idea of thermal imaging (FLIR), high-power optics and zoom lenses, facial recognition, AI, and more in 1983 was almost science fiction. The movie (and the press before it) warned “This motion picture is a work of fiction. However, the hardware, weaponry and surveillance systems depicted in this film are real.”
Today, you can get all of the aforementioned on your phone.
Well, not the 20 mm six-barreled electric cannon.
I think you need a permit for that.
My friend Michael and I wanted to see the movie big time but given that we were 14 and it was rated R for intense violence, profanity, sexual content, and nudity meant that there was fat chance that the Nazi staff at the Carmike 3 at Post Oak Mall in College Station, Texas would let us in. We thought about sneaking in but then my mentally unstable mother offered to just buy us tickets.
Did I mention the Nazi staff?
The ticket seller informed my mother that she’d have to accompany us to the movie as it was “intense.” My mom agreed as she wanted to see the pic as well and promised that she and my younger sister wouldn’t sit anywhere near me, my friend Michael and his younger brother Kevin.
The movie was sold out and the theater packed. I remember Kevin loudly screwing with some candy wrapper and some guy yelled in the dark, “You better unwrap that shit before the movie starts or there’s gonna be a problem.” Half the theater cheered and Michael knocked the hell out of his brother. Kevin damn near cried and half the theater cheered again.
Right out of the gate the movie delivered—with a huge nude scene. A very gratuitous nude scene. One that sees Murphy and his partner watch a totally nude woman do erotic dance moves, stretches, and gymnastics for close to five minutes. This is followed by helicopter battles, murder, car chases, shootouts, and the hero saving the day. In short, it was a fantastic movie. Although one my mother had comments on afterward.
“I took underage boys to see porn and wanton violence.”
Yes mom, you did.
The Rewatch
I rewatched “Blue Thunder” last week on Amazon Prime. It holds up and I really appreciated it more as an adult. It’s a tightly wound thriller/action movie. Although the tech used for evil by the government in 1983 is now—oddly enough—outdated, the suspense surrounding its usage is still there. And guess what? The government uses all that tech today that we were warned about in that movie.
The action scenes are legit as are the stunts and all is practical. No CGI is used. Roy Scheider is perfect as the everyman hero who tackles injustice.
Man Lessons
Roy Scheider’s Murphy is a man suffering from PTSD and he handles it directly and with grace. This was somewhat of a new idea in 1983 and probably showed more than a few men that they weren’t alone in their suffering and that acknowledging that suffering is the most manly thing you can do.
- Murphy stands up for what’s right no matter the cost.
- Murphy spends time with his girlfriend’s son because that’s what a man does.
- Murphy mocks an Englishman’s accent because screw cocky Englishmen!
Best Scenes
- The ariel battles are insane and epic.
- The gratuitous nude scene holds up.
- The stunt work, whether it be in car chases or fight scenes, is great and realistic.
- Murphy’s 1981 Pontiac Turbo Trans Am Special Edition is badass and he knows how to drive the hell out of it.
- A 20 mm six-barreled electric cannon unloading on anything is always a great time.
Woke Alerts
- “Blue Thunder” features plenty of racist language, gratuitous exploitation of the female form, shootouts, bloodletting, torture, and more. Oh, hell yeah!
- Everyone smokes cigarettes.
Bottom Line
“Blue Thunder” was winner back in the day and still holds up. Grab a 12 pack and give it a watch.
