This movie is a favorite that has been mentioned repeatedly in the Top Gun Maverick thread. Perhaps it can be discussed here.
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The Final Countdown - 1980
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Last: 2 yr ago by cbr
This movie is a favorite that has been mentioned repeatedly in the Top Gun Maverick thread. Perhaps it can be discussed here.
I first saw it when I was 5 or 6 and became obsessed with the F-14. I think every fighter needs a Jolly Roger on the tail.
I liked it when I was a kid, and caught it on TV sometime in the last 2 years. The scene with the congressman's yacht getting strafed is always a joy until you realize he's getting rescued.
Always mixed this up with The Philadelphia Experiment.
Always mixed this up with The Philadelphia Experiment.
As stated in the other thread, a great Naval Aviation movie. One of my favorites. Some interesting behind the scenes information if you look for it about the Admiral seeing the dailies and freaking out about the Tomcat getting so low on that slow speed recovery. Also shows how great the Tomcat was at high alpha and low speed handling in those clips. Thanks OP.
Today, unfortunately, many Americans have good reason to fear that they will be victimized if they are unable to protect themselves. And today, no less than in 1791, the Second Amendment guarantees their right to do so. - Justice Samuel Alito 2022
Yeah really cool move all around.
Its no Lt. Robin Crusoe, U.S.N.
Like I said on the other thread, I feel like the movie didn't have the budget to actually show the attack. The Pearl Harbor attack scenes were just de-saturated shots from Tora Tora Tora.
You'd need a miniseries at minimum if they went through and sunk the Japanese fleet. You'd do that in the first ep and then the rest of the series would be the ramifications. US doesn't enter WW2? No atomic bombs? What happens to Europe?, what happens to the crew? and so forth.
Alternate history/Man in the high castle vibes for sure.
You'd need a miniseries at minimum if they went through and sunk the Japanese fleet. You'd do that in the first ep and then the rest of the series would be the ramifications. US doesn't enter WW2? No atomic bombs? What happens to Europe?, what happens to the crew? and so forth.
Alternate history/Man in the high castle vibes for sure.
Really fun discussion on this ep. One of them is a hanky clutching leftist, but the other 2 love this movie.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2GUdlbNBFTkUPgL0XDNa6o?si=XjDzNmbnRM-gvRZMxmNDWg&context=spotify%3Ashow%3A0fYm0Wuc5R6dh4Mry4vP7b
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2GUdlbNBFTkUPgL0XDNa6o?si=XjDzNmbnRM-gvRZMxmNDWg&context=spotify%3Ashow%3A0fYm0Wuc5R6dh4Mry4vP7b
I am sure these carriers carried nukes. we could have ended the war before our leaders were able to give the world to the soviets and their handlers.
What your theory presupposes is that they stay in the past, but what if they didn't? What if they take out the Japanese fleet and then the blue time portal opens up and they go back to 1980? Then you've got a Back to the Future 2 situation as they try to figure out how their actions in the past affected the future/their present.
I made two deployments onboard USS NIMITZ in 2007 & 2008, and the movie was shown on ship's TV weekly. It was pretty cool to not only be onboard and know that portions on the movie had been filmed where we were, but also seeing the changes and upgrades to the ship almost 30 years later.
Now that is cool.
Once while visiting my sister and her then marine pilot husband in San Diego, I noticed a big 68 painted on the island of a carrier in the harbor. I was like "holy sh*t that's the Nimitz!!!" My former B-I-L was shocked at how a civilian would be able to identity a ship based on number and why I was so very excited.
This movie, that's both how and why.
Once while visiting my sister and her then marine pilot husband in San Diego, I noticed a big 68 painted on the island of a carrier in the harbor. I was like "holy sh*t that's the Nimitz!!!" My former B-I-L was shocked at how a civilian would be able to identity a ship based on number and why I was so very excited.
This movie, that's both how and why.
Saw it when I was like 8 and recall being incredibly disappointed they didn't stop the attack and that I was robbed of that scene.
What happens when they run out of jet fuel?
Man that would be a wild one.jbanda said:
What your theory presupposes is that they stay in the past, but what if they didn't? What if they take out the Japanese fleet and then the blue time portal opens up and they go back to 1980? Then you've got a Back to the Future 2 situation as they try to figure out how their actions in the past affected the future/their present.
But didnt they hit us in several spots on 12-7? Wake too i think iirc. It would have kicked off the war anyway. But we'd have not lost the initiative for 7 months. But we also might not have been as aggressive/pissed off.
Definitely a different war if the japs didnt have air superiority in the early months.
A few more real aircraft in the movies that I thought of:
Valkyrie - P-40 Kittyhawks attack Germans in North Africa
1941 - John Belushi lands his P-40 on a California highway for a "fill-up"
Empire of the Sun - Cadillac of the Skies
Valkyrie - P-40 Kittyhawks attack Germans in North Africa
1941 - John Belushi lands his P-40 on a California highway for a "fill-up"
Empire of the Sun - Cadillac of the Skies
Thought of another good airplane sequence, from Capricorn One when James Brolin hitches a ride on Telly Savalas' cropduster with a couple of choppers trying to shoot them down. There were a few moments during this sequence that were much like riding a roller coaster, or like the X-Wings diving into the Death Star trench.
Love the musical score..wish the FTAB had a version to play.
My favorite aircraft to see in this flick are the A7s and the Crusader recon birds...since I can't think of any films where they are seen in.
My favorite aircraft to see in this flick are the A7s and the Crusader recon birds...since I can't think of any films where they are seen in.
plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose
watched it as a kidCinco Ranch Aggie said:
This movie is a favorite that has been mentioned repeatedly in the Top Gun Maverick thread. Perhaps it can be discussed here.
loved the soundtrack
loved the movie, tried to record it with a second VCR hooked up to the first one.
if only we could have sent a squadron of B-52s back to the 1936 Nuremberg Rally
F14 had to tap the burners at the bottom of that roll. Yikes!
Oh, and thanks a lot, now I'll be singing, "It's the final countdown, da da da, da da dada da…" all day long
Oh, and thanks a lot, now I'll be singing, "It's the final countdown, da da da, da da dada da…" all day long
This shot with the Tomcat coming out of the clouds is great. Reminds me of a predator moving in on its prey.
Today, unfortunately, many Americans have good reason to fear that they will be victimized if they are unable to protect themselves. And today, no less than in 1791, the Second Amendment guarantees their right to do so. - Justice Samuel Alito 2022
Lived in key west when they filmed this. It was pretty cool for a kid that age to get to see.
We need a remake of this. Complete with a Snyder cut
The remake would likely feature too much CGI for this board's taste.The Dirty Sock said:
We need a remake of this. Complete with a Snyder cut
They should do a remake, but make it have a twist ending: The carrier doesn't get transported back into present day at the end, instead they DO attack the Japanese fleet instead. Most us fans of the original wouldn't see that coming.
Make it so that they initially were not going to attack to preserve the historical timeline, but that they were spotted by a Japanese scout plane or something, realize that the Japanese will attack them, and that the historical timeline is already changed. Since they only have 64 aircraft and need some to protect the carrier itself, that it would be a waste of time to shoot down individual Japanese planes. That instead they will go after the carriers before those planes take off. So they launch a strike group to take out the 6 carriers, but on the way, they cross path with Japanese planes. The Japanese left early because of the scout report. They could make that scene pretty awesome with the Japanese seeing 20 or so F-35s flying over their heads and sonic booms rattling their teeth. Make it so they see the US insignia as they zoom past (it looks different but it's still a star). They realize "oh crap.. they got super planes we never knew about.. we are F-ed. But let's go down fighting." So they press on to Pearl Harbor to bomb it. Meanwhile the carrier radios Pearl Harbor to warn them of an impending attack, but like in the 1980 movie, they don't believe them.
Have some of those Japanese planes heading towards the US carrier. The carrier then has to launch planes to defend itself. Which it does and wastes the Japanese easily. But, here's the catch: When all the planes land, they realize the carrier is low on jet fuel and ammo. They decide they need to haul ass back to Pearl themselves. That they are now alone and hunted. And the movie ends. Twist #2: This is only movie #1 of several (possibly a trilogy?).
The 2nd movie could start with them arriving at pearl harbor. The harbor is destroyed and seamen are down and out, and then see this ginormous carrier arrive. The "holy s***" moment would be satisfying as hell as a viewer. The 2nd (and possibly 3rd) could be them retrofitting the planes with guns (since they can't make missiles) and fighting more Japs and Nazis. They could take it all sorts of angles. Give FDR better doctoring so he lives longer (though he sucks as a prez.. but this isn't F-16), stuff like that.
Anwyay.. this is the movie I WISHED the first one was like. I know why they didn't, but it would have been fun as hell to see.
Make it so that they initially were not going to attack to preserve the historical timeline, but that they were spotted by a Japanese scout plane or something, realize that the Japanese will attack them, and that the historical timeline is already changed. Since they only have 64 aircraft and need some to protect the carrier itself, that it would be a waste of time to shoot down individual Japanese planes. That instead they will go after the carriers before those planes take off. So they launch a strike group to take out the 6 carriers, but on the way, they cross path with Japanese planes. The Japanese left early because of the scout report. They could make that scene pretty awesome with the Japanese seeing 20 or so F-35s flying over their heads and sonic booms rattling their teeth. Make it so they see the US insignia as they zoom past (it looks different but it's still a star). They realize "oh crap.. they got super planes we never knew about.. we are F-ed. But let's go down fighting." So they press on to Pearl Harbor to bomb it. Meanwhile the carrier radios Pearl Harbor to warn them of an impending attack, but like in the 1980 movie, they don't believe them.
Have some of those Japanese planes heading towards the US carrier. The carrier then has to launch planes to defend itself. Which it does and wastes the Japanese easily. But, here's the catch: When all the planes land, they realize the carrier is low on jet fuel and ammo. They decide they need to haul ass back to Pearl themselves. That they are now alone and hunted. And the movie ends. Twist #2: This is only movie #1 of several (possibly a trilogy?).
The 2nd movie could start with them arriving at pearl harbor. The harbor is destroyed and seamen are down and out, and then see this ginormous carrier arrive. The "holy s***" moment would be satisfying as hell as a viewer. The 2nd (and possibly 3rd) could be them retrofitting the planes with guns (since they can't make missiles) and fighting more Japs and Nazis. They could take it all sorts of angles. Give FDR better doctoring so he lives longer (though he sucks as a prez.. but this isn't F-16), stuff like that.
Anwyay.. this is the movie I WISHED the first one was like. I know why they didn't, but it would have been fun as hell to see.
I'd watch that trilogy like Indiana Jones or Star Wars.aTmAg said:
They should do a remake, but make it have a twist ending: The carrier doesn't get transported back into present day at the end, instead they DO attack the Japanese fleet instead. Most us fans of the original wouldn't see that coming.
Make it so that they initially were not going to attack to preserve the historical timeline, but that they were spotted by a Japanese scout plane or something, realize that the Japanese will attack them, and that the historical timeline is already changed. Since they only have 64 aircraft and need some to protect the carrier itself, that it would be a waste of time to shoot down individual Japanese planes. That instead they will go after the carriers before those planes take off. So they launch a strike group to take out the 6 carriers, but on the way, they cross path with Japanese planes. The Japanese left early because of the scout report. They could make that scene pretty awesome with the Japanese seeing 20 or so F-35s flying over their heads and sonic booms rattling their teeth. Make it so they see the US insignia as they zoom past (it looks different but it's still a star). They realize "oh crap.. they got super planes we never knew about.. we are F-ed. But let's go down fighting." So they press on to Pearl Harbor to bomb it. Meanwhile the carrier radios Pearl Harbor to warn them of an impending attack, but like in the 1980 movie, they don't believe them.
Have some of those Japanese planes heading towards the US carrier. The carrier then has to launch planes to defend itself. Which it does and wastes the Japanese easily. But, here's the catch: When all the planes land, they realize the carrier is low on jet fuel and ammo. They decide they need to haul ass back to Pearl themselves. That they are now alone and hunted. And the movie ends. Twist #2: This is only movie #1 of a several (possibly a trilogy?).
The 2nd movie could start with them arriving at pearl harbor. The harbor is destroyed and seamen are down and out, and then see this ginormous carrier arrive. The "holy s***" moment would be satisfying as hell as a viewer. The 2nd (and possibly 3rd) could be them retrofitting the planes with guns (since they can't make missiles) and fighting more Japs and Nazis. They could take it all sorts of angles. Give FDR better doctoring so he lives longer (though he sucks as a prez.. but this isn't F-16), stuff like that.
Anwyay.. this is the movie I WISHED the first one was like. I know why they didn't, but it would have been fun as hell to see.
Or…OR!!…they attack the Japanese fleet, wipe them out, get sent back to the future and nothing has changed because…
and then BOOM!!!! Credits.
and then BOOM!!!! Credits.
Good behind the scenes
Also, good channel of you like F14s and Naval Aviation.
Also, good channel of you like F14s and Naval Aviation.
worst song everThe Dirty Sock said:
Or…OR!!…they attack the Japanese fleet, wipe them out, get sent back to the future and nothing has changed because…
and then BOOM!!!! Credits.
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