Fred Thomas Presents
- Fred, a long time connoisseur of aviation photography and movies, invites you to view his all time favorite movies. Needless to say, the focus is on flying. So expect to see some awesome aviation movies!
Details
When: The third Wednesday of each Month
Where: Sundance Flying Club Briefing Room,
1901 Embarcadero, Ste 109
Palo Alto, CA
What time: Short topics and serial starting at 7pm. Main feature follows.
Cost: FREE
Light supper: donation appreciated!
| Month | Date | Movie | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 17 | The Right Stuff | The Right Stuff is a 1983 American film adapted from Tom Wolfe's 1979 book The Right Stuff about the test pilots who were involved in high-speed aeronautical research at Edwards Air Force Base as well as those selected to be astronauts for Project Mercury, the United States' first attempt at manned spaceflight. The story contrasts the "Mercury Seven" and their families with pilots like Chuck Yeager, who was considered by many test pilots to be the best of them all, but was never selected as an astronaut. The Mercury Seven were Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, John Glenn, Gus Grissom, Wally Schirra, Alan Shepard, and Deke Slayton. |
| March | 17 | Fail Safe | Fail-Safe is a 1964 film directed by Sidney Lumet, based on the 1963 novel of the same name by Eugene Burdick and Harvey Wheeler. It tells the story of a fictional Cold War nuclear crisis, and the US President's attempt to end it. The movie has a similar plot to that of Dr Strangelove, but without the black comedy. The nuclear bombers used were B58 Hustlers. |
| April | 21 | Midway | Midway is a 1976 war film directed by Jack Smight. The film features an international cast of well-established actors including Charlton Heston, Henry Fonda, James Coburn, Glenn Ford, Hal Holbrook, ToshirÅ Mifune, Robert Mitchum, Cliff Robertson, Robert Wagner, James Shigeta, Pat Morita, Robert Ito and Christina Kokubo, among others. The film chronicles the Battle of Midway, a turning point in World War II in the Pacific. The Japanese Imperial Navy had been undefeated until that time and out-numbered the American naval forces by four to one. |
| May | 19 | Top Gun | Top Gun is a 1986 film directed by Tony Scott. The film stars Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Anthony Edwards, Val Kilmer, Meg Ryan, and Tom Skerritt. Cruise plays Lieutenant Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, a young Naval aviator on board the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. He and his Naval Flight Officer (Radar Intercept Officer - the "RIO" - the "back seater" in the two-man F-14 Tomcat) Lt. j.g. Nick "Goose" Bradshaw are given the chance to train at the Navy's Fighter Weapons School, after the pilot above him in the squadron rankings resigns from duty following a very stressful mission. This film depicts Maverick's progress through the training, his romance with a female instructor, and his overcoming a crisis of confidence following a fatal training accident. |
| June | 16 | Reach for the Sky | This is a 1956 British biographical film of aviator Douglas Bader. The film stars Kenneth More and was directed by Lewis Gilbert. It won the BAFTA Award for Best British Film of 1956.The film tells the story of Douglas Bader, a pilot who lost both legs in a flying accident in 1931. He persuaded the RAF to let him re-join the service at the start of World War II and fought in the Battle of Britain. He was taken prisoner in 1941 after being forced to bail out over France, and was later imprisoned in Colditz Castle. Despite his disability he made so many attempts at escape the Germans threatened to take his prosthetic legs away. The film continues to his release in 1945 when Bader is again able to lead his men in a flypast commemorating the war's end. |
| July | 21 | Hells Angels | Hell's Angels is a 1930 American epic war film, directed by Howard Hughes and starring Jean Harlow, Ben Lyon, and James Hall. The film centers on the combat pilots of World War I. The making of this movie has been chronicled in another movie The Aviator. |