So we have a thread about submarine films. How about films depicting aircraft carrier operations?

 

Some of my favorites are:

 

Wing and a Prayer (1944)

 

Tora Tora Tora (1970)

 

Midway (1976)

 

The Final Countdown (1980)

The Wing of the Eagles (1957) (Escrito bajo el Sol was the release title in Spain )

 

More or less about the genesis of naval aviation and carrier's theory.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wings_of_Eagles

 

I don't like very much Midway, neither the final Banshee deck-crash

 

(Are carrier films Galactica or Wing Commander ? )

I saw Midway in a theatre equipped with Sensesurround (I think it was called) that used speakers to emit a low-frequency rumble that you could feel during some sequences; definitely the explosions and possibly the in-flight sequences. It didn't do very much for me.

Midway could have lost the whole subplot with Heston/Albert/interned girlfriend and been better for it. Also, too many other inappropriate sequences, like Torpedo 8 flying SB2Us and Yorktown being Kamikazed (Hey, let's use this late WWII footage. Who'll know?). Once or twice during the 70s-80s NBC showed an extended version that threw in Coral Sea and numerous outtakes (there's a reason they're called outtakes) that was really painful to watch.

 

Wing And A Prayer - Good film if you can get past the whole "sail around and be chicken" thing.

 

Best carrier film ever - The Bridges at Toko-Ri, even accepting that the bridges were destroyed too easily. Holden reportedly refused to let Paramount soften the ending of the James Michener novel; it really couldn't have been any other way.

 

Not so good but worth seeing once for the music in the "Blind Flight" sequence - Men of the Fighting Lady. MGM made what was essentially a WWII squadron drama with a Korean War setting (think "Fighter Squadron" at sea) with all cliches intact. Ironically, the framing device has James Michener arriving aboard to report on An Incredible Story.

I have to agree about the father/son/girlfriend thing in Midway. Far too many good flic's have been adversely affected by the writers insistence on tossing subplots like that into the mix if you ask me. I'd guess they feel it's necessary in order to catch and hold the interest of movie goers who either don't understand or aren't that interested in the main thrust of the movie.

Midway has plenty of warts, but it would be naive to expect too much from a Hollywood production (lest we forget U-571).

 

When Cameron or Jackson or the like announce their intent to do it again, with the latest tech, I will expect to see donations to the $300 million budget.