SteveL Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Been on the hunt to see if this movie is available anywhere! It had lots of cool F4 footage! I believe it came out jus before all the Iron Eagle movies. Anybody else seen it, remember it and especially know where someone can get a copy? Preferably digital. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GEH737 Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 "Red Flag - the ultimate game" with William Devane and Barry Bostwick - here's something on Amazon http://www.amazon.co...e/dp/B0000714BM and information from IMDb http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082978/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bikerider Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 I remember watching it. It was a made for TV movie back when those were generally considered not as good, if I remember right. Lots of talk about do it right or there'll be more "smokin' holes" in the ground. I was probably about ten when I watched it and that's all that sticks in my mind. But it must have registers something because I bought Red Flag books not too many years later. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scott R Wilson Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 I remember watching it. It was a made for TV movie back when those were generally considered not as good, if I remember right. Lots of talk about do it right or there'll be more "smokin' holes" in the ground. I was probably about ten when I watched it and that's all that sticks in my mind. But it must have registers something because I bought Red Flag books not too many years later. That movie was absolutely awful for inaccuracies. The USAF withdrew support for it during production after they realized just how bad it was portraying the pilots, but it was too late. But there were some good clips of F-4s. Do note that a pilot and WSO do NOT meet at the airplane, "Hi, I'm Capt Smith, I'll be your backseater for the day". And also note there are NO electric motor noises when an F-4 canopy closes. It's pneumatic, all you hear is air flowing and some muted clunks as the locks engage (or disengage when it's opening). There are tons more inaccuracies, but it's been years since I saw that piece of shee-ite and those are the first that came to my mind. I guess the major inaccuracy is the main story line, the rivalry between the F-4 pilot and the Aggressor pilot that ends up getting one of them killed. I just don't believe for a minute that would happen, and if it did, be allowed to progress with both pilots getting stupider and stupider until one dies. Scott Wilson Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BrockyTaz Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Funny you should post this, I was thinking about that very movie myself the other night after watching Firefox. I believe the brief scene in Fire Fox where Mitchel Gant is recovering his fighting skills was the same F-4 v F-5 footage from Red Flag. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Murph Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 (edited) Just to add to the conversation, talking way back when to one of the "Gomers" who flew in that movie he said William Devane was a great guy; he had nothing bad to say about him, but thought Bostwick was an a-hole (ironically the total opposite of their characters). Michael Hall had a great line in his book Red Flag about the movie talking about how they brought their wives and "blues" to Nellis but not their whizzos to the brief. Regards, Murph Edited February 1, 2014 by Murph Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jay Chladek Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 (edited) I remember the film as well. It was done at a time when USAF PR was trying to fill a void left when Six Million Dollar Man went off the air about a year before (and the production likely benefitted from some contacts established during the run of that show). Of course all this was in the post Vietnam years, so ANY amount of good PR which could help with recruiting was considered a very good thing (until they found out the hard way more than likely). The one thing I remember most about Red Flag was the first briefing given by the CO of the Aggressors to the visiting pilots in a way of how the Russians view American equipment... "This is an F-4 Phantom. Living proof that if you put enough thrust in it, you can make a brick fly". A bit of the footage shown was stock footage (such as an F-4 spin test), but they did film some new stuff, probably with help from Clay Lacy's camera mounted lear jet fleet. Funny how the topic came up about actors in this film as I can recall a similar discussion I had with a former Army mechanic who was based at Fort Hood in Texas when the movie "Firebirds" was made (i.e. Top Gun with Apaches). He said that Nicholas Cage is NOT acting when he acts loopy (he is apparently like that in real life), Sean Young needed A LOT of makeup on her face in that film as it has some serious issues and Tommy Lee Jones is a GREAT guy. TLJ respected the guys in uniform and even helped give one of the Apache crewchiefs screen time as he liked the support the guy gave him with equipment briefings and such and he said "I want this man as my helicopter crew chief on camera". I still remember TLJ's quick and dirty briefing on how to load and launch a Stinger missile in combat... priceless. Edited February 2, 2014 by Jay Chladek Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pierre Sacha Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Regardless... this movie started my love and admiration for the anhedraly stab-ed brute of a ghost :D Pierre Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 We have the original airing on VHS somewhere in our collection ... -Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jinxter13 Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 (edited) when Six Million Dollar Man went off the air about a year before In reality L. Majors was IMHO a $0.06 man, I was on George AFB when a segment of that show was filmed. The T-Birds flew in for a portion of the filming. A squadron mate of mine, had a paraplegic younger brother, and the $6m man was a hero of his, well at least on TV. One of the studio folks came by the hangar and asked for some help with a job, we agreed and help him move some stuff into the hangar. after which my mate asked him if he could get an autograph for the kid, which had been brought to the base and setup in the parking lot to watch the filming. The answer came back a flat No!!. Mr. Majors can't be bothered. After that I've watched nothing he did; if he's in a movie or show I'll leave or change the channel until he's gone. On the other side, some of the dependent wives went totally freakin nutz, one had a bull horn on her jeep and was screamin "Mr. Majors look over here, and blow me a kiss"... <_< , that made the rest who were just watching seem like a lot of airheaded groupie nimno's. My opinion of Richard Anderson who player Oscar Goldman was a real trooper he I guess heard what happened and not only signed some pix, but brought them over, by which time, Tony (the kid) had left to go home for therapy on his legs. Richard Anderson was very cool him I like. Maybe I'm a little bitter, but it was a kid that needed all the hope he could get, not some groupie who'll take the pic and do who knows what. Edited February 2, 2014 by #1 Greywolf Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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