...it's like TV Tropes, but LINKED DATA!
Blue Thunder
- 376 statements
- 73 feature instances
- 41 referencing feature instances
| Blue Thunder | type |
TVTItem | |
| Blue Thunder | label |
Blue Thunder | |
| Blue Thunder | page |
BlueThunder | |
| Blue Thunder | comment |
Blue Thunder is a 1983 action film about a police helicopter pilot who discovers a Government Conspiracy to use an experimental Black Helicopter for urban riot control. It earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Film Editing and kicked off a subgenre of Cool Helicopter shows including a short-lived 1984 TV series of the same name and the enormously more popular Airwolf.Frank Murphy (Roy Scheider) is a Vietnam War veteran who flies helicopters for the Metropolitan Police Astro Division in Los Angeles. In his time off, he deals with a failed relationship and his fears of going crazy, based on flashbacks he keeps getting to a traumatic 'Nam mission. In the course of training a new observer, rookie Richard Lymangood (Daniel Stern), he witnesses what appears to be the planned murder of a city councilwoman, but when he tries to report his suspicions, he's grounded due to earlier "extracurricular" activities.Murphy tries to follow up on the killing on his own time, finding a scrap of paper that calls attention to something called the "Project THOR". Before his investigation can bear fruit, however, he's called up and his suspension is lifted so that he can participate in field testing of a new helicopter. Code-named "Blue Thunder", it's a heavily armed and armored machine with advanced sensors and stealth technology designed for urban riot control. He also meets his nemesis, Colonel Cochrane (Malcolm McDowell), a gung ho military test pilot who knows Murphy from Vietnam, and not in a friendly way.During their first flight in Blue Thunder, Murphy and Lymangood decide to experiment with its stealth and sensor capabilities, while at the same time using the onboard computer to investigate THOR. They end up uncovering a conspiracy to incite unrest in the city's ghettos in order to showcase the new helicopter. When the bad guys realize they've been found out, all bets are off. The two must run for their lives with the evidence, and Murphy is forced to steal Blue Thunder and fight a high-stakes aerial battle over the city. | |
| Blue Thunder | fetched |
2023-07-18T20:58:46Z | |
| Blue Thunder | parsed |
2023-07-18T20:58:46Z | |
| Blue Thunder | processingComment |
Dropped link to BigBrotherIsWatchingYou: Not a Feature - UNKNOWN | |
| Blue Thunder | processingComment |
Dropped link to CoolPlane: Not a Feature - ITEM | |
| Blue Thunder | processingUnknown |
BigBrotherIsWatchingYou | |
| Blue Thunder | isPartOf |
DBTropes | |
| Blue Thunder / int_128e4ba8 | type |
Gatling Good | |
| Blue Thunder / int_128e4ba8 | comment |
Gatling Good: Blue Thunder is armed with a turret-mounted, automatically tracking 20mm rotary cannon. It's awesome. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_128e4ba8 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_128e4ba8 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_128e4ba8 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_1439161f | type |
Heroic BSoD | |
| Blue Thunder / int_1439161f | comment |
Heroic BSoD: Based on his Vietnam flashbacks and the fact that he constantly tests himself for "sanity", it seems as if Murphy is teetering on the edge of one of these for the entire film. note See the Trivia page for more on this. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_1439161f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_1439161f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_1439161f | |
| Blue Thunder / int_18e15c9d | type |
InfraredXRayCamera | |
| Blue Thunder / int_18e15c9d | comment |
Infrared X-Ray Camera: Blue Thunder's "infrared" camera can apparently see through walls and windows. Quite possibly the Trope Codifier if not the Ur-Example. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_18e15c9d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_18e15c9d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_18e15c9d | |
| Blue Thunder / int_22cf536c | type |
Chekhov's Gun | |
| Blue Thunder / int_22cf536c | comment |
The remote erase functionality for Blue Thunder's recording system functions as a Chekhov's Gun for the villains, as they remember it just as the tape is about to escape any possibility of being recovered. It fails by mere seconds! | |
| Blue Thunder / int_22cf536c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_22cf536c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_22cf536c | |
| Blue Thunder / int_2310dacb | type |
Dead Man Writing | |
| Blue Thunder / int_2310dacb | comment |
Dead Man Writing: Lymangood's recorded message to Murphy, telling him where he stashed the tapes. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_2310dacb | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_2310dacb | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_2310dacb | |
| Blue Thunder / int_2b706ca | type |
More Dakka | |
| Blue Thunder / int_2b706ca | comment |
More Dakka: | |
| Blue Thunder / int_2b706ca | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_2b706ca | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_2b706ca | |
| Blue Thunder / int_2f1fa94c | type |
Mysterious Middle Initial | |
| Blue Thunder / int_2f1fa94c | comment |
Mysterious Middle Initial: And first-name initial too, with Colonel F.E. Cochrane. Murphy jokes to Lymangood that the initials stand for "Fuck Everybody" when Lymangood asks. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_2f1fa94c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_2f1fa94c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_2f1fa94c | |
| Blue Thunder / int_2f94135c | type |
Thou Shalt Not Kill | |
| Blue Thunder / int_2f94135c | comment |
Thou Shalt Not Kill: Murphy seems to go out of his way to avoid intentionally killing anybody while flying Blue Thunder around the city. All the killing in the movie, except for the very last battle with Cochrane, is done by the bad guys, nameless cops, or misguided military personnel (seriously, how do you justify firing heat-seeking missiles around in a goddamn city?). | |
| Blue Thunder / int_2f94135c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_2f94135c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_2f94135c | |
| Blue Thunder / int_35499a79 | type |
Title-Only Opening | |
| Blue Thunder / int_35499a79 | comment |
Title-Only Opening: One of the earlier examples of this trope, with all other credits (plus the title) only appearing at the end. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_35499a79 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_35499a79 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_35499a79 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_373283c9 | type |
This Cannot Be! | |
| Blue Thunder / int_373283c9 | comment |
This Cannot Be!: Cochrane's reaction when Murphy manages to perform the loop. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_373283c9 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_373283c9 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_373283c9 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_3eb8ba12 | type |
Description Porn | |
| Blue Thunder / int_3eb8ba12 | comment |
Description Porn: Sgt. Short, when describing the helicopter's weaponry. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_3eb8ba12 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_3eb8ba12 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_3eb8ba12 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_3ec7c277 | type |
Every Car Is a Pinto | |
| Blue Thunder / int_3ec7c277 | comment |
Every Car Is a Pinto: Remarkably averted, to the point where things that you'd think would explode pretty easily — like helicopters — don't, even when shot out of the sky by Blue Thunder's rotary cannon. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_3ec7c277 | featureApplicability |
-1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_3ec7c277 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_3ec7c277 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_3f0b2f50 | type |
Make It Look Like an Accident | |
| Blue Thunder / int_3f0b2f50 | comment |
Make It Look Like an Accident: Early on, Cochrane sabotages Murphy's helicopter during a tryout flight in an attempt to get him out of the way. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_3f0b2f50 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_3f0b2f50 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_3f0b2f50 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_3fb02630 | type |
Conveniently Empty Building | |
| Blue Thunder / int_3fb02630 | comment |
The presumably high casualty count from a heat-seeking missile hitting a skyscraper is barely acknowledged. Either that or it's a Conveniently-Empty Building. Frame-by-frame will reveal a large number of missing windows, but is it abandoned or slipshod Special Effects? | |
| Blue Thunder / int_3fb02630 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_3fb02630 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_3fb02630 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_41f3b3a2 | type |
Generic Cop Badges | |
| Blue Thunder / int_41f3b3a2 | comment |
Generic Cop Badges: The squad cars have a huge "Metropolitan Police" decal on the front doors. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_41f3b3a2 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_41f3b3a2 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_41f3b3a2 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_424c9a9b | type |
Cold-Blooded Torture | |
| Blue Thunder / int_424c9a9b | comment |
Cold-Blooded Torture: Of the breaking fingers variety, used on Lymangood. Notably, it doesn't work; as soon as they let up he tries to escape. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_424c9a9b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_424c9a9b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_424c9a9b | |
| Blue Thunder / int_44dd01be | type |
Tagalong Kid | |
| Blue Thunder / int_44dd01be | comment |
Tagalong Kid: Lymangood is assigned to the Astro Division as an "observer" and Murphy gets the duty of shepherding him around. Though not a pilot himself, he becomes fairly useful by tracking down some crucial plot clues. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_44dd01be | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_44dd01be | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_44dd01be | |
| Blue Thunder / int_4a3e547f | type |
Leaning on the Fourth Wall | |
| Blue Thunder / int_4a3e547f | comment |
Leaning on the Fourth Wall: Lymangood comments to Murphy in a recorded message that it seems like they're playing "cops and robbers for real." | |
| Blue Thunder / int_4a3e547f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_4a3e547f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_4a3e547f | |
| Blue Thunder / int_4d070ee3 | type |
Power Perversion Potential | |
| Blue Thunder / int_4d070ee3 | comment |
Power Perversion Potential: A variant — the Astro Division has a penchant for peeking in windows, and Murphy taking Lymangood to visit the "girl in Encino" (who happens to be quite fond of nude yoga and has a very large picture window) is what gets him grounded the first time. In another variant, on the test flight with Blue Thunder, they hover outside a fellow officer's house. Utilizing the aircraft's "Whisper Mode" and directional mics, they capture the explicit activities of said officer and his wife... and proceed to blast it out of the loudspeakers. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_4d070ee3 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_4d070ee3 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_4d070ee3 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_4d1b485d | type |
Dedication | |
| Blue Thunder / int_4d1b485d | comment |
Dedication: "For Warren Oates, with love for all the joy you gave us". | |
| Blue Thunder / int_4d1b485d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_4d1b485d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_4d1b485d | |
| Blue Thunder / int_4df647d9 | type |
Billed Above the Title | |
| Blue Thunder / int_4df647d9 | comment |
Billed Above the Title: Roy Scheider gets this honor here. All the credits are run at the end, and after the title the other actors aren't billed until after not only the writers but several key crew members — in particular the cinematographer and film editors — get their credits. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_4df647d9 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_4df647d9 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_4df647d9 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_4e6e4dc7 | type |
The Coroner Doth Protest Too Much | |
| Blue Thunder / int_4e6e4dc7 | comment |
The Coroner Doth Protest Too Much: The councilwoman's murder early in the film is written off as a common street crime, with only Murphy insisting that it was far too complex and well-planned. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_4e6e4dc7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_4e6e4dc7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_4e6e4dc7 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_4f84cdef | type |
Smug Snake | |
| Blue Thunder / int_4f84cdef | comment |
Smug Snake: Cochrane is insufferably smug and faux cheery, particularly with his habit of pointing a finger gun and clicking his tongue at Murphy just to taunt him. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_4f84cdef | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_4f84cdef | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_4f84cdef | |
| Blue Thunder / int_53c9fc92 | type |
Flashback | |
| Blue Thunder / int_53c9fc92 | comment |
Murphy flashbacks repeatedly to a helicopter flight where a Vietnamese soldier was thrown to his death, but the memory always cuts off before the end. In the final battle, he seems to unlock the full memory, revealing that Cochrane is the one who did it. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_53c9fc92 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_53c9fc92 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_53c9fc92 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_5527dc0c | type |
Plot Coupon | |
| Blue Thunder / int_5527dc0c | comment |
Plot Coupon: The tape containing the evidence to unmask the Government Conspiracy. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_5527dc0c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_5527dc0c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_5527dc0c | |
| Blue Thunder / int_5670cddb | type |
Troubled Backstory Flashback | |
| Blue Thunder / int_5670cddb | comment |
Troubled Backstory Flashback: Over the course of the film, the audience is privy to Murphy's recurrent flashbacks to his witnessing the death of a Vietnamese solider on one of his missions. In the climax, a final flashback to this includes The Reveal that Cochrane was responsible. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_5670cddb | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_5670cddb | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_5670cddb | |
| Blue Thunder / int_59907e4f | type |
Police Are Useless | |
| Blue Thunder / int_59907e4f | comment |
Police Are Useless: Captain Braddock, he refuses to believe Murphy of the conspiracy and ends up believing him to be Going Postal during the final air chase. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_59907e4f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_59907e4f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_59907e4f | |
| Blue Thunder / int_5a4aa505 | type |
Government Conspiracy | |
| Blue Thunder / int_5a4aa505 | comment |
That helicopter you've created that's good at sneaking up on people's windows and spying on them? It's also perfect for listening in on a Government Conspiracy! | |
| Blue Thunder / int_5a4aa505 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_5a4aa505 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_5a4aa505 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_5c2aea32 | type |
Hot Pursuit | |
| Blue Thunder / int_5c2aea32 | comment |
Hot Pursuit: Murphy's girlfriend attempts to outrun the cops while carrying the tape with the evidence to uncover the conspiracy. Murphy has to rescue her with Blue Thunder. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_5c2aea32 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_5c2aea32 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_5c2aea32 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_6a582e34 | type |
Day of the Jackboot | |
| Blue Thunder / int_6a582e34 | comment |
Day of the Jackboot: Project THOR, which involves quelling urban riots with copious Death from Above. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_6a582e34 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_6a582e34 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_6a582e34 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_6bda9a30 | type |
Meaningful Name | |
| Blue Thunder / int_6bda9a30 | comment |
Meaningful Name: The architects of the Evil Plan probably shouldn't have assigned someone named Murphy to pilot their high-tech helicopter if they wanted everything to go smoothly. Of course, since it is an Evil Plan, Murphy using the helicopter for the "wrong" purpose is a good thing in this case. (The film's main theme is actually called "Murphy's Law".) | |
| Blue Thunder / int_6bda9a30 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_6bda9a30 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_6bda9a30 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_6eb4e408 | type |
Artistic License – Military | |
| Blue Thunder / int_6eb4e408 | comment |
Artistic License – Military: Not the Governor, the Mayor, the Chief of Police, or anyone else can authorize military pilots to fire live missiles (outside of training missions, which are conducted very far from civilian population centers) over the United States. Only the President of the United States can do this. Even getting military support for the operation would have violated Posse Comitatus, because military personnel cannot support civilian law enforcement without a lot of hurdles being cleared. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_6eb4e408 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_6eb4e408 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_6eb4e408 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_70f7063d | type |
Unflinching Walk | |
| Blue Thunder / int_70f7063d | comment |
Unflinching Walk: Subverted. While walking away after having set the Blue Thunder on the rail tracks, Murphy actually does flinch for a moment when freight train crashes into the helicopter. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_70f7063d | featureApplicability |
-0.3 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_70f7063d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_70f7063d | |
| Blue Thunder / int_7115b262 | type |
Repeat Cut | |
| Blue Thunder / int_7115b262 | comment |
Repeat Cut: Used twice, first in the climactic helicopter duel with Cochrane, and then at the end when Blue Thunder is destroyed by a train. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_7115b262 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_7115b262 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_7115b262 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_740f0e9e | type |
Wronski Feint | |
| Blue Thunder / int_740f0e9e | comment |
Wronski Feint: Used by Murphy to dodge heat-seeking missiles, with sunlight reflected from a highrise in one case, and the heat of a barbecue chimney in another. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_740f0e9e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_740f0e9e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_740f0e9e | |
| Blue Thunder / int_762b9223 | type |
Played for Laughs | |
| Blue Thunder / int_762b9223 | comment |
Cochrane's first and middle initals, F.E. - Played for Laughs by Murphy: | |
| Blue Thunder / int_762b9223 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_762b9223 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_762b9223 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_7a143509 | type |
Shell-Shocked Veteran | |
| Blue Thunder / int_7a143509 | comment |
Shell-Shocked Veteran: Murphy's flashbacks are triggered by his Vietnam War experiences and he does various tricks to try to detect if he's still sane (such as constantly using his wristwatch's stopwatch function to see if he still has the ability to measure time). The bad guys even exploit this during the final act by saying that he went berserk and stole the chopper. (The original script concept would have gone even further in a Taxi Driver way.) | |
| Blue Thunder / int_7a143509 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_7a143509 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_7a143509 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_7c1207c1 | type |
Weapons Understudies | |
| Blue Thunder / int_7c1207c1 | comment |
Weapons Understudies: The Blue Thunder uses a modified Aerospatiale Gazelle◊ chassis with a modified cockpit. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_7c1207c1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_7c1207c1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_7c1207c1 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_7eb73553 | type |
Bullying a Dragon | |
| Blue Thunder / int_7eb73553 | comment |
Bullying a Dragon: The two Police choppers who came up after Murphy are very much guilty of this. After spending barely twenty seconds talking to him, they go trigger happy and start spraying him with small arms. What amounts to a prototype super military attack helicopter with massive armor plating. It really can only end one way - and they are incredibly lucky Murphey was very selective with his shots when he returned fire. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_7eb73553 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_7eb73553 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_7eb73553 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_86f4f393 | type |
Stating the Simple Solution | |
| Blue Thunder / int_86f4f393 | comment |
Stating the Simple Solution: After spending a lot of effort chasing down the tape with the evidence, one of the villains asks why they don't just remotely erase it, since it's previously established that they were designed with this functionality. The other villain replies that they don't know the code for the specific tape, to which he is told to just "erase them all", as if it should have been obvious. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_86f4f393 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_86f4f393 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_86f4f393 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_967edd3a | type |
Action Film, Quiet Drama Scene | |
| Blue Thunder / int_967edd3a | comment |
Action Film, Quiet Drama Scene: The third act quest to get the Plot Coupon to the right people is preceded by one, as Murphy listens to poor Lymangood's message about where it's hidden and is clearly struggling with sorrow because this is the last time he'll ever hear his friend's voice, now that the villains have killed him. Lymangood's familiar bantering just twists the knife further, but also gives Murphy that much more motivation to ensure his death was not in vain. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_967edd3a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_967edd3a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_967edd3a | |
| Blue Thunder / int_970c790a | type |
Big Bad | |
| Blue Thunder / int_970c790a | comment |
Big Bad: Colonel F.E. Cochrane. The Greater-Scope Villain is the Government Conspiracy he works for, but amongst the members that appears on screen he looks to be a higher-up. Also, given he was responsible for the murder that's central to Murphy's trauma and flashbacks, in a sense he's been this to Murphy for years. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_970c790a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_970c790a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_970c790a | |
| Blue Thunder / int_97e1ca8c | type |
Almost Lethal Weapons | |
| Blue Thunder / int_97e1ca8c | comment |
Almost Lethal Weapons: In the Blue Thunder TV series, the "Blue Thunder" is still armed with its 20mm Gatling cannon, which sees use Blasting It Out of Their Hands and other trick shooting when the villains of the week are not piloting a Weaponized Car of their own. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_97e1ca8c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_97e1ca8c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_97e1ca8c | |
| Blue Thunder / int_99db72ee | type |
Immune to Bullets | |
| Blue Thunder / int_99db72ee | comment |
Immune to Bullets: Blue Thunder itself, at least to normal ammunition, although it has a few weak spots, particularly when military-issue armor-piercing rounds are involved. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_99db72ee | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_99db72ee | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_99db72ee | |
| Blue Thunder / int_a4be7043 | type |
Da Chief | |
| Blue Thunder / int_a4be7043 | comment |
Da Chief: Captain Braddock of the Astro Division, Murphy's boss, seems to exist mainly to chew him out for insubordination rather than believe his theories about the conspiracy. He even believe Murphy had gone on a chopper rampage during the third act of the film. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_a4be7043 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_a4be7043 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_a4be7043 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_a70223 | type |
Karma Houdini | |
| Blue Thunder / int_a70223 | comment |
Karma Houdini: The goon that kills Lymangood — and who notably was also keeping watch on the robbery/assassination of the Congresswoman that started Murphy's investigation — is never seen again after he does this and one can only hope that he'll be arrested alongside the rest of the T.H.O.R. conspiracy once the investigation happens. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_a70223 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_a70223 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_a70223 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_a74ca4fc | type |
The Peeping Tom | |
| Blue Thunder / int_a74ca4fc | comment |
The Peeping Tom: One scene involves Murphy and Lymangood hovering outside a young lady's picture window to watch her practice nude yoga. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_a74ca4fc | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_a74ca4fc | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_a74ca4fc | |
| Blue Thunder / int_a922f8de | type |
To Be Lawful or Good | |
| Blue Thunder / int_a922f8de | comment |
To Be Lawful or Good: A rather literal example in that the protagonist is a police helicopter pilot who must defy his superiors to stop a Government Conspiracy. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_a922f8de | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_a922f8de | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_a922f8de | |
| Blue Thunder / int_acecb17d | type |
Chekhov's Skill | |
| Blue Thunder / int_acecb17d | comment |
Chekhov's Skill: Murphy's reputation for looping a helicopter (supposedly an aerodynamically impossible feat comes into play in the climactic showdown with Cochrane. Murphy's girlfriend's driving skills (and willingness to go the wrong way down a one-way street). | |
| Blue Thunder / int_acecb17d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_acecb17d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_acecb17d | |
| Blue Thunder / int_acf33d00 | type |
Nice Job Fixing It, Villain | |
| Blue Thunder / int_acf33d00 | comment |
Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: That helicopter you've created that's good at sneaking up on people's windows and spying on them? It's also perfect for listening in on a Government Conspiracy! The bad guys arrange for someone in the media lobby to steal the tape; all he does is free the tape from its container in the struggle — just when his superiors decided to give up on finding the right erase code and just wipe out all data in all tapes. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_acf33d00 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_acf33d00 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_acf33d00 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_b01abe4f | type |
Catchphrase | |
| Blue Thunder / int_b01abe4f | comment |
Catchphrase: Cochrane's "Catch ya later". Reused by Murphy as a Bond One-Liner. Also, "Follow my leader." | |
| Blue Thunder / int_b01abe4f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_b01abe4f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_b01abe4f | |
| Blue Thunder / int_b0cbdcb1 | type |
Black Helicopter | |
| Blue Thunder / int_b0cbdcb1 | comment |
Black Helicopter: Blue Thunder is a very dark blue but it fits the principle of the trope well enough, being designed for stealth and as the tool of a Government Conspiracy. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_b0cbdcb1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_b0cbdcb1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_b0cbdcb1 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_bd79d896 | type |
Minor Crime Reveals Major Plot | |
| Blue Thunder / int_bd79d896 | comment |
Minor Crime Reveals Major Plot: An apparent rape/mugging turns out to be a contracted hit which is in turn part of a larger conspiracy to incite urban riots and unleash the titular Black Helicopter onto them. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_bd79d896 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_bd79d896 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_bd79d896 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_be1e5f7e | type |
Surprise Vehicle | |
| Blue Thunder / int_be1e5f7e | comment |
Surprise Vehicle: Blue Thunder's surprise appearance above an overpass allows Murphy's girlfriend to escape the cops. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_be1e5f7e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_be1e5f7e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_be1e5f7e | |
| Blue Thunder / int_becf7306 | type |
Dead Sidekick | |
| Blue Thunder / int_becf7306 | comment |
Dead Sidekick: Lymangood is murdered by the villains' mooks after escaping interrogation. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_becf7306 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_becf7306 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_becf7306 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_c25c7890 | type |
Fun with Acronyms | |
| Blue Thunder / int_c25c7890 | comment |
Fun with Acronyms: JAFO (Just Another Fucking Observer) And the THOR project itself: Tactical Helicopter Offensive Response. Cochrane's first and middle initals, F.E. - Played for Laughs by Murphy: | |
| Blue Thunder / int_c25c7890 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_c25c7890 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_c25c7890 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_c2d978fe | type |
Car Fu | |
| Blue Thunder / int_c2d978fe | comment |
Car Fu: Lymangood is struck by the mook's car while trying to escape captivity. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_c2d978fe | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_c2d978fe | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_c2d978fe | |
| Blue Thunder / int_c40c8b74 | type |
And Starring | |
| Blue Thunder / int_c40c8b74 | comment |
And Starring: "And Malcolm McDowell" during the end credits. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_c40c8b74 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_c40c8b74 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_c40c8b74 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_c558da6a | type |
Gunship Rescue | |
| Blue Thunder / int_c558da6a | comment |
Gunship Rescue: When Murphy's girlfriend has finally been stopped by the police, he flies Blue Thunder up from beneath an overpass and aiming its gun directly at the cops. They are so startled that she gets the chance to flee. When they collect themselves and give pursuit anyway, he blows their patrol car in half. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_c558da6a | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_c558da6a | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_c558da6a | |
| Blue Thunder / int_c621dd28 | type |
Silent Running Mode | |
| Blue Thunder / int_c621dd28 | comment |
Silent Running Mode: Blue Thunder is equipped with a "whisper mode" that cancels most of the noise from its blades and turbines and lets it hover outside a building with nobody inside any the wiser. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_c621dd28 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_c621dd28 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_c621dd28 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_c732adb7 | type |
Helmet-Mounted Sight | |
| Blue Thunder / int_c732adb7 | comment |
Helmet-Mounted Sight: The direction of the title helicopter's autocannon is controlled by its pilot's helmet. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_c732adb7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_c732adb7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_c732adb7 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_cde175c8 | type |
Fake Static | |
| Blue Thunder / int_cde175c8 | comment |
Fake Static: "Cannot read you, Special Base. Still garbled." Murphy is later called out on this by Captain Braddock. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_cde175c8 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_cde175c8 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_cde175c8 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_ce1c73e2 | type |
Just Plane Wrong | |
| Blue Thunder / int_ce1c73e2 | comment |
Just Plane Wrong: Although the film treats looping a helicopter as aerodynamically impossible, this is not actually the case. It depends more on the performance characteristics of the aircraft in question than an absolute rule of physics. Most helicopters (including the Gazelle) cannot successfully loop because the rotor is mounted directly to the transmission and engine, and the powerpack would rip itself out under the stress of the loop. The Apache and many other modern combat attack helicopters have the rotor mounted on a bearing attached to the airframe, and the driveshaft is separate, so it can handle higher stress, and can pull a loop. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_ce1c73e2 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_ce1c73e2 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_ce1c73e2 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_d7639dba | type |
Achilles' Heel | |
| Blue Thunder / int_d7639dba | comment |
Achilles' Heel: In the climactic battle, Blue Thunder's targeting system is knocked out by a lucky shot. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_d7639dba | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_d7639dba | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_d7639dba | |
| Blue Thunder / int_db33bc7e | type |
Ludicrous Gibs | |
| Blue Thunder / int_db33bc7e | comment |
Discussed during Blue Thunder's demonstration, in which Murphy points out that all of the "terrorist" targets have been destroyed and some "civilian" targets as well as collateral damage (and it's left unsaid they were all shot with a 20mm cannon): | |
| Blue Thunder / int_db33bc7e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_db33bc7e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_db33bc7e | |
| Blue Thunder / int_dd082289 | type |
A Million Is a Statistic | |
| Blue Thunder / int_dd082289 | comment |
A Million is a Statistic: The presumably high casualty count from a heat-seeking missile hitting a skyscraper is barely acknowledged. Either that or it's a Conveniently-Empty Building. Frame-by-frame will reveal a large number of missing windows, but is it abandoned or slipshod Special Effects? Discussed during Blue Thunder's demonstration, in which Murphy points out that all of the "terrorist" targets have been destroyed and some "civilian" targets as well as collateral damage (and it's left unsaid they were all shot with a 20mm cannon): | |
| Blue Thunder / int_dd082289 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_dd082289 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_dd082289 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_e62dfb96 | type |
No Endor Holocaust | |
| Blue Thunder / int_e62dfb96 | comment |
No Endor Holocaust: The question of whether engaging a helicopter with Air Force interceptors over the city is necessarily a good idea is at least brought up, if glossed over. However, the news anchor narrating the ending seems to blatantly ignore any mass casualties from what transpires. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_e62dfb96 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_e62dfb96 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_e62dfb96 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_f2d29e14 | type |
Evil Brit | |
| Blue Thunder / int_f2d29e14 | comment |
Evil Brit: British immigrant Colonel Cochrane serves as a U.S. military pilot. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_f2d29e14 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_f2d29e14 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_f2d29e14 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_f93f10e | type |
Can't Stop The Signal | |
| Blue Thunder / int_f93f10e | comment |
Can't Stop The Signal: The third act's centerpiece action sequence has Murphy providing aerial cover for his girlfriend who is trying to get the tape bearing the evidence to the media. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_f93f10e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_f93f10e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_f93f10e | |
| Blue Thunder / int_f97b5d33 | type |
Shoo Out the Clowns | |
| Blue Thunder / int_f97b5d33 | comment |
Shoo Out the Clowns: Lymangood, the lighthearted sidekick, is killed at the end of the second act. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_f97b5d33 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_f97b5d33 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_f97b5d33 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_fd94c4ac | type |
Theme Naming | |
| Blue Thunder / int_fd94c4ac | comment |
Theme Naming: Central to project THOR is a helicopter dubbed Blue Thunder. | |
| Blue Thunder / int_fd94c4ac | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_fd94c4ac | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_fd94c4ac | |
| Blue Thunder / int_fe64d5a1 | type |
Evil Is Petty | |
| Blue Thunder / int_fe64d5a1 | comment |
Evil Is Petty: Cochrane's sheer hatred and jealousy of Murphy knows no bounds, culminating in his defying orders to stand down and instead continuing his pursuit of Murphy. He ends up paying for this with his life, when Murphy accomplishes the fabled loop-the-loop feat to boot! | |
| Blue Thunder / int_fe64d5a1 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_fe64d5a1 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_fe64d5a1 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_name | type |
ItemName | |
| Blue Thunder / int_name | comment |
||
| Blue Thunder / int_name | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder / int_name | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Blue Thunder | hasFeature |
Blue Thunder / int_name | |
| Blue Thunder / int_name | itemName |
Blue Thunder |
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