Exploding Helicopter

“Most human problems can be solved with an appropriate charge of high explosive”

During the 1980s, it seemed as if Hollywood sent every one of its action stars on unsanctioned missions to Vietnam to rescue American POWs. But before Chuck Norris and Sylvester Stallone got in on the MIA rescuing act, it was the more unlikely figure of Gene Hackman who first went in to get ‘our boys’ back. So, on this show, we’re looking at the film that kicked off an entire sub-genre of the Eighties Namsploitation movie boom, UNCOMMON VALOR (1983).

We’re joined by Todd Liebenow from the Forgotten Filmcast to discuss Nam movie tropes, the film’s wildly eclectic cast, and whether America got to win this time.

Show notes

Director:  Ted Kotcheff
Cast: Gene Hackan, Patrick Swayze, Randall ‘Tex’ Cobb, Fred Ward, Reb Brown, Robert Stack, Tim Thomerson, Harold Sylvester
Plot: Ten years after his son went M.I.A. in Vietnam, U.S. Marine retired Colonel Jason Rhodes assembles a private rescue team to find Americans held in P.O.W. camps in Laos.

Episode 146.

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“Strange... I seem to remember... that the cathedral was on the other side of the square.”

On this episode of Exploding Cable Car we take a look at the classic war epic WHERE EAGLES DARE (1968).

We discuss inept interrogation tactics, Richard Burton’s bad mood, and all the explosive cable transportation action.

Episode 145.

“It’s time to befriend the devil.”

On this episode we return to the world of Bollywood to look at Shah Rukh Khan’s action blockbuster PATHAAN (2023). We fire up the wind machine so Asim Burney from the Khandaan podcast can make a suitably dramatic return to the show.

We discuss screen bromances, scandalous bikinis, and whether it’s not too late for us to get a sculpted six pack.

Episode 144.

Show notes

Director: Siddharth Anand
Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, John Abraham, Deepika Padukone, Salman Khan, Dimple Kapadia
Plot: An Indian agent races against a doomsday clock as a ruthless mercenary, with a bitter vendetta, mounts an apocalyptic attack against the country.

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“Gentlemen – cancel your turkey orders.”

On this show we rig for silent running and plunge below crush depth to review the French submarine thriller The Wolf’s Call (2019).

Show notes

The Wolf’s Call (2019)
Director: Antonin Baudry
Cast: Francois Civil, Omar Sy, Reda Kateb
Plot: In the near future, a French submarine finds itself in a crisis situation.

“You wouldn’t hit a lady would ya?”

Over a near 20-year period Clint Eastwood was one of the most popular box office stars in American cinema. On this episode we take a look at a film from Old Squint’s commercial pomp, THE GAUNTLET (1977).

We take a look at a film that appears to be just another run of the mill cop thriller from the Man With No Name, but under the surface turns out to be peculiarly odd.

Episode 142.

“She was as easy to crack as a raw egg.”

On this episode we take a look at one of the most important exploding helicopter scenes in film history. But before we do that, we discuss Narrow Margin (1990), Peter Hyams’ remake of a film noir classic.

Film notes

Narrow Margin (1990)
Director: Peter Hyams
Cast: Gene Hackman, Anne Archer, M Emmet Walsh, JT Walsh
Plot: A Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney is sent to protect a woman who accidentally witnessed a Mafia murder.

Episode 141.

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“Wow – that tongue thing is amazing.”

On this episode we take a look at Michael Bay’s The Island (2005).

We discuss how well the inventor of ‘Bayhem’ handles a film which attempts an exploration of philosophical and ethical questions whilst trying to figure out why we keep wanting to buy expensive consumer goods. Oh, and of course we take a look at the exploding helicopter action. 

Episode 140.

“Have you received adequate training for your profession?”

On this show we’re taking a look at the Michael Douglas noughties comeback THE SENTINEL (2006).

After a three year absence from acting everyone’s favourite recovering sex addict returned to the big screen with presidential assassination conspiracy thriller. Did we suffer a fatal attraction for The Sentinel? Or did fail to satisfy our basic instinct? After that we take some time to consider the musical career Kiefer Sutherland. Lucky us…

Episode 139.

Show notes

The Sentinel (2006)
Director: Clark Johnson
Cast: Michael Douglas, Kim Basinger, Kiefer Sutherland, Eva Longoria
Plot: A Secret Service agent is framed as the mole in an assassination attempt on the President. He must clear his name and foil another assassination attempt while on the run from a Secret Service Protective Intelligence Division agent.

“You may be bulletproof – but you’re not love proof.”

On this show we take a look at the cult Eighties action film BULLETPROOF (1987).

We’re joined by Matt Poirier from the DTV Connoisseur to discuss the action movie credentials of Gary Busey, why you should take a nap around this film’s third innings, and whether it provided inspiration to the writers of The Simpsons. We also review the exploding helicopter action and discuss a method of chopper destruction that’s only been seen 8 times in the entirety of film history!

Show notes

Bulletproof (1987)
Director: Steve Carver
Cast: Gary Busey, Henry Silva, Danny Trejo, William Smith, LQ Jones, RG Armstrong. 
Plot: McBain - a former CIA agent turned renegade – loose cannon cop is called back to action by The Agency when an experimental, super tank is stolen. Our hero is sent to Mexico to recover the super weapon from the rag tag collection of Arab terrorists and Latin American commies who are behind the heist. 

Episode 138.

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“Now – just blink for yes – or die for no.”

Over a 40-year career John Frankenheimer earned himself a reputation as one of Hollywood’s foremost directors of action and suspense films. Here we're joined by Nick Rehak to take a look at one of his less heralded films, Black Sunday (1977). While it may not have the prestige and plaudits of The Manchurian Candidate, Seven Days In May or Ronin, it does have an exploding helicopter (which elevates its status in our eyes).

Show notes

Black Sunday (1977)
Director: John Frankenheimer
Cast: Robert Shaw, Steven Keats, Bruce Dern, Marthe Keller
Plot: Terrorists attempt to blow up a Goodyear blimp hovering over the Super Bowl stadium in an attempt to kill the American president and 80,000 spectators.