Exploding Helicopter

“They call him Gojira, you moron!”

No fictional character has appeared in more films with an exploding helicopter than Godzilla.

So, on this show, we’re looking at the Big G’s controversial appearance in Roland Emmerich’s GODZILLA (1998).

Show notes

Godzilla (1998)
Director: Roland Emmerich
Cast: Matthew Broderick, Jean Reno
Plot: French nuclear tests irradiate an iguana into a giant monster that heads off to New York City. The American military must chase the monster across the city to stop it before it reproduces.

Episode 116.

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“It’s a great plan - if it was 1985.” 

As The Expendables 4 cranks into gear, we thought it was a good time to take a look at the last entry in the pensioner-led action franchise.

Our special guest on this episode is author, filmmaker, and bad film aficionado Timon Singh.

Show notes
The Expendables 3 (2014)
Director: Patrick Hughes
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson.
Plot: Barney hires a team of new blood to take down Conrad Stonebanks, a notorious arms dealer who also happens to be the Expendables co-founder.

Episode 115.

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Website: Born To Be Bad
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“Let me guess – you saw that work on Inspector Gadget?”

On this show we take a look at the bizarre attempt to turn Jim Belushi into a James Bond-style action hero.

We’re joined by Matt Poirier from the DTV Connoisseur who helps us try and understand how everyone’s second favourite Belushi has managed to maintain a forty-year screen career and discuss a unique exploding helicopter scene.

Show notes

Royce (1994)
Director: Rod Holcombe
Cast: James Belushi, Miguel Ferrer, Peter Boyle, Anthony Head
Plot: A group of former covert black ops agents plan to steal five nuclear warheads and sell them to a South American drug cartel. The only man who can stop them is their former colleague: secret agent Shane Royce.

Episode 114.

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“When I asked for your advice, I didn’t mean you should actually speak.”

After 6 years of podcasting, Exploding Helicopter is pleased to finally have a guest who actually knows what they’re talking about. So, on this show, we’re joined by nuclear weapons expert and host of The Super Critical Podcast, Tim Westmyer, to review THE SUM OF ALL FEARS (2002). A film which sees two of the world’s great superpowers brought to the brink of nuclear war.

We discuss biscuits, footballs, two-man rules and a unique exploding helicopter.

Show notes

Director: Phil Alden Robinson
Cast: Ben Affleck, Morgan Freeman, Liev Schreiber, James Cromwell, Philip Baker Hall, Alan Bates, and Ciarin Hinds
Plot: When the President of Russia suddenly the change in political leaders sparks increasing tensions between the United States and Russia. Then the unthinkable happens: a nuclear bomb explodes in a US city, and America is quick to blame the Russians.

Episode 113.

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“Sometimes you gotta shoot a hostage.”

Is Kevin Costner the greatest actor of all-time? Or is he more like a jar of peanut butter you find at the back of the kitchen cupboard? These are among the many important questions we ponder as we review Big Kev’s coastguard drama THE GUARDIAN (2006).

Our guest on this show is Kevin Costner aficionado – and Waterworld apologist – Barry Riddell from the Tru Bromance Podcast.

Show notes

Director: Andrew Davis
Cast: Kevin Costner, Ashton Kutcher, Clancy Brown, John Heard
Plot: A high school swim champion with a troubled past enrolls in the U.S. Coast Guard's "A" School, where legendary rescue swimmer Ben Randall teaches him some hard lessons about loss, love, and self-sacrifice.

Episode 112.

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Twitter: @TruBromanceCast
Website: truebromancefilm.com

"At sunset - all birds look black."

In 1991 the Soviet Union collapsed and the newly independent state of Russia was ready to embrace those familiar symbols of Western capitalist decadence: big macs, blue jeans and, of course, action films. So, on this show, we’re reviewing Russia’s first attempt at an American-style action film: RED MOB (1992).

Show notes

Red Mob (1992)
Director: Vsevolod Plotkin
Cast: Vladimir Menshov
Plot: After mobster kidnap his son, an Afghan war veteran is blackmailed into leading a gun smuggling operation across the border.

Episode 111.

Twitter: @chopperfireball
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“Black – just like the heart of the space programme!”

When the world zigs left, Exploding Helicopter likes to zag right. So, with Godzilla vs Kong stomping around in cinemas, we naturally headed straight for The Asylum’s mockbuster take on the film, APE VS MONSTER (2021).

• We’re joined by Nick Rehak to look at the film’s surprisingly interesting plot which takes in Eighties Cold War conspiracies, sexual politics, and some very dubious science. We also identify a new exploding helicopter film trope!

Show notes
Director: Daniel Lusko
Cast: Eric Roberts
Plot: An ape crash-lands on Earth, which creates a sludge that makes him and a passing scorpion grow to giant-size, resulting in a fight for dominance.

Episode 110.

“No risk, no reward.”

Revenge is a dish best served in celluloid. Or so thought legendary Hong Kong director Jing Wong after he had a falling-out with Jackie Chan. The resulting, score-settling film was HIGH RISK (1995), a 100 minute-long takedown of the acclaimed martial artist.  

Helping Will investigate the beef behind the backstory is Alex Rallo from One Perfect Headshot. They discuss what led the two movie moguls to loggerheads, some stunning action set pieces, and Wong’s peculiar brand of toilet humour.

Show notes

High Risk (1995)

Director: Jing Wong

Cast: Jet Li, Jacky Cheung, Chingmy Yau and Wu Ma

Plot: After his wife and child are killed by a terrorist known only as The Doctor, Kit Li retires from the police to work as a bodyguard and secret stunt double for the cowardly martial arts film star Frankie Lane. While Frankie is attending an event at a Hong Kong hotel, The Doctor's gang take over the building giving Ki Li the chance to take his revenge.

Episode 109

“There’s never a cop around when you need one.”

When you boil it all down, Charlton Heston was known for two types of films, biblical epics and science fiction sagas. So, on this show, we’re hurtling into the near future to review a film about a plague hit Earth, THE OMEGA MAN (1971).

Joining us to review the film is a woman who always dresses for dinner on Sunday, Erica Shultz from Customers Also Watched. 

Show notes

The Omega Man (1971)

Director: Boris Sagal

Cast: Charlton Heston, Rosalind Cash, Robert Zerbe

Plot: Robert Neville is the only survivor following an apocalyptic war waged with biological weapons. The plague caused by the war has killed everyone except a few hundred deformed, nocturnal people calling themselves "The Family". 

Episode 108.

“Welcome to the revolution!”

Over the years, Dolph Lundgren has starred in plenty of big budget action films like Universal Soldier and The Expendables films. Now, Exploding Helicopter could have reviewed one of the Swedish muscleman’s more prestigious outings, but that’d be boring. Instead we’re looking at the under-the-radar classic, Bridge Of Dragons (1999).

Joining Will on this episode is Sweden’s second greatest muscle guy, Fred Andersson from Schmollywood Babylon and The Human Centipod.

Show notes

Bridge Of Dragons (1999)

Director: Isaac Florentine

Cast: Dolph Lundgren, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Gary Hudson

Plot: An evil General seeks to quash a popular uprising by marrying the daughter of the ruler he murdered. But when his bride absconds, the dictator sends a loyal soldier to recapture her triggering a series of events that lead to his downfall.

Episode 107.