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Blue Thunder

  • 1983
  • R
  • 1h 49m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
25K
YOUR RATING
Blue Thunder (1983)
Official Trailer
Play trailer1:31
2 Videos
99+ Photos
Conspiracy ThrillerCop DramaActionCrimeDramaThriller

Rebellious Vietnam vet and police helicopter pilot Murphy, and his rookie partner, are assigned to test a cutting edge helicopter prototype. Murphy is surprised when the lead pilot turns out... Read allRebellious Vietnam vet and police helicopter pilot Murphy, and his rookie partner, are assigned to test a cutting edge helicopter prototype. Murphy is surprised when the lead pilot turns out to be a fellow vet and personal nemesis.Rebellious Vietnam vet and police helicopter pilot Murphy, and his rookie partner, are assigned to test a cutting edge helicopter prototype. Murphy is surprised when the lead pilot turns out to be a fellow vet and personal nemesis.

  • Director
    • John Badham
  • Writers
    • Dan O'Bannon
    • Don Jakoby
  • Stars
    • Roy Scheider
    • Warren Oates
    • Candy Clark
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    6.4/10
    25K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • John Badham
    • Writers
      • Dan O'Bannon
      • Don Jakoby
    • Stars
      • Roy Scheider
      • Warren Oates
      • Candy Clark
    • 119User reviews
    • 101Critic reviews
    • 66Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 1 win & 4 nominations total

    Videos2

    Blue Thunder
    Trailer 1:31
    Blue Thunder
    Blue Thunder
    Trailer 3:07
    Blue Thunder
    Blue Thunder
    Trailer 3:07
    Blue Thunder

    Photos149

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    + 142
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    Top Cast68

    Roy Scheider
    Roy Scheider
    • Murphy
    Warren Oates
    Warren Oates
    • Braddock
    Candy Clark
    Candy Clark
    • Kate
    Daniel Stern
    Daniel Stern
    • Lymangood
    Paul Roebling
    • Icelan
    David Sheiner
    David Sheiner
    • Fletcher
    Joe Santos
    Joe Santos
    • Montoya
    Malcolm McDowell
    Malcolm McDowell
    • Cochrane
    Ed Bernard
    Ed Bernard
    • Sgt Short
    Jason Bernard
    Jason Bernard
    • Mayor
    Mario Machado
    Mario Machado
    • Mario Machado
    James Murtaugh
    James Murtaugh
    • Alf Hewitt
    Pat McNamara
    Pat McNamara
    • Matusek
    Jack Murdock
    Jack Murdock
    • Kress
    Clifford A. Pellow
    • Allen
    • (as Clifford Pellow)
    Paul Lambert
    Paul Lambert
    • Holmes
    Phil Feldman
    • Colonel Coe
    John Garber
    • Tough Mechanic
    • Director
      • John Badham
    • Writers
      • Dan O'Bannon
      • Don Jakoby
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews119

    6.424.7K
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    Summary

    Reviewers say 'Blue Thunder' Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Curabitur pretium tincidunt lacus.

    Nulla facilisi etiam dignissim diam quis enim lobortis scelerisque
    Lorem ipsum dolorSit amet consecteturAdipiscing elitSed do eiusmodTempor incididuntUt labore et doloreMagna aliquaUt enim ad minimVeniam quisNostrud exercitation
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    Related interests

    Gene Hackman in The Conversation (1974)
    Conspiracy Thriller
    Ethan Hawke and Denzel Washington in Training Day (2001)
    Cop Drama
    Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988)
    Action
    James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)
    Crime
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Did you know

    • Trivia
      One reason Roy Scheider made this film was so that he would be unavailable to get cast as Chief Brody in Jaws 3-D (1983), though he also admitted in an interview that the "Jaws" producers knew better than to ask him to play Brody again.
    • Goofs
      Cochrane chides Frank Murphy in the garage. "I heard your turbine failed. Or was it your flying?" His lips appear to say, "Shit happens" instead of "Or was it your flying."
    • Quotes
      • Jack Braddock: You think I don't know about that silly twit up in Encino, for Chrissakes? I had twenty years in this outfit, when your idea of a good time was sittin' in front of the TV tube, watchin' Bugs Bunny and gnawing on your Fudgsicle!
    • Crazy credits
      There are no opening credits after the title is shown.
    • Alternate versions
      When "Blue Thunder" was first released on video in Sweden, the scene where Kate drives to the the TV station with the videotape, involved a crazy stunt when she drives into a narrow alley and meets a police car that comes the other way. To avoid a disaster, Kate flips her car on its side, hits its roof on a wall and flips back again. In later video versions, the stunt is gone. We only see the car when it enters the alley and then we see her driving on the freeway with a strange damage on the roof.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Blue Thunder/Return of the Jedi/Breathless/La Traviata (1983)
    • Soundtracks
      Theme From Blue Thunder (Murphy's Law)
      (uncredited)
      Written by Arthur B. Rubinstein
      Performed by Arthur B. Rubinstein, Cynthia Morrow, Brian Banks and Anthony Marinelli (as the Beepers)
      Produced by Evan Pace
      Associate Produced by Reno Romano

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    FAQ2

    • Why was Commissioner Diane McNealy assaulted?
    • What are the differences between the DVD Version and the VHS/Laserdisc Versions?

    Details

    • Release date
      • May 13, 1983 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Sony Pictures (United States)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Relámpago azul
    • Filming locations
      • Circus Liquor - 5600 Vineland Avenue, North Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA([5:19] Liquor store robbery. This was also used in an anti-smoking commercial)
    • Production companies
      • Columbia Pictures
      • Rastar Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    • Budget
      • $22,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $42,313,354
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $8,258,149
      • May 15, 1983
    • Gross worldwide
      • $42,313,354
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    • Runtime
      • 1h 49m(109 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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