WWI Aviation Movie

Well, ya'll, on a positive note you can look forward to The Aviator, out later this year, about Howard Hughes. Seems a great part of the story is his filming the Hell's Angels movie. Maybe some good recreated scenes of that.

As for thinking everything will be measured against the Blue Max, I'll let you in on what happened to me. Steve may have a comment about this too. After reading some development notes, I stated I did not want mine to turn into a British version of the Blue Max. The producer said, "I don't know what The Blue Max is."

Needless to say I nearly fell off the furniture. But remember. Blue Max came out in 1965. Most producers weren't even BORN then!!

So that comparison might only be valid among nostalgic types, like on this thread

Anyway, enjoying the discussion. Helps me see what a potential audience thinks

Cheers,
Scarlett

[Barrett]

My previous cynical comment about audiences being about TGW obviously applies to producers! And probably critics. Some years ago I was astonished when Joel Siegel of Good Morning America (or whatever) said he'd never seen The Great Escape. A major Steve McQueen vehicle--methinks Siegel did not realize how impossibly iggerant he appeared to millions of viewers.

[Zeppelin]

Most Excellent Thread!

We all realize, I guess, that the question is "If you could have one WW1 Aviation flick, AND ONLY ONE, what would it be about?" -- since we all seem to realize that we would be lucky to see one film on WW1 aviation get done. Thinking about that though, I realized that there is another facet of Hollywood, that is, if you have a blockbuster, it opens the doors to knockoffs, sequels, and similar productions. Just follow the impact of Saving Private Ryan and Gladiator and Apollo 13.

If you can generate a sequel from a success then you have huge potential for acceptance. I think that the idea of a fictional character is therefor the most practical one. However, instead of making the character a composite of many others, why not let him interact with the historical characters. Put him in the company of the great ones, and let the audience sympathetically react with him to the losses and triumphs of these famous persons, then wish him on to success because the audience has now developed a relationship with the character. What he learns, we learn, and root for him. Keep him alive at the end and there's a potential sequel.

Just thinkin',
Zeppelin

[wulffo]

albert ball for obvious reasons...

and if you want depth go for wilhelm frankl. a german pilot of the early war flying contemporary to richthofen and boelcke. of jewish origin, died for germany was erased from the honour roll during the nazi time and reinstated post wwii with a bundeswehr squadron named after him. pilot of the first hour 1913, pour le merite, 20 kills, one of the leading aces early in the war.... would love to do a book about him one day....

[Alan]

Originally posted by wulffo@Mar 10 2004, 11:30 AM
[b] would love to do a book about him one day....

It's never too late to start!

[Shooter]

Actually, a definitive book on Ball is crying to be done, wulffo. Many have tried and I find all efforts thus far to be wanting.

So, if you got enough ass in your britches, guy, go for it. I bought Billy Haiber's study of Frank Luke and I would be happy to do the same for you.

See, you have not even put pen to paper and already you have sold one copy!


Shooter sends

Wulffo,

I think a book on any personality is worth doing. There is so much simply recycled out there -- note the latest book "Dogfight". Nothing new.

I have turned up some new research on Ball, thought about going for a new biography. Also have some leads no one has ever followed. But it is danged hard to live on the wrong side of the pond, and seeking some help researching, when no one will answer emails!!

I've made several trips but never get finished before I have to leave again.

Do have a new book project started to die for....surprised no one else has found this! Will keep you posted once I've gotten all the rights issue settled.

Later,
Scarlett

[Barrett]

I wonder if the Ball family would co-operate with a serious biographer. Got no idea who's still around but presumably any relatives would appreciate the lad's record--and legacy.

Hurdles regarding audience aside, I think for sheer excitement in a life, I would have to go with Nungesser. Film starts in South America and a boxing match that a nameless youth wins over a bullying pug, switches to a soldier turned hero for capturing German officers and making the lines in their staff car, then moves to a playboy flyer's life. One who is carried to his machine and, with enough panache for five men, is still tragically flawed. Crash kills his good friend and driver and nose wiper and he is wounded mentally when a German aviator follows him to a landing field and waves in salute instead of shooting our hero down. It ends with one who has seen too much to sit still crashing into the woods in New England trying to be the first to fly the Atlantic.
If it wasn't true , I don't think I would believe it ! Good God, get a screenwriter up here.
DD

RE: Ball --I'm in touch with the Ball family, they gave me permission to write the screenplay.

RE: Nungesser -- Have you seen the great kids' movie Restless Spirits? It's a pretty good little ghost story about kids who find Nungesser and Colli's ghosts along with the crashed plane in a Newfoundland pond.

Ghosts don't know they're dead. It's a Canadian movie.

Simple, but I really enjoyed it.

Cheers,
Scarlett