Airwolf - Tuono d'acciaio

Hollywood enjoyed a period of unprecedented interest in technology during the mid-1980s with super vehicle shows such as AIRWOLF, BLUE THUNDER, THE HIGHWAYMAN, KNIGHT RIDER and the underated STREET HAWK.

Borne from the mind of one of US Television's most creative writers of quality entertainment - Donald P. Bellisario who brought us TALES OF THE GOLDEN MONKEY, MAGNUM P.I., QUANTUM LEAP and currently with the military drama series, J.A.G., it had everything with action, adventure, espionage, adult scripts, international intrigue, coupled with real-world politics (which is rare in Hollywood) even pushing some right-wing, hawkish politics into the middle of the action.

With grim-as-granite Jan-Michael Vincent in the main role as loner pilot, Stringfellow Hawke, aided by Oscar-winning movie veteran, Ernest Borgnine and a support cast including movie actor, Alex Cord (and C.I.A. Deputy Director - Michael Archangel) and TV regular Jean Bruce Scott, it was a show on the edge, that, with the exciting aerial climax at the end of most episodes pushed the boundaries of television with its movie quality action sequences, technology and locations (including the beautiful Monument Valley in Utah).

It now has a sizeable following of loyal fans worldwide (the Wolf Pack), including many people who became pilots (military and commercial) through their love of the show - many fans of which have been following the commercially successful shows of Donald Bellisario (Belisarius Productions) from its humble beginnings in the early 1980s, including the current success of J.A.G. on CBS.

A show which deserved a bigger following at the time, it's a rare gem of television history.

Airwolf, the movie that launched the hit TV series, is a fast-paced political thriller, set in the mid-80s when the Americans were at odds with the Libyans. Unlike the pilots for shows such as The A-Team and Knight Rider, this is quite a dark affair. The inventor of Airwolf, Dr. Charles Moffatt, is a psychopath. Despite being a genius, he is clearly unbalanced - just watch the scene where he tests out Airwolf's devastating weaponry on the control tower. He originally built the hi-tech, hi-speed bulletproof chopper for the FIRM, a CIA-type organization who specialize in cases involving national security, but after the control tower massacre, defected to the Libyans and started performing aerial missions for them. Michael Coldsmith Briggs III, codename Archangel, is a head of the FIRM and one of the few survivors of Moffatt's slaughter. He tries to persuade Stringfellow Hawke, Vietnam veteran and ace pilot, to go to Libya to retrieve Airwolf, but he will not do it, unless the FIRM try and find his brother, an MIA in 'nam. Eventually, String goes to Libya with his best friend Dominic Santini and his girlfriend, a FIRM agent, is also on the same mission.

Airwolf is a character piece. We get to know Stringfellow Hawke as a bitter young loner who likes attracting eagles with his cello playing. He has a tragic history as both his parents died when he was 12, his fiancee was killed in a car crash and his brother went missing in action. His friend Dominic is a very cheerful father figure, ready to help String whenever he can, but he can be a bit talkative. Archangel, on the other hand, seems a bit shifty. Later on as the series progressed, he was seen as a true blue good guy, but in this film, he is another typically shady government operative, determined to get the job done and willing to sacrifice the lives of those under his command. It's good to see Hawke punch him in one sequence, because he ate his dog's steak!

British actor David Hemmings is suitably creepy and cold-eyed as Moffatt, but of course, the main highlights are the scenes with Airwolf. When that classic Sylvester Levay tune plays, you know you're gonna have some action. The beginning demo sequence, when Dom and String steal the Wolf from the air base and the explosive desert battle / confrontation are top notch. This was a show that put the likes of Knight Rider in the shade, thanks to solid characters, terrific action and engaging stories.

This is my all time favorite. Borgnine and Vincent gives a really good acting in this tv show. Bellisario has created this master piece. The best tv show ever. Jan-Michael vincent rules.Also check out Nightrider and A-team.

Oh, my. When I was a kid I couldn't miss a week of this series, and this is the movie that started it all. It really has a decent plot, given the times it was made in. In 1984, the idea of a third world nation like Libya getting something nasty from a shadowy mercenary type was very real. In 1982, Israel had taken out an Iraqi nuclear reactor that Saddam Hussein had bought from contacts in Europe. In 1982, also, the Falklands war saw the British running into a lot of trouble with Exocet missiles hitting their destroyers.

In "Airwolf," one scene which took a lot of guts to do features an attack by the hijacked helicopter launched against a destroyer. The idea of nasty weapons getting to nations that might mean ill to people has only become more powerful. In 1987, three years after the television movie aired, a U.S. Frigate, the Stark, was "accidentally" hit for real by an Iraqi fighter in the Persian Gulf.

So, in that context, and with the height of the Cold War, the idea of powerful organizations like "The Firm" that Moffet was working for and which our two main pilot good guys get involved with, made for some powerful stuff. The performances only added to the power of it, especially for a kid like myself, with Jan-Michael Vincent doing a great job as the brooding, reluctant hero, and Ernest Borgnine (Who I had only seen doing comedy in reruns of "McHale's Navy" at the time) doing incredible work as well. This series really was a nice thing for him, and boy did he deserve the chance to do something like this. Finally, who could forget Alex Cord as Archangel, all in white except for the black lens in his glasses over his injured eye? White limousines, a white helicopter of his own, and beautiful female aides dressed in white, and the cane he walked with because of his injuries. Definitely a chilling figure in his own right. Man, this was an awesome show for a kid in 1984. Also, it makes points about the duties of people to what is right, the question of when the lines of the fight for good cross with the desire for power, and all the classic stuff. Bellisario came through with this and "Magnum, P.I." about the same time, I believe, which was quite good for him. Everyone associated with this project turned in good work - including the folks who designed the fold-out cannons on Airwolf's winglets, which were impressive in how they folded out and so forth. - Vincent was awesome in the melancholy and quiet scenes where he was just playing his cello by the lake or hanging out and thinking. The show topped this all off with one of the best scores of the 1980s. Definitely a winner. The toppings are all there, but underneath, with the writing, directing, and the performances, the substance is there in force. Great, great show.

The 1980's were the best time for action fans. During that decade we had The A-Team, Knight Rider, Street Hawk, The Fall Guy and my personal favourite Airwolf.

In this movie Stringfellow Hawke is asked by some government agency to retrieve a billion dollar helicopter stolen by a Dr. Moffett who is working with the Libyans. And we get action and suspense throughout.

Airwolf was quite a dark show. It aired during the mid 80's when the cold war was still very hot and paranoia was at an all time high. Jan Michael Vincent and Ernest Borgnine did a great job as the duo sent to retrieve Airwolf. Vincent played Hawke who was a moody and pessimistic Vietnam veteran whose brother became missing in action. He was perfect for this role.

Alex Cord played Archangel who worked for the government agency (it was referred to as The Firm throughout the series but that was all we knew) and he seemed innocuous enough although you could never be sure what his real motives were.

The best things about Airwolf was the music and the action. The music was so cool and the action scenes were fantastic. At the end Airwolf is in Libya evading missiles and battling helicopters and Moffett himself and the action doesn't let up for a minute.

Damn good series!