Cloud Dancer (1980) User Reviews

Carradine soars

[PeterMitchell-506-564364 · 7/10 · 7 February 2013]

This time, Carradine's not racing cars, he's flying planes in a breathtaking show of aerobatics. It's a darn Pity there wasn't more of a story or a plot. But all the aerobatic, especially at the start makes up for it. Carradine, turns in a good performance as a man driven by what he does best, if that means subjecting himself to a couple of nose bleeds. He falls in love too, his older retarted brother not wanting him to fly, fearing for him. This is a movie for the whole family, drama, and a bit of action off the airstrip. Wannabe younger pilot Bottoms forms a friendship with Carradine, who takes him under his wing so to speak. Bottoms, brings a bit of trouble down on him, getting into a bit of mischief from some bad guys. We too have a somewhat dramatic end, where may'be Carradine has pushed himself way too far. Cloud Dancer is a must of entertainment, if only watching for all the different sort of air stunts, where there's no denying it's an impressive display. Your eyes will be be absolutely riveted to the screen. Being a Disney film, back in the eighties, they charged me a dollar more for this, but it was worth it, let me tell you.

Excellent aerobatic scenes

[Kenny-36 · 10/10 · 3 June 1999]

The plot's a little thin in this film. It deals with competition aerobatics and the main character's unwillingness to be in a long term relationship for fear of passing on a defective gene to future children. The side plot is teaching a rising aerobatic pilot the tricks of aerobatics while teaching him to live by clean living and giving up trafficing in drugs. Even with the thin plot the aerobatics and filming were good and this was a very entertaining and well done film.

My favourite flying film

[Checkboard · 8/10 · 4 June 2009]

I was an aerobatic instructor in the late 80's and this was my favourite film. That sounds like an inane statement - but when a pilot can tell you they like a film about flying, then you have some idea that the life of flying and the flying itself has been captured with a sympathy which is very rare in flying movies.

The drug-running side plot is a shame, as it detracts from the main plot - when it would have been so easy to script enough drama to fill the movie. Filming is without blue screen, many of the pilots are depicted by serious aerobatic flyers of the time, and David Carradine does a very good job.

I even like the music.

a little known fact about this film

[tubbm · 10/10 · 12 March 2007]

I must have seen this film about 100 times. My dad, Terry Tubb, and my grandfather, Walt Tubb were in this film. My dad and grandfather were aerobatics pilots back in the 70's before I was born. My grandfather played one of the judges and also did some of the aerobatics routines in his 'mythical pitts' and my father does a lot of the flying in his pitts special. The thing that most people don't know is that when they filmed Brad's older friend 'walt"'s plane crash scene where he dies, my grandfather Walt Tubb, flew that sequence in his airplane to make it look like he was spinning out of control and falling towards the earth. My grandfather said he got a weird feeling after filming this scene. He died shortly after the film wrapped flying in an airshow where he crashed the very plane he did a 'pretend' crash sequence for. He died before both I was born. I never knew him, and as a young child when I watched this movie, I thought I was watching my grandfather die. It wasn't until I was older that I understood what it really meant.

Very good aerobatic film

[catalog2006 · 3 February 2006]

it is rare, that a film that shows the life of a extreme sport competitor, also has a side story and some side action. In cloud dancer you will see how the aerobatic circus is run and you will also see the best maneuvers in 1980, before the monoplane revolution, when performing an uncoordinated maneuver with a 180HP biplane was a real RISK. Many of todays top pilots started by dreaming with Carradine and his Pitts. Most tech aspects of the film are accurate and the filming is fairly good for a series B production, much better that many top dollar Hollywood products. An entertaining film that is a MUST HAVE for every aviation enthusiast. ED

Old movies are more human than movies full of CGI today

[yaning-liu · 10/10 · 16 September 2018]

I like the way David Carradine portrayed Brad, always smiling even when in pain. The funeral speech is especially heartfelt to me. He talked about reincarnation, that their passion for flying came from past life time, when they could fly without wings or planes...What a wonderful film that shouldn't be forgotten.

Kung-Fu Flying!

[quiet-4 · 30 September 2004]

I remember seeing parts of this movie back in the 80's on Showtime or HBO or The Movie Channel or something like that, and being somewhat taken aback that they were showing aerobatics in prop-driven airplanes in a movie that wasn't a period piece!

I had a very difficult time tracking this down to rent, and had to pay a $150.00 deposit when I finally did.

The first 10 minutes alone were worth the price of the rental: excellent shots from inside and outside of the cockpit, fairly well edited. Anyone who is remotely interested in aerobatic flying will love this film.

As for the rest, the acting was poor and the plot was worse. But the flying made it all worthwhile!

PS They did an excellent job of making it look like David Carradine was actually flying the airplane. I assume that they used a two-place Pitts for the inside-cockpit shots, and Mr. Carradine really made it look like he was flying, rather than just being along for the ride! Fung-Ku pilot! It would have been better if they'd had him pack all his belongings in a tiny bedroll and head for the next airport on foot or something else more in the spirit of his old TV show.

A1 life time pilots film

[neryuus · 10/10 · 7 June 2006]

Not only,no 1 would ever see this film well 4get it,but also well keep watching it over & over maybe till the end of his life & life of his kids & grand kids too...etc. It's truly a highly recommended film 4 all kind of aircraft pilots. Actors r very excellent.The plot's a little thin in this film. It deals with competition aerobatics and the main character's unwillingness to be in a long term relationship for fear of passing on a defective gene to future children. The side plot is teaching a rising aerobatic pilot the tricks of aerobatics while teaching him to live by clean living and giving up trafficking in drugs. Even with the thin plot the aerobatics and filming were good and this was a very entertaining and well done film.

A good flying film

[bobbyp1966 · 8/10 · 7 June 2009]

Brad Randolph (Carradine) has a lot on his life's plate: he flies aerobatics, is mentoring a protégé in aerobatics and trying to keep him away from air drug-smuggling, has a girlfriend who wants a committed relationship but fears an offspring would be afflicted by the same defective gene which affects his brother, who he loves a great deal. To top it off, he's affected by blackouts which put him at risk in the air, but he flies anyway. Brad comes under further pressure when his girlfriend turns up pregnant, and more so when he comes to the rescue of his protégé, pitting himself and a T-tail Piper Lance against a P-51 Mustang flown by a smuggler in a rather spectacular aerial scene. By the time the dust settles, Brad is ready to compete in an airshow and comes to grips with his worries and his life when he's spared in a plane accident and he meets his new child. Of course, at the end, everything's gonna be alright.

Not a bad film, really. It's good to see Carradine in a role other than Kwai Chang Caine.