Writer and director Donald P. Bellisario synthesized "Blue Thunder" and "Firefox" for the pilot episode of the "Air Wolf" series on CBS-TV. The melodramatic action series ran three years on CBS and one on cable before it got canceled. Basically,our clean-cut, rugged hero, Stringfellow Hawk (Jan Michael Vincent of "Defiance") is an expert chopper pilot when he isn't living alone at a remote cabin where he thrives on both his grandparents' collection of classic art and the animals that live in the woods. Hawk has a Bluetick Coonhound named "Tet." Hawk's life changes when CIA honcho Michael Coldsmith Briggs III, Code-Named Archangel, (Alex Cord of "The Brotherhood") decides to dispatch him to Libya to steal the prototype of a new high-tech supersonic chopper with an extremely lethal arsenal. Co-starring as Vincent's sidekick of sorts is perennial favorite Ernest Borgnine of "The Dirty Dozen" who plays the hopelessly optimistic Dominic Santini. It seems that both of Hawk's parents died, and Dominic raised him after that tragedy. Dominic and Hawk's father had been World War II fliers. In this episode, we learn how the chopper was created and then hijacked by its villainous creator Dr. Charles Henry Moffet (David Hemmings of "Blow-Up") and taken to Libya. The use of a green lizard in the first scene when Airwolf is revealed is imaginative. The pilots that climb aboard the helicopter appear appropriately sinister in their huge, darkly visored helmets and jump suits. Dr. Moffet demonstrates what Airwolf can do to a Congressman and then unleashes its entire arsenal at the spectators and wounds ArchAngel. "Airwolf" was a slick, dependable, but predictable action series.
3 Reviews
Don't make shows on this budget anymore!
mm-391 January 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Don't make shows on this budget anymore! Unless the show is on A M C and or H B O! Well Shadow of the Hawke was right after the 84 Super Bowl win. I ran down to my buddy Tony's place! Tony is an Air Force fan, and we watched the Premier, which was one wild ride. Just like the Raiders and Allen destroying the defending champs Air hit the air in the same way. What works if the duality of Hawke a cocky guy with a soft heart. Loves the woods and eagles and playing the cello, but can go on dangerous mission and hit hard with Airwolf. What helps out Hawke is Santini his partner who balances Hawkes rough edges out and provides much needed logistics for the troubled flawed hero. Then Hawke's handlers is Arch Angel who sees Hawke as a much need asset. The viewer does not know if its a private or government out fit, but Arc Angel creates a partnership with Hawke. Anyways (I digress) Shadow of the Hawke has a high budget of tanks and troops, as Hawke and Santini go on a clandestine mission to retrieving Airwolf from Libya. Shadow of the Hawke has Hawke pitted with a arrogant bad guy and the viewer learns the reason of Hawke's pain. Fast paced action with real air footage, mixed with an interesting plot blended with humor. The Hollywood stunt scene is great. Shadow of the Hawke get's the viewer hooked.
Shadow of the Hawke - Parts 1 & 2
Prismark1030 April 2018
Inspired by the film Blue Thunder. Airwolf was a rather pompous series of an hi tech super chopper operated by the rugged and rather anal Stringfellow Hawke (Jan Michael Vincent.)
This two part episode sees a prototype helicopter being tested by Dr Charles Moffet (David Hemmings) who goes rogue and steals it. He shoots the assembled observers and takes the prototype to Libya.
One man codenamed 'Archangel' survives, he is the head of a shadowy covert organisation and he goes to see Hawke in is remote cabin and asks him to recover Airwolf. However Hawke would only do it if the Firm finds his brother, missing in Vietnam as a POW.
The series was created by Donald P. Bellisario who also wrote and directed this episode. He starts off a with an interesting scene with a lizard before Airwolf takes off. However this episode also epitomises the Reaganite 1980s. It is all machismo, our humourless hero has original artwork such as Van Gogh in his cabin, the paintings in the museums are fake he tells one of the Archangel's assistant.
We see Hawke take down an actor on the Universal backlot trying to show off that he can actually pilot a chopper, because you see, Hollywood liberals are wimps. Although sidekick Santini played by Ernest Borgnine is dressed like someone who would rather dance all night long in a LA gay club.
Hawke is a loner and bit of a loser in the lottery of life. Everyone close to him dies. In some ways he reminds me of General Maximus Decimus Meridius from the Oscar winning Gladiator, everyone close to him died as well. Maybe both characters should had been called 'Lucky!'
David Hemmings who incidentally did appear in Gladiator, has a fruity old time playing the villain especially when he gets to torture exotic dancers suspected of being US agents out in the Libyan desert.
This two part episode sees a prototype helicopter being tested by Dr Charles Moffet (David Hemmings) who goes rogue and steals it. He shoots the assembled observers and takes the prototype to Libya.
One man codenamed 'Archangel' survives, he is the head of a shadowy covert organisation and he goes to see Hawke in is remote cabin and asks him to recover Airwolf. However Hawke would only do it if the Firm finds his brother, missing in Vietnam as a POW.
The series was created by Donald P. Bellisario who also wrote and directed this episode. He starts off a with an interesting scene with a lizard before Airwolf takes off. However this episode also epitomises the Reaganite 1980s. It is all machismo, our humourless hero has original artwork such as Van Gogh in his cabin, the paintings in the museums are fake he tells one of the Archangel's assistant.
We see Hawke take down an actor on the Universal backlot trying to show off that he can actually pilot a chopper, because you see, Hollywood liberals are wimps. Although sidekick Santini played by Ernest Borgnine is dressed like someone who would rather dance all night long in a LA gay club.
Hawke is a loner and bit of a loser in the lottery of life. Everyone close to him dies. In some ways he reminds me of General Maximus Decimus Meridius from the Oscar winning Gladiator, everyone close to him died as well. Maybe both characters should had been called 'Lucky!'
David Hemmings who incidentally did appear in Gladiator, has a fruity old time playing the villain especially when he gets to torture exotic dancers suspected of being US agents out in the Libyan desert.
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