Blue Thunder is now 26 years old, The film revolves around Frank Murphy (Roy Scheider) a Los Angele’s Police Department (LAPD) helicopter pilot and troubled Vietnam War veteran with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  The night shift is about to begin Murphy is assigned a new partner Richard Lymangood (Daniel Stern) who is given the nickname “JAFO” the pair take off in one of the helicopters while on patrol they spot an abandoned vehicle with no plates,  in the Brentwood neighborhood,  pretty upscale.  They called it in and continue on patrol,  later that evening they are called back to the the same area to assist ground units in arresting two suspects for robbery and rape of city councilwoman Diane McNeely who later dies in hospital.  The next day Murphy is informed that he and his co-pilot have been  chosen to test pilot an advanced helicopter nicknamed “Blue Thunder” which is to be used by the LAPD.  That afternoon Murphy is taken to a demonstration for this new helicopter which has a chain gun in the nose capable of dealing out precise firepower,  a full surveillance platform with video,  infra-red  and audio capabilities as well as a whisper mode which cancels a lot of the noise from the blades and turbine boost for the two turbines for extra amount of power and can also access almost any computer database in the world.   When the Blue Thunder lands after the demonstration,  Murphy is surprised to see an old nemesis on board Colonel Cochrane (Malcolm McDowell) commander of his unit in Vietnam.  The next night Murphy and Lymangood fly Blue Thunder for a test flight at night they find plenty of harmless targets to test the various capabilities of Blue Thunder on,  as they are returning to base they spot Cochrane leaving and decide to follow him who ends up at the Federal building.  Hovering outside Murphy orders whisper mode activated, thermal vision activated and audio surveillance activated,  Murphy and Lymangood listen in on Cochrane’s conversation with a group of government officials discussing the killing of councilwoman McNealy.  Then Cochrane looked out the window only to see Blue Thunder looking back at him,  Murphy and Lymangood quickly return to base.  Lymangood quickly removed the tapes of Cochrane’s conversation from Blue Thunder and went home and hid the tapes,  Murphy went to see Braddock only to find Icelan in Braddock’s office thus leaving Murphy with no choice but to keep silent.  The next morning Lymangood was killed,  Murphy goes to  Astro Division HQ and sneaks into the main hangar and onto Blue Thunder he reinserted the fuse into the cockpit recorder and found Lymangood’s last message,  he hid the video tape in a dumpster out by a drive in theater’s projection shack.  Murphy quickly put on his helmet and started Blue Thunder´s engines and took off just as Cochrane and others were deciding what to do next they saw him take off.  Murphy quickly used mobile operator to place two calls,  one to Alf Hewitt the channel 8 investigative reporter and one to Kate (Candy Clark) his girlfriend,  asking her to go find the tape at the dumpster.  Kate goes to the dumpster out by a drive in theater’s projection shack and obtains the tape only to chased by the police, she is stopped on a bridge and the officers with pistols drawn order her out of her car when Murphy shows up in Blue Thunder.  The officers were distracted by Blue Thunder so Kate drove away.  The officers tried to pursue but Murphy activated the cannon and in a quick burst cut the police car in half allowing Kate to escape.  Kate made it to Channel 8 and gave the tape to Alf Hewitt but not before she was nearly stopped in the lobby by Fletcher who was killed by a security guard.   Cochrane has ordered two Air Force fighters to shoot down Murphy in Blue Thunder,  one of the fighters fires a Sidewinder missile at Murphy but misses and blows a BBQ restaurant to bits instead.  Murphy activates the nose cannon and with a long burst caught one of the F-16′s in the wing.  The pilot ejects before the plane explodes,  Murphy watches the F-16 pilot drifting back down to earth under his parachute when Cochrane attacks from his blind side wounding Murphy and causing the nose cannon to be jammed in the straight ahead position.   The two adversaries dogfight among the skyscrapers and landmarks of the city Murphy decides to end it he enables the turbine boost on both engines and goes for a 360 vertical loop,  Cochrane tries to follow but Blue Thunder has already completed the loop and with his cannon pointing up as Cochrane’s chopper is stuck in the sky, trying to loop but can’t Murphy fires and Cochrane’s chopper explodes.  The sky is getting dark Murphy spots a freight train traveling at a moderate speed and lands Blue Thunder ahead of the train and walks away as the train smashes Blue Thunder into pieces.

Roy Scheider
Roy Scheider was an American actor he was best known for his role as Police Chief Martin Brody in Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster Jaws (1975). His films include The Curse of the Living Corpse (1964), Paper Lion (1968), Stiletto (1969), Loving (1970), Puzzle of a Downfall Child (1969), Klute (1971), The French Connection (1971), The Outside Man (1972), The Assassination (1972), The Outside Man (1972), The Seven Ups (1973), Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York (1975), Jaws (1975), Marathon Man (1976), Sorcerer (1977), Jaws 2 (1978), Last Embrace (1979), All That Jazz (1979), Still of the Night (1982), Blue Thunder (1983), 2010 (1984), The Men’s Club (1986), 52 Pick Up (1986), Cohen and Tate (1988), Listen to Me (1989), Night Game (1989), The Fourth War (1990), The Russia House (1990), Contact: The Yanomami Indians of Brazil (1991), Naked Lunch (1991), Romeo is Bleeding (1994), The Definite Maybe (1997), Plato’s Run (1997), Executive Target (1997), The Rage (1997), The Myth of Fingerprints (1997), The Peacekeeper (1996), The Rainmaker (1997), Evasive Action (1998), Better Living (1998), The White Raven (1998), Chain of Command (2000), Falling Through (2000), The Doorway (2000), Daybreak (2000), The Feds: U.S Postal Inspectors (2002), Love Thy Neighbor (2002), Red Serpent (2002), The Good War (2002), Angels Don’t Sleep Here (2002), Citizen Verdict (2003), The Punisher (2004), Last Chance (2006), The Poet (2007), If I Didn’t Care (2007) and Iron Cross (2009).  He has appeared in TV series such as Camera Three, Hallmark Hall of Fame, Coronet Blue, N.Y.P.D, seaQuest DSV, Third Watch and Law and Order Criminal Intent.  Roy Scheider died on February 10 2008 aged 75 in Little Rock, Arkansas at the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences Hospital.

Malcolm McDowell
Malcolm McDowell is an English actor his career has spanned more than forty years.  His films include if (1968), Figures in a Landscape (1970), The Raging Moon (1971), A Clockwork Orange (1971), O Lucky Man (1973), Royal Flash (1975), Aces High (1976), Voyage of the Damned (1976), Tigers Are Better Looking (1979), The Passage (1979), Caligula (1979), Time After Time (1979), Cat People (1982), Britannia Hospital (1982), Blue Thunder (1983), Cross Creek (1983), Get Crazy (1983), The Caller (1987), Buy & Cell (1987), Sunset (1988), Il maestro (1989), Mortacci (1989), Maggio musicale (1989), Moon 44 (1990), Class of 1999 (1990), Jezebel’s Kiss (1990), Schweitzer (1990), In the Eye of the Snake (1990), Disturbed (1990), Assassin of the Tsar (1991), Chain of Desire (1992), Vent d’est (1993), Night Train to Venice (1993), Bopha (1993), Milk Money (1994), Star Trek: Generations (1994), Sharks of the Red Triangle (1995), Exquisite Tenderness (1995), Dangerous Indiscretion (1995), Cyborg 3: The Recycler (1995), Tank Girl (1995), Fist of the North Star (1995), Ringer (1996), Where Truth Lies (1996), Kids of the Round Table (1997), 2103: The Deadly Wake (1997), Asylum (1997), Hugo Pool (1997), Mr Magoo (1997), The Gardener (1998), Fatal Pursuit (1998), The First 9 1/2 Weeks (1998), Southern Cross (1999), Love Lies Bleeding (1999), My Life So Far (1999), Y2K (1999), Gangster No 1 (2000), The Barber (2001), Dorian (2001), Just Visiting (2001), Beings (2002), Between Strangers (2002), I Spy (2002), I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead (2003), Tempo (2003), The Company (2003), Red Roses and Petrol (2003), Hidalgo (2003), Evilenko (2004), Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius (2004), Tempesta (2004), In Good Company (2004), Rag Tale (2005), Mirror Wars: Reflection One (2005), Cut Off (2006), Bye Bye Benjamin (2006), The List (2007), Exitz (2007), Halloween (2007), Doomsday (2008), The Evening Journey (2008), Halloween II (2009), Suck (2009), The Book of Eli (2010), Barry Munday (2010), Monster Butler (2010), Easy A (2010), Pound of Flesh (2010) and Golf in the Kingdom (2010).  He has appeared in TV series such as Knock on Any Door, Emergency Ward 10, St Ives, Z Cars, Love Story, Boy Meets Girl, Dixon of Dock Green, Tales from the Crypt, Frasier, Monk, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Heroes, CSI: Miami, Entourage and The Mentalist. He has also provided the voices for Dr Calico a character in Disney’s Bolt, Metallo in Superman The Animated Series and Mad Mod in the cartoon Teen Titans. He has also provided the voice for the character President John Henry Eden in the video game Fallout 3.

Warren Oates
Warren Oates was a American actor best known for his performances in several films directed by Sam Peckinpah.  His films include Yellowstone Kelly (1959), The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond (1960), Private Property (1960), Ride the High Country (1962), Hero’s Island (1962), Mail Order Bride (1964), Major Dundee (1965), Return of the Seven (1966), The Shooting (1967), Welcome to Hard Times (1967), In the Heat of the Night (1967), The Split (1968), Lanton Mills (1969), Smith (1969), Crooks and Coronets (1969), The Wild Bunch (1969), Barquero (1970), There Was a Crooked Man (1970), Two Lane Blacktop (1971), The Hired Hand (1971), Chandler (1971), The Thief Who Came to Dinner (1973), Tom Sawyer (1973), Dillinger (1973), Kid Blue (1973), Badlands (1973), The White Dawn (1974), Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974), Cockfighter (1974), Race with the Devil (1975), 92 in the Shade (1975), Dixie Dynamite (1976), Drum (1976), American Raspberry (1977), Sleeping Dogs (1977), China 9, Liberty 37 (1978), The Brink’s Job (1978), 1941 (1979), Stripes (1981), The Border (1982), Blue Thunder (1983) and Tough Enough (1983).   He has appeared in TV series such as Wagon Train, Tombstone Territory, Rawhide, Wanted Dead or Alive, Have Gun Will Travel, The Big Valley, Gunsmoke, The Rifleman, The Twilight Zone and Lost in Space.   Warren Oates died of a sudden heart attack in Los Angeles, California on April 3 1982 at the age of 53.

Candy Clark
Candy Clark is an American actress her films include Fat City (1972), American Graffiti (1973), I Will, I Will for Now (1976), The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976), Handle with Care (1977), The Big Sleep (1978), When You Comin Back, Red Ryder (1979). More American Graffiti (1979), National Lampoon’s Movie Madness (1982), Q (1982), Blue Thunder (1983), Hambone and Hillie (1983), Amityville 3-D (1983), Cat’s Eye (1985), At Close Range (1986), Blind Curve (1988), The Blob (1988), Cool as Ice (1991), Deuce Coupe (1992), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992), Radioland Murders (1994), Niagara, Niagara (1997), Cherry Falls (2000), The Month of August (2002), The Big Empty (2005), Zodiac (2007), Dog Tags (2008), Bob’s New Suit (2009), Cry of the Mummy (2009) and The Informant (2009).  She has appeared in TV series such as Room 222, The New Perry Mason”, Banacek, Shelley Duvall’s Faerie Tale Theatre, Simon & Simon, Starman, Hunter, Magnum P.I, Matlock, St Elsewhere, Father Dowling Mysteries and Baywatch Nights.

Daniel Stern
Daniel Stern is an American actor he is known for his roles in the Hollywood films City Slickers and the first two Home Alone films.   His films include Breaking Away (1979), Starting Over (1979), A Small Circle of Friends (1980), Stardust Memories (1980), One Trick Pony (1980), It’s My Turn (1980), Honky Tonk Freeway (1981), Diner (1982), I’m Dancing as Fast as I Can (1982), Blue Thunder (1983), Get Crazy (1983), Daniel (1983), C.H.U.D (1984), Frankenweenie (1984), Key Exchange (1985), Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), The Boss’ Wife (1986), Born in East L.A (1987), The Milagro Beanfield War (1988), D.O.A (1988), Leviathan (1989), Friends, Lovers & Lunatics (1989), Little Monsters (1989), Coupe de Ville (1990), My Blue Heaven (1990), Home Alone (1990), City Slickers (1991), Home Alone 2 Lost in New York (1992), Rookie of the Year (1993), City Slickers II The Legend of Curly’s Gold (1994), Bushwhacked (1995), Celtic Pride (1996), Very Bad Things (1998), How to Kill Your Neighbor’s Dog (2000), Viva Las Nowhere (2001), The Last Full Measure (2004), The Last Time (2006), Otis (2008), A Previous Engagement (2008), Red State Blues (2009), Whip It (2009) and The Next Three Days (2010).   He has appeared in TV series such as Hometown, Comedy Factory, SeaQuest DSV, Gun, Dilbert, Danny, Regular Joe and Monk.

Joe Santos
Joe Santos is an American actor his films include Warm Nights and Hot Pleasures (1964), Flesh and Lace (1965), Moonlighting Wives (1966), My Body Hungers (1967), The Detective (1968), The Panic in Needle Park (1971), The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight (1971), The Legend of Nigger Charley (1972), Shaft’s Big Score! (1972), Shamus (1973), The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973), The Don Is Dead (1973), Blade (1973), Zandy’s Bride (1974), A Knife for the Ladies (1974), Blue Thunder (1983), Fear City (1984), The Education of Allison Tate (1986), Beverly Hills Brats (1989), Revenge (1990), The Last Boy Scout (1991), Mo Money (1992), Art Deco Detective (1994), Trial by Jury (1994), The Postman (1997), The Right Way (1998), Hammerlock (2000), Auggie Rose (2000), Proximity (2001) and The Man from Elysian Fields (2001).   He has appeared in TV series such as Room 222, Barnaby Jones, Kung Fu, Baretta, Police Story, Black Sheep Squadron, The Rockford Files, Me and Maxx, Jessie, Hill Street Blues, The A Team, Remington Steele, T.J Hooker, The Twilight Zone, MacGyver, Magnum P.I, Murder She Wrote, Miami Vice, Quantum Leap, Hunter, NYPD Blue and The Sopranos.
Click to view Blue Thunder trailer