Review of The Blue Max (1966) by Sheila C — 22 Aug 2011

As I taxi my aircraft onto the runway, its engine throbbing with delight, I glance at my instructor and he smiles then gives me a thumbs up pointing to the cyan sky and shouts "solo with the birds!".

I pushed my throttle forward and my aluminum wings accelerate down the runway. My wheels leaped from the asphalt and my nose points towards the cotton balled cumulus clouds. The engine and propeller pull me from the soft green earth and that's when I hear over the wind noise the prelude music to the Blue Max by Jerry Goldsmith. Chills go down my spine as the Blue Max theme plays in my head. As I execute a climbing turn to dance among the clouds, my aircraft becomes a Fokker DR VII and I become Lieutenant von Fichthorn of Jasta 11.

I saw the Blue Max with my father. I was eight at the time and that film made me want to be a pilot. Twelve years later Im the top of my flight class as pilot in command and have flown for thirty. The Blue Max is a beautiful film reflection of a time when wood and canvas took to the skies and change the rules of war. Perfect casting and solid story line makes this film an icon in the history of film. Putting together a film with this many antique airplanes could never be perfect, but it comes so close to perfection. No pregnant computer generated dog fights in this film.

When I slide the Blue Max CD soundtrack in my cars stereo system, the Blue Max prelude still sends chills down my spine and I start to scan for English SE-5's on my six. The Blue Max is a must see.