‘The Blue Angels,’ filmed for IMAX, puts viewers in the ‘box’ with the elite flying squad

‘The Blue Angels,’ filmed for IMAX, puts viewers in the ‘box’ with the elite flying squad

‘The Blue Angels,’ filmed for IMAX, puts viewers in the ‘box’ with the elite flying squad

If you’re looking for a little bit of that “Top Gun: Maverick” spectacle and thrill at the movie theater this summer, you’re in luck

ByLINDSEY BAHR AP film writer

May 17, 2024, 10:58 AM

    If you’re looking for a little bit of that “ Top Gun: Maverick ” spectacle and thrill at the movie theater this summer, you’re in luck. A groundbreaking new documentary, “ The Blue Angels,” is flying onto IMAX screens for one week, through May 22.

    Using IMAX-certified cameras mounted on a helicopter, the filmmakers were granted unprecedented access to the U.S. Navy’s Flight Demonstration Squadron, both on the ground and in “the box,” the tightly guarded performance airspace. Unlike in a Hollywood movie, there were no staged recreations, second takes or computer-generated shots. And they had about “5% of the budget" “Top Gun” had, those involved estimated.

    The film was the brainchild of Rob Stone and Greg “Boss” Woolridge, a former Blue Angel and subject of a 1994 film about one of their historic tours in Europe. COVID-19 derailed plans to follow their 75th anniversary season, but a silver lining would emerge in the delay. By that point, aerial coordinator Kevin LaRosa II had worked several times with actor Glen Powell, on “Top Gun” and “Devotion.” Powell, he’d learned, had grown up with a Blue Angels lithograph in his childhood bedroom.

    “(Powell) said, ‘I’ll hook you up with the Creative Artist Agency in Hollywood and we’ll get this done,’” Woolridge said in a recent interview.

    Soon, they were also talking to J.J. Abrams’ company Bad Robot and figuring out ways to collaborate with IMAX and show audiences things that no civilian has seen before, under the direction of filmmaker Paul Crowder.

    Abrams, who also produced, had grown up living across the street from a former Blue Angel pilot and wrote in an email that he'd “always been intrigued by their skill, bravery and heroism.” This film would take that fascination to the next level.

    “The footage was filmed especially for IMAX," Abrams continued. "Watching these pilots do their thing in this format — the jets literally inches apart — is utterly bonkers. Truly spectacular to see.”

    One of the craziest ideas was to put a helicopter with a camera mounted on it in the middle of a demonstration, in airspace where no civilian aircraft has ever been allowed. It would be during a practice demonstration, but Wooldridge is quick to remind that there is no real difference between a practice and the real show when it comes to execution, the level of excellence expected and the danger involved.

    “When Kevin said, ‘let’s do this’ my eyes got as big as saucers," Wooldridge said. "I led the (Blue Angels) on three occasions and I said, ‘I’m not sure I would allow this to happen."

    LaRosa had exhaustively studied how it might happen safely and ensured everyone was properly debriefed. Still, on the day, everyone was prepared to hear “no maneuver” over and over as everyone got used to the distraction of a helicopter in their airspace. Much to their surprise, the “boss” never called “no maneuver.” It all went according to plan.

    “We researched every possible way to film that information, and everybody’s done it different ways from the ground. But to get into the air with a wing-mounted camera and all the cameras in the cockpit?” Woodridge said. “It was unbelievable.”

    LaRosa had done such a good job flying the helicopter that they were able to inch even closer to the jets by the end of the shoot. Crowder also used a Phantom camera, which can shoot 1,000 frames per second (the standard is 24 fps), to get spectacular shots of the vapors coming off the jets.

    Beyond the spectacle, the film looks at the people in the jets as well, including the first woman to fly with the squadron as a pilot, Lt. Amanda Lee, of Mounds View, Minnesota.

    “You can read all you want, but until you’ve spent time in Pensacola at the air base and really spend time with these guys, watching them do what they do and dedicated everything that they are to it, you don’t really get it,” Crowder said. “What we were hoping to do in the film was to portray a lot of that.”

    After its one-week IMAX run, “The Blue Angels” will be available to stream on Prime Video starting May 23. Crowder recommends ignoring “mom’s advice” and sitting as close to the screen as possible for the best viewing experience.

    Woodridge, who led the Blue Angels three times, said the experience of watching this film is better than being up there.

    “I’ve seen it from the cockpit, my cockpit, a bunch. I’ve seen it from the ground as we debrief,” he said. But I’ve never seen it the way you see it in this movie. The perspective was so much better than I ever saw as a pilot. I’m wowed and awed by it.”

    OTHER NEWS

    14 minutes ago

    Deadly Premier League fixture run involving Arsenal and Liverpool to all but decide title

    14 minutes ago

    Man Utd fixtures 2024/25 in full: Erik ten Hag faces difficult Christmas and tough run-in

    15 minutes ago

    Orlando Pirates legend compares star to Real Madrid prodigy

    15 minutes ago

    ‘I racked up £68k of student debt for a degree I don’t even use’

    15 minutes ago

    Economic policies dominate Iran's presidential debate ahead of June 28 vote

    15 minutes ago

    First Time Since 2014, Opposition To Get Leader In Lok Sabha But It May Not Be Rahul Gandhi

    15 minutes ago

    Gas to play a ‘very significant role’ in firming up Australia’s energy supply: Littleproud

    15 minutes ago

    Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, team work lead Celtics to 18th NBA championship

    16 minutes ago

    Turkey vs Georgia LIVE: Euro 2024 team news, line-ups and more ahead of Group F match today

    16 minutes ago

    Disney Movie And TV Flops That Are Actually Worth Watching

    17 minutes ago

    Opioid deaths in Ontario shelters more than tripled during pandemic, study finds

    19 minutes ago

    ‘Wicked’: Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo Keep CinemaCon Aglow With Tulip-Lit Caesars Colosseum

    19 minutes ago

    Universal Wows CineEurope With “Thriller” Clip From Michael Jackson Biopic ‘Michael’; Highlights ‘Wicked’ & Packed Upcoming Slate

    19 minutes ago

    China now has 500 nuclear warheads with its nuclear arsenal now growing 'faster than any other country', think tank warns

    19 minutes ago

    Video: Harry Garside reveals the one distraction that helped him through his court case ordeal after Olympics 2024 star was falsely accused of domestic violence by ex-girlfriend

    19 minutes ago

    Video: Getting into the Euros spirit! Cute moment elderly woman on balcony delights Austrian fans in Düsseldorf by lifting her arms - causing huge football crowd to chant back

    19 minutes ago

    Video: See the Northern Lights... from space! Stunning video filmed by NASA astronaut shows a brilliant green aurora from 250 miles above Earth

    19 minutes ago

    Desperate New Zealand mum's plea to find her three young children after they went missing 2.5 years ago

    19 minutes ago

    Wayne Rooney names surprise defender as 'one of the best penalty takers I've ever seen' and admits it winds him up when players 'mess around' practicing spot kicks in training

    19 minutes ago

    LISTEN to It's All Kicking Off! The Phil Foden debate: Does he get dropped? Does he play at No 10 for England? Should Palmer or Gordon come in?

    20 minutes ago

    Reports: Orlando Pirates sign Richard Ofori replacement

    20 minutes ago

    Raw and real: SA woman's heartfelt video captures the agony of missing a loved one

    20 minutes ago

    Desperate New Zealand mum's plea to find her three young children after they went missing 2.5 years ago

    20 minutes ago

    New look Spain and Italy meet in highly anticipated Euro clash

    20 minutes ago

    MPA responded within 11 minutes of being alerted to oil spill, cleanup to ‘take time’: Chee Hong Tat

    20 minutes ago

    Jail for man who co-hosted drug-filled party for 36 during Covid-19 pandemic

    20 minutes ago

    Profile: Who is Sir Ian McKellen?

    20 minutes ago

    Biden rules issued from now on vulnerable to repeal if he loses

    20 minutes ago

    Eden Project Dundee set to transform former gasworks after plans approved

    20 minutes ago

    LIVE: Eamon Ryan to step down as leader of the Green Party

    20 minutes ago

    'We don't need to sell this summer' - Frank

    20 minutes ago

    Ricky Gervais makes huge move in bid to end ‘sickening’ trophy hunting

    20 minutes ago

    F1 confirm Brad Pitt movie release date as Lewis Hamilton role emerges

    24 minutes ago

    I spotted a pea-sized 'freckle' on my penis, months later it had to be amputated. Now I'm warning others how to avoid every man's worst nightmare

    24 minutes ago

    Getting into the Euros spirit! Cute moment elderly woman on balcony delights Austrian fans in Düsseldorf by lifting her arms - causing huge football crowd to chant back

    25 minutes ago

    Robbie Savage takes head coach job at Macclesfield, the club he part-owns

    26 minutes ago

    Tributes pour in for Dario G star Paul Spencer following death aged 53

    26 minutes ago

    Thailand set to approve same-sex marriage in potential 'victory for the people'

    26 minutes ago

    Portugal vs. Czechia expected lineups, starting 11, team news: Cristiano Ronaldo begins Euro 2024 campaign

    26 minutes ago

    Specialist doctors accept enhanced Government pay offer after months of talks