@chimichanga1254 The movie title is Final Coundown where USS Nimitz is transfered to December 6 1941 by a mysterious storm. The F-14 or Tomcats are sent to scout the surrounding area where they encounter the Japanese Zeros. The Zeros are considered the best warplanes during the early years of World War 2. After witnessing the attack on a defenceless yatch, the captain authorizes the F-14 to take down the Zeros.
@EntomologyPurdue Seeing as how the Nimitz was nuclear powered, and if it had just been refueled, it would last for at least twenty years. Now, back in WW2 a ships only real defense against fighters were Flack Guns(anti-aircraft). A F-14, or any of the other craft carrying missiles, could attack out of the AA guns range of fire easily.
@EntomologyPurdue Seeing as how the Nimitz was nuclear powered, and if it had just been refueled, it would last for at least twenty years. Now, back in WW2 a ships only real defense against fighters were Flack Guns(anti-aircraft). A F-14, or any of the other craft carrying missiles, could attack out of the AA guns range of fire easily.
I seem to remember a few years after the movie was released, 60 Minutes did a story about a court-martial of one of the Naval Officers involved with the film. Does anyone remember the particulars of this event?
@drogonax That was the whole point...what if you attempted to change history, and how would it affect everything? Also remember, when the strike package was inbound to the Japanese fleet the storm came back and took them back to modern times.
@crustywasp Not to mention one of the most expensive to maintain. It took about 15 hours of maintenance after each flight. Now, if they ever remade this movie and sent back a ship from the present, the Fighter of choice would be the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning 2.
I love this movie, but I have a couple of questions. If they had stayed in 1941, fine, they would have destroyed the Japanese carriers headed for Pearl, but after a while, the American planes would have run out of gas and it's not like they could have just brewed up some JP5. After that they would have been little more than scrap metal sitting on a carrier deck. My second question is why didn't the captain simply arm some planes with Harpoons and fire them before passing back through the warp.
@rbilleaud after defeating the Japanese fleet soundly and without casualties, they would have gone to the US and with the resources of the whole country behind them, it wouldn't take long to figure out how to make jet fuel
Also I imagine the Manhatten Project would be considerably easier with a few naval nuclear engineers working on it
Thanks for posting! that's some great aerial footage of the tomcats. When the F14's are "cleared to arm" and the music plays at 3:07 my heart swelled up with pride. The F14's will be missed. Tomcats Forever!
This movie seems freakin awesome but I wish they would make a remake of this movie in modern time and ground troops freakin kick the japanese ass(back in ww2) and freakin bomber planes take out those bunkers on D-Day...but military technology in 1980 is pretty advanced matching out technology 30 years later...still if they made a remake....i'd watch it!
here's the thing...this is what'd happen if an Aircraft Carrier from 1980 went back to World War II, but, now, it's 2011...if we could go back from right now it would be a fucking JOKE...the German Luftwaffe, lets say there's two Messerschmitt Me 262's, (the most advanced aircraft the world had ever seen up to world war II, Hitler's Fighter Jet...) & Swooping in behind them, coming from far over the Me-262's Max Altitude, comes 3 Boeing F/A 22 Raptor Stealth Fighter Jetsa, ore as
@SilensDiabolus Especially at that moment. In the movie they were transported to just before Pearl Harbor. At that time the Germans were experimenting with Missile technology, and Jet Technology, but no where near as close to the F-14 or its armament. Because they are in the past, they should have been conserving there weapons, until they could produce more.
Man this movie is awesome!!! The 55 planes or so on the Nimitz could easily wipe out the 350 Jap planes and change history. Use missiles 2 shoot down most of the fighters and bombers and use the Vulcans 2 finish off the rest.
@67tomcat On the DVD commentary, the director says that part of that sound you hear is actually the pilot's wife screaming as she's being shown this scene for the first time.
Love this movie, one of my all time favorites. Imagine how far a Nimitz class carrier could go (event wise) before being checked. Obviously smart weapons would be limited to those on deck, but even with GP bombs available of the era, the attack squadrons could decimate the japanese fleet before they were even aware of what happened. And let's say there were smart weapons aboard...imagine surgical strikes on the riech chancellory, etc. should make a video game :)
@HoldElevatorBro They are! Almost all of Japan's military aircraft was destroyed after WW2 so using a real Zero was out of the question. The story I heard was several years after WW2 someone in Hollywood (while filming a war movie) noticed the striking similarities between a Zero and a Texan so they simply repainted the Texan, put the rising sun on it and presto, a Japanese "Zero" was born.
this movie rocks for those others who like this movie you should read the book weapons of choice it's about advanced fleet of warships that gets thrusts back to WW2 very ineresting book
The jets could down the Zeros without any weapons at all. In fact the almost did it during the filming of the dogfight. The A-6s would be able to completely destroy every ship with the exception of the battleships and subs using harpoon missles. The Nimitz wouldn't even need air cover. Its gatling cannons and Sea sparrows would stop anything cold. The Nimitz could even take being hit by torpedos
Only moment in this film that really bugged me was the "break off? But we can see them!" line. If you're in a modern jet fighter with missiles you're shooting at enemy planes long, long, long before you see them. You can hit them with a missile with a radar lock for litterally miles away.
@MidgardEagle It bothered me too. But think of it this way. If the Nimitz was actually able to carry out the attack on the Japanese Strike Force and sink it, what would happen after that? Think of the result if Pearl Harbor didn't happen. The isolationist U. S. would have not entered the war. The Nimitz, and everything that was involved with her development would have vanished, and the future would have been different.
@johndous1970 well, there's a popular theory today that says that if you go back in time and change the past, you've simply split the timeline off into a new tangent and create a new past, and a different future going forward. The other timeline that you left would still exist, but you would be forever separated from it.
That's if time-travel is possible, and I kind of doubt it is.
Loved this movie as a kid. STILL some of the best aerial footage of warbirds (modern and replica) ever on film. The REAL MCCOYS, none of that CGI crap!
Excelent. 2 40years advanced F14 can shot 2 A6M Rei-Sen. Excellent work. Time 4 some medals! I know its just a movie but most of the commenters here seem not to know that. Stupid americans. XD
I wonder if the reason we continuously see the tomcats diving in that rolling scissors is that its the only way they couldn't overshoot and still have the authority to keep controlled flight. I remember an airshow when an f-18 was passing with a P-51. The hornet had to keep its nose up just to stay in the air.
30 year Aviation MCPO here. Yeah, the movie plot was kind of "out-there' but the Tomcat was a magnificent aircraft. I never worked on it but always was in love with it. It was HUGE for a carrier plane but Grumman always provided the best fighters made of real steel.
@supressorgrid You are absolutely correct! It was also what became of the F-111. The US Navy wanted the 111 and paid for R&D but the plane was too heavy and had week landing gear. The Air Force took the F-111 and Grumman brought out the F-114.
@mgwilliams1000 Even bigger than the Tomcat was the RA5C Vigilante. I worked on those in Key West and on a few cruises. Infact most of the Final Countdown was Filmed in Key West and I got to work as an extra. It was right after our Med cruise on the Nimitz in 77.
the coolest scene in the movie is at 5:43 on this clip where the tomcat is in a roller with a zero and almost (and I mean almost) puts the tomcat in the water -- if you look at the video, the tomcats are weaving, etc, to try and stay slow enough to be in the same frame as the zeros. I seem to remember a story where VF 84's CO was relieved for accepting a couch for the ready room from the studio.
Well it is official !! according to Dark Horizons.com Peter Douglas son of Kirk Douglas has secured most of the rights to the movie. Although it's too early to tell whether story will get a remake or a sequal. Should be interesting to see how they proceed...
@swtx75601 yes, they will screw it up like Pear Harbor movie.... I guess as it gets closer to the release date the studio SOB's will allow the original to be shown on here...
@eselpopo Wow dude, I don't know if you're suggesting that we lost the war or the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor was justified, but either way, that's just an uninformed statement.
@eselpopo Wow dude, I don't know if you're suggesting that we lost the war or the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor was justified, but either way, that's just an uninformed statement.
With all of the God-Awful remakes Hollywood has put out over the last couple of years, this is one that could truely be awesome if done right. Definately a movie ahead of it's time.
By far one of the best dogfight scenes of all time! The F-14 is really pushing the edge of it's performance envelope in these scenes. This is some of the best aerial coordination of all time. Enjoy these scenes for a lifetime as the Navy would probably never allow such an act to ever happen again.
All they had to do was return the pilot back to the Japanese fleet, with a few F14's an a helicopter. The Japanese fleet was under strict radio silence so not to be detected. As a Japanese officer, what would you think if the Americans flew to you're secret location in the pacific. Let the pilot tell them that attacking the Americans is a bad idea. Pearle Harbor would not of happened.
@Randyk1064 You've completely missed the premise of the movie which was that we'd disrupt history only to our detriment. Doing that would have changed the world as we know it today. You or I might not exist. Or, Japan may have heeded the warning in December 6th, 1941 and then nuked *us* in 1945, for instance.
Love the bit at 4:40 (ish) when the Tomcat is lurking in the clouds behind the Zero. Love the E-2 Hawkeye in this as well. Grumman at it's best and it doesn't hurt hat the F-14 is my favourite jet fighter.
@Fordgirl Agree, great filmaking with the F-14 poping from behind the clouds. Imagine what they can do today with CG effects. Would be great but not the same as actually filming it. Really tells you something about filmaking today not to mention the skill of pilots.
@TonyFever22 How they kept the Tomcats slow enough to stalk the Zero's and not stall when it's made to go a hell of alot faster is skill.
CGI might improve the downing of the second Zero which was a model but the menace of the Tomcat stalking the Zero through the clouds was brilliantly filmed. It looked like a big cat stalking it's prey :)
Ahhh if only! USS Nimitz vs. Nagumo's fleet? It'd be another "Marianas Turkey Shoot". Even the A-7's could take out Zero's...not to mention Val's and Kates! They could destroy every INJ ship without even having to break out the nukes!
@KnowThyself7 you are so right re make it put more Japanese aircraft in the air but could you make sure the American jets would be in their Hi-Viz livery the gull grey is dull but i agree 100% remake it America still makes the best aircraft and movies
@phlorky Was released on the big screen in 1980. A kind of What If time travel movie of modern aircraft carrier in the south pacific just before Pearl Harbor was bombed. Its one of my favorite movies of the decade.
they need to remake and modify this movie "pearl harbor + topgun"
while ben affleck and josh hartnett are getting chased by zeros in pearl harbor, have the nimitz squadron swoop in and fuck up ALL the japs, then have the bombers go fuck up the jap fleet. then instead of the doolittle mission which sucked ass, have the nimitz go straight to japan and completely fuck up the japanese forces.
then cruise the nimitz to germany and fuck up hitler and shit.
I bet when they filmed this scene, they had to be really careful......those T/C's can leave some awful wake in their paths, and the poor props probably got bounced around pretty badly.
This my favourite scene from the whole film! And it's a credit to the Air Force pilots, able to control those Tomcats and perform such a dazzling display at such low speed.
Best bit of cinematography is where you see the Tomcat following behind the Zero in the clouds. Awesome
@biped19 yes, it was other Grummans that took care of the Jap fleets, though Douglas Dauntless divebombers took out plenty that glorious day off of Midway
1:14 - "Oh my god" with the deleted scene: "He spilled ketchup everywhere - and ruined his new shirt!" But seriously...AM6 Zero's had twin 7mm and 20mm cannons. One of those takes off limbs and huge chunks of people, then would continue on to take huge chunks out of that boat. I think one pass would have killed everyone and sunk that yacht...
Actually, what probably worried the Americans were that those Zeroes had radios with them and they might inform the Japanese fleet of their presence. So they sunk them for the same reason the Zeros destroyed the yacht, to let no one know of the CTF's existence. Irony, perhaps.
Also, to the other dude who said Augie died an unnecessary death- it was necessary, he *historically* died, and that's that.
Splash Two.. Would have been like shooting fish in a barrel. The cats were having to sidestep right at stall speed to stay in the same frame with the zeros to get the shot. awesome flying by the Jolly Rodgers. And an astonishing reverse split S at stall speed down to the deck, by the Big Cat. Try that in your Caddy, next time your at the links. I agree we need to bring back these feel good to be American movies...Bless all who serve...Peace
One of my ALL TIME favorite sequences! Just imagining the Japanese pilots wetting themselves make me giggle with glee... Oh if only it could have happened that way. Imagine the final sequence of the movie where the entire Nimitz air wing is on an intercept course with the Japanese attack force...But then again if it had happened then the Nimitz and all its fighters would never have been created...Damn grandfather paradox!
@chadray But did the return of the USS Nimitz create a timeline of it's own? The USS Nimitz would not be created in our present timeline. But in the timeline of the 40's, the Nimitz does exist. It would change some events which would occur in the present timeline but because of the fact that those things have not occured in our timeline because of the change of the 40's, we could not say anything about it because maybe we wouldn't have been born.
@Skaz32225 The writers were being clever and using the "self healing time stream" theory. The same concept is often found in time travel stories such as the movie "The Time Machine", where no matter how many times the character attempts to change the past certain events will happen only in a different form with the end result having the same effect on the world around them. All the events that happened before Nimitz arrival still happened only in a different form with the same outcome.
So long "CAG"
You made the F14 famous way before Tom Cruise.
damselnlace44 2 days ago
RIP James Farentino. He was 73.
swtx75601 3 days ago in playlist Favorite videos
..love the wing-aspect changing of the F-14, a beautiful plane!
luistpuig 6 days ago
Most Outstanding Dog fight Scene Ever.
radioflyer68911 6 days ago
Most Outstanding Dog fight Scene Ever.
radioflyer68911 6 days ago
Most Outstanding Dog fight Scene Ever.
radioflyer68911 6 days ago
Why are there zeros and tomcats in the same movie?
chimichanga1254 2 weeks ago
@chimichanga1254 The movie title is Final Coundown where USS Nimitz is transfered to December 6 1941 by a mysterious storm. The F-14 or Tomcats are sent to scout the surrounding area where they encounter the Japanese Zeros. The Zeros are considered the best warplanes during the early years of World War 2. After witnessing the attack on a defenceless yatch, the captain authorizes the F-14 to take down the Zeros.
MrLantean 1 week ago
This film NEEDS a remake and to be 3 hours long! Would be so, so good.
WhiteHawk740 3 weeks ago
@WhiteHawk740 If it will have f-22's, 35's and a better ending then YES! I'd love a remake.:D
EtienneLF 6 days ago
Zero #1: I'm hit!!! I'm going down!!! *Splash*
Zero#2: *Missile hits the plane* WTF WAS THAT!!!! HOLY S***!!
Thumbs up if you think this is was what they were thinking.
Strigon008 3 weeks ago
Got this DVD for Christmas. Yay me!
JimHadar1 3 weeks ago
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@EntomologyPurdue Seeing as how the Nimitz was nuclear powered, and if it had just been refueled, it would last for at least twenty years. Now, back in WW2 a ships only real defense against fighters were Flack Guns(anti-aircraft). A F-14, or any of the other craft carrying missiles, could attack out of the AA guns range of fire easily.
porpus99 1 month ago
@EntomologyPurdue Seeing as how the Nimitz was nuclear powered, and if it had just been refueled, it would last for at least twenty years. Now, back in WW2 a ships only real defense against fighters were Flack Guns(anti-aircraft). A F-14, or any of the other craft carrying missiles, could attack out of the AA guns range of fire easily.
porpus99 1 month ago
I seem to remember a few years after the movie was released, 60 Minutes did a story about a court-martial of one of the Naval Officers involved with the film. Does anyone remember the particulars of this event?
beatnbroke 1 month ago
This was a good movie in its day but deserves a remake.
fartstrangler 1 month ago
This movie is pretty good and then... nothing happens. Nothing at all.
lowcostvideos 2 months ago 2
The captain did send the whole bunch to fight for the pearl but he called them back for their safety.
loafer81 2 months ago 2
this movie sucks dick they just let the japanese bomb pearl harbor again i wish the stupid captain did die
drogonax 2 months ago
@drogonax That was the whole point...what if you attempted to change history, and how would it affect everything? Also remember, when the strike package was inbound to the Japanese fleet the storm came back and took them back to modern times.
336kgf 1 month ago
the F14 tomcat,the most beautiful,graceful aircraft ever to fly and lethal with it.
crustywasp 2 months ago 2
@crustywasp Not to mention one of the most expensive to maintain. It took about 15 hours of maintenance after each flight. Now, if they ever remade this movie and sent back a ship from the present, the Fighter of choice would be the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning 2.
porpus99 1 month ago
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Love this movie ^^
TheEpona92 2 months ago
I love this movie, but I have a couple of questions. If they had stayed in 1941, fine, they would have destroyed the Japanese carriers headed for Pearl, but after a while, the American planes would have run out of gas and it's not like they could have just brewed up some JP5. After that they would have been little more than scrap metal sitting on a carrier deck. My second question is why didn't the captain simply arm some planes with Harpoons and fire them before passing back through the warp.
rbilleaud 3 months ago
@rbilleaud after defeating the Japanese fleet soundly and without casualties, they would have gone to the US and with the resources of the whole country behind them, it wouldn't take long to figure out how to make jet fuel
Also I imagine the Manhatten Project would be considerably easier with a few naval nuclear engineers working on it
override367 2 months ago 2
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Goatoftheforest 3 months ago
@Goatoftheforest that would have required time travel
geoffrobinson 3 months ago
レシプロとジェットでなにがしたいのこれ
ヘルキャットとsu-37でやれよ、怒るんだろ？
XDesiren 3 months ago
What a great movie this is. One of my all time favorites. Just imagine a dogfight between F14's and zero's. Madness lol
And just to imagine that this was real. No CGI
Great stuntwork
taal1979 3 months ago
Is it amazing the F14 pilots were able to fly so slow to stay behind the prop planes? Cool maneuvers.
nicolasbates 4 months ago
Is it really worth it? Shooting zeros with missiles I mean. Which one costs more?
Sleexb 4 months ago 2
Not actual Zeros... T-6 Texans made to look like a Zeke.
Wyrmshadow 4 months ago
the blood looks like hot sauce ... fking japanese .. broke a good bottle of hot sauce!!!! GRRR
CwazyIndian 4 months ago
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Thanks for posting! that's some great aerial footage of the tomcats. When the F14's are "cleared to arm" and the music plays at 3:07 my heart swelled up with pride. The F14's will be missed. Tomcats Forever!
bhmavrik 5 months ago
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bhmavrik 5 months ago
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bhmavrik 5 months ago
Awesome movie. Great scenes before all this CGI crap!
PAYDIRT67 5 months ago
@PAYDIRT67 I still love watching that dogfighting scene. Amazingly great pilots.
336kgf 3 months ago
This movie seems freakin awesome but I wish they would make a remake of this movie in modern time and ground troops freakin kick the japanese ass(back in ww2) and freakin bomber planes take out those bunkers on D-Day...but military technology in 1980 is pretty advanced matching out technology 30 years later...still if they made a remake....i'd watch it!
accountwhereiam18 5 months ago
this is a very cool movie, that they let a modern navi go into ww2, so awesome :D
TigerMeet2142 5 months ago
The guy got shot in the chest... and the guy behind does not get hit. Does "bullet penetration" mean anything?
BrommaHerman 5 months ago
@BrommaHerman I wouldnt worry to much about it. After all, the blood coming out of that dudes chest was clearly an Orange color, lol.
porpus99 5 months ago
@BrommaHerman in hollywood, it could have been a tank cannon and it wouldnt have penetrated.
MrCrotchrocket78 4 months ago
Import vs domestic.
CapitanBizarrely 5 months ago
here's the thing...this is what'd happen if an Aircraft Carrier from 1980 went back to World War II, but, now, it's 2011...if we could go back from right now it would be a fucking JOKE...the German Luftwaffe, lets say there's two Messerschmitt Me 262's, (the most advanced aircraft the world had ever seen up to world war II, Hitler's Fighter Jet...) & Swooping in behind them, coming from far over the Me-262's Max Altitude, comes 3 Boeing F/A 22 Raptor Stealth Fighter Jetsa, ore as
IMaDEM0N 5 months ago
@IMaDEM0N WTF is a Boeing F/A 22....
The F-22 is made by Lockheed Martin.
coryboy345 5 months ago
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IMaDEM0N 5 months ago
Odd how this is more exciting the GCI cartoon planes.......
Rob8729 6 months ago in playlist Final Countdown Movie
LMAO The aircraft was completely vaporized by that missile. I'd call that fraud, waste and abuse. The missile cost more than the damn Zero.
SilensDiabolus 6 months ago
@SilensDiabolus Especially at that moment. In the movie they were transported to just before Pearl Harbor. At that time the Germans were experimenting with Missile technology, and Jet Technology, but no where near as close to the F-14 or its armament. Because they are in the past, they should have been conserving there weapons, until they could produce more.
porpus99 5 months ago
At 6 minutes, 33 seconds, you can bet those Tomcat pilots are very, very happy.
Wolfman053a 6 months ago
tomcats vs. zeros.... tough choice...
IQsquare 6 months ago
Man this movie is awesome!!! The 55 planes or so on the Nimitz could easily wipe out the 350 Jap planes and change history. Use missiles 2 shoot down most of the fighters and bombers and use the Vulcans 2 finish off the rest.
lovatojonasfan1 6 months ago
@eselpopo this movie wasnt made 2 save our pride dumbass. It was made 4 entertainment.
lovatojonasfan1 6 months ago
japanese pilot doesn't stand a chance he was so afraid of that f 14 he probably thought it was some alien spacecraft
1airplane123 6 months ago
Man the noise that Tomcat makes @ 5:48 is beautiful!! Bring back the F-14 Baby!!!
67tomcat 6 months ago
@67tomcat On the DVD commentary, the director says that part of that sound you hear is actually the pilot's wife screaming as she's being shown this scene for the first time.
da40flyer1 3 months ago
I'd love to see this movie remade ... man, it would totally rock.
madskillzdotcom 7 months ago
I watched this when I was kid and I was awed.
Now, I think it is a stupid movie
PorkIsHalal 7 months ago in playlist Final Countdown Movie
This is the movie that started my admiration for the Tomcat. I still get the chills when the Tomcat emerges from the clouds, amazing score too.
asianfinn 7 months ago
7:10
*throws model aircraft in water*
AustralianPyro 7 months ago
F-14 Tomcats of VF-84...fear the bones baby!!! Sure, this movie was a bit cheesy but it had some great cinematography.
ryanspeed 7 months ago
This was made long before the days of CGI. A stupid movie but amazing flying cinematography.
Puzzoozoo 7 months ago
Marvick and Goose, Iceman and Slider.
2199 8 months ago
He can't swim? He works on a boat and he can't fucking swim?
limboslam 8 months ago 15
@limboslam Just because you're Navy don't mean you can swim. Plenty of my fellow Mairnea and even a few Navy guys I know can't swim worth crap.
hammerman6842 4 months ago
@limboslam He doesn't work on the boat the are there for the ride.
harley7313 1 month ago
5:15 tha's what i call a Cat and mice play... A Tomcat and a white mice...lol
Steelheart8280 8 months ago
Im laughing when said Aim but do not fire LOL
dex123james 8 months ago
@dex123james you mean he said... "Arm but dont fire"...
Steelheart8280 8 months ago
Wow nice!
dex123james 8 months ago
Love this movie, one of my all time favorites. Imagine how far a Nimitz class carrier could go (event wise) before being checked. Obviously smart weapons would be limited to those on deck, but even with GP bombs available of the era, the attack squadrons could decimate the japanese fleet before they were even aware of what happened. And let's say there were smart weapons aboard...imagine surgical strikes on the riech chancellory, etc. should make a video game :)
moto19d 8 months ago
What a Great film. Thanks for posting
TheTomtomdonk 8 months ago
Those zeros look like AT6 Texans because they are i think
HoldElevatorBro 8 months ago
@HoldElevatorBro They are! Almost all of Japan's military aircraft was destroyed after WW2 so using a real Zero was out of the question. The story I heard was several years after WW2 someone in Hollywood (while filming a war movie) noticed the striking similarities between a Zero and a Texan so they simply repainted the Texan, put the rising sun on it and presto, a Japanese "Zero" was born.
ryanspeed 7 months ago
tomcats vs zeros??? lol
EPIC hahahahaha
uragonable21 8 months ago
at 4.10, almost as good as Tom Cruise's fly by 'spilling coffee' scene in Top Gun
chewie211171 9 months ago
this movie rocks for those others who like this movie you should read the book weapons of choice it's about advanced fleet of warships that gets thrusts back to WW2 very ineresting book
crazykidd65 9 months ago 5
Harvey cant swim, but he can float!
HuasoPodrido 10 months ago
The jets could down the Zeros without any weapons at all. In fact the almost did it during the filming of the dogfight. The A-6s would be able to completely destroy every ship with the exception of the battleships and subs using harpoon missles. The Nimitz wouldn't even need air cover. Its gatling cannons and Sea sparrows would stop anything cold. The Nimitz could even take being hit by torpedos
starlord0901 10 months ago
Only moment in this film that really bugged me was the "break off? But we can see them!" line. If you're in a modern jet fighter with missiles you're shooting at enemy planes long, long, long before you see them. You can hit them with a missile with a radar lock for litterally miles away.
MidgardEagle 10 months ago
@MidgardEagle It bothered me too. But think of it this way. If the Nimitz was actually able to carry out the attack on the Japanese Strike Force and sink it, what would happen after that? Think of the result if Pearl Harbor didn't happen. The isolationist U. S. would have not entered the war. The Nimitz, and everything that was involved with her development would have vanished, and the future would have been different.
johndous1970 10 months ago
@johndous1970 well, there's a popular theory today that says that if you go back in time and change the past, you've simply split the timeline off into a new tangent and create a new past, and a different future going forward. The other timeline that you left would still exist, but you would be forever separated from it.
That's if time-travel is possible, and I kind of doubt it is.
Dirtfire 9 months ago
@Dirtfire Let me guess. You've got this the movie Back to the Future? :p
taal1979 3 months ago
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Dirtfire 3 months ago
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Dirtfire 3 months ago
What is it about American technology beating the shit out of aggressive foreign invading forces that makes me want to reach for the Vaseline?
fkerpants 10 months ago
Goose bumps every time. One of the best movies!!!
clemg2112 10 months ago
Hair on the back of ther neck stands up everytime...Brilliant scene in a great movie.F14 ONE OF THE BERY BEST OF ALL TIME!!
sherman4970 10 months ago
It's out on blueray also. Just got mine.
undee762 11 months ago
@undee762 how much for blueray ?
lockerdogs 10 months ago
got a real dvd copy cheap on e-bay woohoo
lockerdogs 11 months ago
3:59 is a beautiful sight....
prg1972a 11 months ago
With lots of nowadays Hollywood trash, this movie would be nice. It's just a sad thing that they would probably use F-18 instead of F-14 :-(
Swordman85 11 months ago
Loved this movie as a kid. STILL some of the best aerial footage of warbirds (modern and replica) ever on film. The REAL MCCOYS, none of that CGI crap!
Jolly Rogers FTW! :-P
reddsun1 11 months ago
classic filming :)
lockerdogs 1 year ago
I remember seeing this moive on CBS when I was a kid. Love the Tomcat and this dogfight scene still gives me chills
HudsonFalconNY 1 year ago
Excelent. 2 40years advanced F14 can shot 2 A6M Rei-Sen. Excellent work. Time 4 some medals! I know its just a movie but most of the commenters here seem not to know that. Stupid americans. XD
MrBubbleJet 1 year ago
I guess in WW2 Radars F-14 Figthers are UFOs :)
pawel1818 1 year ago
I wonder if the reason we continuously see the tomcats diving in that rolling scissors is that its the only way they couldn't overshoot and still have the authority to keep controlled flight. I remember an airshow when an f-18 was passing with a P-51. The hornet had to keep its nose up just to stay in the air.
hanscombe72 1 year ago
Tomcats 2 - Japanese 0... In case anyone was keeping score
spacestevie2 1 year ago
JAP BASTARDS
jetulik 1 year ago
Of course the 20 MM Vulcan would have pulverised the Zero.
mgwilliams1000 1 year ago
30 year Aviation MCPO here. Yeah, the movie plot was kind of "out-there' but the Tomcat was a magnificent aircraft. I never worked on it but always was in love with it. It was HUGE for a carrier plane but Grumman always provided the best fighters made of real steel.
mgwilliams1000 1 year ago
@mgwilliams1000 It was a cut down version of the f-111 ardvarrk. I loved that plane when I was in England at Croughton.
supressorgrid 1 year ago
@supressorgrid You are absolutely correct! It was also what became of the F-111. The US Navy wanted the 111 and paid for R&D but the plane was too heavy and had week landing gear. The Air Force took the F-111 and Grumman brought out the F-114.
mgwilliams1000 1 year ago
@mgwilliams1000 Even bigger than the Tomcat was the RA5C Vigilante. I worked on those in Key West and on a few cruises. Infact most of the Final Countdown was Filmed in Key West and I got to work as an extra. It was right after our Med cruise on the Nimitz in 77.
bobct1956 9 months ago
Man, I miss the F-14. What a magnificient looking plane it was.
ramathorn2112 1 year ago
this is what in 20 years americans will literally think how ww2 was fought
MozTS 1 year ago
the coolest scene in the movie is at 5:43 on this clip where the tomcat is in a roller with a zero and almost (and I mean almost) puts the tomcat in the water -- if you look at the video, the tomcats are weaving, etc, to try and stay slow enough to be in the same frame as the zeros. I seem to remember a story where VF 84's CO was relieved for accepting a couch for the ready room from the studio.
skywarr4evr 1 year ago 2
@skywarr4evr yep very cool awsome pilot
lockerdogs 1 year ago
Awesome!
It's sad that most of these guys are now scrap, or rotting away at AMARC.
bloo96 1 year ago
Well it is official !! according to Dark Horizons.com Peter Douglas son of Kirk Douglas has secured most of the rights to the movie. Although it's too early to tell whether story will get a remake or a sequal. Should be interesting to see how they proceed...
swtx75601 1 year ago
@swtx75601 yes, they will screw it up like Pear Harbor movie.... I guess as it gets closer to the release date the studio SOB's will allow the original to be shown on here...
irish89055 1 year ago
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Stupid movie! An embarrassing attempt of the Americans to save their honour because their pride was injured. Typically American.
eselpopo 1 year ago
@eselpopo Wow dude, I don't know if you're suggesting that we lost the war or the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor was justified, but either way, that's just an uninformed statement.
joshmarcinik 1 year ago
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@eselpopo Wow dude, I don't know if you're suggesting that we lost the war or the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor was justified, but either way, that's just an uninformed statement.
joshmarcinik 1 year ago
With all of the God-Awful remakes Hollywood has put out over the last couple of years, this is one that could truely be awesome if done right. Definately a movie ahead of it's time.
Squrrelco3 1 year ago
Where's Maverick and Goose when ya need'em?
capnsparx 1 year ago 2
two of the deadlist naval fighters in history going againest each other....classic
RottenAce 1 year ago
By far one of the best dogfight scenes of all time! The F-14 is really pushing the edge of it's performance envelope in these scenes. This is some of the best aerial coordination of all time. Enjoy these scenes for a lifetime as the Navy would probably never allow such an act to ever happen again.
thenewarea51 1 year ago
4:21 nice intruder/prowler cockpit frames
skandalintegra 1 year ago
Kirk Douglas is a badass.
FalconKPD 1 year ago
Why did he need to use a missile to take out the zero.
what a waste of a missile.
viper211000 1 year ago
All they had to do was return the pilot back to the Japanese fleet, with a few F14's an a helicopter. The Japanese fleet was under strict radio silence so not to be detected. As a Japanese officer, what would you think if the Americans flew to you're secret location in the pacific. Let the pilot tell them that attacking the Americans is a bad idea. Pearle Harbor would not of happened.
Randyk1064 1 year ago
@Randyk1064 You've completely missed the premise of the movie which was that we'd disrupt history only to our detriment. Doing that would have changed the world as we know it today. You or I might not exist. Or, Japan may have heeded the warning in December 6th, 1941 and then nuked *us* in 1945, for instance.
dreadscotty 1 year ago
I'm gonna make a version of this set to the "Top Gun" Anthem.
Carpathia1086 1 year ago
Love the bit at 4:40 (ish) when the Tomcat is lurking in the clouds behind the Zero. Love the E-2 Hawkeye in this as well. Grumman at it's best and it doesn't hurt hat the F-14 is my favourite jet fighter.
Fordgirl 1 year ago
@Fordgirl Agree, great filmaking with the F-14 poping from behind the clouds. Imagine what they can do today with CG effects. Would be great but not the same as actually filming it. Really tells you something about filmaking today not to mention the skill of pilots.
TonyFever22 1 year ago
@TonyFever22 How they kept the Tomcats slow enough to stalk the Zero's and not stall when it's made to go a hell of alot faster is skill.
CGI might improve the downing of the second Zero which was a model but the menace of the Tomcat stalking the Zero through the clouds was brilliantly filmed. It looked like a big cat stalking it's prey :)
Fordgirl 1 year ago
When the Japanese pilots see the F14s, they may think: "Crap. What the FXXK plane?"
RobertoLee09 1 year ago
@RobertoLee09 or where are the airplane props???no props!!!!
MIGUEL2005LIMA 1 year ago
Quite possibly the best scene from the whole movie! I bet those japs shit their trousers when those tomcats screamed by! XD
MD2389 1 year ago
@MD2389 yo MD, its Ace..... i have this movie still
CapStar362 1 year ago
@MD2389 yo MD, its Ace..... i have this movie still and i love this scene still! especially love the Vulcan BUUUUUUUUURP!!
CapStar362 1 year ago
Ahhh if only! USS Nimitz vs. Nagumo's fleet? It'd be another "Marianas Turkey Shoot". Even the A-7's could take out Zero's...not to mention Val's and Kates! They could destroy every INJ ship without even having to break out the nukes!
JimHadar1 1 year ago 16
Great movie. Great plot. REMAKE!!!
KnowThyself7 1 year ago
@KnowThyself7 you are so right re make it put more Japanese aircraft in the air but could you make sure the American jets would be in their Hi-Viz livery the gull grey is dull but i agree 100% remake it America still makes the best aircraft and movies
creccy 1 year ago
Not what one would call a 'fair fight', but still entertaining.
haydencantact 1 year ago
How many Tomcats would be necessary to destroy the Japanese WWII invasion fleet? 50? 100? 500? 1000?
mamp71 1 year ago
@mamp71 would only need half a dozen lol
ak47bombexplode 1 year ago
1980 era F-14's vs Japanese Zeroes......like an NFL team vs a football team of 6th graders from a local playground.
Pearly1961 1 year ago 15
I like the scene with the tomcat with screaming engines!
I wonder what would happen should the tomcats pass the zeroes close range with supersonic speed. Would they fall apart?
mszs 1 year ago
Mirai vs Nimitz who will win?
pcekeep 1 year ago
a tomcat will stall trying to follow a slow Zero
humpingbird 1 year ago
I'm 12 years old and what is this?
phlorky 1 year ago
@phlorky Was released on the big screen in 1980. A kind of What If time travel movie of modern aircraft carrier in the south pacific just before Pearl Harbor was bombed. Its one of my favorite movies of the decade.
senji1101 1 year ago
hmmmmmmmmmmmm abusive!!!!!!!!!!!
carlosaragon1978 1 year ago
they need to remake and modify this movie "pearl harbor + topgun"
while ben affleck and josh hartnett are getting chased by zeros in pearl harbor, have the nimitz squadron swoop in and fuck up ALL the japs, then have the bombers go fuck up the jap fleet. then instead of the doolittle mission which sucked ass, have the nimitz go straight to japan and completely fuck up the japanese forces.
then cruise the nimitz to germany and fuck up hitler and shit.
it would be silly almost but awesome
jps13party 1 year ago 2
@jps13party Roger on that. Where is Adolf...Kaboooooom.....Where is Adolf
Skaz32225 1 year ago
favorite part in the enitre movie
GundamSlayerNeo 1 year ago
5:45 ...the screaming of the tomcat........
lebbing64 1 year ago
hey if you want to see a good fanvid do this movie and as background music play liberation of Gracemeria
bailong329 1 year ago
4:42 PEEK A BOO !!!!!!!!!
nascar138 1 year ago
Navy pilots flew Tomcats not airforce. Calling navy pilots airforce would be considered a major insult.
dat581 1 year ago
"Splash the zeros! I say again, splash the zeros!"
ghoststun 1 year ago
5:46 Still the coolest stunt I've ever seen. LCDR Fox Farrell FTW.
DuckCasey 1 year ago
I bet when they filmed this scene, they had to be really careful......those T/C's can leave some awful wake in their paths, and the poor props probably got bounced around pretty badly.
rafalweb 1 year ago
just wonder if they make a remake with f-22s and sr-71s that would be INSANITY
TheSlayer36 1 year ago
kind of chicken sht comander they got.who sticks to the ROE even if us citzen are under attack
leiefilm 1 year ago
This my favourite scene from the whole film! And it's a credit to the Air Force pilots, able to control those Tomcats and perform such a dazzling display at such low speed.
Best bit of cinematography is where you see the Tomcat following behind the Zero in the clouds. Awesome
Dirtcreature 1 year ago
The F-14 Tomcat, the pride of Grumman Iron works. American made.
biped19 1 year ago 30
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@biped19 yes, it was other Grummans that took care of the Jap fleets, though Douglas Dauntless divebombers took out plenty that glorious day off of Midway
irish89055 1 year ago
at 4.10,the fly by is priceless; up there (if not better than) Tom Cruise's tower fly by in Top GUn
chewie211171 1 year ago
1:14 - "Oh my god" with the deleted scene: "He spilled ketchup everywhere - and ruined his new shirt!" But seriously...AM6 Zero's had twin 7mm and 20mm cannons. One of those takes off limbs and huge chunks of people, then would continue on to take huge chunks out of that boat. I think one pass would have killed everyone and sunk that yacht...
Sunburn2007 1 year ago
@Sunburn2007 It's a film made for entertainment. It's not a historical documentary so does minor realism points like your matter?
sgtmact 1 year ago
The true meaning of the word "Owned". . .lol
BlueFox284 1 year ago
05:45 mama! THat dive must have been accidental!
DeafFret 1 year ago
Those are jolly rogers...
YourAverageJoey 1 year ago
That's the insignia of VF-84, a fighter squadron from the Vietnam era.
MegaSteve1969 1 year ago
Actually, what probably worried the Americans were that those Zeroes had radios with them and they might inform the Japanese fleet of their presence. So they sunk them for the same reason the Zeros destroyed the yacht, to let no one know of the CTF's existence. Irony, perhaps.
Also, to the other dude who said Augie died an unnecessary death- it was necessary, he *historically* died, and that's that.
CG172375 1 year ago
Tomcat, thats my fave looking Jet ever, it was so sleek and great to look at.
The Texan was nice too for it's time, good looking plane.
onblock7 2 years ago
Splash Two.. Would have been like shooting fish in a barrel. The cats were having to sidestep right at stall speed to stay in the same frame with the zeros to get the shot. awesome flying by the Jolly Rodgers. And an astonishing reverse split S at stall speed down to the deck, by the Big Cat. Try that in your Caddy, next time your at the links. I agree we need to bring back these feel good to be American movies...Bless all who serve...Peace
djixtapu 2 years ago
They should remake this movie.
McSuperfly101 2 years ago
One of my ALL TIME favorite sequences! Just imagining the Japanese pilots wetting themselves make me giggle with glee... Oh if only it could have happened that way. Imagine the final sequence of the movie where the entire Nimitz air wing is on an intercept course with the Japanese attack force...But then again if it had happened then the Nimitz and all its fighters would never have been created...Damn grandfather paradox!
chadray 2 years ago
@chadray But did the return of the USS Nimitz create a timeline of it's own? The USS Nimitz would not be created in our present timeline. But in the timeline of the 40's, the Nimitz does exist. It would change some events which would occur in the present timeline but because of the fact that those things have not occured in our timeline because of the change of the 40's, we could not say anything about it because maybe we wouldn't have been born.
Skaz32225 1 year ago
@Skaz32225 The writers were being clever and using the "self healing time stream" theory. The same concept is often found in time travel stories such as the movie "The Time Machine", where no matter how many times the character attempts to change the past certain events will happen only in a different form with the end result having the same effect on the world around them. All the events that happened before Nimitz arrival still happened only in a different form with the same outcome.
chadray 1 year ago
Look at that wing downwash when the smoke from the zero goes over the f14's wing ;-)
Trey153 2 years ago