In-flight films have been around since 1921. From then on, planes showing movies to passengers became less and less unusual. It also got easier over time due to technological and aviary developments.
Tom Cruise as Maverick in Top Gun / Picture Credit: Paramount Pictures
Despite a rocky start, the pleasure you know today of passing the time with a film on your flight all happened on a day in August, 1921.
Before an airport had even been constructed in Chicago, an Aeromarine Airways flying boat – more or less a buoyant plane with a hull – took flight from Lake Michigan with 11 passengers, a screen, and inventor Herman A. DeVry’s ‘Theatre In a Suitcase’ projector.
While the plane made a watery landing, the trip involving the passengers watching Howdy Chicago! while flying around the lake was a success; this was the first ever official in-flight movie.
The first cross-Atlantic film was So Goes My Love, screened on a Pan American Clipper in August, 1946.
In light of this, we wanted to highlight films that showcase planes, but also flight in general. Whether the film is set purely on a plane or not at all – the notion of watching a film in a plane is great; but watching a film on a plane about flight? That’s awesome.
One film that needs showcasing for its in-flight magnificence is Top Gun from 1986. If you’ve seen this movie, you’ll be smiling already at just how 1980s this flick really is.
It’s a campground for American masculinity, and it’s fantastic. Tom Cruise plays Maverick, who, when sent to flight school, almost lets his cocky demeanour get in the way of becoming the best pilot – the ‘Top Gun’ if you will.
Maverick is the best of the best, proven more and more throughout the film as he learns to keep his attitude in check and really focus on what he’s there to do – be at the top.
This film is exceptional in many ways, from the cast to the plot and the insane amount of times we hear Take My Breath Away and Danger Zone – which work well as two of the only songs in the movie.
But, the crowning glory of course is the scenes in which Maverick and the rest of the guys are in their jets. The scenes where we see them fly are things of beauty.
The clouds are far below them and in almost constant view as Maverick and the others shoot across the sky with such purpose and poise – it is such a brilliant thing to watch and makes the perfect 80s action movie.
What the scenes also showcase really well is that no matter if there is music playing or not, the training scenes are always rather tense.
Granted, the lack of music shows the focus the men have and their will to complete their training well; but whenever Danger Zone starts up you know that you’re going to get Maverick mouthing-off and the jets are about to do some incredible stunts.
The stunts done by the planes, such as knife flight and upside down flybys are excellent to say the least, and this combined with Cruise’s stellar performance make it a film to watch whether you’re on a plane or not.
Another film which focuses on flight is, and stick with us here, Pixar’s Up.
Up follows the recently-widowed Carl (Ed Asner), who, after the most heartbreaking opening montages, is simply alone. He sits in his house in his chair, next to where his late wife would sit.
However, Carl and his wife Ellie (Elie Doctor), had a plan so wonderful that Carl refuses not to go through with, even after her passing.
So, what does this film have to do with flight? Well…
When asked repeatedly to move out of his home, Carl unleashes a collection of thousands upon thousands of balloons; these balloons essentially pick up his house and whisk him away.
While this movie isn’t in the same caliber as Top Gun for its flight mechanics, it does have something Cruise’s masculinity overload doesn’t – imagination.
The balloons that take Carl away fly him all the way to Paradise Falls, the place he and Ellie always wanted to go; he took her there in the end.
The wonder and amazement this film has is through the roof; of course balloons couldn’t really fly a house across hundreds of miles, but the moment you see Carl fly off in his house and stick it to those who tried to get him to leave the place he and his wife spent their lives, is a moment of magic.
Being a Pixar film, the visuals are amazing; the balloons are almost every colour of the rainbow. The imagination and what that leads Carl to in the movie is why it’s worth talking about when we mention flight in films.
While these films seem like polar opposites, they share the prospect of flight and what aviation can bring you. Whether that be the mantle of ‘Top Gun’ after efforts to prove yourself, or whether you want to live your partner’s dream by attaching millions of balloons to your house; each movie has what makes it significant.
Aviation has come a long way since 1921, and so has cinema. The combination of the two has led to some phenomenal films, the enjoyment of which is priceless.
Written by Melissa, who you can follow on Twitter @melissajournal
RELATED: Tom Cruise teases spectacular flight scenes in Top Gun: Maverick
Tom Cruise has promised there's "never been" an aerial scene quite like one in 'Top Gun: Maverick' - and doesn't think there will be again.
The 57-year-old actor reprises his role as Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell in the upcoming sequel and while he's an experienced pilot, he insisted his co-stars all had flight training so they could do the jet sequences themselves.
Producer Jerry Bruckheimer said: "What's different about this movie is that [in 'Top Gun'] we put the actors in the F-14s and we couldn't use one frame of it, except some stuff on Tom, because they all threw up...
Tagged in Pixar Action films