The Top CGI Aviation movies

[JDK]

I'm highly allergic to CGI, but I've heard (but not seen) that the Ju 87 Stukas in Captain Corelli's Mandolin are pretty good. - FWIW.

[whistlingdeath77]

i hate cgi. If it's not real, i can't buy into it. I'm just going to say Memphis Belle. Put out over 20 years ago, it's not that bad. At least they used real b-17's and it opened the door to a new generation of people and put the story out there again.

[shrike]

i hate cgi. If it's not real, i can't buy into it.

If it's good cgi, you'll never know it. I doubt that there has been a major film released in the last ten years that didn't have some cgi in it, even if it was only to change the labels on product-placement soda cans.

[whistlingdeath77]

i hate cgi. If it's not real, i can't buy into it.

If it's good cgi, you'll never know it. I doubt that there has been a major film released in the last ten years that didn't have some cgi in it, even if it was only to change the labels on product-placement soda cans.

i think if you really know your planes and what your looking for, i think you would be able to tell what's real and what's not. Plus, if your on wix enough, there's going to be great info of what planes are going to be used in upcoming films

[JDK]

If it's good cgi, you'll never know it.

Agreed. It's solid for the small stuff. However 'good' CGI excludes 'full' vehicles and creatures front and centre of the screen. If the CGI wonks understand Newton's laws and basic physics, the director won't allow them to apply it because everything has to be cranked up to 11 like all the other films - so the performance of the vehicles is almost always overcranked, in movement, look, and viewing location.

If you don't know how an aircraft really flies (like most people) you may not notice, so there's no problem for the makers, just anyone who knows reality when it's not there.

We may see 'good CGI' aircraft as incidentals in movies. We won't see good CGI aircraft as a major prop-element anytime soon, if ever.

Regards,

[James D]

However 'good' CGI excludes 'full' vehicles and creatures front and centre of the screen.

I´m of the opinion that "King Kong" proves you wrong on both points.
I´ll be very interested to see how Dambusters turns out.

[Jerry O'Neill]

A little off topic but PC simulations are in many respects surpassing the CGI efforts of the movie industry - flight behaviour and attention to historical detail being my main gripes.

Take a look at this Battle of Britain video produced using the latest simulator in the IL2 range named Cliffs of Dover. When it comes to recreating historical battles, the sky will be the limit in the not too distant future.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBsFkAP48iI

Looks like a very nice video game animation. Better, but not 100%.
Jerry

[Jerry O'Neill]

Apollo 13 had some good CGI stuff.
Jerry

[JDK]

I´m of the opinion that "King Kong" proves you wrong on both points.

You're welcome to be of the opinion I'm wrong - but it isn't proof. We can agree to differ. (And I'm often wrong.)

I´ll be very interested to see how Dambusters turns out.

Sure. I just wish Jackson would try to film a few more new stories rather than redoing others' work. Not a major criticism, just my preference. I don't see any reason to redo the Dam Busters given the thousands of other stories out there awaiting the budget and effort.

Back on topic, Jackson's team made a short film for the Australian War Memorial's Over the Front Great War display. There is a lot of CGI in it, including a CGI kite balloon, and multiplied aircraft (a vic of SE-5as become a squadron etc.) and overall it's very good, and to be fair, pretty convincing even to someone who knows some of the realities of the subject. The odd thing though is after spending thousands and huge effort to get all that stuff right, they leave the tailwheels on the Fokker Triplanes while they are sitting mid-screen, shot from the formation's wing. What an odd oversight!

Regards,

[DLSheley]

Before even reading the first post, the first thought that jumped into my mind was Jackson's "King Kong." I just hope his "Dam Busters" remake is as good (assuming it ever actually gets made.)

My vote for runner-up: the Normandy drop sequence in "Band of Brothers."

Now if someone would just make my dream movie: "Operation Tidal Wave." I think CGI may be up to the task of recreating the Ploesti raid...


SN

An "Operation Tidal Wave" movie would be awesome!