Exploding Helicopter

“Something cool.” Will and Dara, the maverick podcasters who play by their own rules, are back. This time they’ve only 24 hours to review the buddy cop movie comedy 22 Jump Street (2014) otherwise it’s their ass. They also take a look at the chopper fireball action and debate whether this film includes the greatest exploding helicopter kiss-off line ever uttered on screen. And our heroes also take...

"Is that all you got? A trick and a cheesy one-liner." Exploding Helicopter is joined by Ben Dadds from Top Film Tip to take a look at Iron Man 3 (2013), a film where we get to see a helicopter destroyed by a grand piano. Well, almost. Among the other topics of discussion: is Tony Stark the most unlikeable superhero, movie red herrings, and why it is impossible to make a conspiracy thriller in Bri...

“I’ll bring the wine. You bring the scarred psyche.” Exploding Helicopter and Troy Allen from Action Ago Ago squeeze into luridly coloured lycra, strap on their utility belts, and adopt ridiculously husky voices to take a look at 1995’s Batman Forever. Among the topics of discussion, the strange career of Joel Schumacher, whether helicopters can have steering locks, and why on Earth the Statue of...

“Science is never wrong.” On this episode we take at the low budget disaster movie Absolute Zero (2005), where the only people who can save the world from a new ice age are Jeff Fahey and Erika Eleniak. (Probably best not to make too many plans for next week). On this show Exploding Helicopter is joined by Jason and Nolahn from Your Face and the Liar of the Unwanted. Among the topics of discussion...

“The things we do for frequent flyer mileage.” After disappearing from cinema screens for 6 years, GoldenEye (1995) sought to relaunch the career of the world’s most famous spy. But how did they make James Bond – a sexist, misogynistic dinosaur and relic of the Cold War – relevant to the Nineties? To look at this question, Exploding Helicopter is joined by Tim Postins from Bride Of Crapula to disc...

“What a relief. The symbologist is here.” Exploding Helicopter takes a look at Angels & Demons (2009), a film which features one of the most ridiculous exploding helicopter sequences we’ve ever encountered. Well, it’s not every day you get to see the Pope blow up a helicopter with an anti-matter bomb is it? Episode 18.

“You want the last of the baklava?” Steven Spielberg may be the greatest living director, he may have won every cinematic award known to man, but it wasn’t until his 24th feature film that the bearded boy wonder finally blew up a helicopter. So on this show Will is joined by Lindsay Street from French Toast Sunday to discuss MUNICH (2005) and one of the most extraordinary exploding helicopters we’...

“One of you is a werewolf!” Exploding Helicopter is joined by Jim Moon from the Hypnobobs podcast to talk about The Beast Must Die (1974) one of the oddest werewolf movies ever made. We sink our oversized canines into subjects including the history of Old Dark House films, whether you can ever make a German Shepherd dog look like a blood crazed lycanthrope, not to mention the “werewolf break” – th...

“Who’s the alpha? You’re looking at him kid.” On this show we’re looking at Jurassic World (2015) the latest entry in the ‘dinosaur eating people’ franchise. Will is joined by his film quiz teammate Kobi Omenaka to tackle questions including whether animatronics are better than CGI, what the plot of a sequel could be, and where this films ranks in the series. They also attempt to answer an age old...

“Oh my god, bees bees, millions of bees.” Arm yourself with bug spray and a fly swatter because the bees are coming! That’s right, we’re looking at one of the classics of ‘bad cinema’, infamous seventies disaster movie The Swarm (1978). On this episode Exploding Helicopter is joined by Booze from the Sweet Feathery Jesus podcast. Amongst the topics of discussion: the bizarre outbreaks of Northern...

“I’m gonna hit you with so many rights you’ll be begging for a left.” Pull on your denim jeans and shirt, strap on your Uzis and prepare for war, because we’re looking at the Chuck Norris action classic Invasion USA (1985). On this show, Will is joined by Todd Liebenow from Forgotten Films to discuss ‘Cold War cinema’, whether Chuck Norris is the ultimate American male, and whether it’s ethical to...

“Ain't nothin' in the world get Black Dynamite more mad than some jive ass sucka dealin' smack to the kids!” Pour yourself a large glass of Anaconda Malt Liquor, and relax with Exploding Helicopter’s review of blaxsploitation send-up Black Dynamite (2009). On this show Will is joined by DJ Valentine from Simplistic Reviews to chew the fat about the state of genre parodies, the kung-fu skills of US...

“Would you consider the cinema of the Ukraine?” On this show Will is once again joined by Dara to discuss Mission Impossible (1996) and one of cinema’s greatest exploding helicopter scenes. Among the points of discussion: Tom Cruise as an action star, whatever happened to Emilio Estevez, and whether the film suffers from the “Big Momma’s House” syndrome. Episode 11.

“We just came up with a mince pie under each arm.” On this show, Will and Bob strap themselves into the cockpit and turn on the surveillance mikes to discuss an undisputed classic of the exploding helicopter genre, Blue Thunder (1983). Among the points of discussion, Vietnam flashbacks in eighties movies, A-Team style violence and whether Malcom McDowell is the most sneer-y actor in film history....

“The deadliest art of the Orient is now in the hands of an American.” On this show, Exploding Helicopter dons karate pyjamas to take a look at the eighties VHS action classic American Ninja (1985). Amongst the points of discussion, how much would it cost to maintain an army of ninja warriors? The acting career of Michael Dudikoff. And whether any element of this film’s plot makes sense. Will and D...

“When we have mastered these tactics, we will use them to seek out and confront the forces of evil and kill 'em deader than hell!” In 1986 Top Gun took the breath away of film fans around the world, but the movie had one noticeable flaw: no helicopters. Fortunately, that error was corrected in 1990 with Fire Birds – Wings of the Apache. It took the Top Gun’s formula, added helicopters and a scener...

“We’ve shut them down. We let them sweat for a while. Then we give ‘em helicopters.” “Right up the ass.” On episode #7, Will and Dara take off their shoes and socks, and strip down to their vests to discuss the greatest action movie ever made, Die Hard (1988). Among the topics of discussion: Al Powell’s twinkie consumption, Robert Davi’s singing career, and the sexuality of Dick Thornberg. There’s...

“Remember there is no spoon.” On episode #6 Will and Joe don designer sunglasses, slip on fashionably distressed clothes, and swallow the red pill in order to talk about the sci-fi classic The Matrix (1999). Among the points of discussion, the weirdly unmemorable Carrie Anne Moss, Laurence Fishburne’s ‘bullet time dialogue’, and the strange post-Matrix career of ‘spoon boy’. All this and a spectac...

“Are you ready to pay the price for paradise?” On this show we don hula skirts to say aloha to the bonkers cult action movie Hard Ticket To Hawaii (1987). Exploding Helicopter is joined on episode #5 by From The Depths Of DVD Hell’s Elwood Jones to discuss the history of female bazooka use, unique weapons in films, and the rare sight of a woman exploding a helicopter.

“Bigger, smarter, faster, meaner.” On this show we take a look at the Citizen Kane of mutant shark movies, Deep Blue Sea (1999). Joining Exploding Helicopter on our fourth episode is Jay Cluitt from Life vs Film. They discuss the ‘career’ of Samuel L Jackson, Thomas Jane drinking games, and some truly award winning acting. And by awards we mean the Razzies.

“Don’t mess with mother nature.” An insane scientist resurrects prehistoric alien being using the genetic code from a rare beetle. What could possibly go wrong? Yup, we’re looking at the cult creature feature DNA (1997) starring Mark Dacascos and Jurgen Prochnow. On show #3 Exploding Helicopter supremo Will is joined by Fred Anderson from Schmollywood Babylon and The Human Centipod. They discuss D...

“Get to the chopper!” Yes, we’re talking about the Arnold Schwarzenegger action classic Predator (1987). On this show, Exploding Helicopter head honcho Will is joined by long-time contributor Dara. They discuss the quality of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s “eye acting”, the mental health needs of US Special Forces, and whether it would be possible to set up a Predator tourist business. So, smear yourself...

Exploding Helicopter is dedicated to celebrating the art of exploding helicopters in films. So, for our first ever show we take a look at the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) which includes two helicopter explosions, including a classic of the genre. Exploding Helicopter supremo Will is joined by long-time contributor Joe. Before getting down to analysing the quality of the chopper fire...