04 June 2009

Tailwinds, Cloud Dancer

'cept for takeoffs and landings.

Today we learned David Carradine apparently took his own life. Now I don't usually get too worked up about celeb's offing themselves, but David played his roles effortlessly. He didn't act a part, he WAS the part. It was all very natural.

I have no speculation on the actual story of his death, but color me skeptical. Skepical as when people die while in 3rd world countries under strange circumstances. These stories have the hollow ring of an official explanation that can be bought for a sawbuck.

'Tis also possible he received some news he wasn't willing to deal with. Heck, a relative when told "you have cancer" responded with "Ok. get me my gun. I'm not going through this!" There are just too many possibilities...

I don't know but then I don't have any skin in the game either... Just color me skeptical...

Most news stories offer up his roles in "Kung Fu" and "Kill Bill" as examples of his life's work. But I'll always recall the lesser known "Cloud Dancer".

Cloud Dancer tells the story of a competition aerobatic pilot with the predictable love interest and a subplot into creative financing via drug smuggling. It's of particular interest because it was filmed nearby the SandCastle at an airport where I used to base the airplane. Then the plot talks about the next competition across the country... which was filmed at the airport next door, less than 10 miles away. Heh... Back then both airports were "out in the middle of nowhere." Heck, it wouldn't surprise me if the airports were served by dirt roads! However suburbia has enveloped both in the last 30 years.

I guess the flick didn't do too well as it's practically impossible to find in the rental stores and only rarely shows up late at night on the movie channels. However when I mentioned it at lunch today, he SCQueen took it as a mission to find a copy. And she claims to have scored! My Birthday is coming, but I'll have to wait until then to re-see the flick!

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I've got a copy of the movie, many photos, and a script autographed by essentially the entire cast and crew,

Oh yeah, I was in the movie as well. =)

I was MUCH younger then, you may remember me as Brad Jr.

Neat to see theres at least one other person in this world who enjoyed it.