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Firefox (film)
Encyclopedia
Firefox is a 1982 American action film
produced, directed by and starring Clint Eastwood
. It is based upon the 1977 novel of the same name
written by Craig Thomas
.
Set in Russia, authentic filming locations were not possible due to the Cold War
, forcing Eastwood and Fritz Manes's Malpaso Company to rely on Vienna
and other locations in Austria
to double for many of the Eurasian
story locations. The film was shot on a $21 million budget.
fighter aircraft
(MiG-31, NATO code name "Firefox") which is capable of Mach
6, is invisible
to radar
, and carries weapons controlled by thought
. Former United States Air Force Major Mitchell Gant
, a Vietnam veteran—and former P.O.W.—who infiltrates the Soviet Union, aided by his ability to speak Russian
(due to his Russian mother) and a network of Jewish dissidents and sympathizers, three of whom are key scientists working on the fighter itself. His goal is to steal the Firefox and fly it back to friendly territory for analysis.
However, the KGB
has gotten wind of the extraction operation and is already hot on Gant's tail. It is only through the sympathizers that Gant remains one step ahead of the KGB and reaches the air base of Bilyarsk, where the Firefox prototype is under heavy guard. The dissident
scientists working on the Firefox, help Gant infiltrate the base. Dr. Baranovich, one of the scientists, informs Gant that there is a second prototype in the hangar that must be destroyed. The diversion will allow Gant to enter the hangar and escape with the first Firefox. Gant knocks out Lt. Colonel Yuri Voskov (Kai Wulff), a Soviet pilot assigned to take the first Firefox prototype on its maiden flight during a visit from the Soviet First Secretary. The scientists attempt the destruction of the second prototype to give Gant time to suit up and start the first fighter, but the second prototype is not destroyed, and the scientists are executed by the guards. Gant escapes the hangar and takes off just as the First Secretary arrives.
Evading the Soviets' attempts to stop him, Gant barely reaches the Arctic ice pack for refueling. He rendezvous with a US submarine whose crew refuels and rearms the aircraft. However, Gant's last-minute refusal to kill Voskov has consequences; the Soviet pilot flies the second prototype, with orders to wait for him at the North Cape
area. Gant completes the rendezvous and is on the way home when Voskov engages him in a dogfight. After a long battle, Gant barely manages to fire one of his rearward decoy flares and Voskov's plane is destroyed when his engines ingest the flare. Satisfied that there are no other Soviet forces chasing him, Gant begins his flight to safety.
, of which it was an advanced version. The real Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-31 "Foxhound"
is also almost identical in appearance to the MiG-25 and generally regarded to be an enhanced version of the original. The more intimidating version seen in the movie was created specifically for the film. In the sequel novel, Firefox Down!
, the Firefox's appearance is described as matching the one in the film. For filming, four large-scale replicas were created (two were capable of flying), along with one full-size model that had dimensions of 66 feet long, 44 feet wide, and 20 feet high. The full-size model was built from a radio station broadcast-antenna skeleton and was capable of taxiing at 30–40 mph.
Filming occurred in Vienna, Austria, Montana, California, London, and Greenland's Thule Air Force Base.
Special effects supervisor John Dykstra
pioneered a new technique for shooting the complex flying sequences, called reverse blue-screen photography
. This involved coating the model with phosphorus paint and photographing it first with strong lighting against a black background and then with ultraviolet light to create the necessary male and female matte
s to separate the foreground model and the background footage. This enabled the shiny black model to be photographed flying against a clear blue sky and gleaming white snow; compare this with traditional bluescreen technique used in The Empire Strikes Back
.
. Less a 'Firefox', it's more of a damp squib, or at best a smoldering turkey."
of the same name by Atari
, which became the only such game ever artificed by the company.
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
produced, directed by and starring Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood
Clinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. is an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide...
. It is based upon the 1977 novel of the same name
Firefox (novel)
Firefox is a thriller novel written by Craig Thomas and published in 1977. The Cold War plot involves an attempt by the CIA and MI5 to steal a highly advanced experimental Soviet fighter aircraft. The chief protagonist is fighter pilot turned spy Mitchell Gant...
written by Craig Thomas
Craig Thomas (author)
David Craig Owen Thomas was a Welsh author of thrillers, most notably the Mitchell Gant series.-Background:...
.
Set in Russia, authentic filming locations were not possible due to the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, forcing Eastwood and Fritz Manes's Malpaso Company to rely on Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
and other locations in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
to double for many of the Eurasian
Eurasia
Eurasia is a continent or supercontinent comprising the traditional continents of Europe and Asia ; covering about 52,990,000 km2 or about 10.6% of the Earth's surface located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres...
story locations. The film was shot on a $21 million budget.
Plot
A joint Anglo-American plot is devised to steal a highly advanced SovietSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
(MiG-31, NATO code name "Firefox") which is capable of Mach
Mach number
Mach number is the speed of an object moving through air, or any other fluid substance, divided by the speed of sound as it is in that substance for its particular physical conditions, including those of temperature and pressure...
6, is invisible
Stealth aircraft
Stealth aircraft are aircraft that use stealth technology to avoid detection by employing a combination of features to interfere with radar as well as reduce visibility in the infrared, visual, audio, and radio frequency spectrum. Development of stealth technology likely began in Germany during...
to radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
, and carries weapons controlled by thought
Brain-computer interface
A brain–computer interface , sometimes called a direct neural interface or a brain–machine interface , is a direct communication pathway between the brain and an external device...
. Former United States Air Force Major Mitchell Gant
Mitchell Gant
Mitchell Gant is a fictional character in a series of books written by Craig Thomas. His first appearance occurs in the 1977 novel Firefox as a US Air Force major that steals a Russian MiG-31 Firefox fighter aircraft prototype.-Character biography:Gant grew up in Clarksville, a small town in rural...
, a Vietnam veteran—and former P.O.W.—who infiltrates the Soviet Union, aided by his ability to speak Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
(due to his Russian mother) and a network of Jewish dissidents and sympathizers, three of whom are key scientists working on the fighter itself. His goal is to steal the Firefox and fly it back to friendly territory for analysis.
However, the KGB
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
has gotten wind of the extraction operation and is already hot on Gant's tail. It is only through the sympathizers that Gant remains one step ahead of the KGB and reaches the air base of Bilyarsk, where the Firefox prototype is under heavy guard. The dissident
Soviet dissidents
Soviet dissidents were citizens of the Soviet Union who disagreed with the policies and actions of their government and actively protested against these actions through either violent or non-violent means...
scientists working on the Firefox, help Gant infiltrate the base. Dr. Baranovich, one of the scientists, informs Gant that there is a second prototype in the hangar that must be destroyed. The diversion will allow Gant to enter the hangar and escape with the first Firefox. Gant knocks out Lt. Colonel Yuri Voskov (Kai Wulff), a Soviet pilot assigned to take the first Firefox prototype on its maiden flight during a visit from the Soviet First Secretary. The scientists attempt the destruction of the second prototype to give Gant time to suit up and start the first fighter, but the second prototype is not destroyed, and the scientists are executed by the guards. Gant escapes the hangar and takes off just as the First Secretary arrives.
Evading the Soviets' attempts to stop him, Gant barely reaches the Arctic ice pack for refueling. He rendezvous with a US submarine whose crew refuels and rearms the aircraft. However, Gant's last-minute refusal to kill Voskov has consequences; the Soviet pilot flies the second prototype, with orders to wait for him at the North Cape
North Cape
North Cape may refer to:*North Cape, Prince Edward Island*North Cape, New Zealand*North Cape, Norway, also known as Nordkapp*North Cape, Wisconsin, an unincorporated community...
area. Gant completes the rendezvous and is on the way home when Voskov engages him in a dogfight. After a long battle, Gant barely manages to fire one of his rearward decoy flares and Voskov's plane is destroyed when his engines ingest the flare. Satisfied that there are no other Soviet forces chasing him, Gant begins his flight to safety.
Cast
- Clint EastwoodClint EastwoodClinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. is an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide...
as Mitchell Gant - Freddie JonesFreddie JonesFrederick Charles "Freddie" Jones is an English character actor.Jones was born in the town of Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, the son of Ida Elizabeth and Charles Edward Jones. He became an actor after ten years of working as a laboratory assistant with a firm making ceramic products,...
as Kenneth Aubrey - David HuffmanDavid HuffmanDavid Huffman was a longtime character actor with many television, film and stage credits. He was married to award winning casting director Phyllis Huffman until he was murdered in 1985.-Murder:...
as Buckholz - Warren ClarkeWarren Clarke-Biography:Clarke was born in Oldham, Lancashire. His first television appearance was in the long running Granada soap opera Coronation Street, initially as Kenny Pickup in 1966 and then as Gary Bailey in 1968. His first major film appearance was in Stanley Kubrick's controversial A Clockwork...
as Pavel Upenskoy - Ronald LaceyRonald LaceyRonald Lacey was an English actor. He made numerous television and film appearances over a 30 year period and is perhaps best remembered for his villainous roles in Hollywood films, most famously Major Arnold Toht in Raiders of the Lost Ark.-Career:Lacey attended Harrow Weald Grammar School and...
as Semelovsky - Kenneth ColleyKenneth ColleyKenneth Colley is an English actor. A long-time character actor, he came to wider prominence through his role as Admiral Piett in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi....
as Colonel Kontarsky - Klaus LöwitschKlaus LöwitschKlaus Löwitsch was a German actor, best known in Germany for his starring role in the television detective series Peter Strohm....
as General Vladimirov - Nigel HawthorneNigel HawthorneSir Nigel Barnard Hawthorne, CBE was an English actor, perhaps best remembered for his role as Sir Humphrey Appleby, the Permanent Secretary in the 1980s sitcom Yes Minister and the Cabinet Secretary in its sequel, Yes, Prime Minister. For this role he won four BAFTA Awards during the 1980s in the...
as Dr. Pyotr Baranovich - Stefan SchnabelStefan SchnabelStefan Schnabel was an actor best remembered for having portrayed Dr. Stephen Jackson for sixteen years on the CBS soap opera The Guiding Light, on which he appeared from 1965 to 1981...
as General Secretary Konstantin ChernenkoKonstantin ChernenkoKonstantin Ustinovich Chernenko was a Soviet politician and the fifth General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. He led the Soviet Union from 13 February 1984 until his death thirteen months later, on 10 March 1985... - Thomas HillThomas Hill (actor)Thomas Hill was an actor and director on stage for decades before starting in film in the mid 1960s and on television in the 1980s....
as General Brown - Clive MerrisonClive MerrisonClive Merrison is a Welsh actor of film, television, stage and radio. He trained at Rose Bruford College.- Television :...
as Mahor Lanyev - Kai Wulff as Lt. Colonel Yuri Voskov
- Dimitra ArlissDimitra ArlissDimitra Arliss , sometimes credited as Dimitra Arlys, is an American actress.Arliss became noticed after appearing in Arthur L. Kopit's Broadway play Indians in the 1960s in which she played a Native American character who spoke with an Italian accent...
as Dr. Natalia Baranovich - Austin WillisAustin WillisAustin Willis, CM was a Canadian actor and television host.He was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In 2002, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada. He is best known internationally for his appearance as Simmons, the man whom Auric Goldfinger beats at cards in the opening scenes of the James Bond...
as Walters - Michael Currie as Captain Seerbacker
- Alan TilvernAlan TilvernAlan Tilvern was a British film and television actor. He is best known for his role as R.K. Maroon in the film Who Framed Roger Rabbit.-Television appearances:* Doctor Who serial, Planet of Giants...
as Air Marshal Kutuzov
Production
The film was based on the creation of a "mythical" super fighter: the MiG-31 Firefox. The original Firefox from the novel was, cosmetically, nearly identical to the MiG-25Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 is a supersonic interceptor and reconnaissance aircraft that was among the fastest military aircraft to enter service. Designed by the Soviet Union's Mikoyan-Gurevich bureau the first prototype flew in 1964 with entry into service in 1970...
, of which it was an advanced version. The real Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-31 "Foxhound"
Mikoyan MiG-31
The Mikoyan MiG-31 is a supersonic interceptor aircraft developed to replace the MiG-25 "Foxbat". The MiG-31 was designed by the Mikoyan design bureau based on the MiG-25.-Development:...
is also almost identical in appearance to the MiG-25 and generally regarded to be an enhanced version of the original. The more intimidating version seen in the movie was created specifically for the film. In the sequel novel, Firefox Down!
Firefox Down
Firefox Down is a 1983 novel by author Craig Thomas. It is a sequel to his novel Firefox. Craig Thomas dedicated the first edition of the novel to actor/director/producer Clint Eastwood, who starred as Mitchell Gant in the film adaptation of the first novel, stating, "For Clint Eastwood — pilot of...
, the Firefox's appearance is described as matching the one in the film. For filming, four large-scale replicas were created (two were capable of flying), along with one full-size model that had dimensions of 66 feet long, 44 feet wide, and 20 feet high. The full-size model was built from a radio station broadcast-antenna skeleton and was capable of taxiing at 30–40 mph.
Filming occurred in Vienna, Austria, Montana, California, London, and Greenland's Thule Air Force Base.
Special effects supervisor John Dykstra
John Dykstra
John Charles Dykstra, A.S.C. is an Academy Award-winning special effects supervisor and pioneer in the development of the use of computers in filmmaking.-Education and early career:...
pioneered a new technique for shooting the complex flying sequences, called reverse blue-screen photography
Reverse bluescreen
Reverse bluescreen is a special effects technique pioneered by John Dykstra for shooting the flying sequences in the film Firefox.The model is painted with a phosphorus paint and photographed with strong lighting against a black background, then rephotographed with ultraviolet light. This turns the...
. This involved coating the model with phosphorus paint and photographing it first with strong lighting against a black background and then with ultraviolet light to create the necessary male and female matte
Matte (filmmaking)
Mattes are used in photography and special effects filmmaking to combine two or more image elements into a single, final image. Usually, mattes are used to combine a foreground image with a background image . In this case, the matte is the background painting...
s to separate the foreground model and the background footage. This enabled the shiny black model to be photographed flying against a clear blue sky and gleaming white snow; compare this with traditional bluescreen technique used in The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner. The screenplay, based on a story by George Lucas, was written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan...
.
Reception
Author Howard Hughes gave the film a negative review, "Watch the trailer, read the book, play the game — just avoid the film, it's another Eiger SanctionThe Eiger Sanction (film)
The Eiger Sanction is a 1975 American action thriller based on the novel The Eiger Sanction by Trevanian, a pseudonym for the American author, Dr. Rodney William Whitaker. The film was directed by Clint Eastwood, who also starred as Dr. Jonathan Hemlock.-Plot:Dr...
. Less a 'Firefox', it's more of a damp squib, or at best a smoldering turkey."
Video game
In 1983, the film was used as the basis for a laserdisc gameFirefox (arcade game)
Firefox is a single player arcade laserdisc game based on the 1982 Clint Eastwood movie of the same name. It was produced by Atari in 1984 and was Atari's only laserdisc game...
of the same name by Atari
Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
, which became the only such game ever artificed by the company.
See also
- List of American films of 1982
- MiG-31 Foxhound
- Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System
- HypersonicHypersonicIn aerodynamics, a hypersonic speed is one that is highly supersonic. Since the 1970s, the term has generally been assumed to refer to speeds of Mach 5 and above...