This is a reminder that we have another fun #Wingnut movie night planned on Discord this evening! The ongoing theme will be movies that inspired Wing Commander in some way. Tonight's film is the original King Kong (1933) which was reference for an episode of Wing Commander Academy… and where Chris Roberts' game development career started! You can find details on that as well as how to watch along with us in the announcement post here. The movie will start about 7 PM PST/10 PM EST but feel free to drop by and hang any time!
And don't forget our second Wing Commander Cartoon party is early tomorrow!
Greetings WingNuts,
The Wing Commander movie club has changed planes at Dulles! Die Hard 2 was a nice change of pace from our usual fare of war movies and science fiction classics. It holds up very well today, arguably better than any of the later Die Hard sequels. John McClane's path to superherodom seems to already be clearly established but it's pretty subdued compared to what is yet to come. And the overall idea of criminals hijacking an airport instead of a plane remains pretty neat, too!
As noted in the introduction post, the immediate Wing Commander creative connection is pretty tenuous. The original Privateer's character design document calls out Commodore Riesmann as being based on Die Hard 2's Colonel Stuart (William Sadler). Privateer was originally intended to have a 'Confederation versus Kilrathi' main plot which would end with you siding with one of the factions. That was dropped and the more elaborate character plans were shuffled into the background, rendering Reismann simply a VDU image in the last mission. But watching Die Hard 2 it's clear what the intention was for his character: an Oliver North-style military officer who is willing to do immoral things if it means winning.
… and then there's the device! It turns out Die Hard 2 and Wing Commander Prophecy share a prop, seen below. In Die Hard 2 they're part of Colonel Stuart's rogue air traffic control set up… and one of them goes on to be the mission computer that Casey uses after each flight in Prophecy!
The reason this prop appears in both productions is because it's a rental. There are large companies with warehouses full of background props like this that can be rented to fill out a particular production when time or budget doesn't allow for a custom fabrication for everything. These light-up consoles were built by the now defunct Master Props and likely appeared throughout genre productions in the 90s. In fact, Star Trek super site Ex Astris Scientia has preserved Master Props' catalog listings for such pieces AND found this particular one in an episode of Star Trek The Next Generation (Unnatural Selection, season 2 episode 7)!
Finally, Dulles airport makes a brief appearance in a scene in Pilgrim Truth where the president of the Confederation meets with the leaders of the Pilgrims. Die Hard 2 wasn't actually shot at Dulles and most of the action is at night… but here's a quick comparison between the movie and the real life view of the tarmac from the air traffic control tower!
The communications link defied conventional physics, and while Confed scientists struggled to figure out how the invaders had accomplished the feat of establishing instantaneous connections with every Confederation and Kilrathi system, President Harold Rodham stood on the tarmac at Washington Dulles Air and Space Port, waiting to receive one Ivar Chu McDaniel, purported leader of the Pilgrims.
One of the invaders' more nondescript troopships landed. An orifice appeared in the quavering fuselage, and out stepped a kindred spirit, a man who, like Rodham, carried himself too timidly to suggest that he led billions. Surprisingly enough, he came unarmed, without guards, and seemed unfazed by the Marines who hustled up beside him. “Mr. President,” he called in a thin lilt, then advanced and extended his hand.
Rodham took it. “If you'll follow me?”
“I was disappointed that you called in those two battle groups from Saturn. Still, I admire your fortitude.”
Jerking his hand away, Rodham glowered at the wiry man. “We won't go down easily.”
“You won't go down at all, sir. Has the senate convened? I'm looking forward to explaining everything.”
“They're waiting for you.” Rodham said, and you’ve made it all too easy, you bastard. “This way.” He led McDaniel back toward the waiting hover.
Sully heard there was someone named Mr. Falcon.
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