OM DENNE EPISODE
This week on Forgotten Cinema, the Mikes turn up the heat with "Backdraft", Ron Howard's 1991 firefighter thriller starring Kurt Russell, William Baldwin, Robert De Niro, and Donald Sutherland.
Both Mike Butler and Mike Field are big fans of the film, particularly its performances and incredible practical fire effects. Butler singles out Kurt Russell and Donald Sutherland, while Field goes even further and unapologetically LOVES the movie.
There are still a few story beats and character decisions that keep Butler from loving "Backdraft" quite as much as Field does. Field agrees that those problems are there, but for him they do little to diminish everything the movie gets right.
The biggest standout for both Mikes is the filmmaking itself. The fire feels genuinely dangerous because so much of what appears on screen was accomplished practically, with enormous sets, real flames, and performers doing much of their own stunt work. The result gives "Backdraft" a physicality and sense of danger that is incredibly difficult to fake.
That leads to a larger discussion about whether a movie like this could even look as convincing if it were made today. Thirty-five years later, a remake would almost certainly rely far more heavily on green screen and CGI, but would that actually make the fire look better? For Butler and Field, "Backdraft" is a great example of why practical filmmaking can still produce images that modern technology struggles to replicate.
Flawed in places but spectacular where it counts, "Backdraft" remains a thrilling piece of early '90s filmmaking and a reminder that sometimes the best special effect is simply putting the camera in front of the real thing.
What are some other great fire fighter films? Let us know in the comments below!
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0:00 - Introduction
2:57 - Film Facts
12:04 - Film Discussion
31:39 - Reviews
34:47 - Who Would You Recommend This To?
35:36 - Why Is This Forgotten?
40:07 - Plugs
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