Hi, I love your site and you have helped me to i.d. numerous kid traumas lost to the sands of time even with the Internet. I have one left.
I saw this movie on free T.V. in the NYC area in the mid-to-late ‘70s/early ‘80s as a kid on the weekend. I remember the ending only. Basically, it’s two men (prisoners or soldiers) struggling to make their way through the jungle to an escape army helicopter as they are pursued by the enemy. The prisoners are worse for wear as the helicopter lands with a soldier or two getting out to provide cover fire for the escapees. The returning fire proves overwhelming and the chopper leaves without being able to pick up our heroes. The movie ends with a freeze-frame of the men’s faces.
Does anyone know what the name of this movie was? Over 35 years later, I still remember this downbeat ending.
Thank you,
George H.
My knowledge of war films is next to zero but this did make me think of SOUTHERN COMFORT which I love so I’m posting that as my guess just to bring it up and share the trailer. I just found this one used on DVD recently and I was very happy about that.
I also want everyone to know that before spellcheck corrected me, I thought there was a “P” in comfort.
Oh wait! forget the trailer! Somebody put up the whole movie!
And it’s in 720p. which I think stands for super excellent awesome style.
^ Don’t watch it here though! Click on the “youtube” and watch it there in full size!
Fred Ward.
Sorry I’m not much help George! There is a helicopter at the end so it’s not the worst guess!:)
This is film is undoubtedly Joseph Losey’s existential action drama “Figures In a Landscape” (1970), starring Robert Shaw and Malcolm Mcdowall.The only way I can describe it is a “jungle prison escape flick version of Waiting for Godot filmed like an extended Twilight Zone episode.”I know that doesn’t make things very clear, but its all I got.
On second thought, it probably isn’t “Figures in a Landscape”.I re-read your description and saw you say they were trying to get to a rescue helicopter.In this flick they are being pursued by an enemy helicopter.Sorry for not reading more thoroughly.
No need to apologize herrsundvall68!
That movie sounds good!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Figures_in_a_Landscape_(film)
Here is part 1 and the rest is on Youtube!
Intriguing, George. Seems like a cool movie! Do you remember any other details? Sounds like the actors weren’t A-list, but were they familiar? And do you remember any specifics about the weapons or helicopter, or the enemy soldiers? It seems like it was set in Vietnam, but could it have been in Africa or South America? I’m going to check with a friend of mine who was in NY at the time and see if it rings a bell. And Lancifer, thanks for posting “Figures in a Landscape” – going to check this out!
Hi everybody and thanks for the help. Those were two good guesses but unfortunately not the movie. The only thing I really remember about the movie was the ending. I will give you EVERYTHING I remember from 30-35 years ago. The 2 prisoners ( or soldiers) were male whites, one wounded or delirious being half carried by the other. both guys were dirty and unshaven and maybe dressed all in black. The last few minutes cut between the prisoners on a jungle path making their way to the rescue site and something else which I don’t remember. The helicopter was an olive drab army helicopter on the ground with the rotors running, with the gunner outside the copter in olive drab fatigues and helmet with headset returning fire with a pistol. You see the helicopter getting shot and the gunner maybe waving his hands in frustration and jumping back in the copter as it takes off. the movie ends on a slo-mo close up of the prisoners faces. That’s all I have unfortunately. It was definitely a jungle with a sandy beach. It ran around the time I saw The losers and Clones (with Gregory Sierra and another downbeat ending that Kindertrama id’d for me) probably on WNEW channel 5 in NYC. Thanks for your help.