The airplane and the pilot are myths with an ideological connection, They are in a natural relationship with the government, and are meant to serve it, like any other political symbol. They are parallel to Daedalus and Icarus from the mythological legend, which is a central pillar in the canon of Western culture.
The flight, which depends on the constant movement of the airplane in the air, was a source of inspiration for action in every country, in almost every sphere, in the 20th century. Precious technology obliged the industry to be upgraded at all costs, the abolition of the importance of physical boundaries justified an arms race, and the aircraft became a source of inspiration for original nationalism, which also found widespread expression in film culture.
Given the large number of aviation films, it is surprising that the subject of "cinema, aviation, nationalism and myth" has been so little researched. The relationship between them exists from the first aviation films, made in the early twentieth century, to those dealing with the Vietnam War and beyond. Hollywood has created more aviation movies than any other country. But similar processes have taken place around the world. They created an icon of the knightly fighter pilot, a stereotype that influences popular culture to this day.
The golden age of aviation, from the end of World War I to the 1950s, coincided with the golden age of cinema. Cinema developed at the same rate and drama, and both quickly established themselves as the most exciting and popular form of leisure and activity, while becoming an incredibly effective channel for disseminating ideas, attitudes and qualities that society deserves to preserve. The first aviation films reflected the Gospel of the Wings, according to which air transport would bring with it a golden age of progress, and the pilot is a romantic and chivalrous figure.
In the interwar period, popular cinema still paradoxically promoted these familiar themes, but also exploited fears of an aerial bombardment in the next great war. At the same time, cinema during this period used photographs of the pilot and the aircraft for nationalist propaganda, which showed achievements in the subject as the spearhead of the national technological initiative.
Flight is an archetypal symbol of human spirit and freedom. The original experience in the early days of aviation was a religious experience, full of hopes for peace and equality. In contrast, flight and pilot were also significant metaphors for the mythical modernity of Italian fascism and German Nazism. The biographies of Gabriel D'Annunzio and Herman Goering establish the connection between the war experience and the hyper-masculine culture of the 1920s and 1930s. They had supreme feelings and racism, similar to those of right-wing groups at the time.
In Hollywood, three major aviation films were made between the two world wars. Dozens of imitations were made on them, including using unnecessary photographic materials. The films are:
"Wings" (1927) - the first Oscar-winning film to be named "Best Picture" at the 1928 Academy Awards. The film deals with the young and popular American fighter pilots of the First World War, and includes light-hearted romantic dialogues alongside dramatic aerial combat scenes. There is an impressive soundtrack of an uninterrupted dramatic concert throughout.
"Hell's Angels" (1930) - The prestigious production of billionaire Howard Hughes, the personality who is identified with the entire period, as a film producer and aircraft manufacturer. In the biographical film about him, "The Aviator" (2004) by Martin Scorsese, the individual and capitalist dimension of his character is shown, which is typical of American culture, which presented the character of the pilot in parallel to the character of the cowboy. The movie featuring dozens of real airplanes, was filmed several times, partly due to the transition to the sound film, which took place during its production. Despite the lengthening of production and the increase in expenses it became profitable. The plot is about two friends who fight as fighter pilots against the Germans, sharing love with the same girl. Dramatic aerial scenes depict the bombing of airships and bombers.
"Dawn Patrol" (1938) - a film that is unique in that the emphasis is not on the romantic and chivalrous pilot character, but on the many sacrifices demanded by the air front. It includes clashes between commanders on the subject, and criticism of senior command policy. This approach highlighted an ideological difference compared to German-Nazi cinema, which advocated sacrifice for the nation. The stars of the film were David Niven and Errol Flynn, and it is the second version of a production from the early 1930s.
Aerial propaganda films were more important in countries where national pride suffered a blow as a result of the war, and they were defeated or angry. In Germany, one way to achieve this was technological progress, which was seen as proof of recovery and superiority. During the 1920s, the rapid development of aircraft began to gradually offer more practical insights than other nation-building aircraft. The heroic status of the air crew members, the rapid spread of soaring and flight sports clubs, the growth in commercial aviation, the success of the national company "Lufthansa", all testified to the popularity and public support on the subject.
Important German aviation film productions during the Weimar Republic were:
"Icarus" (1918) - represents the fighter pilots and aviation films of the First World War. The plot revolves around a German fighter pilot who invents a revolutionary engine, which his beloved French Countess tries to steal from. It production began at the end of the war, and a patriotic ending was originally planned for it. After the surrender of Germany, the scene ending the film was changed to cosmopolitan.
''Money'' (1928) - a Franco-German co-production that represents the cosmopolitan atmosphere and the abandonment of financial speculations in France before the economic depression. The improvements in aircraft made it possible to search for raw materials in places that had not been explored until then. The film depicts entrepreneurs who are only interested in financial gain, invest in new planes and send daring pilots to look for resources. The result is a stock market surge, followed by a landslide.
"Woman on the Moon" (1929) - a film by Fritz Lang that deals with the gold rush, but includes in its second half long scenes depicting the launch of a manned spaceship into space, as will actually be done decades later. The German public's much interest in missiles began in 1923, culminating in 1929. The music in the film is semi-hypnotic, as are the actors' movements under the condition of "lack of gravity", which evoke similar feelings in the viewer.
"Mountain Movies" starring Ernest Udet - Arnold Punk began serially producing, beginning in the 1920s, once a year or so, movies that dealt with the Germans' love of mountaineering in the Alps, which were called "Mountain Movies". It was a unique German genre, initially characterized by symbolism, but gradually became nationalist, presenting climbers as a social cult that values physical and spiritual forging, as opposed to expressionist films which delved into the depths of the individual's psyche. In three films which he made in the years before the rise of the Nazis, Punk, for a significant supporting role, alongside his film star Lenny Riefenstahl, presented the pilot Ernest Udet, who appears in these films in his own role, as a pilot rescuing trapped in the snow. Udet became a senior Nazi general.
Riefenstahl directed "Mountain Films" herself, and at the same time developed the style of "Heroic Reportage" in her well-known documentaries, such as "Triumph of the Will" (1935) and "Olympia" (1938). Her films have greatly influenced German feature filmmakers.
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