| Movie Review "Cutaway" Stars: Stephen Baldwin, Tom Berenger, Dennis Rodman, Antonio Sabāto Jr., Ron Silver,
Casper Van Dien, Phillip Glasser, Adam Wylie, Maxine Bonds, Ian Nicholas.
Director: Guy Manos, 1999 / Cameraflyers: Norman Kent and others
The long-awaited next skydiving movie arrived on October 3rd, not on the big screen as originally anticipated, but on US cable television. Was the wait worth it? Depends. The plot was thin but the skydiving scenes were nice. Tom Berenger was pretty one dimensional as was Stephen Baldwin--not stellar acting jobs to say the least. Probably the worst thing about this movie was that the USA Network obviously hacked about 30-40 percent of it away to make room for ads which, no doubt, had a great influence on its appeal.
But, that fact aside, Cutaway's whole weak storyline of the Customs/DEA thing was played out like your average B-movie. Eight folks trying to get to National in an 8-way speed star competition, but they have no money, so their leader, "Redline" Tom Berenger, relies on smuggling coke and delivering at night by use of brightly colored parachutes. Stephen Baldwin infiltrates the team with some amazing "A" license skills and with 20 jumps to his credit, goes to the Nationals moving up to exiting # 7 from the Skyvan (or was it a CASA?). Okay, it's a movie, we'll buy it!
And, once again skydivers were made to look like a bunch of nuts (more than normal anyway). A lot of the tradition was there, but do they have to go and make it look like we all give up our old lives and live on the drop zone and jump for free? (Haven't we all been dreaming that one for awhile now!)
Were there many good things about the movie? Let's see...besides the nifty nicknames: "Redline" - Tom Berenger, "Turbo" - Dennis Rodman, and someone named "Rush", the skydiving is where this movie really shines. Norman Kent and company positively outdid themselves this time around. The freefall photography is excellent and there is tons of it.
So, everything isn't realistic in Cutaway, and sometimes its a bit absurd, but hell, a movie about normal everyday life at a dropzone would be pretty boring. You gotta have some excitement! You gotta have some fantasy (Like the idea of Nationals being broadcast live on TV!). Overall, Cutaway wasn't a great effort but wasn't the worst. The real verdict will be when the movie is released on video next January and we can see the full uncut movie. But, in the meantime, on the 1-to-10 scale, we'd give the hacked-up USA Network version a 5. After all, we didn't watch this movie looking for a documentary on how skydiving really is, we watched it looking to be entertained, and we were!
There will be a rerun of "Cutaway" on USA Network, October 8, 7.00 p.m. eastern time.
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"Le Grand Saut" Postponed French skydiver Michel Fournier was all set to make a 125,000 foot jump over the South of France at the end of September. With this jump he wanted to break four records and write skydiving history (see our title story of August). But he has had to postpone his jump because French official authorities will not allow it.
Michel is now looking into other possibilities to make this jump, which is the dream of his life, in the southern hemisphere, and is looking for sponsors who can help him to continue on with his project.
For ten years, Michel has been fighting for his project, which will cost 20,5 million Francs (US $2,885,000) without any sponsors or subsidies, and with only the help of his technical and scientific partners. He has even given up all his belongings and sold all he had to finance his project. Michel won't give up his dream!
Everyone can help and support Michel's project by buying one square meter (11 square feet) of the signed balloon fabric for FF 100,- (about US $14). Check out his web site at www.legrandsaut.com for detailed information. As soon as we get more news from Michel we will publish it here in skyXtreme. Stay tuned!
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News from BLiNC Magazine Two new domain names are now in effect for the online BASE magazine BLiNC: www.blincmagazine.com and www.blinc-magazine.com. Mick has also been working very hard to get the BLiNC Store up and running. The store is very secure and your sales are as automated as possible. Check it out at www.blincmagazine.com/store/.
BLiNC also has a new CD out. It contains 10+ single song length BASE-Jumping videos in high resolution MPEG format. They can be viewed on any PC/MAC. This is a new evolution in watching videos.
1st BASE video is now available at the BLiNC Store. It's one of the best BASE videos to date. Be prepared for great tunes by the Norwegian band YELP. Take a wild tour around the world with a full experience of BASE-jumping at it's finest.
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BIG AIR Client Referral Program The Zephyrhills-based Parachute Manufacturer BIG AIR Sportz has introduced a new marketing program called the "Client Referral Program". Any BIG AIR customer is eligible to receive $75 for each order that they inspire.
"Just have the new customer write your name, canopy serial number and current mailing address on their order form, and I'll send you a check!", says company owner Brian Germain. The program is in lieu of a traditional dealer network, and allows BIG AIR to have a more personal relationship with the customer than was afforded with the usual sales avenues.
"In the end", says Germain, "my enthusiastic customers are my best sales tool". "This is my way of saying thanks."
For more information on the Client Referral Program or on BIG AIR's Products, call (813) 788-4444, or visit their web site: www.bigairspotz.com
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New SOS Record The oldsters have done it again! A group of old skydivers, ages 60 to 74, broke the previous SOS record by successfully completing a 22-way formation at Skydive Elsinore on September 23rd. The record dive was the second completed 22-way of the day; the first one was not held for the required 3 seconds to qualify for a record.
The record skydive called "Jumpn Judy's SOS Record Skydive" and was dedicated to Judy Bieloh, who died in a skydiving accident the previous week. Judy was the only woman to have participated in previous SOS records and was scheduled to be part of this one.
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Skydive City News
by T.K. Hayes - tkhayes@skydivecity.com We are busy preparing for our 2000-2001 season and are constantly updating the calendar of events on our web page. Weather is hot and muggy here now, El Nino and La Nina are dead according to the Weather dudes, so we should be in for a nice, stable, dry winter.
Along with other improvements around the DZ, the deck is looking better, we added more wash basins at the bathrooms, extended packing space, TV Manifest so you can see what load you are on. We also plan to pressure wash, seal, and paint the bunker (our Achilles Heel for the past 10 years) and make it more functional and, at the very least, better looking. Along with that, we would ask that you bring us your country's flag (or anything else to hang there) so we can better decorate and keep the place looking good. Most of the flags in there have fallen to disrepair over the years and need some fixin'!
We are pleased to announce that we have hired Boxman Bill Engel to head up our Load Organizing staff this year, his expertise will surely be a boost to the staff here at Skydive City. The Freefly school also is still active and going strong. He has already laid out his plans for the Thanksgiving Boogie, coming up in just a few short weeks. Theme Organizing each day will be the menu for the Boogie this year, along with our usual competitions and events. Z-Girlz 4 Way Team will also be organizing for the smaller groups and will be available all week long during Turkey Week.
60-Way Speed is underway, Billy Porter and Boxman are heading that event up as well, if your slot has not been secured yet, you can contact them at cptpooby@juno.com or boxorg@aol.com. Check out our web site at www.skydivecity.com. [Back to Index]
BASE Jumps in Chicago & Denver As the Chicago Tribune reported, two people parachuted from a downtown building Wednesday, September 27, and landed in Daley Bicentennial Park in Chicago, picked up their equipment and hurried away before authorities could catch them.
The two were observed over Grant Park by a traffic officer who said they appeared to have launched themselves from the Amoco building in the 200 block of East Randolph Drive. A check of the doors leading to the building's roof revealed no breaches in security. "With these strong northerly winds, they could have come from any of these buildings," said one officer on the scene.
A 31 year old BASE jumper could face misdemeanor reckless endangerment charges after he leaped from the 37-story Embassy Suites hotel in Denver Monday night, October 2, planning to land atop the bus depot parking deck across the street.
When his chute opened, it whipped his body and twisted his lines and slammed him back into the building between two concrete walls. He crashed through a double-tempered glass window on the 21st floor. Bleeding profusely from cuts on his face and legs he was taken to Denver Health Medical Center. After several stitches to close his wounds, he was turned over to authorities and jailed. The jumper took up BASE jumping two years ago after several years of skydiving. It wasn't his first jump from the hotel, as he admitted. [Back to Index]
Airfield Folly In Tullinge, Sweden
submitted by Lief Berg - hayduke@algonet.se On, Tuesday, Sept. 19th the Prime Minister of Sweden, Mr. Göran Persson, announced that Tullinge Airfield was to be shut down as of July 1, 2001. Those affected by the decision were notified a mere two hours before!
Consider the paradox: increase in population, development, recreational needs, educational needs, international contacts, communication--all projected for the greater Stockholm area. An airfield with abundant potential, strategically situated close to the city of Stockholm is suddenly destined to become a residential district.
The first flaw is the traditional concept of immediate economic gains through increased income from the taxpayer in Botkyrka i.e. new residents on the former airfield. Money is a powerful motivator but in this case verbal and mathematical reasoning skills might be slightly short sighted. Tullinge Airfield is generating money to show a considerable profit for its owner Vasallen throughout the past few years. If the predictions are accurate, a new airfield will have to be built to accommodate the growing population. The estimated cost factor boggles the mind.
The second weakness is the commonly held concept that aviation is an activity which caters to the elite few. Tullinge airfield is the home of BFK (Botkyrka Flygklubb), Skydivers, Car enthusiasts, helicopter police, etc. and is frequently used to stage events which draw a multitude of people to Botkyrka. The most recent one is the Air show staged by BFK which over 20 000 people attended.
The ability to see relationships and patterns and make combinations and connections is the core of creativity. We suggest that rather than rushing into dismantling a perfectly functioning airfield, further research is conducted investigating thoroughly the various opportunities for housing as well as maintaining and developing the airfield.
In addition to expanding our understanding of the scope of aviation, Tullinge airfield is and should remain a marvelous point of adventure in aviation for the present and future. We can work miracles and go beyond frontiers of interests. Let us form an alliance against the destruction of more than an airfield. A simple starting point is to state your opinion by writing to registrator@industry-ministry.se. [Back to Index]
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