Until tonight I’d have thought the topic of th 1970’s kid’s show Wonder Woman would have no place on a historic aviation forum. However…
This evening I had an absolutely hilarious experience, I went to Mum’s for dinner and my sister put on a DVD she’d just bought of the pilot episode of Wonder Woman (1976). I didn’t actually watch the beginning and was in the other room till I heard aircraft noises and lots of laughing, so went for a look.
Apparently according to my sister the aircraft scene I’d missed was a Harvard being shot down by a Messerschmitt over Wonder Woman’s Bemuda Triangle island! I had watched the series as a kid in the late 1970’s but I never realised at all (too young to) that it is set in WWII!
Anyway later in the episode you see the German baddie flying a Heinkel III (stock footage) and the studio shot shows him in what looks like B-25 cockpit. Honestly the continuity with stock footage and studio scenes is shocking, much like Midway, but it’s well worth a look. i think the He111 shots may be Battle of Britain out-takes. My sisters said during the initial battle scene (Harvard vs Me109) they even useed some black and white real footage intercut. Oh dear..
Oh, and the writing, acting and everything about the show is so bad it’s like watching pure parody, in the style of Hot Shots and Flying High! There’s more ham and cheese than a sandwich! It’s pure comedy gold without ever meaning to be, and had my whole family in raptures of laughter. Highly recommended.
My sister bought two wholes series so I’m looking forward to watching more soon – as it’s set in WWII and ‘Diana Prince’ is working for the US Air Corps [sic] there may be some more appaulling dubbed stock footage soon I hope.
One final thing, I wonder what became of her invisible aeroplane. Is it in a museum? Or still flying? 😀
By: PaulR - 23rd August 2006 at 12:43
later in the episode you see the German baddie flying a Heinkel III (stock footage) and the studio shot shows him in what looks like B-25 cockpit. Honestly the continuity with stock footage and studio scenes is shocking
Much like the numerous scenes in 70s detective dramas and suchlike of 747s taking off before switching to an under-fuse camera showing stock footage of a B52’s undercarriage being raised. Can’t think how many times I saw that particular segment.
By: James D - 23rd August 2006 at 11:35
Can’t beat a nice 1970s haircut 😉
Ah, good old movie hair stylists. No matter how authentic the sets, cars, planes, costumes etc in a movie – you can always rely on the hair stylists to completely screw it up. I keep picturing Micheal Landons seventiestastic barnet from “Little house on the prarie” – highly frontiersman authetic! :rolleyes:
By: Whitley_Project - 23rd August 2006 at 10:24
Can’t beat a nice 1970s haircut 😉
I’ll have to watch more of the series to find out, but I believe her boss/love interest who’s in the pilot, Steve Trevor (played by Lyall Wagner) continued as co-star through the series. They all had 1970’s haircuts despite the WWII setting – again, like Midway…
By: J Boyle - 23rd August 2006 at 01:58
Glad to help. I’m a fountain of useless TV/film trivia. 😀
By: Dave Homewood - 22nd August 2006 at 15:52
Ah, thanks John, that explains a lot. Yes it did mention that teh Amazonian women were immortal in the pilot. I guess that switch may have been to cut costs on sets and costumes – the period dressing was pretty good, there were lots of 1940’s cars in the pilot and heaps of ‘extras’ all in 1940’s clothing. Switching the plot to the 1970’s would cut a lot of budget.
By: J Boyle - 22nd August 2006 at 14:51
I never watched the show but I understand the first season or two were set in WWII. Later seasons, were set in the present day and had the same male actor (sic) playing the son of the WWII-era man.
Of course, Wonder Woman was ageless.
By: Dave Homewood - 22nd August 2006 at 13:20
I’ll have to watch more of the series to find out, but I believe her boss/love interest who’s in the pilot, Steve Trevor (played by Lyall Wagner) continued as co-star through the series. They all had 1970’s haircuts despite the WWII setting – again, like Midway…
By: Pete Truman - 22nd August 2006 at 11:53
Can’t remember any of it being set in WW2, did the series progress through the ages to wide lapels and flares, madam being pretty indestructable of course, I was inclined to watch it at the time due to a photo published in the press which made WW look very like my ex-wife, I wish, no thats not fair, there were similarities in various departments.
By: Dan Hamblin - 22nd August 2006 at 11:18
One final thing, I wonder what became of her invisible aeroplane. Is it in a museum? Or still flying? 😀
Haven’t you heard? Its on the guest list for next years Legends… :diablo:
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August 22, 2006 at 11:14 am