USA: HARRISON FORD TAKES ON THE ROLE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IN THE NEW ACTION-THRILLER "AIR FORCE ONE"

Record ID: 387067

  • Title: USA: HARRISON FORD TAKES ON THE ROLE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IN THE NEW ACTION-THRILLER "AIR FORCE ONE"
  • Date: 13th July 1997
  • Summary: COLUMBIA PICTURES (MUST COURTESY COLUMBIA PICTURES) (NOT FOR LIBRARY USE) FILM CLIP FOR "AIR FORCE ONE"
  • Embargoed: 28th July 1997 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: HONOLULU, HAWAII AND LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES AND FILM lOCATIONS
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVA24QA8ABFVUW3VLH0C0VCU7OTS
  • Story Text: Harrison Ford takes on the role of the President of the United States in the new action-thriller "Air Force One." The film, which had its world premiere in Los Angeles this week (July 21), is from the Oscar-nominated director of "Das Boot" and "In the Line of Fire," Wolfgang Petersen.

    "Air Force One" is the story of a terrorist group which hijacks the Presidential plane, demanding the release of their leader, Korshunov, played by Gary Oldman.

    Unless he's released, the terrorists will begin killing passengers. But if their demands are met and Korshunov is set free, the fear is many more will almost certainly die.

    The president must weigh the fate of his family, who are on board, against the fate of the world.

    But this president isn't unlike others protrayed in recent Hollywood films. He is a man of action, who is never actually seen sitting behind the desk in the Oval Office.

    Also in the cast is Glenn Close, who plays the Vice President.

    The first presidential plane to be called "Air Force One" was inaugurated in 1961 by President John Kennedy.

    Since then, that name has come to symbolize the power and prestige that comes with the office of America's chief executive.

    The current Air Force One came into use in September 1990 under the administration of President George Bush.

    Harrison Ford and Director Petersen were given a guided tour of the real Air Force One before production started while President Clinton was on holiday in Wyoming.

    They were not allowed to take pictures, nor were they shown all of the plane for security reasons.

    Peterson described the experience as like a little boy's dream -- "a little awesome".

    Then it was up to the film's crew to re-create the 747 airliner with all three levels, all built to exact size. They worked from drawings, some official photos given by the President's office and any published photos they could find in newspapers and magazines.

    Assembling the sets was a huge undertaking. The structure was built on a giant gimble with an hydraulic system that rocked individual sections to simulate turbulence.

    "Air Force One" opens in theatres across the United States on July 25. It opens in Britain on September 12.
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