Tag Archives: The Formula
The Formula and Fischer-Tropsch
The mysterious and secret formula under investigation in The Formula (1980) is the not-so-secret Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) formula, which had been known over half a century when the movie was made. The F-T process converts different solid or gaseous feedstocks, such … Read More
Posted in Blog
Tagged coal-to-liquids, Fischer-Tropsch, gas-to-liquids, Germany, national security, S. Africa, The Formula
Rocky Meets Patton Meets The Godfather
I have one more comment about The Formula (1980). Its director John Avildsen also directed Rocky and Karate Kid. All three movies center around an underdog upstart who takes on the establishment. In Rocky, Sylvester Stallone’s Italian Stallion takes on … Read More
Posted in Blog
Tagged Big Oil, George C. Scott, John Avildsen, Karate Kid, Marlon Brando, oil, Patton, Rocky, Sylvester Stallone, The Formula
German Scientist as Villain and Comedic Foil
Around the third minute of The Formula (1980), there is a roundtable introduction of German leaders and scientists during WWII. The scene reminded me of a similar scene in the comedy Naked Gun 2 ½ (1991) introducing the titans of … Read More
The Formula for Making an Energy Movie
The Formula (1980) with George C. Scott and Marlon Brando is one of the first major oil films released after the 1970s oil shocks. Rather than presenting the very positive side of oil the way most pre-1970s films did, this … Read More
Hydropower Saves The Fugitive
