Marvel's political connection #1:
Edwards Air Force Base
Edwards Air Force Base
Kern County, California
Marvel's deal with the government
Marvel collaborated with the government and military. They obtain military resources, such as vehicles, weapons, and locations to film. In return the movies display positive military portrayal and government propaganda.
Edward AFB and Hollywood
How It Started:
Edwards was used for film before it was even an Air Force Base. In the early 1920's, Hollywood recognized a patch of Kern County as a location that could double for the Middle East. Silent movies ,such as The Ten Commandments, Ben Hur and The Santa Fe Trail were shot there.
Due to the wide-open area, the natural landing strip , and its proximity to the Los Angeles aerospace industry, the rise of Muroc Army Air Field eventually became Edwards AFB in 1947.
Hollywood and Edwards AFB connecting:
As Edwards AFB developed, Hollywood interest grew. Hollywood realized that there is a story in the hangars in the High Desert, which mirrored studio stages, and the pilots who do great things everyday in cutting-edge aircrafts.
The relationship between Edwards AFB and Hollywood strengthened after WWII. Movies, such as Toward the Unknown, X-15, Jet Pilot, Thundering Jets, 24-Hour Alert and Towards 60,000 Feet, did not only use Edwards AFB and its surroundings as a backdrop, but it became the topic of the movies.
In 1983, scenes for The Right Stuff were filmed on Edwards AFB location. The Academy Award winning movie was a critical hit that made Edwards AFB as a star.
Three movies of the Transformers franchise, the first two Iron Man movies, The Man of Steel, First Man, and Captain Marvel, shot multiple scenes on the base.
Man of Steel 2013
Transformers 2006, 2007
Click the red video button to see an
interview
documentary of the
process of the filming
of Iron Man 2 at Edwards AFB
Iron Man on the Base
These pictures show the cast and crew of Iron man on the Air Force Base interacting with the military personal on and off screen. In the top left, top right, and bottom middle picture, you see the training base at Edwards used in film. The Video is of a scene in Iron Man 2 specifically revolving around the Edwards Air Force Base. In the scene, you see the overlook of the base, the planes, and even some members of Edwards Air Force Base. The clip even has an inter-title for the location saying, "Edwards Air Force Base, Mojave CA".
Edwards Air Force Base meets Iron Man (Robert Downy Jr.)
Director, Jon Favreau, and Colonel Jerry Gandy
Captain Marvel on the Base
Captain Marvel is a groundbreaking movie for marvel and Air Force pilots. Carol Danvers, the lead, portrays a former Air Force pilot and intelligence agent. The video on the bottom left corner expresses how much Captain Marvel means to the Air Force Base. It emphasizes how the real life pilots felt about being in the movie, and how in the story line, Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel, went through the Edwards training school. After Captain Marvel, the base received its highest number of female applicants in 5 years.
In movie clip of Captain Marvel at Edwards AFB
News Report on Edwards AFB and importance of Captain Marvel.
