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DVD The Magic of Flight (Large Format)
Fly with the U.S. Navy's elite Blue Angels demonstration squadron in the breathtaking video The Magic of Flight, which explains the basic principles of what enables airplanes (and birds) to fly, what creates lift, how planes maneuver, how planes land again. Going back to the Wright Brothers' experiments at Kitty Hawk, the documentary explores how the intrepid bicycle makers ruminated on the elements of flight for many an hour before even attempting to assemble their first aircraft. The Blue Angels put into action the discoveries made by the Wright Brothers, as they make their selections, train, and perform.
Pilots push their high-performance fighter planes through difficult but graceful maneuvers for amazed air-show audiences, demonstrating where the state of the art really lies for 21st-century flying. For all the skills of the pilots, however, the most astonishing part of the video would have to be the camera work, with cameras mounted on the planes' bellies, noses, and cockpits to give an up-close view of what the machines are really capable of. Planes fly arm's length apart during maneuvers where the slightest misstep would mean certain catastrophe. The Magic of Flight does indeed go a long way toward capturing the wonder of flying, with spectacular camera work, editing, and production. --Jerry Renshaw
OK, OK, So it hasn't actually been released, but....
I saw this IMAX film the first time at the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, FL. (You'll notice in the opening credits that they helped with the film)I was entranced by the stunning video images and the "feeling" about flying that the scenery and Tom Selleck's narrative created. The score for the film is not "TOPGUN-esque" but rather a warm and inspiring score that reminded me of EVEREST. (Another Spectacular MacGillivray Freeman effort). Needless to say I saw it another 3 times while I was in flight school. To make it easy on prospective buyers I would offer this: If you don't fly or aren't particularly interested in aviation, but have ever been curious as to what makes people want to do it, this film should shed some light. If you fly or are an aviation buff...well, this film really hits the bullseye. Difficult to put in words just how but watch the film and you know what I mean
Great Experience
Wow! Widescreen TV is a viewing bonus. The photography on this DVD is amazing. Angles from IMAX cameras mounted on the Blue Angels planes as they fly. You see just how close to each other these people fly. Watch the main feature; then watch the "making of"; then watch the main feature again with a whole new perspective.
Unfortunately, even with a widescreen TV, it's not the same experience as being in an IMAX theater with a 60' screen -- you don't get the feeling of being in the pilot's seat, like you do at IMAX. But a great experience nonetheless.
The other great thing from this IMAX film is the pilots truly convey their joy of flying. Blue Angels, stunt pilots & pilots taking off / landing on aircraft carriers; you can feel their passion for what they do.
Great ! but...
great film..great images..but..it was supposed to be widescreen. And unfortunately it's only 4/3 :-( DTS is amazing. globally good picture quality but several compression problem ( on dark scenes ). watched on a 16/9 projector ( sharp xv-z 9000 ).
One of the best directors of IMAX films, Stephen Low (Titanica) has always been a race fan. After obtaining permission from CART, a governing body of Indy car racing and Newman/Haas racing (a Championship team co-owned by Paul Newman), Low found his stars for Super Speedway: the racing Andrettis, father Mario and son Michael. Mounting cameras fore and aft on the Andrettis' cars, IMAX offers a better vantage point than an ESPN camera, at a superior grade of clarity. Add to that the excellent sound and you can "feel" the bumps on the asphalt as the cars zoom in and out of corners. The large format can turn a pit stop into a dramatic 12 seconds as we see the driver's eyes dart away from his cockpit for a few brief seconds. We watch Michael Andretti on oval tracks and exciting... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Paul Newman Director(s): Stephen Low DVD Release Date: Released the 18 September 2001 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Believe it or not, an IMAX film can make the transition to video perfectly well. It might not be three stories tall, but Dolphins is still a lovely, larger-than-life exploration of these strangely intelligent creatures. Visit the Bahamas, Argentina, and beyond to see different varieties (like the graceful duskies) play and hunt. Pierce Brosnan's narration and Sting's music fill the water with sound and add counterpoint to the dolphin's shrill cries; the film is an overwhelming experience even in the living room. Two short features follow the main attraction: see behind-the-scenes footage of the making of Dolphins as the enormous IMAX camera follows the sleek, gorgeous beasts, and learn some hard facts about marine science including how dolphins fit into their complex... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Pierce Brosnan Director(s): Greg MacGillivray DVD Release Date: Released the 31 October 2000 THIS TITLE IS CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE. If you would like to purchase this title, we recommend that you occasionally check this page to see if it has become available.
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The films from IMAX have come to be known for their cutting-edge cinematography. They don't disappoint with The Living Sea, an Academy Award-nominated documentary exploring exotic marine locales. Using dizzying aerial and time-lapse footage, they provide underwater imagery usually accessible only while wearing fins and a mask. From heavy-surf Coast Guard drills off the coast of Oregon to jellyfish in Palau to North Atlantic humpback whales, veteran IMAX cameraman and director Greg MacGillivray takes viewers on a vivid journey into some of the world's most breathtaking environments and shows us some of the rarest and strangest marine life. Ten years from conception to finished product, this documentary's intended message is the importance of protecting the "world ocean" by... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Steve Kitana Director(s): Greg MacGillivray DVD Release Date: Released the 21 March 2000 THIS TITLE IS CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE. If you would like to purchase this title, we recommend that you occasionally check this page to see if it has become available.
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Like any IMAX movie, Coral Reef Adventure is so vivid, vast, and colorful that you can't help but be astonished by its visual splendor. But this undersea exploration has a deeper, more serious agenda as well, warning its viewers that the natural magnificence of the world's most impressive coral reefs is, in most cases, a mere 30 years away from extinction due to the devastating effects of global (and oceanic) warming. Whether or not that timeframe is accurate (and there's not enough solid science presented here to prove it either way), it's tragically obvious that we are in the process of losing entire ecosystems that cannot be replaced, and when you witness these awesome coral reefs in their still-thriving vitality, you experience a sense of urgent responsibility toward our... More Info about this DVD Director(s): Greg MacGillivray DVD Release Date: Released the 06 January 2004 Usually ships in 24 hours
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For anyone who craves the adrenaline rush of maximum velocity, Speed is a thrill ride custom-made for superior home-theater systems. Like any IMAX film, this popular 30-minute program suffers from home-theater reduction, but its crisp images and flawless audio (especially in DTS mode) provide adequate compensation as James Burke (lively host of the classic science/invention series Connections) narrates a brisk survey of speed, from the earliest push-pedal bicycle, to the Stanley Steamer, internal combustion engines (including a nod to pioneering hot-rodder Bill Vukovich), jets, rockets, and beyond. From Chuck Yeager's breaking of the sound barrier in 1947's Bell X-1, to the supersonic SR-71 "Blackbird" spy-plane, the Apollo missions, rocket-powered dragsters, and the Blue... More Info about this DVD Director(s): Greg MacGillivray DVD Release Date: Released the 29 June 2004 Usually ships in 24 hours
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