X-15

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Frank Sinatra was among the producers for X-15, an interesting space-race film that marked the feature debut of Richard Donner (the Lethal Weapon series, Timeline) and provided an early lead role for Charles Bronson, who leads a solid cast in this occasionally tense, hardware-driven drama. Bronson, David McLean, and Ralph Taeger are test pilots for the X-15 research vehicle, which brought man to the brink of outer space for the first time. The film divides its running time between scenes of the crew testing the rocket and domestic drama involving their wives and girlfriends (played by Mary Tyler Moore, Patricia Owens, and Lizabeth Hush). James Stewart's narration offers an all-American layer to the script, written by James Ward Bellah (whose stories were adapted by John Ford for She Wore a Yellow Ribbon and Sergeant Rutledge, among others) and producer Tony Lazzarino. Eagle-eyed fans might notice future California congressman Robert Dornan among the ground crew. MGM's widescreen DVD offers no extras. --Paul Gaita

Description

Before Top Gun, Apollo 13 or The Right Stuff, this breathtaking, jet-fueled journey of high-altitude filmmaking blasted audiences from zero-G to 4,000 miles per hour with its thrilling tale of America's victory in the space race. Starring David McLean, Charles Bronson and Mary Tyler Moore, X-15 sets the sky as the limitfor excitement! The courageous pilots of the Air Force's X-15 program are determined to take an experimental rocket 100 miles above the earth at four times the speed of sound! At stake is American air supremacy and proof that space travelis possible. But also at stake are their lives and the lives of the terrified wives they've left behind!

Customer Reviews:

Slow suicide...........2005-11-27

What a piece of garbage...Amazon should immediately refund everyone's money and then bring legal action againest whomever is resposible for this abomination of a DVD. Did no one attempt to watch this prior to it's release? Probably did and were promptly bored to death....Lynn Stubblefield, Nashville, TN...btw, one star because there is no way to leave them all blank...

none.......2005-09-03

I really enjoyed this movie. It was very entertaining. The actores were great. Having first hand knowlege of the X-15 project, Ihought it was fairly accuarte.

The lazy way to put out an old film.......2004-08-18

"dhoggan" is right on the money. This is the lazy way to release an old film. Nothing could have been easier than to have re-worked this film in a full-frame version with the NASA footage sections returned to their original dimensions, which are naturally full-frame. You'd think it would have been a breeze with the available technology and software. Instead of being able to advertise a newly restored version that's better than the original theatrical release ever was, they end up with a DVD that's getting pathetic reviews and which isn't likely to sell. Sales from the corrected version would surely have offset the cost of the easy re-working of the film. The problem here lies with whoever is responsible for marketing this stuff. Come on MGM - you're supposed to be better than this. How about actually THINKING first.

MGM DVD doesn't help this turkey either..........2004-07-20

Dick Donner's directorial debut is about as far from auspicious as you want to get and is no way evocative of the successes he would enjoy in later years with the likes of Superman and the Lethal Weapon series. This maudlin, mysoginist, cliche-ridden old-school melodrama is further marred by aspect ratio problems that have been explained sufficiently by other reviewers, so I won't get into that here--but what adds insult to injury is MGM DVD's hack mastering job. The studio didn't even bother to optimize the film for 16.9 televisions, which partially would have allowed viewers with 1.33 TVs to compensate for the aspect ratio problem by making an adjustment in their DVD player's display settings. Furthermore, with today's digital technology it would have been easy enough to correct the aspect ratio problem in a post house by either adjusting the stock footage to 2.35:1 by zooming in on it, or remastering the whole film at 16.9 by slicing off the edges of the footage that Donner shot. I would have preferred the latter approach as it would have sacrificed very little in terms of picture fidelity, and if this were a worthwhile film, I'd rip the DVD to my hard drive and do the scaling myself in Adobe AfterEffects. But, alas, I have a life and will leave this pursuit to only the most die-hard purists out there. Bottom line, MGM need to get a clue in regards to consistently formatting their legacy releases to 16.9, a practice they have yet to adapt. All they need to do is walk into any Good Guys store and notice that the vast majority of large TVs now take advantage of the wider aspect ratio.

The worst in my collection.......2004-02-27

As an aviation enthusiast, and particularly the X-15, I eagerly awaited the DVD to come out. I went over it in less than 2 minutes. The important scenes, the NASA footage, are so badly stretched beyond recognition, that I will keep my VHS copy from TV broadcast as my main copy, at least the plane sequences were ok there. Terribly disappointing.
Will have to wait until spacecraft-films will release their documentary on the X-15 (announced since last year). Shame on you, MGM !

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A Strange Serial
CALLING ALL CARS
The Flying Wing Was Ahead Of Its Time
The Flying Wing Was Ahead Of Its Time
Chester Gould's 1937 "Dick Tracy serial" comes to DVD!!

Dick Tracy - 15-Episode Serial
Starring: Ralph Byrd , Kay Hughes , Smiley Burnette , Lee Van Atta , and John Picorri
Director: Alan James , and Ray Taylor
Manufacturer: Marengo Films
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005N8AT
Release Date: 2001-08-28

Description

Dick Tracy serials from Republic Pictures in 1937. In this super thriller, a clubfooted criminal, known only as the Lame One, masterminds a war on G-men. One of his villainous plans is to destroy the new Bay Bridge (which looks suspiciously like the Golden Gate) by bombarding it with high-frequency sound waves from his stratospheric aircraft, "The Wing." In the meantime, Dick Tracy's brother is kidnapped and forced to aid the notorious Lame One, who turns out to be...? This serial features fistfights, car chases and aerial stunts as only Republic Pictures could stage them. For lovers of serial thrills and action, "Dick Tracy" really delivers the goods.

Customer Reviews:

A Strange Serial.......2006-08-11

As serials go, this isn't bad, although it would be nice if the picture quality were a little less fuzzy. This is a very strangely constructed serial, unlike any other I can recall. There's no carry-over from chapter to chapter. There's an overlap: each chapter ends with a fake cliff-hanger which is resolved in the beginning of the following chapter(usually by some deus-ex-machina that we just didn't happen to see in the previous chapter), but whatever the previous chapter was about is resolved and each new chapter poses a new problem. It's the same good guys and bad guys throughout, but each time, the bad guys are after something different, like the plans for a supersonic plane or a treasury engraver who can forge counterfeit plates or (even!) a shipment of stolen furs! Obviously there's nothing deep or meaningful here; just fun. If you like old serials (not that there are too many new ones!), go for this.

CALLING ALL CARS.......2003-09-12

IF YOU ARE A SERIAL FAN... THEN THIS IS A GREAT DVD FOR YOU. THERE ARE ENOUGH CLIFF-HANGERS TO SATISIFY ANY BUFF AND IT IS WONDERFUL TO SEE THESE OLD MOVIES MAKING A COMEBACK ON DVD. MARENGO FILMS HAS DONE A GREAT JOB OF RESTORING THIS OLD FILM THE VIDEO PORTION IS NEARLY PERFECT AND THE SOUND QUALITY IS EXCELLENT... I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE WHO LOVES SERIALS.

The Flying Wing Was Ahead Of Its Time.......2003-05-11

DICK TRACY was a serial produced by Republic only six years after the popular comic strip hero made his first appearance in the Chicago Tribune- New York News Syndicate Newspapers. Throughout fifteen chapters the detective dueled with the Spider Gang whose leader was known as the Lame One. DICK TRACY was one of the better serials made during the 1930's.

Ralph Byrd had the role of Dick Tracy and the supporting cast included Kay Hughes, Smiley Burnette, Lee Van Atta and Francis X. Bushman. My favorite movie prop in this serial had to be the Flying Wing.

The Flying Wing Was Ahead Of Its Time.......2003-05-11

Chester Gould's 1937 "Dick Tracy serial" comes to DVD!!.......2002-11-02

This is a great treat for Dick Tracy fans. Before television we had to go to the Saturday morning movie matinees to see our action heros.

Cartoonist Chester Gould created this action hero in the early 1930's and by the middle 30's the FBI and gangsters were in all the newspaper & radio headlines. So Gould countered with Dick Tracy G-man (in the movie serials) & Dick Tracy cop hero in the comic strip.

The "Dick Tracy" (1937) Republic Pictures 15 episode action serial launched Ralph Byrds career as the super crime solving G-man/Sherlock Holmes sleuth. The movie version was always the international view while the comic strip was the local city crime storyline.

Thanks to VCI Entertainment for a great restoration job & super loaded 2 DVD package.

This 15 episode action packed serial is over 290 mins long and is presented with great picture & sound.

Extra features include: a background Commentary by famous Dick Tracy writer Max Allan Collins who penned the comic strip for 15 years after Goulds retirement. Special photo montage & Photo Gallery. Bonus 1945 Radio Show: Dick Tracy in B-Flat - a musical rendition of Dick Tracy with the voice of Bing Crosby as Tracy, Dinah Shore as Tesh Trueheart, Bob Hope as Flathead and many more big radio stars of the 40's. This is fun stuff.

Summary: Action serials are always more about the action packed journey & how our hero escapes the bad guys at the cliff hanging ending chapters than the actual story. We need to have a thrill filled 20 minutes each week and then painfully wait until next week for the continuing saga to take us to more excitement until the finale on chapter/week 15.

Dick Tracy delivers all we expect in an action hero and this being one of the first serials gives us a taste of the world of 1937. Enjoy.

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X-15 THE EDGE OF SPACE

Best X-15 footage around

X-15: The Edge of Space
Starring: Everyone who worked on the X-15 Project
Director: Mark Gray
Manufacturer: Spacecraft Films
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Freedom 7: America's First Space Flight

Apollo 1

NASA 1965 Aeronatics and Space Reports

Project Mercury: A New Frontier

Apollo 14: To Fra Mauro

ASIN: B000LP4R44
Release Date: 2006-12-14

Product Description

Frequently cited as the most prolific aeronautical test program ever flown, the X-15 pushed the boundaries of altitude and speed as never before. This 3-DVD set presents the most complete collection ever assembled of the X-15 flight program, with rare footage from over 50 (of the 199) specific flights, documentaries, engine testing, suit testing, and more. Over 10 hours of rare material. As always, Spacecraft Films made new, digital transfers of the archival film, and for much of this set the 35mm color film shot of the program yielded stunning footage that looks as if it were shot yesterday. An incredible collection that also includes audio commentary from members of the X-15 project.

Customer Reviews:

X-15 THE EDGE OF SPACE.......2007-05-12

I THOUGHT X-15 THE EDGE OF SPACE WAS A VERY GOOD DVD.

Best X-15 footage around.......2007-01-06

Another great offering from the folks at Spacecraft films. This one suffers a little because it gets a bit redundant on disc two. Basically it's a bunch of footage of launches and landings (there was little else to film since nothing could keep up with the X-15). Spacecraft films should consider doing a DVD set on the lifting bodies. There were 6 different configurations and great footage that hasn't been seen (plus one of the most famous crashes ever). Plus, there is more complete footage of the flights. It would be a little more interesting with the different vehicles and could avoid the redundency of seeing the same configuration (the X-15) over and over. In any event, Spacecraft films is to be commended for their efforts. This is another fine offering and hopefully this company will not only continue with the excellent spacecraft series but will also continue to release these experimental research flight sets also.

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Dick Tracy the Serial (B&W)

Dick Tracy: 15 Chapter Serial
Starring: Ralph Byrd , Smiley Burnette , Francis X. Bushman , George de Normand , and John Dilson
Director: Alan James , and Ray Taylor
Manufacturer: Critic's Choice
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0009OIEDM
Release Date: 2006-08-29

Product Description

With square-jawed Ralph Byrd as the title character, this serial is by far the best of the many Dick Tracy releases. Spanning 15 chapters of action and adventure, our hero faces a wicked criminal called the Spiderwho flies around in a killer-sound-wave-blasting contraption called The Wingand kidnaps the detectives brother. 1937/b&w/5 hrs/NR.

Customer Reviews:

Dick Tracy the Serial (B&W).......2007-03-09

THE QUALITY IS GREAT NOTHING LIKE WHEN IT WAS ON VIDEO CASSETTE - I WAS VERY SUPRISED ABOUT IT. AS FAR AS THE SERIAL - I AM A SERIAL FAN AND IT IS GREAT.

Classic Air Force Aerospace Age Films DVD: 1920s 1950s (WWI Post WWII) USAAF Aviation History Films Featuring Footage of the following Fighter Planes & Aircraft: B-47s, B-50s, B-52s, X-2s, X-15s, F-48s, The 1918 Air Armada, Balloons, and Explorer One (Space Craft).

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Classic Air Force Aerospace Age Films DVD: 1920s 1950s (WWI Post WWII) USAAF Aviation History Films Featuring Footage of the following Fighter Planes & Aircraft: B-47s, B-50s, B-52s, X-2s, X-15s, F-48s, The 1918 Air Armada, Balloons, and Explorer One (Space Craft).

Manufacturer: Quality Information Publishers Inc.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Includes Footage of:
B-47s, B-50s, B-52s
X-2s, X-15s
F-48s
1918 Air Armada, Balloons, Explorer One (Space Craft)

ASIN: B000QWHUBO

Product Description

The rich history of the US Air Force is brought back to the screen in this rare collection entitled, Another Historical Highlight In The Aerospace Age. Features A (13) thirteen-film collection of Another Historical Highlight In The Aerospace Age US Air Force Films Series. Table of Contents: (1) First US bomber attacks on Germany territory in Holland (July 4th 1942) (2) First test run on the super sonic air research track in Hurricane Mesa, Utah (July 8th 1955) (3) Cadets begin training at the Air Force Academy in Lowry Air Force Base In Lowry Colorado (July 11, 1945) (4) A record trans oceanic mass jet flight of (58) fifty-eight F-84's of the 31st Fighter Escort Wing Under Col. David Shilling landed in Acota Air Force Base in Japan . (July 17, 1952) (5) First recovery of a full scale Atlas snow cone (July 21, 1959) (6) The launching of Explorer 1, who set an altitude record of over 60,000 feet (July 28th, 1934) (7) A US Air Force Stratojet B-47 set a record for flying from England to Florid (4000 miles) in 9 hours and 53 minutes (August 4th, 1953) (8) Part of "Project Man High," Dr. David Simmons set a record for balloon altitude in a 282 foot balloon at 100,000 feet (August 19th, 1957) (9) First wholly automatic landing of an airplane in Wright Field (August 23rg, 1937) (10) The first aerial re-fueling of jet powered aircraft by jet powered aircraft when a B-47 received fuel from a KB47 B Tanker (Sept 1st, 1953) (11) Altitude record for manned flight when a X-2 Rocket Powered Aircraft From Edwards Air Force Base, California reached 126,000 feet (24 miles) (September 7th, 1956) (12) Greatest Air Armada of the day with 450 planes 50 balloons and 71 American Aces take part in the St. Mihiel in WWI (Sept. 12t, 1918) (13) The X15 (a research vehicle) drops from a B-52 Mother ship in a 10 minutes rocket flight over Edwards Air Force Base in California aimed to collect data on space travel (Sept. 1959)

Behind the Scenes With the X-15 (and X-2)

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Behind the Scenes With the X-15 (and X-2)

Manufacturer: RareAviation.com
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

ASIN: B000819Q0G

Product Description

This film uses footage from an old kinescope print of X-15 footage. Before the advent of videotape the only way to record a television show was to use a movie camera pointed at a screen to capture the image. While this procedure was not perfect, it did preserve images that would have otherwise been lost forever. The beginning of this film is comprised of footage of the X-15 being launched, a very cool view of the X-15 attached to the mothership in flight with the pilot onboard, the dropping of the X-15 without firing the engine, a chase plane follows the X-15 to the ground. Then we come to the section that I debated leaving in or not. In the original show they were trying to demonstrate how flight had progressed to the cutting edge point it was at with the X-15. This non-X-15 related footage is a summary of flight from the Wright brothers up to the X-15. The early footage of the Wright Flyer is interesting along with some early aviation mishaps. After going back and forth I decided to leave this section in the final movie because if you enjoy aviation as much as I do, a little more aviation related footage is a bonus. Next we get a very interesting look at test pilot Pete Everest on the X-2 project. The X-2 was a Mach 3 rocket plane, capable of flights over 100,000 feet. I really enjoy the sequence showing Pete rolling into work in his 1930s coupe and changing to go fly the most advanced aircraft of the day. The X-2's structure had to be able to withstand aerodynamic heating never-before encountered, and the life support systems for the pilot needed to address the dangers of extremely high-altitude, high-airspeed flight. It was quite a challenge to develop a unique stainless steel/nickel alloy structure, a new throttleable rocket engine ranging in thrust from 2,500 to 15,000 lbs. of thrust and a jettisonable cockpit capsule. The flight test program for the X-2 was tragically brief. Two of the X-2s were built; both were destroyed in accidents.

B-29 and X-15 Documentary Film Library DVD -Flying Wing, Bombing Operations, Manufacturing, War Bombing Runs and More.

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B-29 and X-15 Documentary Film Library DVD -Flying Wing, Bombing Operations, Manufacturing, War Bombing Runs and More.

Manufacturer: The Historical Archive
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000NKJP4E

Product Description

This DVD contains several films related to the famous B-29 and X-15 military planes. The films also include footage of several other classic military planes like the B-25 and the C-74 and many others. Here are all the films that make up this historical collection: Target Tokyo From Saipan B-29 Base, 1944/11/27 (1944) - silent, Black & White; Birth of the B-29 (1945) - Sound, Black & White Run time: 20:06; Operation Crossroads (1946) - Sound, Black & White Run time: 26:36; Special Delivery (1946) - Sound, Black & White Run time: 11:49; X-15 Aloft. First Free Flight Of Manned Space Plane, 1959/06/11 - sound, Black & White; Ike Returns. Thousands Hail Him at Capital, 1955/11/14 - sound, Black & White; Nuclear Navy. First Polaris A-Sub Sails On Ocean Patrol, 1960/11/17 - sound, Black & White; H-Bomb Blast Exploded at 15,000 Feet Over Pacific, 1956/05/24 - sound, Black & White; X-15 Space Record. Plane Flown To 59-mile Mark, 1962/07/19 - sound, Black & White; Operations Crossroads Underway, 1946/07/01 - sound, Black & White

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RESEARCH PROJECT X-15, 1962

Manufacturer: National Archives and Records Administration
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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amazon.com

Experience the American Journey through our country's visual heritage in this historical recording provided by the National Archives of the United States.

Covers the development of the record-shattering X-15 rocket plane.

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