Monday, April 13, 2009

Fly boys

A Great Film based on a true story, while there has been much debate over the accuracy of this film, I prefer to focus in the artistry and the beauty of the story. I found this great review:

It takes place in 1914, "The Great War" --WWI—Which as you know began in Europe.
About 1917, the Allied powers of France, England, Italy and others were on the ropes against the German juggernaut. Some altruistic young Americans joined the war. They volunteered to fight alongside their counterparts in France; some in the infantry, some in the Ambulance Corps. A handful of others had a different idea: they decided to learn how to fly. The first of them--a squadron of only 38-- became known as the Lafayette Escadrille. This is their story.

There is a Central Story, though it really chronicles several stories. Forced to abandon his family's ranch, our main character -Blaine Rawlings finds his future in a newsreel chronicling the adventures of young aviators in France. At a small train station in rural Nebraska, William Jensen promises to make his family proud. In New York, spoiled Briggs Lowry embarks on a trans-Atlantic passage. Meanwhile, in France, black expatriate boxer, Eugene Skinner, vows to repay his debt to his adopted racially tolerant country. Together, these American boys arrive at an aerodrome in France, eager to learn how to fly. What they didn't realize was that they were about to embark on a great, romantic adventure, becoming the world's first combat pilots.

Out of Africa - Excellent film

It may surprise many that I selected this film for this blog, after all it is not a film about aviation, but it is aviation related. In this film, the footage of the airplane flying over Africa provides a breathtaking view of what a pilot sees. It is here that we can appreciate what draws so many of us to the field. It is here that we understand the almost spiritual experience that aviation is. If there is anyone you have unsuccessfully tried to convey the wonder of flying, this is a film they should watch.

There is much to be said for the film itself. It may or may not be of interest as a theme, but as an aviator, no one can afford to miss the scenes of the beautiful flights that airplane undertakes, and the absolute ecstasy it brings. Just to see it in film, beget a healthy anticipation for what’s to come when actually flying. Highly recommended just for that

Remy Rahkonen