Product Details

• Actors: Lt. Cmdr. Mark Dunleavy
• Directors: Stirlin Harris
• Format: Color, Full Screen, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Big Kids Productions
• VHS Release Date: May 9, 2000
• Run Time: 60 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00004TKME
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #368,750 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

Aspiring pilots and flight enthusiasts of any age won’t want to miss this high-flying look at the Blue Angels

Product Description

Blue Angel pilot #2, Lt.Cdr. Mark Dunleavy says, “There’s nothing special about me or any of the other Blue Angels- just the job we get to do is pretty special.”

Now you can see just how they get that “job” done- on the ground and from inside their cockpits in the air. This behind the scenes look at the US Navy’s Flight Demonstration Team is a fascinating metaphor for finding something in life that you care about and then pursuing it with a passion to do it the best you possibly can.

“I hope that kids who watch this video don’t think this is something that can’t be attained or that they can’t do, because I guarantee you we’ve got jobs on this team that every kid in America could do if they set their minds to it,” Lt.Cdr. Mark Dunleavy, USN.

On the surface, it’s a fascinating behind the scenes look at arguably the world’s premiere flight demonstration team. Underneath, it’s filled with messages of what it takes to succeed, in any endeavor, a metaphor for pursuing one’s passion with practice and untiring commitment. As Blue Angel #2, Lt. Cmdr. Mark Dunleavy says, “When I didn’t achieve a goal, I viewed it not as a failure, but rather a setback from which to learn and try again.”

And when talking about flying their planes with only a Coke can’s width separating them, Duleavy goes on to say, “We’re not special, just average pilots who get to do something special. And the reason we’re as good as we are is because we practice, practice, practice.”

Whether you have a youngster who wants to be a pilot or something entirely different, this is a memorable insight into a remarkable team of American sailors and Marines who represent the best of what our country is.

A must see for anyone who loves planes and flying.

AWARDS
Parent’s Choice Approved Winner

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Mediocre at Best..., June 18, 2005

By 

Patrick (Northeast, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Blue Angels, In Pursuit of Excellence (DVD)

I guess I should have realized by some of the other reviews that this DVD would be geared toward a younger audience (and by younger I mean 10 or under), but I thought I would be getting more footage of aerial maneuveurs than this DVD provided. The cinematography is on par with that of a slightly above-average TV show documentary.

"Documentary" would be an an accurate word to describe this DVD - it is much more about the preparation and work it takes to put on a Blue Angels air show than it is about the Blue Angels aerial acrobatics. So if you're like me and looking an expertly filmed documentary of what a Blue Angels air show looks like, look elsewhere.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed Mom, January 19, 2006

By 

Mom of Three (California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Blue Angels, In Pursuit of Excellence (DVD)

My son LOVES airplanes and jets! I bought this DVD based on the rave reviews of people with young children loving this video. If you want a DVD that shows airplanes/jets flying, DO NOT BUY THIS DVD! The name of the video should be, "Watch the Blue Angles Get Ready to Fly," because that is what this video is. In the first 20 minutes there are short scenes of the jets flying. Then the next 25 minutes is NO FLYING just talking and showing the Blue Angles getting ready for their show. In the last 8 minutes you get to see part of an air show. My son has never made it to that point. He wants to see airplanes/jets fly and I'm now on a new search for a DVD that will do this for him.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Blue Angels, In Pursuit of Excellence, June 7, 2000

By 

scott hamilton - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Blue Angels, In Pursuit of Excellence [VHS] (VHS Tape)

A very entertaining blend of flying fast and behind the scenes footage. The adolescent character, who also narrates, brings the whole thing on a kid level making the show enjoyable for both kids and adults. The pilots and crew of the Blue Angles have a strong role model presence as well as demonstrating the pros of being in the Navy.