Customer Reviews

Speed (IMAX) (2-Disc WMVHD Edition)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Okay, let's face it. This film came out before my time. I wasn't around in 1982 to see this when it premiered in big screen theatres. I only managed to catch wind of it thanks to an old DOS Educational program from Knowledge Adventure that featured the film itself. But ever since I was little, this film has never failed to capture my imagination.

It is definitely a great experience for those who can manage to catch it on an IMAX big screen as I had the chance to in May, (In fact, I think the Ontario Place Cinesphere in Toronto is the only theatre in the world still showing this film!) but this film DEFINITELY lives up to its title.

It is a rather short lived film (as most IMAX films are, due to the limitations of the format, around 40 minutes) with this particular title weighing in at around 30 minutes. For the time that it does last, the movie takes you through a whirlwind of information about the history of speed, some of its various uses, and how the technology has progressed today. Tie it off with a nice 2001: A Space Odyssey like sequence about travelling faster than light, and you have yourself a not so detailed, but fun introduction to various forms of speed. The film bases its success widely on the variety of shots that it uses from aerial cameras with the Blue Angel Precision Flying Squadron, to the front of a rollercoaster.

An overall good film, but more suited to children around ages 8 and up.

As with all the other HD IMAX titles, "Speed" is a fun ride. The WMV High Definition quality is excellent, the story is engaging, and the production quality is top notch.

I wanted to watch this as I first saw it at Imax in Flint back in 1984. Subtitled movies weren't around back then and I had to depend on my relative to explain to me what was going on with the movie.

Fast forward 26.5 years later, Autoworld where this Imax theater used to be was demolished, one of my relative that came with me has long passed away, and my cousin that was with me went from wearing diaper to wearing bridal veil and getting married soon.

Also I find this movie has been released in DVD already and the feature included closed captioning so I decided to buy it. However when I got it and played it, there is NO CLOSED CAPTIONING ANYwHERE!! I have checked with Windows Media and it doesn't show caption or English subtitle on the DVD, nor with 720 and 1080 video on second disc. The DVD case makes no mention of closed captioning or subtitling. I checked it on my other computer and used variety of free DVD players. They either don't show Closed Captioning option or it shows as grayed out and not available on this DVD. No subtitle either.

Maybe there's more than 1 version of this video with the same UPC and same ISBN and I happened to get one without Closed Captioning. Since I have DVD with no Closed Captioning, the information Amazon provided stating this DVD has Closed Captioning is inaccurate and made me waste my money.

The 2nd disc containing the Window HD content is the only way to go on an HDTV. I played it from my laptop with HDMI out directly to my big screen TV (1080P) and the picture was very very sharp. The menu gives you a choice of playing in 720P or 1080P format. The movie itself is decent.

Not quite as nice as seeing it in the original IMAX, but still an andrenaline rush. The larger the screen, the better it will look. I especially enjoyed seeing the SR-71 Blackbird and the view from the cockpit of the A-4 Skyhawk as the Blue Angels take off. Glad this was still available...wasn't sure it would be after all these years.

This may be my favorite IMAX film. I saw it at a theatre and bought the DVD. It's basically about man's desire to go faster and faster. We see a crude bicycle, moving up through jets and splitting particles. Although it's educational it is very entertaining. The 40s hot rod was a great bit with good music and scenes. DVD quality was great, I have never had a problem with it.

This is an old movie. I certaintly wouldnt buy it as a standard watch film. It is cool though to show off an HD tv with the WMVHD format.

IN FACT THIS DVD SHOWS IN A BRILLIANT WAY THE EVOLUTION OF THE TECHNOLOGY THAT SURROUNDS THE WILL OF THE MAN IN SEARCH OF BETTER MARKS OF SPEED IN ALL THE POSSIBLE AND IMAGINABLE MODALITIES. IN MY OPINION THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST MOMENTS OF THE HUMANITY.

This short film is superb as an introduction to the joys of High Definition Video. With a big plasma screen and a good "home-cinema"
set-up comprising multiple speakers, you get even better than the
standard "IMAX Experience", since most basic Imax theaters do
not screen the "High-Def" versions of Imax films (good, but short of HD
standards!)

Superb product. Can be viewed on a PC outside Region 1. A good sampler if wanting to know more about HD TV. I believe this comment applies to all the other IMAX derived WMVHD discs. Also worth watching on the DVD version if you can view Region 1 NTSC DVD's. A pretty good deal even allowing for postage from the States.