Customer Reviews

Thunderbirds-Then and Now [VHS]

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This video proposes to be an accurate documentary of the USAF Thunderbirds. It is no such thing. This video consists of a brief shot of the F-84F Thunderbirds doing nothing in particular only to rapidly move to brief unfocused shots of the F-100, again doing nothing in particular and then on to a very short shot of the F-105 pulling out of a loop. That's it for the history. No F-84G's which ushered in the Thunderbirds. No, the narrator now reveals the purpose of these brief nothings when he welcomes you to McDonnell corp and begins plugging the F-4 Phantom to the tune of horrible blaring jazz music accompanied by a series of multiple window shots of F-4's doing nothing in particular. The narrator isn't discussing the Thunderbirds but why you should want an F-4! This goes on and on and on for about 1/2 the movie. Then we get a short burst on the T-37 mentioning that they crashed then on to an updated F-16 show at what appears to be Nellis. Here we get a few displays of the show but no narration to tell you what you are looking at. These few scenes are then replayed over and over again about 7 times to fill out the remainder of the film! This is inexcusable. Far better would have been a complete F-4 show or a modern F-16 show complete with USAF narration. Or for a true history it could have gone through each era detailing the evolution of the show. As is, all this comprises a large segment of old McDonnell marketing footage which no one should have to pay for with the remaining time taken up by a tape loop! The producer calls this a "chilling video". The video isn't chilling but the thought of getting 29.95 for it is. Avoid this at all cost.