Product Details

• Directors: Brian J. Kelly
• Format: AC-3, Anamorphic, Box set, CLV, Color, Digital Sound, Dolby, Letterboxed, Surround Sound, Widescreen, NTSC
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Number of discs: 2
• Studio: Henninger Productions
• DVD Release Date: August 2, 2005
• Run Time: 206 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000BBSA14
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #41,322 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Henninger Productions presents Blue Angels: A Year In The Life, a four part series that follows the lives of the Navy’s elite flight demonstration team, from starting as "newbies," to the end of the air show season, all shot in High Definition video. Each year as new pilots are selected, they must endure a long and arduous process of training, studying, and team building, taking pilots to their physical and mental limits. But it is all worth it the day they are "crested" and recite the Angels’ creed, knowing soon they will take off to perform the most extreme and exhilarating air performance in the world.
Each episode follows the team as it prepares for its upcoming Summer 2004 season. We watch as nervous new applicants wait to hear whether they have made the team, and see the heartbreak of those who did not. We jump into the cockpit with the team as they spend the winter constantly practicing the awe-inspiring tricks that will dazzle audiences. And we follow them through show season and witness the aerobatic stunts they have worked so long and hard to perfect, ending the series as the new batch of recruits join the team.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I Want to be a Blue Angel: WCB Capt. USN, Ret., November 1, 2005

By	Wilton C. Bobo Jr. Capt. USN, Ret. (Virginia) - See all my reviews

This is REAL. It accurately shows the unique blend of hard work, attention to detail, and dare devil spirit embodied in every Navy pilot. This DVD goes behind and into the scenes and experiences that have caused Navy Aircraft Carrier pilots to be ranked as the absolute BEST in the World. The BLUE ANGLES are the very BEST of the BEST.

Where is the recruiter? I am ready to start a new career as a Navy Pilot with a goal of becoming a Blue Angel.

More Stars are needed to rate this DVD. On a scale of 1 to 10 I'd give it 100.

Reality just set in. It is too late for me to start a new career as a Navy pilot. I'll just have to watch this again and again. I hope that you enjoy this as much as I am enjoying it.

Wilton C, Bobo Jr.
Capt. USN, Ret.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great insight into the reality of flying airshows in fast jets, September 25, 2006

By	Amanda Bartels (Eltham, Victoria Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is an excellent DVD - the resolution and audio are superb and showed up brilliantly on my 72" television. If you've just bought a big plasma or rear projector, you'll love this 2 disc set.
But it's not about production values. The story is also compelling and gives you a real insight into the way these guys think, how they train, are selected, what can go wrong, the enormous amount of preparation and maintenance that goes into keeping a team such as the Blue Angels at the top of their game.
The pilots come across as real people - they may be talented and presentable, but they are also human and make errors and find their roles stressful and demanding.
The video of the routines, both from the ground and in the air, is amazing - it goes right inside the diamond formation, and you realize just how close these planes actually fly - a hair's breadth from disaster at times.

I bought the original Rolling Thunder in the 80s and on a scale of 1 to 100, Rolling Thunder is about 5 and Blue Angels: A Year in the Life is about 250.

Would recommend it to flying enthusiasts and lovers of military life in particular, but also to anybody who has a casual interest in what makes special people such as fighter pilots tick. If you want just airshow porn, it's probably going to bore you at times. But if you want some more insight, it's hard to go past this 2-disc set.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive!, Comprehensive!, too much maybe?, February 25, 2006

By	Joseph E. Brown (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

For pure Airshow Junkies, there is too much filler, way too much. However there is a lot of Airshow too. Starting with the air show the DVD is of high quality and is filmed very professionally giving the airshow enthusiast a real feal for the being "in the cockpit" experience and the stunning visual show. The colors and the contrasts of the filming with the ground,sea and the sky are both breathtaking and awesome. The Blue Angels Aerobatic display team are the creme de la creme, they are without a doubt the premier fliers for our times to enjoy. They are truly deserving of praise and respect for their devotion and giving for their nation and its people. Their devotion shows in their flying and their personalities. This is an airshow DVD with an airshow so Airshow Junkies, you get your wish. "Blue Angels - A year in the life" is also a documentary. The producers provide an in-depth study and visual showing of the lives of the Blue Angels team with a behind the scenes look at all the facets of the airshow life. The DVD is a must for the documentary experience and a great show for the whole family. Young and old alike, the whole family will enjoy this very,very well done contribution to the aviation documentaries. All in all there is something for everyone that is for sure. You can't go wrong with adding this DVD to your collection, it's a must have.