Kitty Hawk: The Wright Brothers' Journey of Invention

Rating:
Summary: How did they do it? ............ Look, listen and learn!!
Review: This is a excellent 2 disk set. It includes a brief introduction into the early life of the Wright Brothers and their close knit family, and quickly gets into the story of their experiences involved with their invention of the airplane.
Also included are some of the legal problems that they encountered years later in trying to protect their invention.

The footage of their early experiments of testing their un-powered gliders was actually shot near the site of their now famous First Flight, Kitty Hawk/Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. It is some of the best footage of these recreated flight's I've ever seen. Well worth it just for that footage alone. Also included were computer simulations of what the first Powered flight might have looked like. Not as exciting as the glider footage, being a simulation, they were none the less very educational in showing what the brothers went through on that cold, windy day 100 years ago.

The 2nd disk also includes interviews with some of the modern day pilots that are hoping to fly a replica of the 1903 Flyer 1 on Dec. 17th, 2003 at the Wright Brothers National Monument. In addition is a nice collection of some of the letters that the Wright Brothers wrote and received during their years of experiment and inventing. Also included, a collection of original photographs that the Wrights took of their gliders, and later powered aircraft. To me, the highlight of the 2nd disk is the collection of early motion pictures that were taken by news reporters, the military and I would guess friends of the Wright's. I've seen bits and pieces of some of these Black and White moving pictures but to have the collection included in this 2 disk set was an unexpected bonus.

I would recommend this 2 disk set to anyone interested in early aviation history, and having a great documentary of the Wright Brothers and their experiments that concluded with the invention of the airplane.

A great piece of work created for the Centennial of Flight, 2003.

Rating:
Summary: How did they do it? ............ Look, listen and learn!!
Review: This is a excellent 2 disk set. It includes a brief introduction into the early life of the Wright Brothers and their close knit family, and quickly gets into the story of their experiences involved with their invention of the airplane.
Also included are some of the legal problems that they encountered years later in trying to protect their invention.

The footage of their early experiments of testing their un-powered gliders was actually shot near the site of their now famous First Flight, Kitty Hawk/Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. It is some of the best footage of these recreated flight's I've ever seen. Well worth it just for that footage alone. Also included were computer simulations of what the first Powered flight might have looked like. Not as exciting as the glider footage, being a simulation, they were none the less very educational in showing what the brothers went through on that cold, windy day 100 years ago.

The 2nd disk also includes interviews with some of the modern day pilots that are hoping to fly a replica of the 1903 Flyer 1 on Dec. 17th, 2003 at the Wright Brothers National Monument. In addition is a nice collection of some of the letters that the Wright Brothers wrote and received during their years of experiment and inventing. Also included, a collection of original photographs that the Wrights took of their gliders, and later powered aircraft. To me, the highlight of the 2nd disk is the collection of early motion pictures that were taken by news reporters, the military and I would guess friends of the Wright's. I've seen bits and pieces of some of these Black and White moving pictures but to have the collection included in this 2 disk set was an unexpected bonus.

I would recommend this 2 disk set to anyone interested in early aviation history, and having a great documentary of the Wright Brothers and their experiments that concluded with the invention of the airplane.

A great piece of work created for the Centennial of Flight, 2003.

Rating:
Summary: Kitty Hawk - The Wright Brothers' Journey of Invention
Review: Very good documentary about the first flight at Kitty Hawk, NC. It is evident that alot of research and work went in to making this documentary. Particulary recreating the early experimental gliders. Old photographs combined with computer graphics help tell the story of how two young "average" Americans conquered the air. The narrator even continues the story after "Kitty Hawk". Providing information on what followed the first flight. Former astronaunts Neil Armstrong and John Glenn provide the voices of Orville and Wilbur Wright. It is clear that these two men were selected primarily for nostalgic reasons. The voices of men in their 80's don't quite match the Wright Brothers who were in their 30's. However, the story is told with great detail and deserves a place in every High School library. If you are looking for an entertaining film with literary filler this is not the movie for you. But, if you are looking for a clear and accurate account of the first flight, told in a documentary format, you will be very pleased. Great historical - I loved this film!