Flyboys (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)

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One of the German enemies in the movie is the Red Baron (real name Manfred von Richthofen) and is played by the actor Ian Rose. This conflict is one that our heroes have to contend with. The film ends with scenes of the surviving pilots' lives after the battle. Jensen flies for the rest of the war, returning to Nebraska where he receives a hero's welcome. Skinner enlists in the US Army but is kept from flying due to his race; he later joins the Airmail Service. Beagle marries an Italian woman and starts a flying circus. Rawlings goes to Paris but does not find Lucienne. He later becomes owner one of the largest ranches in Texas, but never flies again.

This disc continues to impress with the depth of its supplemental content. It also marks a first for MGM, in that it has any extras at all (although as we recently reported, the studio continues to lag behind on its upcoming catalog titles, which remain barren of goodies). The French military learn that Beagle faked some of his personal information, and as a result, he is accused of being a spy. Beagle comes clean about a crime he committed in the United States, and is allowed to stay on.Several of the most important bombing missions and battles between the ace German pilots and American volunteers are explored. The action is graphic and very real with bullets whizzing by during the dogfights. I enjoyed this film. Read Less

It’s no accident that these aerial encounters bring Star Wars to mind. And it’s not because Bill was trying to pay homage to the likes of Luke Skywalker. It was George Lucas who based his sci-fi dogfights on WWI pilots and their bi- and tri-wing planes. Now that visual circle gets completed with Flyboys‘ maneuvering and close-range combat. Excellent quality -- sharp, dramatic and immersive sound. Viewers can select between 5.1 Dolby Surround or 5.1 DTS. Dolby Digital 2.0 is available in Spanish and French. In addition, subtitles are available in English and Spanish. Extras: When you hear a war movie described as "old-fashioned," it can refer to rousing, reliable, rip-snortin' entertainment. But it can also mean just plain old, as in stale and mawkish. Flyboys is old-fashioned enough to encompass both senses of the phrase.The resulting violence will also be a concern for parents. Besides planes being shot down, the loss of human life is depicted in detailed crashes, falls from heights and pistol shots (one is self-inflicted). These portrayals and the many perilous situations depicted will undoubtedly be too intense for preteen audiences. Like most modern inventions, the airplane had hardly left the ground before someone came up with an idea of how to use it as an instrument of war. In Flyboys, we learn about some Americans that joined the legendary French Lafayette Escadrille and risked their lives serving as some of the first military pilots.