Post by Bruce on Sept 5, 2008 23:01:03 GMT 12
A few days ago my Dad purchased a set of 3x DVDs:
Classic New Zealand Aviation Collection
Produced by Transpress NZ, Wellington
www.transpress.co.nz
I have just finished watching all 3 discs, and generally I am very impressed. The 3 discs are
Volume 1 " The Glamour years"
Volume 2 " From War to Peace"
Volume 3 "Innovators and Heroes"
these are compilations of period documentaries, virtually uncut in either black and white or classic grainy colour. Most of the documentaries are National Film Unit productions with a few RNZAF official promo pieces. In keeping with the context, many are classic examples of propaganda, either wartime or Tourist Board! Sound quality on some sections isnt great, but entirely acceptable.
Volume 1 includes footage of the opening of both Rongotai and Mangere airports, Safe Air Bristol Freighters (including a passenger pod being loaded into CLT) lovely 1940s colour footage of an NAC flight from Auckland to Invercargill by way of DC3, Lodestar and Dominie, but with other shots of Electras and Fox Moths, A little documentary on early instrument flying, The Wanganui Ag pilots school, and the award winning NFU "Jetabatics" production. There is minimal linking narration, so one can just absorb and enjoy!
Volume 2 has Wartime Training footage, The conversion of military C47s to NAC DC3s, Bush flying and skiplanes in the west coast 1950s - 1960s (also includes a Widgeon in fiordland) Test running an Avon engine in the woodbourne Test stand, Solents in Evans Bay, and the RNZAF 21st anniversary airshow at Ohakea (no mystery aircraft sighted...) This disc has two excellent bonus features -
"Four for the Clouds" which is a somewhat geographically distorted tourist promotion about flying over the central North Island (1964)
"Starlifter South" travels on a USAF C141 from Hickam AFB in Hawaii to Mcmurdo by way of Pagopago and Christchurch in 1970. this is a very interesting feature.
Unfortunately Disc 3 lets the package down somwhat being less of a compilation of existing work, and more a potted history of NZ aviation, narrated by the producer. It does include some very rare interviews and early moving images of NZ aviation, but quite a bit of the footage inserted is from the previous discs. What is worse, footage that was in lovely colour in the previous discs is rendered in post-production sepiatone. In fact the sepia is heavily overused and gets quite annoying at times (e.g footage of the Avenger topdressing trial which I have seen in crisp black and white gets the treatment). The way the various clips are hung together is somewhat haphazard, but once again there are some great gems in there.
This disc also has a bonus feature "Skylarks over Swains Hill" which is a lovely NFU short from 1960 about the Canterbury Aero Club's summer Camp in the McKenzie Country. Absolutely superb footage, including the war veteran Weihe Sailplane now in the Ashburton museum.
Despite its faults, the set is great value and is well worth watching (several times) I would highly recommend it!
Classic New Zealand Aviation Collection
Produced by Transpress NZ, Wellington
www.transpress.co.nz
I have just finished watching all 3 discs, and generally I am very impressed. The 3 discs are
Volume 1 " The Glamour years"
Volume 2 " From War to Peace"
Volume 3 "Innovators and Heroes"
these are compilations of period documentaries, virtually uncut in either black and white or classic grainy colour. Most of the documentaries are National Film Unit productions with a few RNZAF official promo pieces. In keeping with the context, many are classic examples of propaganda, either wartime or Tourist Board! Sound quality on some sections isnt great, but entirely acceptable.
Volume 1 includes footage of the opening of both Rongotai and Mangere airports, Safe Air Bristol Freighters (including a passenger pod being loaded into CLT) lovely 1940s colour footage of an NAC flight from Auckland to Invercargill by way of DC3, Lodestar and Dominie, but with other shots of Electras and Fox Moths, A little documentary on early instrument flying, The Wanganui Ag pilots school, and the award winning NFU "Jetabatics" production. There is minimal linking narration, so one can just absorb and enjoy!
Volume 2 has Wartime Training footage, The conversion of military C47s to NAC DC3s, Bush flying and skiplanes in the west coast 1950s - 1960s (also includes a Widgeon in fiordland) Test running an Avon engine in the woodbourne Test stand, Solents in Evans Bay, and the RNZAF 21st anniversary airshow at Ohakea (no mystery aircraft sighted...) This disc has two excellent bonus features -
"Four for the Clouds" which is a somewhat geographically distorted tourist promotion about flying over the central North Island (1964)
"Starlifter South" travels on a USAF C141 from Hickam AFB in Hawaii to Mcmurdo by way of Pagopago and Christchurch in 1970. this is a very interesting feature.
Unfortunately Disc 3 lets the package down somwhat being less of a compilation of existing work, and more a potted history of NZ aviation, narrated by the producer. It does include some very rare interviews and early moving images of NZ aviation, but quite a bit of the footage inserted is from the previous discs. What is worse, footage that was in lovely colour in the previous discs is rendered in post-production sepiatone. In fact the sepia is heavily overused and gets quite annoying at times (e.g footage of the Avenger topdressing trial which I have seen in crisp black and white gets the treatment). The way the various clips are hung together is somewhat haphazard, but once again there are some great gems in there.
This disc also has a bonus feature "Skylarks over Swains Hill" which is a lovely NFU short from 1960 about the Canterbury Aero Club's summer Camp in the McKenzie Country. Absolutely superb footage, including the war veteran Weihe Sailplane now in the Ashburton museum.
Despite its faults, the set is great value and is well worth watching (several times) I would highly recommend it!
