Danger Zone

Studio: Lions Gate
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

Just ok
NOVA - Everest: The Death Zone
Better than the Imax film
Your head is in the jet stream
Good but not really quite what I expected

NOVA - Everest: The Death Zone

Manufacturer: WGBH
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 1578071976
Release Date: 2000-03-28

Amazon.com

"Because it is there" is the reason so many men and women have risked death to climb Mount Everest, the tallest mountain on earth. NOVA follows a scientific investigation of high-altitude physiology in Everest: The Death Zone, which examines the biological and psychological changes experienced by a group of climbers during their ascent. Jodie Foster's narration accompanies the team as the NOVA photographers capture the stark, alien beauty of the mountain; the drama reaches a crescendo on the descent as it becomes unclear whether or not an ill climber will make it. Well worth watching by anyone interested in mountain climbing or the limits of human endurance, Everest: The Death Zone is at once cautionary and inspiring. --Rob Lightner

Description

Get ready for a (literally) breathtaking trek up Mt. Everest, from Base Camp at 17,600 feet; through the chilling, corpse-strewn Death Zone; to the very pinnacle of the the Earth, five and a half miles above sea level. For those brave souls who survive the harrowing climb to the top of the world, it is a transformative experience. But can the excruciating ascent—through frigid cold, blasting wind, blinding sun, and severe lack of oxygen—cause permanent, damaging changes to the human brain and body?

In the wake of the 1996 disaster that took eight climbers in a single day, scientists follow a team of hikers to measure, for the first time ever, the toll high-altitude climbing takes on the heart, lungs, blood, and brain. Why do seemingly rational people make poor, sometimes fatal decisions as they approach the peak? And the danger doesn't end there—as NOVA discovers during the descent, when one climber's respiratory illness takes a terrifying turn on the isolated mountainside. ''Even with the best technology, the best training,'' says team member, producer and director David Breashears, ''you can still end up frozen to death at 27,500 feet. That's what makes Everest Everest.''

Special DVD features include: scene selections; access to the Everest: The Death Zone Web site; and English subtitles.

On one DVD5 disc. Region coding: All regions. Audio: Dolby stereo. Screen format: 4 x 3 full frame.

Customer Reviews:

Just ok.......2007-02-13

I guess I am jaded because I watched the IMAX Everest video (which seems to get the best reviews) first and can't help but compare them. Still this video had some good participants i.e. Ed Viestur's and such. Interesting view point but the testing didn't do much for me but provide information. Would have liked more extra's on dvd to. All in all ok.

NOVA - Everest: The Death Zone.......2007-02-01

Excellent DVD on Everest! Have read a lot of books on the Himalayan Mountains (especially Mt. Everest) and this gives you a beautiful view of the area and what it is like to climb in the Death Zone. A DVD you can watch many times!

Better than the Imax film.......2006-07-01

David Breashears was the director of photography on both this film and the Imax film made the year before. In my opinion, this film was more successful, at least as viewed on VHS on a medium-size old tv. That's probably because the equipment for Imax was so bulky and the filming process so cumbersome that just taking the footage was an accomplishment.

On this video, the purpose of the expedition was to study the effects of altitude on the human body, so it really focused in on the human aspect. As Breashears explains in his book High Exposure, the massive film size in Imax films requires that you not pull in close to a human face, because it will not make a good image when projected on a 7-story screen.

So in terms of home viewing, I really enjoyed this video and thought it helped me visualize the things I have read about so many times. The Khumbu Icefall and the treacherous ladders, the Hillary Step, the summit itself--I could truly feel that I was there. The images were crystal clear and very beautiful.

If I were only going to watch one video to help me get a picture of what a Himilayan expedition looks and feels like, this would be it.

Your head is in the jet stream.......2005-01-11

This documentary is really wonderful. But not wonderful for the glory of the conquest but showing just how deadly and treacherous this climb really is. Whether you are a wealthy wannabe or an experienced mountain climber it is beyond my conprehension why any sane person would want to endanger his or her life like that. Where's the glory in being drug up to the top like a sack of potatoes? It's almost sinful to play with your life in this way when there is no earthly reason to be there.

The camera work is breathtaking. But it was painful to watch those climbers virtually dying in front of our eyes. This NOVA is a real eye opener for respecting the one life you have been given.

Good but not really quite what I expected.......2004-01-29

I have 7 Everest DVD's and this one was not really as I expected. It was more clinical and of medical type interest and did not have to be Mount Everest to show the effects of low oxygen. They could have used any place above or around 8,000 meters. Frustrating in some senses because I felt a lack of Everest footage and views about the Death Zone etc., as well as being a fairly short film, sort of left me feeling wanting and slighty cheated. However, it goes fairly well with the collection since some of the other DVD's fil in the gaps.

Average customer rating:

the Top Gun of Anime
All in all, pretty good science fiction (4.5/5)
SENTIENT WARPLANES
Plenty of action and plot to go around
Pretty good!

Yukikaze - Danger Zone (Vol. 1)
Starring: Cindy Robinson , Michael Sorich , Liam O'Brien , Christopher Carroll , and Neil Kaplan (II)
Director: Masahiko Ohkura
Manufacturer: Bandai
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00015HVSI
Release Date: 2004-02-17

Amazon.com

Thirty-three years ago, the mysterious aliens known as the JAM tried to invade Earth through an interdimensional passageway they established in Antarctica. The conflict has shifted to Fairy, the home planet of the JAM: deadly air battles rage almost continuously above its surface. Lt. Rei Fukai serves in the elite Special Air Force, whose mission is to collect data on the enemy. An alienated loner, Rei's only bonds emotionally with Major Jack Bukhar, his commander and friend (lover?), and Yukikaze, the super-sophisticated computer system his plane, the B-3. The narrative is often choppy and there's little character development in the first episodes. But Yukikaze boasts unusually snazzy special effects, including some skillfully directed Top Gun/Star Wars-style aerial dogfights. Director Masahiko Ohkura uses 3-D computer graphics with exceptional panache to create a flashy, exciting adaptation of Chouhei Kambayashi's novel. (Rated 13 and older: violence, alcohol use) --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews:

the Top Gun of Anime.......2006-06-18

This is about a group of jet fighter jocks. But instead of Migs here they are battling an alien enemy called the Jam on an alien planet. The main character's Jet has an on board A.I. (Artifical Intelligence) system that aids the pilot and weapons officer.

All in all, pretty good science fiction (4.5/5).......2005-10-03

Yukikaze is the tale of a forgotten war on another planet, connected to Earth by an anvil-shaped cloud in Antarctica. Apparently around thirty years ago an alien race known as the JAM invaded via said cloud, but made little headway before being beaten back into their home territory. Currently the war is being fought by a number of rejects from across the world - and for one of them, Rei Fukai, the line between the JAM and humanity is increasingly blurred as he finds himself the target of a plane identical to his. There's also another problem - his onboard AI, Yukikaze, begins to exercise an almost hypnotic control over him. However, its seemingly crazed actions may be the only thing capable of winning the war.

Yukikaze's plot is deep, and there are several substories and additions that one may find quite interesting. As the characterization goes, I find it (as one other reviewer said) a tad effiminate regarding the two main characters, the main reason being the animation style they are drawn in. The eyes are sometimes too feminine, the hair at times appears too smooth/wavy, and for some reason the animators have an annoying penchant for drawing the legs TOO long and willowy. However, as these things go, they are minor complaints and don't detract too much from the overall product.

For, as one will perceive from both the limited edition and the normal box covers, Yukikaze is an action-laded anime, the centerpiece of which is the fighter jets. Being an avid fighter buff, this is the primary reason I bought the movie. I do realize that some would prefer the seamless CG integration to be used in fantasy genre endeavors instead of "pointless" jet fighters, but this is a ridiculous complaint (especially when considering that fantasy is the dominant form of anime nowadays and airplanes are a niche). The designs of the airplanes are very well done, with some resemblance to the F-35 and some experimental jets. The combat sequences, as some have already said, are masterpieces (I do have one gripe though - there's no music. WHY?). There are also several VERY memorable action scenes separate from the dogfights. This is a great effort on Gonzo's part.

There remains one error, though - the dubbing. I'm normally an opponent of rabid "subbers" as far as anime goes, having no problem with most dubbing jobs, but the work done here is undeniably sub-par. Some of the sentences are extremely convoluted, and the voice actors (in keeping with the dark feel, a little TOO much) are often monotonous. At times this effect is almost comedic, such as when Rei and his boss have a "party" of sorts, or when the latter says "no. I'm...happy..." in a borderline catatonic tone. However, the subbed version is always available.

Overall, Yukikaze is a great anime for any science fiction fan, and for the rest, very entertaining.

SENTIENT WARPLANES.......2005-06-08

33 years ago a dimensional portal opened in Antarctica, and what came through the door was not friendly. An alien race known as the JAM began attacking the Earth. A UN force was formed from the nations of the world and successfully pushed the aliens back to their homeworld, dubbed "Fairy", by the humans. Since all of the battles occur there, the JAM have become almost a fairy tale to normal people. But not to the Special Air Force (SAF), a military unit equipped with almost sentient jets, who launch daily sorties into Fairy. Rei Fukai pilots Yukikaze, one of these intelligent jets, and to the concern of his best friend, Bukhar, seems to relate more to the machine than to humans. With suspicions of JAM infiltration into the Earth forces, and with doppelganger planes confusing the SAF, its getting hard to know who to trust. There is also a push to make all jets unmanned, controlled fully by computers, with all the attendant dangers that go with it.

The animation in these two episodes is some of the best I have seen, seamlessly integrating traditional and cgi techniques. It makes Top Gun look bad. It's a little hard to figure out what is going on at first so it beckons for a second viewing. I thought the male characters were just a tad too effeminate, but that's a minor complaint.

Also features a making of documentary and interviews with the Japanese cast and crew. Great sound and picture in both languages.

Plenty of action and plot to go around.......2005-04-29

Whoever said there was no plot and a lack of combat sequences in the first 2 epsisodes is completely wrong., There is an incredibly detailed, subtle plot with lots of twists, which only gets better in episodes 3 and 4. I can hardly wait for episode 5 to see the conclusion of this action-packed scifi drama. The biggest battle is yet to come!

Pretty good!.......2004-08-16

When I first watched this anime.. I wasn't very interested. It seemed well, rather boring. I've watched it 3 times now total and i'm starting to understand it alot better. Things you miss, or maybe just didn't care to notice before.. Become more clear after additional viewing. This is an intelligent anime that requires patience from the viewer. The episode length very. The first episode is nearly 50 minutes long while the 2nd one is only about 30 minutes. There are 2 more episodes for this series but the 4th one just recently came out in japan so i woudlnt expect to see it here until late this year/early next year. Bottom line if you like good story animes this is for you.. if you're into mindless slaughter then this won't be your cup of tea

Average customer rating:

Danger Zone

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Flashfire

ASIN: B0006G3AOQ

Product Description

American mining expert, Rick Morgan, is the only hope to find a missing shipment of toxic waste that could kill. There are other powers-at-be that have very different plans for the cargo. Morgan ends up in the middle of factions fighting for money and power.

Yukikaze - Danger Zone (Limited Edition 2-Disc Set)

Average customer rating:

the Top Gun of Anime
All in all, pretty good science fiction (4.5/5)
SENTIENT WARPLANES
Plenty of action and plot to go around
Pretty good!

Yukikaze - Danger Zone (Limited Edition 2-Disc Set)
Starring: Cindy Robinson , Michael Sorich , Liam O'Brien , Christopher Carroll , and Neil Kaplan (II)
Director: Masahiko Ohkura
Manufacturer: Bandai
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

DTS | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video

( Y ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

General | Anime & Manga | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Animation | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
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