Toward The Unknown (Remastered)

I first saw this film on 16mm at Boarding School in Sydney way back in 1960, I was in Prep School, only 10 y.o.I never ever, forgot this movie in all those years, it left such an impression on me ... & a remaining love for Aircraft.It has never appeared on TV in Australia as far as I know & I have been trying to get it on DVD for years !Now thanks to the Internet & 'Amazon', it is mine to keep & to review as much as I like. Great Stuff !This would be one of the first serious & sensible movies about the 'quest for speed' & to fly as high as a man could possibly fly without being an Astronaut ... the 'Sound Barrier' had already been broken a few years before by Chuck Yeager, the Race was on to pioneer the Outer Limits ! The 'flying scenes' once again are such a rare & authentic time capsule, it's a privilege to be inside the Zone.No Digitizing or trick photography here, this really is an early version of the 'Right Stuff ' ...Dignified acting by William Holden ( his production company produced the Film ) & an equally mature & familiar supporting Cast.'Edwards AF Base' was ( & maybe still is ) an area of mystery, bravery & unimaginable daring, always the scene of 'things to come'.It so vibrates with the memories of such Legends as, Glen Edwards, Joe McConnell, Chuck Yeager, Bob Hoover, Scott Crossfield, Ed White, Neil Armstrong, John Glenn & so many, many more, unassuming modern Knights of the Air.What also strikes me as quite fascinating ... is the affect, that considering the delicacy & value of both the precious Machines & Manpower of the time & the considering the job at hand, the Crews often operated out of crude tin & slab huts in their desert environment. The 'Budget' certainly went into the Machinery & 'Operation of ' ... not for comfort !Pilots were quite often housed in very modest quarters & survived on just there regular pay cheques & survival mode, no frills here ! But in their eyes it was heaven next stop & wouldn't swap it for quids ! Just like Ernest Gann's very poignant Title 'Fate is the Hunter' ... these often battle experienced Pilots from W.W.2 & Korea couldn't believe their luck, that they had arrived at their destiny, the absolute 'Cross Roads of Aviation' that occurred from 1945 to 1960'.This quite rare & 'Airworthy' movie, attempts very nicely to interpret this period of US military aviation.A 'Must Buy' for the enthusiast. Enjoy !Raymond G.W. Whiteman. Toowoomba. Qld. Australia. 2014

"Toward the Unknown," released on October 20, 1956, and FINALLY available on DVD, is, in my opinion as a lifelong airplane buff and recently retired aerospace engineer, simply one of the very best aviation films ever made, bar none.A thrilling showcase of Cold-War-era jet and rocket aircraft and harrowing flight test operations, filmed on location at California's Edwards Air Force Base, it stars William Holden as Air Force Major Lincoln Bond and Lloyd Nolan as General William Banner. In the screenplay by Beirne Lay, Jr., Bond is an ex-fighter pilot who carries the stigma of having broken under the pressure of communist brainwashing while he was a POW after being shot down over Korea. The steps that he forces himself to take in order to prove to General Banner that he is fit enough to fly the supersonic rocket planes then being tested at Edwards is an interesting and absorbing tale, if a bit drawn-out dramatically.But the aircraft are the real stars of the show, and "Toward the Unknown" has them in abundance, with outstanding aerial photography of planes you will not see anywhere else in filmdom. For example, this is the only place to see actual footage of the Martin XB-51 bomber in flight (disguised with fake markings as the "Gilbert XF-120"). You'll see North American F-100 "Super Sabres," Lockheed F-94 "Starfires" and many other classic, historic jets that were really flying at the time. One of the most significant aircraft featured at length in "Toward the Unknown" is the Bell X-2 rocket plane. Carried aloft by a Boeing B-50 "Superfortress," the X-2 investigated flight at speeds and altitudes far beyond those of the X-1, in which Captain Charles E. "Chuck" Yeager first exceeded the speed of sound on October 14, 1947. There's no CGI here--these airplanes are the real thing, and they are absolutely thrilling to watch!For about 25 years or so, I've had a videotape of "Toward the Unknown" that I recorded in Denver from broadcast television in Beta format (remember that?) and then transferred to a VHS tape after Beta disappeared. You can imagine the picture and sound quality. A few years ago, I bought a DVD of the show from an "independent" source. It's okay, but not spectacular. Now, finally, with this official Warner release, I can donate all my previous versions to the library, where, hopefully, they will inspire a new generation of aviation enthusiasts.

Apart from the historical look at at Cold War air secret, this film has lots more to recommend it...

excellent movie and came as described very pleased with this product. picture and audio were first class no problems cheers

Lo más interesante de esta película es el fondo del mundo de la Base Edwards, el desarrollo aeronáutico de la era previa a los misiles, las pruebas, el aire de frontera. El título original (hacia lo desconocido) describiría mucho mejor el espíritu de la película. Los personajes son simplones. El General que quiere hacerlo todo el solo es descrito como un gran hombre, justo y legal, una especie de héroe, cuando en realidad es alguien incapaz de delegar.El mayor es un veterano de la Guerra de Corea a quien no se perdona no haber sido capaz de resistir unas torturas que siempre se insinúan pero nunca quedan claras que se lleva a la novia del General.Personajes poco creíbles, demasiado buenos, irreales en el mundo.

Genial obra de cine dobre los pilotos de prueba de los EE.UU en la época de los 60. William Holdem actúa muy bien. La recomiendo a los amantes de la aviación.

Excellent movie!