Movie "Strategic Air Command" (1955) Coming to Blu-Ray FINALLY! October 2016

[Boxman]

Just learned that the movie "Strategic Air Command" (1955), which starred Jimmy Stewart, June Allyson and the Convair B-36 (not necessarily in that order) is finally to be released in High-Definition (1080P) Blu-Ray format on 18 October 2016

While I cannot vouch for the quality of the screenplay, the widescreen aerial footage (by Paul Mantz) is incredible. The movie itself serves as a fine historical document with respect to the B-36 and the Strategic Air Command (SAC) of the mid-'50s era. The movie was originally filmed in VistaVision widescreen format. If the information accompanying the release is correct, it would appear that the Blu-Ray release will be made in the equivalent screen ratio (1.85 to 1). If Olive Films (the company responsible for the Blu-Ray release) does their job right the film should look (and sound - thanks to Victor Young's film score) amazing on a large screen HDTV.
Here's a link to the release info:

Strategic Air Command Blu-ray

Strategic Air Command Blu-ray Release Date October 18, 2016. Blu-ray reviews, news, specs, ratings, screenshots. Cheap Blu-ray movies and deals.

www.blu-ray.com

Here's a link to the pre-sale ($29 USD) on Amazon:

Amazon.com

And... Here's the original trailer for the film - which does not use the VistaVision aspect ratio, (because it was made for standard movie screens of the era), but instead compresses or clips the edges off. Nonetheless, you can get the idea.

 

[GeorgeA]

Lots of sweet B-47 footage in there as well.

 

[TomcatViP]

B-36 too. Great shots. Movie is pleasant to watch also.

For the younger of us that are not acquainted to leading role actor, James Stewart, here is an extract of his wiki bio:

Stewart was concerned that his celebrity status would relegate him to duties behind the lines.[115] After spending over a year training pilots at Kirtland Army Airfield in Albuquerque, New Mexico,[117] he appealed to his commander and in November 1943 was sent to England as part of the 703d Bomb Squadron[118] to fly B-24 Liberators. He was based initially at RAF Tibenham, before moving to RAF Old Buckenham.[119]

Colonel Stewart receiving the Croix de Guerre with Palm in 1944

Stewart was promoted to major following a mission to Ludwigshafen, Germany, on January 7, 1944.[120]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Stewart#cite_note-123
He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for actions as deputy commander of the 2nd Bombardment Wing,[122] the French Croix de Guerre with palm, and the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters.[123] Stewart was promoted to full colonel on March 29, 1945,[124] becoming one of the few Americans to ever rise from private to colonel in only four years.[125] At the beginning of June 1945, Stewart was the presiding officer of the court martial of a pilot and navigator who accidentally bombed Zürich, Switzerland.[126]

Stewart returned to the United States in early fall 1945.[127] He continued to play a role in reserve of the Army Air Forces after the war[128] and was also one of the 12 founders of the Air Force Association in October 1945.[129] Stewart eventually transferred to the reserves of the United States Air Force after the Army Air Forces split from the Army in 1947. During active-duty periods, he served with the Strategic Air Command and completed transition training as a pilot on the B-47 and B-52.[130]

Stewart was first nominated for promotion to brigadier general in February 1957; however, his promotion was initially opposed by Senator Margaret Chase Smith.[130] At the time of the nomination, the Washington Daily News noted: "He trains actively with the Reserve every year. He's had 18 hours as first pilot of a B-52."[131] On July 23, 1959, Stewart was promoted to brigadier general, becoming the highest-ranking actor in American military history.[132] During the Vietnam War, he flew as a non-duty observer in a B-52 on an Arc Light bombing mission in February 1966.[133] He served for 27 years, officially retiring from the Air Force on May 31, 1968, when he reached the mandatory retirement age of 60.[134] Upon his retirement, he was awarded the United States Air Force Distinguished Service Medal.[135] Stewart rarely spoke about his wartime service[136] but did appear in an episode of the British television documentary series The World at War (1974), commenting on the disastrous 1943 mission against Schweinfurt, Germany.[137][/B]

A great movie to watch in family for Father Day.

Edit:
Stewart also owned FrankenStang P-51C N5528N Thunderbird, 1949 Bendix Trophy Race winner (flown then by Joe DeBona - Both can be seen in photo below from Life Magazine)

 

[TJDougherty01]

One of the few movies where you can hear what the drone of the 6 B-36 P&W R-4360 Wasp engines sounded like...

As I have posted elsewhere on this forum, the actual cockpit used for the B-47 scenes in Strategic Air Command is still intact and at March AFB Museum in California. It was cut from an actual B-47.

(and yes, that is a stuffed dog down in the navigator/bombardier position. Don't ask...)

 

[TomcatViP]

From my memory, this is the bomber list featured in the movie:
B-25 A-26 B-32 B-36 B-45 B-47 YB-52

Notable also, the KC-97, a formation takeoff in color with a B-36 with some audio live recording (see @Boxman comment above), an S-55, a JATO Takeoff (B-47), a C-124 cargo door opening, an elephant walk and mass formation takeoff (B-47) a boomer view of a B-47 refueling (in color)




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