Living in the Age of Airplanes

Gr 7 Up—This National Geographic production encourages its viewers to marvel at the wonder of airplanes. It offers a quick look at life before flight and then spends the rest of its running time showcasing planes for transporting people and shipping goods. The key theme is the linking together of the world via aviation, supported by footage of planes on every continent and being used by international travelers. Originally exhibited in the IMAX format, this production is visually stunning, and James Horner's orchestral score adds gravitas, with narration by Hollywood actor Harrison Ford. The film nonetheless fails to get off the ground as an educational resource. It attempts to cover too much history and technology in too little time. Glaring omissions include the Wright brothers, Amelia Earhart, and Charles Lindbergh; the filmmakers also do not address the use of planes in war or to map the earth.