灵动的音符与舞步，天真无邪且充满信仰的双眸，开启了一段关于无始劫来轮回不休的沉思之旅。塔庙林立的蒲甘，华丽庄严的教堂，是人类千百年来对神性乃至觉悟的向往。斗转星移，物我两忘，风水雨火肆意涂抹着大地的容貌，所谓崇高的生命在自然的心中不著痕迹，蕞尔不及碎遍三千大千世界后的一抹微尘。只是，颠倒众生，刹那视若永恒，朝夕奔忙，不曾停歇，以污泥、刀锋涂改着各自的容颜。自诩万物之主，左右你我他的生命。从天上到地下，从高山到深洋，征服了如梦如幻的器世界，用光怪陆离的玩具将其装点，终不免在永业的轮回中败下阵来。一切无常，正如华美庄严的坛城，轻轻拂拭，还为尘沙……　　本片历时5年拍摄，足迹遍布五大洲25个国家，荣获2012年读柏林国际电影节影评人最佳纪录片奖。

　　在这个单口喜剧里，乔恩·斯图尔特（Jon Stewart），约翰·穆拉尼（John Mulaney），切尔西·汉德勒（Chelsea Handler）和戴夫·查普尔（Dave Chappelle）向乔治·卡林（George Carlint），琼·里弗斯（Joan Riverst），罗宾·威廉姆斯（Robin Williamst）和理查德·普赖尔（Richard Pryort）致敬。

It's a pirate's life for everybody aboard Pirates of the Caribbean. Walt Disney loved adventure stor...

讲述来自好莱坞的两个明星试图经营世界上第三古老的职业足球俱乐部——威尔士雷克瑟姆足球俱乐部的故事。最初雷克瑟姆因管理不善接近崩溃，在英格兰足球第五级别联赛中苦苦挣扎，两人接手后带来了积极的改变，管理运...

《解码科技史》栏目,中央电视台科教频道全新推出的一档以科技史为主题的科普栏目。 栏目定位：回顾人类科技发展历程，聚焦重大科技发明和科学事件，讲述科学故事，启迪科学智慧，弘扬科学精神。

本片记录了芭蕾王子——英国皇家芭蕾舞团首席舞蹈家Sergei Polunin几近成名前的故事。影片跟随着Sergei的舞步从美国到英国再到乌克兰，带观众体验世界各国舞蹈的魅力。而影片更是展现了很多难得一见的幕后故事，和舞蹈家们人性的一面——他们虽然来自不同的文化和社会背景，但内心深处都同样充满细腻、热爱。

本片纪录《影》诞生的全过程，展现张艺谋导演及电影主创如何把创意、文字变成一幅完整的水墨丹青的美学画卷。选取幕后电影人作为记录对象，包括演员、美术、摄影、道具、服装、剪辑等各个工种的工作人员，讲述他们为...

纪录片饶有兴趣地从多种层面描写了信息时代的透明度和我们对真相的永远不依不饶的探寻。影片详述了朱利安·阿桑奇(Julian Assange)维基解密网站(WikiLeaks)的诞生，这个网站助长了美国有史以来最大的安全缺口。影片描述了这一神秘网站的兴衰，其中穿插着美国陆军士兵布拉德利·曼宁(Bradley Manning)泄密事件，这个令人不安的高智商士兵从美国军事和外交服务器上下载了几十万个文档。

这部纪录片对希特勒掌权时期失去的自由进行了探讨，讲述 20 世纪 20 年代柏林一家光鲜亮丽的夜总会如何成为了酷儿群体的避风港。

一部电影拥有超过400万位演员，是怎样的体验？人生无限公司，每个参与过的人都是主演。每个“加班夜”都如此难舍难忘，演唱会内外，你的人生故事可有什么变与不变？五月天“人生无限公司”巡演，横跨四...

英国第四频道播出的纪录片，通过采访各界人士和演员模拟故事情节的方式来探讨热门小说《格雷的五十道阴影》（ Fifty Shades of Grey）所引起的畅销现象。　　《格雷的五十道阴影》是以《暮光之城》男女主人公为原型，由同人作品发展出的成人罗曼史小说。2012年4月发行之后销量猛增，被称为“英国有史以来卖得最快”的小说。但原著中大量性爱描写和涉及S  M虐恋的主线引起了广泛讨论，这也正是小说吸引读者的关键因素。这部记录片展示了小说在社会上引起的轰动效应，采访了包括记者、作家、演员、出版商、性学专家、普通读者和小说作者在内各阶层人士，在探讨作品本身的吸引力之外，也讨论了有虐待色彩的性爱关系在恋爱中的催情作用。

Journalism icon Gay Talese reports on Gerald Foos, the Colorado motel who allegedly secretly watched his guests with the aid of specially designed ceiling vents, peering down from an "observation platform" he built in the motel's attic.

血滴般鮮艷的紅，在幽暗中趟過經年累月，生生不息。從明代，許同生開創同名傘廠起，至今他的後人中依然有人在堅持做傘。外人最擔心的是這門手藝是否會失傳，在四五百年的變革中，曾經盛極一時，曾經歇業，做為一個企業，他有太多問題，可今天，它畢竟存活了下來，或許，其實他什麽問題也沒有，是我們太焦慮。 　　沒有大事件，沒有傳奇的人物，有的只是平常的四川山裏人的生產生活場景。從歷史長河中來看，現在無疑是分水傘廠的低谷，產量少，人員少。幸運的是，在躁動的社會中，分水傘廠執拗地以他古老的方式維持著生產，平靜如流水，粗獷如磐石。當進入傘廠後，之前的疑問化為烏有，頭腦開始空白，一切從我目睹工人們和諧而愉悅的生產、生活開始。

　　美剧《十三个原因》 演员、制片人访谈特辑，为什么演员、制片人和心理健康专家会讨论处理一些非常棘手的问题场景，包括欺凌、抑郁和性侵犯。

身为移民后代、女同志、反种族主义者和女性主义者的前地下饶舌歌手希瓦娜，用激进敢言的歌词和力度十足的舞台形象短时间内跃上主流舞台，但也因此被贴上「女强人」、「女英雄」等标签，让她一度濒临崩溃。本片由三位熟稔音乐录影带制作的女导演操刀，记录她从地下歌手到站上大舞台的过程，并 穿插家庭录像及与瑞典流行电子女歌手碧翠丝恋爱的私密影像，拼贴出希瓦娜多样却又平实的面貌。

　　Shot on the Great Barrier Reef and in the Bahamas, the main themes of "Ocean Wonderland" are the incredible diversity of the marine life on the reefs as well as the amazing beauty of the many varieties of coral thriving there

　　纪录片《街头安全计划》（The Street Project）从美国历史和城市规划政策出发，谈论如何创造行人能放心行走的城市。全世界每年有超过100万人死于交通事故，其中有一半是行人和自行车事故。透过不同国家的案例和数据，进行各种模拟和实验，探讨我们的街道到底属于汽车、机车、自行车，还是行人？

　　Follows the journey in the career of English football great Wayne Rooney, from his professional debut at the age of 16 to becoming Manchester United and England's all-time top scorer.

2006年12月，在江西省靖安县水口乡发现了一个被盗的墓葬，考古专家在勘察完现场后认定，这个墓葬极有可能是春秋时期一个大型的贵族楚墓。 在随后的发掘过程中确定，这个墓葬的面积达到160平方米，肯定会有大量的随葬物品出土，将很有可能改写江西的历史。但是，就在大墓发掘到4米深的时候，考古队员发现，靖安大墓根本就不是他们预料的有棺椁的楚墓形式，大墓底下全部是一个个小的棺木。 那么，出土了46具棺木的大型墓葬究竟隐藏着什么秘密呢？

探索迪士尼景点和目的地如何受欢迎的历史，它们是如何随着时间的推移而变化的，以及粉丝们是如何继续迷恋它们的。

极具影响力的嘻哈团体Racionais MC's以音乐为武器，将他们的街头诗歌变成一场强有力的运动，在巴西乃至世界唱响他们的信念

On the outskirts of Barcelona, a farmer and his herd live next door to a hi-tech lab that does animal testing. The farmer—who is suffering from a bone disease—witnesses the disappearance of his profession, while the scientists are busier than ever. With humour and elegance, Fauna intertwines the world of humans, animals and science during pandemic times. 

传奇摇滚乐队U2主唱Bono跟吉他手The Edge重返音乐起点都柏林，接受知名主持人大卫·莱特曼采访，讲述摇滚史上最动人的一段友谊故事，以及多首伟大金曲背后的灵感来源。

A documentary revealing former Czech president Vaclav Havel's private moments and backroom dealings.

《今日说法》诞生于1999年1月2日，是中国中央电视台(cctv)第一档全日播法制栏目，已经成为家喻户晓的品牌栏目。栏目秉持“点滴记录中国法治进程”的理念，以“重在普法，监督执法，促进立法、服务百姓”为宗旨，全力打造“中国人的法律午餐”。栏目收视排名长期稳居央视前列，影响力持续增强，《12.4年度法治人物颁奖盛典》、《小撒探会》等特别节目铸就高端品质，使栏目实现了更大的社会动员能力和普法功能。

这部纪录片聚焦King Gnu 乐队的领队常田大希，讲述他如何与自己的音乐团队“THE MILLENNIUM PARADE”一起，创作融合不同曲风的歌曲《2992》。

一只河豚宝宝在大堡礁中寻找自己的家，一路游历遍布奇异生物的微小海底世界。

　　《出路》跟踪拍摄了三位来自不同社会阶层，历时六年追随三位主人公，记录下他们的梦想与当代中国现实的碰撞，这是不同地区的中国年轻人从学校步入社会的成长故事。来自北京的袁晗寒17岁辍学，3年后她游历完欧洲各国，考上了心仪的艺术学校，15年回国实习，在北京注册了她的艺术投资公司。湖北的徐佳，19岁，是咸宁高中的高三复读生，他已经复读了三次，最后如愿考上了一个二本。毕业工作2年后，2015年徐佳和相恋4年的女友决定结婚。来自甘肃的马百娟，12岁，在野鹊沟小学上二年级，条件艰苦，梦想能去北京上大学。2012年为了方便她上学，全家迁到宁夏，然而马百娟因为学习跟不上，第二年就退学了。15岁的马百娟独自来到陌生的城市打工，但因年龄和学历太低，屡屡碰壁。　　中国当代青少年有着怎样的未来？这是导演郑琼在拍摄三名中国青少年时探索的中心问题。

三摩地第一部分是探索三摩地系列电影的第一部，三摩地是一个古老的梵文单词，指向神秘或超越的结合，是所有灵性和自我探究的根源。

太平镖局总镖头李志山妻刘月香放荡成性，为了与龙威镖局总镖头龙震天双宿双栖，趁李不察，先盗去飞龙刀，再施毒手废其武功，李与女小燕幸为隐侠柳安正所救。小燕长大后，一次在镇上卸药，误入妓院，巧遇生母，竟被诱为妓，幸得柳之小孙青松及时解围，但亦因此暴露身份而遭追杀；李等避无可避下，惟有一战。

　　十九歲的艾妲答應前往熟識男性的家裡晚餐。事情發生得很快，她並沒有抵抗。她的身軀已死去，靈魂早已分崩離析。　　　　　　艾妲的故事結合了其他人的故事，縱使不太一樣卻又非常類似，從不同的角度觀看，一樣是骯髒不堪的故事，令人不可置信卻又是日常上演的故事。　　　　　　「就如同我們為了要警告城邦暴雨將至，但卻講另一種語言。我們介紹自己，卻告訴他人我們做了那些不善之事。」　　　　貝托爾特·布萊希特 (Bertolt Brecht)，詩集1913-1958，第8卷　　　　　　　　══導演的話══　　　　　　2013年，在我的第一部電影結束放映後，有一位與我同齡的女性到我面前，說有個故事要告訴我，事情是在九年前發生的，但她不知道該怎麼做。之後我們再次見面，她向我傾訴她在十九歲的時候，被一個她認識的男人，在同一個星期內性侵了三次。我對於她感到十分同情，卻也非常驚訝，在講述的經過，我才發現所有的一切都與我的想像差距很大，我以為性侵都發生在晚上，在無人的街道上，施暴者是一個心理變態的陌生人，粗暴地又或者持有武器而施予加害者。　　　　我將這個故事告知我周遭的人，許多我親近的朋友告訴我她們有過相同的經驗，人數多到讓我腦子一片混亂，而且她們並沒有告訴我這些經歷。我明白我從來都沒有重視這件事情的核心問題，我想要了解別人究竟對我們做了多麼惡意的事情，而且某種程度上我們「放任」他去做。　　　　我沒有被性侵的經驗，但如同大部分女孩一樣，成長的經驗都伴隨著如此的威脅，而且多次保持堅決態度，拒絕跨越那道線。當我十九歲時，我對於愛情的想像仍是非常天真，我的防線並不是這麼清楚，若是我像艾妲遇到一樣的遭遇，遇到不對的人，我無法確定我是否能像她一樣處理的這麼好。　　　　我拍攝這部片的其中一個理由，就是確信艾妲的故事並非僅是個人的悲慘遭遇，而是程度大到成為一種社會現象。當我在拍攝此紀錄片時，好萊塢製片哈維·溫斯坦事件還沒發生，我認為要讓大眾聽到像艾妲這樣被認為不夠符合被害條件，而能夠感同身受的故事是有難度的。拍攝艾妲這樣的故事有時候會有太大迴響，而且我知道紀錄片必須要成功傳遞訊息，而又不能隱藏其中的暴力，也不能扭曲她所經歷過的現實。　　　　要如何將這樣本質上毀滅性卻又屬於私密的經驗傳遞出去，受到的影響將會是如此巨大，卻又是無法公開的秘密？因為我希望不要將真實經過拍攝出來，而流於軼事或說教，因此決定採用另一種劇情虛構的方式，就是要求不同人站在艾妲的角度，寫出那個人所詮釋的內容。故事的結構安排希望讓觀眾能夠循著艾妲的敘事，無法在一開始就判斷出來她遭遇到何事，而事件本身也令人看不透，甚至「強暴」一詞到電影後半才出現，因為越晚陳述清楚她的經驗，這個詞彙越被隱藏在描繪的現實裡。　　　　我選擇讓艾妲僅僅是陳述故事，希望讓觀眾能夠自己去拼湊這個女子的影像，可以全是艾妲的樣貌，又或者不是她，我希望這個女子的臉是虛構的、普世大眾的，讓觀眾從頭到尾去想像她的臉孔。通常我們的同理心的產生會與此人的性格有關，而較不是他究竟經歷過或說了什麼，甚至有幾段我嘗試了不同詮釋方法。因此，我希望觀眾也能審視這套自我投射的機制。

本纪录片揭露一群黑客如何藏身宁静德国观光小镇的冷战碉堡，在网络世界最黑暗的角落助纣为虐。

　　12位客居他乡的湘籍名人收到一封来自故乡的邀请，他们将在老乡汪涵（拟邀）的陪同下奔赴这场山水之约。故乡的长夜里藏着他们怎样的成长秘密，全新的家乡风貌，又将带来怎样的收获与惊喜……

根据真人真事改编的《茜茜和我》打破茜茜公主的神圣光环，讲述这位喜怒无常的贵族更不为人知的一面。电影以侍女伊尔玛为第一视角，讲述她和已成为奥地利皇后的茜茜之间的虐恋往事。伊尔玛不但有过虐待狂训练，还对从...

离你最近的热点新闻，给你最快的新闻现场，予你最深的剖析解读，《今日亚洲》栏目携手亚洲30家强势媒体，独家资源、权威学者、专业制作，倾力打造亚太时事述评新闻高地。

　　2003年文德斯参加了马丁斯科塞斯Martin Scorsese发起的为蓝调音乐寻根的Mini影集《The Blues》，拍摄了其中名为《一个人的灵魂》（The Soul of a Man）的一集。（参与这个影集的还有克林特 伊斯特伍德（《杀无赦》）和迈克 菲吉斯（Mike Figgis，《远离赌城》）等人）　　　　Martin Scorsese本人导的单元Feel Like Going Home结构松散，缺乏重心（从美国跳到西非，又只挑一两个乐手作重点，蜻蜓点水般轻轻略过），一看就知道是个音乐外行人，也难怪有些乐迷要失望不已，倒是德国大导演文德斯（巴黎德州，柏林苍穹下，直到世界末日），不愧是个道地的音乐喜好者，他所导演的The Soul of a Man，具有下列三大特色：　　　　1. 文德斯选择了自己最喜爱的三位布鲁斯艺术家斯基普·詹姆斯、布兰德·威利·约翰逊和J.B.雷诺瓦做为影片的主角，他带着虔诚与朝圣的心理，用剧情片的模式讲述了这三位音乐家的真实故事。　　1). Willie Johnson（应该是纪录片）　　2). Skip James（以戏剧方式重现其一生）　　3). J. B. Renoir（影片来源：主要参照一对夫妇的私藏纪录片，并穿插了部分德国六零年代的摇滚场景，与导演个人的生活记忆。）　　　　2. 刻意用二零年代的老摄影机，透过重现场景，重新演戏（re-enactment）的方式，将影像与音乐作一个巧妙的连结，其效果不亚于任何一部优秀的MTV。　　　　3. 文德斯参考了大量的历史资料，请来与这三位音乐家同时代的或者具有影响力的像Lou Reed、克里斯·托马斯·金、尼克·凯夫Nick Cave 、the Bad Seeds、詹姆斯·布拉德·乌尔姆JamesBlood Ulmer、Lucinda Williams等近二十七位美国布鲁斯音乐人，请他们重新演唱这三位音乐家的经典布鲁斯歌曲，再穿插以当年历史新闻镜头，让观众在黑白影像中重新领略到布鲁斯音乐的魅力，体味到文德斯对音乐乃至人生的理解与感悟　　　　这部片子前后的贯穿力强（以美国NASA宇宙飞船在船上放蓝调唱片藉以和外星人沟通为开场白，片末则出现了太空与Willie Johnson脸庞的迭影，颇有深意），凝聚性也高，充分显现温德斯对于音乐的投入，对于音乐--影像之间的对话与相扣，有非常好的掌握能力，值得推荐给大家看。

以六个监狱为背景，讲述监狱背后的故事。

　　该片由英国著名科学家大卫·艾登堡禄花费3年心血而精心制作。他环游全球，历经42个国家，记录下了300多种鸟的生活。在片中，您可以听到琴鸟模仿汽车报警的声音，能够看到乌鸦用树枝“钓”虫子的趣味景象，将会了解生活在赤道附近的企鹅的生活。一个多彩多姿的鸟世界赫然展现在您的面前。

　　数千年来，人类对月球充满着好奇与幻想。这个天上的邻居，至今还有许多未解之谜。上世纪五十年代末开始，美国与前苏联开展了太空竞赛，完成了人类对月球的最初探索。随后，美苏两国相继停止登月计划，中国展开探月之旅。对月球样本的科研显示，月球上的水以冰的形式存在。月球的内核是固态的铁，温度很高，部分融化。未来月球上可能会有火山喷发。月球的部分地表已被磁化。月球上的坑洞或者熔岩管道可能会为人类提供栖居场所。对月球的探索仍未停止，这个星球是人类通往宇宙的大门。

　　节目贴身追击「港男」追求真爱的過过程，将一幕幕男女爱情攻略呈现观众眼前。「美容达人」陈莉敏（Queenie）、爱情顾问曹祐谦、「爱情玄学家」陈定邦、形象顾问Karl，以及心理配对顾问Terry组成「钻石男」评审兼导师团，肩起「红娘」职责，为「港男」、「港女」铺桥修路，缔结良缘。十多位勇气可嘉的求爱「盛男」，通过社交网站及婚姻配对公司甄选，脱颖而出，接受评审团最苛刻的面试。过程中，刁钻问题一浪接一浪，一众求爱「盛男」能否「顶得住」？什么震撼回答，竟令见惯大场面的Queenie亦不禁尖叫起来？正当「盛男们」以为面试完毕，可以松一口气之际，原来还有一项压轴秘密测试！评审团故意安排一位打扮普通的女同事，在「盛男们」离开途中假装跌倒，测试各人的品格、风度，到底十多位「盛男」镜头前后是否真的两个人？最后只有八位仪表、品格俱佳的「盛男」，可升成为「钻石男」，参加为期半年、以淘汰形式进行的真人Show《求爱大作戰》，八个席位花落谁家？

Oscilloscope Laboratories购得讲述约翰·麦肯罗的纪录片[完美帝国]北美发行权。导演朱利安·法洛特，马修·阿马立克([伊斯梅尔的幽魂])担任解说。该片聚焦这位七次大满贯得主唯一一次打入法国网球公开赛决赛的经历，他的暴脾气也在片中展露无遗。影片已于今年柏林电影节首映，8月北美上映。

网飞纪录片《MH370：消失的航班》发布预告，3月8日上线。该片为调查式纪录片，聚焦MH370航班失踪事件，它试图解开航空史上最大的谜团，以令人震惊的细节揭示MH370航班失踪期间实际所发生的种种蹊跷事件。

延斯·索林在1985年时谋杀了女友的父母吗？或者是女友自己下的毒手呢？这部纪录片系列将深入这桩谜案的重重疑云。

他与权贵一起用餐，他无情猎杀弱者——隐藏在微笑面具之下的是一个恶魔般的连环杀手。

1965年，印尼政府被军政府推翻，那些反对军事独裁的人都被认定为“共产党人”，并遭遇了血腥屠杀，一年之内，就有超过100万“共产党人”丧命，其中就包括农民还有一些当地的华人。本片的主角Anwar Co...

　　The Lady In Number 6 is one of the most inspirational and uplifting stories of the year. 109 year old, Alice Herz Sommer, the world's oldest pianist and Holocaust survivor shares her story on how to achieve a long and happy life. She discussed the importance of music, laughter and how to have an optimistic outlook on life.

　　Agusta 109K2: Alpine Medivac Rescue　　Straight Up's exploration of vertical flight begins with a high-impact alpine rescue amid an avalanche. The dramatic opening sequence documents the dangerous work of the Rega mountain rescue team and the invaluable role of the Agusta A109K2 helicopter in saving lives and minimizing injuries.　　As the camera pans over beautiful vistas of the snow-covered Swiss Alps, it cuts to a cornice, as a chunk of snow breaks free, triggering an avalanche. The tranquil scene is shattered as the avalanche thunders down the mountain slopes. With terrifying speed, it heads straight for a mother and child trapped in their car, wheels spinning on the icy road.　　The mother calls for help on her cell phone, and a second call from a snowplow prompts radio dispatch. The Rega mountain rescue team already is airborne en route to the scene, the red cross painted on the helicopter's white underbelly signaling that medical help is on the way. The mother escapes, but her son is missing. Within minutes of the helicopter landing, the rescue team dig out the car, extract the trapped boy, apply first aid, and airlift him and his mother to safety.　　A significant mountain hazard, avalanches are responsible for many deaths each year. Time is of the essence in avalanche rescue work. A person has a 90 percent chance of survival if found within the first 15 minutes, but one's chances of survival diminish with each passing minute. Not only do helicopters provide quick access for rescue teams, they also provide a lifeline to medical care. Flying the injured to the nearest hospital as rapidly as possible is not the only type of rescue operation; often helicopters bring the hospital to the injured, who receive treatment at the scene.　　The powerful avalanche was shot in British Columbia's Selkirk Mountains under the supervision of the Canadian Avalanche Association. The CAA controls avalanche risk for the safety of heli-skiers. To capture the avalanche head-on, avalanche expert and filmmaker Steve Krochel and David Douglas developed a quarter-inch-thick steel container for the IMAX camera, which was equipped with a triggering device and a beeper so that the camera could be found once the avalanche had swept it down the mountain.　　The rescue was completed in Switzerland's Bernina Pass near the Italian border. Filming the Rega rescue helicopter air-to-air sequence turned into an international excursion as Douglas chased the sunlight over Italy in one direction and in Austria in another before setting down in Switzerland. In another dramatic shot, Douglas centered the red cross in the crosshairs of the camera lens as the craft descended. To facilitate this shot, Douglas dug a hole in the snow large enough to accommodate himself and the IMAX camera. Inside the hole, 3 feet below the helicopter, he filmed its takeoff.　　According to Douglas, "The helicopter is the instrument of rapid response to natural physical and social disasters around the world, alleviating human suffering on a major scale. For the individual caught beyond the limits of training or equipment, often the last chance for survival is the hope that a helicopter will get to them in time. "　　The Pitcairn PCA 2, "Miss Champion"　　For centuries humans dreamed of flight. The Chinese, in the 12th century, developed a toy helicopter made from a pair of slats mounted on a stick, but serious efforts had to wait until the early 20th century. Then, after the Wright brothers' historic flight at Kitty Hawk, we dreamed of flight unfettered by the limitations of runways and airports. Yet by the early 1930s we were still at the dawn of the practical rotorcraft, which promised to give form to humanity's vision.　　The ten year period between 1925 and 1935 was an exciting time in aviation history, but few aircraft so caught and held the public's attention, as the Autogiro. Nicknamed the "flying windmill," this strange-looking aircraft was first successfully flown in 1923 by the Spanish inventor, Juan de la Cierva, who had been working on the development of such a craft since 1919. The Autogiro fascinated the air-minded public because of its remarkable performance and high degree of safety, attracting such leaders of American aviation as Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart.　　Juan de la Cierva sold the American manufacturing rights to Harold Pitcairn in 1928. Pitcairn's Autogiro boasted a more modern fuselage with better aerodynamic qualities. It also provided prospective buyers with a choice of either a 300- or 420-horsepower engine.　　In the film, Harold Pitcairn's son Stephen flies "Miss Champion," a 1931 model. This Autogiro, used for promotion by the Champion Spark Plug Company, is controlled like an airplane, but is lifted with blades. Although the original rotor blades have seen 1,600 hours of flight time, they are still airworthy. With a 330-horsepower Wright R 975-E engine, the Autogiro has a cruising speed of 98 mph and a top speed of 118 mph. "Miss Champion" led a National Air Tour and made the then-risky 300- mile-long flight from Miami to Havana, Cuba. (Until then, the longest over-water flight by an Autogiro had been 25 miles in length.) Later, "Miss Champion" flew nonstop over a distance of 500 miles to Chichen Itza in the Yucatan rainforest. "Miss Champion" was retired from active service in 1932 after setting a new altitude record for rotary-wing aircraft. Climbing to a height of 21,500 feet in 1932, the Autogiro surpassed the previous record set by Amelia Earhart. Today, the Autogiro is considered to be the evolutionary "missing link" from which the practical helicopter was born.　　Forty years later Stephen Pitcairn began the formidable task of collecting and restoring examples of his father's aircraft. He tracked down "Miss Champion" and in October of 1982 began the painstaking task of restoration, using the original Pitcairn factory drawings. In the spring of 1985 "Miss Champion" flew again.　　The Bell 47G: A Flying Lesson　　Since Pitcairn's Autogiro, improved control systems allow the airframe to rise directly from the ground with a powered rotor. Straight Up! puts you in the pilot's seat of a Bell 47G as the basic elements of helicopter operation are demonstrated. The Bell 47G's single-rotor configuration is by far the most common type used today. Your flying lesson begins.　　As a helicopter pilot, the pilot uses all four limbs to fly, all at the same time! With the left hand holding the collective pitch control lever, he pulls up ever so slightly, and we go straight up into a slow-motion hover. The spinning rotor blades act as small wings, but they spin so fast that they create one continuous disc of lift. When the blades change angle, or pitch collectively, the helicopter rises or falls. The pilot's right hand always holds the cyclic control, effectively tilting the whirling disc above. Point left, tilt left. Point right, tilt right. The camera then closes in on the tail rotor. Once again, the altering of the blades affects direction. The chopper spins in response to the pilot's depressing one of the two foot pedals. If he depresses the second pedal, the helicopter spins in the opposite direction.　　The Piasecki H-21B Tandem Rotor Aircraft, "The Flying Banana"　　The last flying H-21B helicopter in the world takes off, heads for the beach and cruises 100 feet above the Pacific surf off the coast of California. One of the earliest tandem helicopters, the H-21B represents the birth of the heavy lift helicopters and dates back to the early 1950s. Nicknamed "The Flying Banana" for its shape, the H-21B had more power and greater stability than previous helicopters. The tandem-rotor H-21B carries two sets of wooden blades situated nearly 50 feet apart but operated by one set of helicopter flight controls. The pilot must be ever vigilant, as this helicopter could rapidly invert should the pilot let go of the controls.　　The vintage H-21B used for the film was decommissioned from the U.S. Air Force in 1972 and was restored by the California-based Classic Rotors: The Rare and Vintage Rotocraft Museum. This nonprofit museum and restoration facility, dedicated to the preservation of unique, vintage and rare rotorcraft, spent more than 10,000 hours returning the H-21B to airworthiness. Every hour flown requires 100 hours of maintenance. Classic Rotors is the only museum of its kind to maintain eight helicopters in flying condition. When its new facility in San Diego has been completed, the museum will expand its exhibits from 15 to 30 vintage rotorcraft.　　One of the highlights of its collection is a famous relative of the H-21B. This is a V 44 (the commercial version of the H-21)-nicknamed "The Holy One"-and is the only one to land at the Vatican and be blessed by the pope. While on a 1959 demonstration tour in Europe, the helicopter and its crew had provided help to Italian communities following a devastating earthquake.　　Future Helicopter Designs　　One aspect of current research centers around the development of "quiet technology" that will allow helicopters to become better neighbors and to operate more stealthily in police and military operations.　　Quiet technology advances rely on a combination of technologies, which include improved rotor blade design and the user of rotor systems with four or more blades. Replacing the tail rotor with a Coanda-effect NOTAR (NoTailRotor) system goes a long way in reducing noise, as does shrouding the tail rotor in an arrangement know as a "fan-in-fin." Other advances focus on noise-dampening air inlets and improved engine nozzles.　　New helicopter designs are tested in the world's largest wind tunnel at the NASA Ames Flight Research Center located at Moffett Field in California. Ames was founded in 1939 as an aircraft research laboratory of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, which became part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in 1958. NASA has the leading role in aerospace operations systems, which include air traffic control, flight effects on humans, and rotorcraft technology. NASA Ames scientists and engineers study robotic helicopters, high-speed hybrids, and advances in quiet technology. The center also has major responsibilities for the creation of design and development tools and for wind tunnel testing.　　The NASA-Bell XV-15 Tilt-rotor　　In the film, an XV-15 converts over Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. The XV-15 is an experimental rotorcraft, the parent of a new family of aircraft called "tilt-rotors." The tilt-rotor combines the hovering ability of the helicopter with the speed of a fixed-wing aircraft. The XV-15 can take off and land like a helicopter. The audience will see the engines tilting forward as the tilt-rotor becomes a high-speed plane.　　The Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey　　A V-22 Osprey unwraps, emerging like a prehistoric flying dinosaur. Built primarily for the U.S. Marines, Air Force, and Navy, the V-22 Osprey has wings that pivot and rotors that fold to facilitate its storage at sea. In less than 90 seconds, you will see the V-22 complete this process. Although still classified as a tilt-rotor, it is faster, with three times the range and more than ten times the payload of its predecessor. It shows the promise of long-distance travel, without airports.　　The Hawk 4 Gyroplane　　Rotorcraft evolution is also in the hands of the entrepreneur, and this independent spirit is most evident in the Hawk 4 Gyroplane. While some designs produce groundbreaking changes, this aircraft brought the economy and safety of the Autogiro into the space age. A rotor is used for slow-speed flight, but at high-speed cruising all the lift is provided by the wing while the rotor has no lift. The Gyroplane shows promise as a high-speed, low-disc-loading rotorcraft.　　The Boeing-Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche　　The Comanche rips and dips across the screen, set against a sunset. This prototype helicopter has stealth technology. It's smart, agile, fast and invisible to radar. It's the first helicopter to provide real-time digital data to headquarters. Seeing in the dark, sensing the forces at play around us and acting on the evidence in real time, the Comanche is a complex flying machine with a human being at its heart. Everyday, in unexpected ways, it extends our powers and puts us to work with a revolutionary tool.　　The Comanche is the central element of the U.S. Army's future Objective Force. In addition to its complement of missiles and 20-mm cannon, the aircraft carries state-of-the-art sensors and avionics to provide battlefield commanders with so much accurate information about enemy movements. This knowledge will translate into more precise targeting, increasing the effectiveness of friendly forces beyond current capabilities.　　The U.S. Army has defined a requirement of more than 1,200 Comanches for the Objective Force. The RAH Comanche, the army's 21st-century combat helicopter is being developed by the U.S. Army and a team of leading aerospace companies headed by the Boeing Company and Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, a unit of United Technologies Corporation.　　The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk and AS 350 B2 AStar Enforce the Law　　Events swiftly unfold as the radar plane spots an "unidentified" Cessna dropping bundles of drugs off the coast of Miami at dawn. A signal alerts the Marine and Air Branch of U.S. Customs who speed out to intercept the smugglers. Just as the drugs are transferred from boat to van, The AStar helicopter bursts over the treetops, deploying a tactical team to arrest the driver. While the smuggler's Cigarette boat attempts to escape, a Black Hawk helicopter dips down to create a giant backwash. In a stunning display of impeccable teamwork, this action forces the fleeing boat to swerve to a halt as a Customs boat cuts it off and apprehends the criminals.　　On a typical day, the U.S. Customs Service examines 1.3 million passengers, 2,642 aircraft, 50,889 trucks/containers, 355,004 other vehicles, 588 vessels, 64,923 entries and undertakes the following enforcement actions: 64 arrests, 107 narcotic seizures, 223 other seizures, 9 currency seizures. These amount to 5,059 pounds of narcotics, $443,907 in currency, $228,803 in conveyances, $525,791 in merchandise and more than $15,800 in arms and ammunition.　　Filmed over a period of five days off the coast of Miami, the air, land, and sea drug bust was staged by the U.S. Customs Service, which relies heavily on helicopters during such operations.　　U.S. Customs pilot, Tom Stanton, participated in the shoot with his co-pilot Kimberly Kessel. Kessel is one of seven women U.S. Customs pilots and only one of two qualified to fly Black Hawks. Both pilots volunteered to work with the film crew. Says Kessel, a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, "They were phenomenal, ready to try anything."　　In addition to daytime flights, Stanton flies the riskier night missions. "Flying at night is dangerous as you lose all perception of what's up or down because both the sky and ocean are black, so they just kind of run in together. There's no horizon on those dark nights," says the veteran pilot.　　Typically he flies from 300 to 500 feet above the water at 120 to 150 knots. "Not many people fly that low, even in the daytime," says Stanton. "There's no autopilot, so it's hands on. Plus you're chasing someone. You have to be aware. It can get tense out there."　　Stanton describes an air chase: "Once there's a target, we launch a jet with radar. The jet pilot calls the helicopter out and we link up, flying in formation. We follow the bad guy wherever he goes. If he has extended-range fuel tanks, we leapfrog and send another helicopter out to take up the chase. (The Black Hawk carries five hours of fuel.) When he gets into his landing configuration, we call the local police or sheriff to help us out." The Black Hawk, which can carry up to 14 people, typically carries 4 or 5 armed personnel, "so we instantly have a force of police officers there to get the bad guys."　　"If it's a boat, we have Cigarette boats like the smugglers. We'll call our boat and have it intercept." Stanton flies the Black Hawk next to the boat, making it hard for the smugglers to navigate. "It intimidates them into giving up. Sometimes they do [but] sometimes we chase them for hours. Or we'll follow them into a marina and block them until our boats come. If they hit the beach, we'll call the state police or sheriff, and they set up a perimeter so the guy can't get out."　　Stanton, who flies missions as often as once or twice a week, has been flying for 26 years, 13 of those as an army helicopter pilot before he joined U.S. Customs in Miami where he is the "standardization instructor pilot." He makes sure that everybody flies the same way, so that when they team up, the pilots easily work in tandem. Pilots fly 8-hour shifts and the operation goes on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in areas covering both the Canadian and Mexican land borders, the Atlantic and Pacific coastlines, and the Gulf of Mexico.　　The MD 500E Helicopter　　A MD 500 helicopter hovers directly above 500,000-volt power lines. As it inches closer, a lightning bolt suddenly zaps out from the hot line, arcing toward the wand extended by a lineman perched on an aluminum platform that juts out from the helicopter. The "hot-line-qualified" lineman clamps onto the power lines, and helicopter backs off, leaving him to "wire walk," crawling along parallel lines to inspect the PPL power line grid, 100 feet off the ground. To reboard the helicopter, the lineman must "bond off," reversing the procedure.　　"I don't give two hoots and a holler about flying inside a helicopter. Put me outside, that's where I want to be," says Daniel "Spider" Lockhart, AgRotors lineman. There's only three things I've been afraid of most of my life: One was electricity, one was heights and the other was women. And, I'm married too," he grins. "The safest lineman is one that is afraid of electricity. When we bond to the power lines energized at half-a-million volts, we have to bring ourselves to the same potential. That is why you see that arc jumping out to our wand as we make both the helicopter and the power line at the same potential, so that we can eliminate the flow of current," explains the veteran lineman.　　Spider wears a protective hot suit, 75 percent Nomex for fire retardation and 25 percent stainless steel thread. "The metal thread basically means I have a cage around me that can be energized at very high voltage levels. A half-million volts pass over my body, but I can work without interference from the electricity."　　He continues, "Watching that electricity jump out while you're energizing the helicopter is a thrill. Getting on the wire, walking the wire to do repairs is a thrill. The biggest thrill I get is from doing what I do is being able to do both together-the electrical part and the helicopter part of it, the speed at which we can do it and still be safe. There are so many things that the helicopter enables us to do as linemen, which is very rewarding."　　The teamwork of the skilled helicopter pilots and highly trained linemen ensure that the PPL Corp. provides a constant source of electricity to its 1.3 million customers in Pennsylvania (in addition to 4.4 million in Latin America and Europe). To maintain the integrity of the transmission system to residential and commercial establishments, and to ensure the safety of the operation, the team plans and rehearses every move while on the ground before takeoff. Even so, unanticipated gusts of wind and glare from the wires can affect the pilot's depth perception, requiring total concentration during his hours at the controls. As the helicopter is isolated from the ground, the pilot and lineman, clad in protective stainless steel suits, must bond onto the transmission lines to bring themselves to the same voltage potential of the line to work safely-paralleling what a bird does when it sits on a wire.　　Probably the most unusual place that the director rigged the camera was on the end of the platform on the MD 500, which is designed to carry the lineman as he bonds onto the half-million-volt power line. "We took away the lineman and put the camera in his place; the lineman rode behind the camera and used his wand to draw the arc of electricity right onto the camera lens. I don't think it's been done before. It blew all the electronics out of the camera a couple of times before we figured out how to do it," recalls Douglas.　　The Boeing 234 Helicopter: Helilogging with Limited Environmental Damage　　Floating above the forest in northern California, a 12-ton Boeing 234 helicopter selects its target with precision. Selective logging is a process where only a portion of the available timber is removed from a logging site. A single tree is lifted straight up from the forest floor, leaving the rest of the area environmentally intact. Removing such timber-very often trees that are already dead or diseased-allows the remaining trees to thrive on the additional resources of sunlight, water, and soil nutrients. Helilogging is environmentally friendly in other ways as well. First, since the logs are lifted from the ground, little soil erosion, typical of conventional logging methods, occurs. Second, in many cases the helicopter is able to use existing roads for landings, meaning no new roads need to be built into the area being logged.　　Columbia Helicopters cuts more logs each year than any other helicopter logging company. To prepare the timber for the helicopter, the specially trained logging crew cut it into carefully weighed sections. Columbia's flight crews are among the most experienced at long-line work in the world. With speed and precision, they are able to move heavy loads of logs at the end of lines up to 350-feet long. Once the line is lowered from the Boeing 234 helicopter, steel tongs clamp the log and the entire tree is removed without disturbing the balance of nature. "It's kinda like lookin' down 25 stories and picking up a telephone pole," comments the helicopter pilot, Dave Stroupe, who deposits the timber at a nearby transfer yard. "The unique thing about this helicopter is that, when we take off from the ground, we weigh approximately 22,000 pounds. And we're rigged for about 26,000 pounds when we get low on fuel. So the load actually weighs more than the helicopter. It's exciting and harrowing all at the same time."　　The Boeing 234s have a lift capacity of 28,000 lb, (12,727 kg), but most often carry loads between 23,000 lb, (10,454 kg) to 24,000 lb (10,909 kg) due to elevation and air temperature considerations. The company trains loggers to work with helicopters because load weight is such a dramatic part of what they do. Weight is determined, using a formula, which are a function of the volume and the type of wood. Different tree species have different weights per volume.　　When one of the pilots suggested using the log as a platform for the camera, Douglas realized another exciting camera angle. The possibility existed that the branches could scrape off the camera as the log was hauled up. Douglas prevented this by placing the camera inside a heavy steel avalanche box, which he anchored on the end of a big log. Once the log was grappled, the helicopter hauled the protected camera right through the branches, giving the audience a breathtaking view from the perspective of the log! The U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier, AH-1W Cobra, CH-53E Super Stallion and CH-46E Sea Knight on a Military Mission　　An AV-8B Harrier jet demonstrates its vertical landing ability followed by a force reconnaissance inservice exercise from an aircraft carrier, as Marines climb aboard the CH-53E. AH-1W Cobras and Harriers form an assault-support package, as the reconnaissance team sets out on a mission to obtain invaluable intelligence about the enemy.　　Inside the CH-53E, the machine-gunner is at the ready as a Cobra fires three rockets. The action heats up as the IMAX camera captures the Marines fast-roping through the "hell hole" and sliding down a rope dangling from the CH-53E, landing in enemy territory. The leader of the reconnaissance team says, "By the time you get to touch rope in a live situation, you and your men feel tighter than family. Your fates are tied like the strands of a rope."　　Two hours later the Marines have completed their mission and are ready to be evacuated. Now the enemy hunts them on the ground. Trees shake as the rescue CH-53E helicopter hovers overhead, lowering a rope to the squad, now up to their waists in water. One after the other, in a matter of seconds, the men clip themselves onto the rope. "Extraction, even more than insertion, is when you need speed. You've been awful quiet. Suddenly, you're awful loud," says Sgt. James Kenneke, the squad leader. He's first in and last out. Lifted up, like washing on a line, the squad dangles beneath the helicopter as it is escorted by Cobras, out over the Atlantic.　　"It's a relief to get out. But there's that moment of doubt. Everything slows down while you're exposed � holding your breath for that happy ending. And when you get it, you feel on top of the world. Of course, then we've got to commute home just like everybody else," smiles Kennecke.　　The Mi-26 and Mi-8 Deliver Humanitarian Aid　　Sometimes, something very precious must be delivered behind enemy lines-food. Sierra Leone is a nation that has suffered years of conflict. From the food depot to the hot spot, helicopters provide an air bridge. Hoisting food and medical supplies to distressed people behind rebel-held territories, they have the ability to hop over hot zones in desperate situations.　　The world's largest production helicopter-the Russian-made Mi-26-is the workhorse for the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operation in war-torn Sierra Leone. The heaviest production helicopter in the world, this majestic eight-bladed craft-one of four chartered by the UN from Russia-can carry a maximum of 44,090 lb (20,040 kg) of internal payload or up to 70 troops. The Mi-26's top speed is 183 mph (295 kph) and it has a range of 304 miles (400 km).　　In this sequence, the Mi-26 is loaded with cargo to supply UN troops protecting an isolated community in the center of rebel-held territory. The world's largest food agency, the UN World Food Program (WFP), organized a massive air campaign targeting internally displaced persons that had congregated near a clinic for malnourished children. Once rebels from the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) had surrounded the area and blocked road access, the WFP was prevented from completing a bulk distribution. Instead, they loaded up their Mi-8 and flew to the Daru clinic where the most vulnerable women and children were located.　　"All children under five who are malnourished are given a special feeding program in Daru. And the under-five are always the first ones you target for any kind of extreme malnourished cases, because they die very quickly," says Aya Shneerson, program officer for the WFP. "Daru is a kind of an island, a safe island, surrounded by areas that are unsafe," she says, "and for that reason, it always served as a sort of magnet for the very vulnerable people coming out."　　Another big WFP operation, Food for Peace, gives food to child ex-combatants, in an effort to attract them to disarmament and demobilization camps.　　The heavily laden craft flew out of the capital city, Freetown, situated on the west coast of Africa between Guinea on the north and Liberia on the south. The WFP supervises a variety of feeding programs in the displacement camps, feeding 5,000 in an operation that targeted Bunbuna, Kabala and Daru in 2000.　　Throughout the world, helicopters have saved millions of human lives. There are 777 million people in developing countries, according to the WFP. In 2001 the WFP fed 77 million hungry people (10 percent of the hungry poor) in 82 countries.　　Diamonds, which should have brought prosperity to Sierra Leone, instead resulted in one of the modern world's most brutal insurgencies, dating back to 1991 when rebels launched a war to overthrow the government. In the ensuing years, continuous battles between the various factions-rebels, the army and the government-displaced tens of thousands of innocent civilians, resulting in hunger and famine. In 1998 UN observers documented reports of ongoing atrocities and human rights abuses. In 1999 negotiations began between the government and the rebels, and an agreement was signed in Lome to end hostilities and form a government of national unity. By 2000, the UN's expanded role resulted in the deployment of 17,500 military peacekeeping personnel to various parts of the country. Free elections in May 2002 have given hope and a fresh started in Sierra Leone.　　The AS 350 B2 and AS 350 B3 Used for Wildlife Relocation　　In South Africa, helicopters are helping to save the black rhino from extinction. Protected in a few remote preserves, their numbers are rising. However, should the rhinos feel overcrowded, they will fight to the death. To protect the species, some must be relocated to safe habitats, but this is easier said than done.　　A platform dangles from a helicopter overhead. Inside another helicopter, flying low over the South African veldt, a man with a rifle takes aim at a black rhinoceros, dodging through the bushes below. The pilot concentrates on flying 5 feet above and 10 to15 feet behind the rhino. Anticipating its every move, a wildlife veterinarian pulls the trigger of his gun loaded with a tranquilizer dart, scoring a direct hit that successfully penetrates the rhino's inch-thick skin.　　"When I am darting animals like the black rhino, there is this immense trust between myself and Piet, the pilot," says wildlife veterinarian, Dr. Douw Grobler, who specializes in immunizations and translocations. "I know exactly what he's going to do and where he's going to place me. I don't have to think. I can just concentrate on the animals. I just know he's gong to put me there in the right spot at the right time. It's almost that he senses what the animal's going to do. In that way, he can change the animal's mind with his helicopter."　　Grobler has measured a specific drug dosage, which can keep a rhino asleep for up to two hours. Once the rhino is darted, the ground crew lands as soon as possible to undertake a multitude of tasks. They monitor the beast's vital signs, take skin and blood samples to study its basic health and to detect any nutrients that are lacking. This ensures that the habitat is healthy for long-term propagation. They also conduct pregnancy testing. Each rhino's ear is notched so that it can be identified easily from the air and ground. The tip of the second horn is removed to provide material for genetic research, and a transmitter is fitted into the rhino's horn for tracking its whereabouts. Poachers present a constant danger to the rhinos' security. Should a poacher remove the horn for export, the transmitter would trigger an alarm.　　When two males inhabit the same territory, one must be relocated before they battle to the death. Placing a sling in position, the crew rolls the rhino aboard the platform, making sure it is fully asleep. With a lifting capability of 3,500 lb (1,590 kg), the AStar B 3 can relocate the 2,250-lb (1022-kg) rhino to an area of the sanctuary that is accessible only by helicopter.　　The extensive research on eleven black rhinos acquired during the four-day shoot was made possible only through SK Film's financial contribution. "My field of expertise lies in the capture and relocation of African wildlife. I am extremely grateful to Straight Up! for sponsoring this incredibly important research and relocation program at the game park. Without the film, this research would not have happened," says Grobler, who organized the capture, research and relocation project, with the film's production crew. "Every animal is just so valuable," he says, "and any information that can be collected on them is worth its weight in gold."　　The prehistoric ancestor of today's rhinos existed more than 50 million years ago. Among today's five rhino species, the black rhino, which has two horns, has suffered the most spectacular rate of decline. From a population of 65,000 in 1970 it had been hunted almost to extinction, declining to a population of 2,300 by 1992-93. Current statistics indicate that the African black rhino population has risen to 3,500 as a result of the protection of nature reserves, developed by conservancy groups, agencies and governments to facilitate breeding and relocation programs.　　This segment of Straight Up! was filmed in one such reserve in South Africa, where black rhinos had been reintroduced in 1986. The helicopter, an irreplaceable co