The Blue Max

( 5 )

Overview

Based on a novel by Jack D. Hunter, The Blue Max is a World War I aviation drama, told from the German point of view. Low-born infantryman George Peppard becomes a pilot, almost deliberately stepping on the sensibilities of his aristocratic comrades in the process. A national hero, Peppard wins the Blue Max, the highest award that can be bestowed upon an aviator. His fame is exploited by general James Mason, who tolerates Peppard's affair with Mason's wife Ursula Andress. The canny Mason knows that, eventually, ...
See more details below
Available through our Marketplace sellers.
See All Options
Other sellers (VHS)
  • All (1) from $16.55   
  • New (1) from $16.55   
Close
Sort by
Page 1 of 1
Showing All
Note: Marketplace items are not eligible for any BN.com coupons and promotions
$16.55
Everest_Ventures
Seller since 2013

Feedback rating:

(28)

Condition:

New — never opened or used in original packaging.

Like New — packaging may have been opened. A "Like New" item is suitable to give as a gift.

Very Good — may have minor signs of wear on packaging but item works perfectly and has no damage.

Good — item is in good condition but packaging may have signs of shelf wear/aging or torn packaging. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Acceptable — item is in working order but may show signs of wear such as scratches or torn packaging. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Used — An item that has been opened and may show signs of wear. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Refurbished — A used item that has been renewed or updated and verified to be in proper working condition. Not necessarily completed by the original manufacturer.

New
Blue Max [VHS]

Ships from: Danville, CA

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Standard, 48 States
Page 1 of 1
Showing All
Close
Sort by

More About This Product

Overview

Based on a novel by Jack D. Hunter, The Blue Max is a World War I aviation drama, told from the German point of view. Low-born infantryman George Peppard becomes a pilot, almost deliberately stepping on the sensibilities of his aristocratic comrades in the process. A national hero, Peppard wins the Blue Max, the highest award that can be bestowed upon an aviator. His fame is exploited by general James Mason, who tolerates Peppard's affair with Mason's wife Ursula Andress. The canny Mason knows that, eventually, Peppard will be expendable, and a "heroic" death can be arranged.
Read More Show Less

Editorial Reviews

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler
Anyone looking for simply stunning aerial action sequences need look no further than The Blue Max, in which such sequences are among the finest ever captured on film. Director John Guillermin and cinematographers Skeets Kelly and Douglas Slocombe are out to dazzle (albeit in the service of the story which they are telling), and dazzle they certainly do. They fill the wide screen with action and movement, whether of the exteriors of the planes as they perform their daring maneuvers or from the vantage point of inside the cockpit (giving an extra special thrill to the viewer). Tracking shots go in unexpected places, and even the backgrounds feature surprising and telling details. This trio was going for thrills, and they deliver in spades. Happily, Guillermin doesn't limit his visual prowess to the aviation sequences, but finds clever ways to utilize the CinemaScope even when only two figures are sharing the frame. If these "grounded" scenes had the dramatic power of the airborne ones, Max would rank in the absolute top ranks of adventure films. Unfortunately, the actual story that holds the aerial sequences is confusing and poorly told, a situation that is not helped by lead George Peppard's wooden acting. The rest of the cast, notably the excellent James Mason and the beautiful Ursula Andress, turn in solid performances, which helps matters considerably. Even with its flaws, Max is well worth seeing for those amazing flight sequences.
Read More Show Less

Product Details

  • Release Date: 5/20/2003
  • UPC: 024543071938
  • Original Release: 1966

    • Rating:

  • Source: 20th Century Fox
  • Format: VHS

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
George Peppard Bruno Stachel
James Mason Count von Klugermann
Ursula Andress Countess Kaeti von Klugermann
Jeremy Kemp Willi von Klugermann
Karl Michael Vogler Heidemann
Anton Diffring Holbach
Loni von Friedl Elfi Heidemann
Peter Woodthorpe Rupp
Harry Towb Kettering
Derren Nesbitt Fabian
Roger Ostime Crown Prince
Hugo Schuster Hans
Carl Schell Baron von Richthofen
Frederick Ledebur The Field Marshall
Derek Newark Ziegel
Alex Scott The Orator
Technical Credits
John Guillermin Director
Maurice Ayers Special Effects
Ron Ballanger Special Effects
Ben Barzman Screenwriter
Karl Baumgartner Special Effects
Max Benedict Editor
Fred Carter Art Director
Jack Causey Asst. Director
Derek Cracknell Asst. Director
Rene Dupont Production Manager
Christian Ferry Producer
Basilio Franchina Screenwriter
Jerry Goldsmith Score Composer
Gerald Hanley Screenwriter
Claude Hitchcock Sound/Sound Designer
Skeets Kelly Cinematographer
Stuart Lyons Casting
David Pursall Screenwriter
Jack Seddon Screenwriter
Douglas Slocombe Cinematographer
Elmo Williams Executive Producer
Read More Show Less

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 5 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(2)

4 Star

(1)

3 Star

(1)

2 Star

(1)

1 Star

(0)

Your Rating:

Review Guidelines
Add Recommendations
Your Name: Create a Pen Name or

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

  • - HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
  • - Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
  • - Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
  • - Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
  • - Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
  • - Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
  • - Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

  • - By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
  • - Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
  • - See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.
Search for Products You'd Like to Recommend

Recommend other products that relate to your review. Just search for them below and share!

Create a Pen Name

Your Pen Name is your unique identity on BN.com. It will appear on the reviews you write and other website activities. Your Pen Name cannot be edited, changed or deleted once submitted.

 
Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously
Sort by: Showing all of 5 Customer Reviews

  • Posted October 1, 2010

    I Also Recommend:

    Battle of Britain

    The storyof a German airman obsessed with Germanys' highest Award-The Blue Max

    The Blue Max is a story of 2 kinds of obsession.One is for the highest honor that is bestowed upon anyone who can shoot down a maximum number of enemy aircraft-The Blue Max.Another is his squadrons relative-An Aunt by marriage,The Countess-who happens to be the wife of a German General(played by James Mason)-played by Ursula Andress.George Peppard gets the Blue Max,however in the end loses the girl and his life as he pilots an unsafe experimental aircraft.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Hubris Can Only Fly So Far

    John Guillermin's 1966 film about Bruno Stachel (George Peppard), a common German soldier during WWI who leaves the trenches to join the elite Luftwaffe. Socially out-of-league with his aristocratic companions and eager for respect, Stachel will stop at nothing in pursuing honor in the form of the Blue Max, the most prestigious aviation medal. The recurrent theme is hubris/arrogance and how it affects the human condition. All of the characters are driven by ambition and are amoral to a certain degree. Bruno Stachel has the most humble of origins (a peasant who first served in the trenches) and so is the most arrogant of the characters. He knows he's an ace pilot but is unable to earn the respect of his fellow officers because of his low social status. In his mind, he can earn the social respect he covets by earning the medal: then, he feels, people will have no choice but to respect him. Ironically, the respect he obtains is nothing more than the arrogance of others. Arrogance from his superior (James Mason) who needs to create a hero to look good himself as a commanding officer. Mason is quite the pragmatist in creating a hero to the point of letting Stachel sleep with his wife (Ursula Andress)to boost his confidence. The countess needs the fire of a young hot-head like Stachel to fulfill her desires: she only needs her husband to preserve her lofty title of Countess. Unfortunately for Stachel, there's a price for being the hero, and the greatest heroes are often those who die in battle. Quite aware of this and tired of being cheated on, Mason's character realizes all too well the value of having the glory of a dead war hero illuminate his stale command. Alltogether a great film with good cinematography. The film quality is excellent for this almost 40-year old film: so good, one would think it was filmed recently but for the actors in it. The dog-fight scenes are some of the finest ever to be filmed. The film is well balanced between the combat scenes and the personal drama: the theme is well carried by the plot. All of the actors perform quite well. George Peppard performed his role competently as Stachel: his being out-of-place or uncomfortable enhanced his performance instead of limiting it. Bruno Stachel is a character who is supposed to feel out-of-place and uncomfortable in his social surroundings: he exceeds in skill and arrogance to compensate for his insecurity. Peppard was perhaps a little too reserved when his character demanded more arrogance but that is forgivable. The only actor who would have done better than him in that role would have been Marlon Brando in a similar role as in 'Young Lions'. In sum though, the acting is top-knotch with great direction. It's a film not to be missed.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    A Tribute to Aces

    I have seen this film many times and to this present day never tire of watching it, a most inspiring film of courage and gallantry

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 26, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted December 2, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

Sort by: Showing all of 5 Customer Reviews