10.0 英语 · 2002 · 英国 · 爱情片
布鲁斯·格林伍德,麦当娜,伊丽莎白·班克斯,Michael Beattie,珍妮·特里普里霍恩,阿德里亚诺·吉安尼尼
安贝尔(麦当娜 Madonna 饰)是一个富有而又漂亮的女人,可惜她的脾气实在是太不可爱,他人看似美好的一切对于安贝尔来说都不足挂齿,就连他的丈夫托尼(布鲁斯·格林伍德 Bruce Greenwood 饰)都不知道自己的妻子究竟要怎样生活才会快乐。 为了讨安贝尔的欢心,托尼安排了一次邮轮上的旅行,从希腊前往意大利。尽管满心牢骚,但安贝儿好歹还是开始了她的旅程,并且在船上结识了大幅吉塞佩(阿德里亚诺·吉安尼尼 Adriano Giannini 饰)。安贝尔讨厌吉塞佩的粗俗和下流,逮着机会就在众人面前对他冷嘲热讽,对于安贝尔颐指气使的德行,吉塞佩也十分厌恶,只是按下不表。一次暴风雨后,船搁浅在了一座孤岛之上,在这个贫瘠又危险的地方,安贝尔和吉塞佩之间的关系发生了逆转。
7.0 英语 · 2002 · 美国 · 喜剧片
Britney Spears,Zoe Saldana,Taryn Manning,Kim Cattrall,Justin Long,Dan Aykroyd
露西(布兰妮·斯皮尔斯 Britney Spears 饰)、吉特(佐伊·索尔达娜 Zoe Saldana 饰)和咪咪(塔恩·曼宁 Taryn Manning 饰)曾经是无话不谈亲密无间的三个好友,然而,岁月的流逝让她们之间的距离渐渐的疏远了起来,一晃眼八年过去,三人之间早就失去了一切的联系。 一个突如其来横穿美国的旅行计划让三人再度走到了一起,三个久未谋面的姑娘驾驶着别克轿车,从乔治亚州出发,前往她们幻想里的圆梦之地加利福尼亚。这场毫无计划和章法的旅程自然会面临无数的波折和困难,在磕磕碰碰之间,三个女孩找回了从前无忧无虑的快乐感觉,在不断的磨合与妥协之中,她们都找到了各自心中最重要的那一部分。
8.0 英语 · 2002 · 美国 · 喜剧片
达纳·卡维,詹妮弗·艾斯波西多,海尔德·高德,詹姆斯·布洛林
皮斯塔切奥(达那·卡维饰)天生就有一项特殊的本领,那就是拥有极高的模仿能力,可以轻易模仿各种类型的人,不过除此之外他好像一无是处,在爱情和事业上都很失败,三十多岁还在父亲开的意大利餐馆中做招待,还经常出错。不过不要急,傻人自有傻福,其实皮斯塔切奥的模仿能力是遗传自他的家族,他是一个神秘的易容世家的后代。在那个家族中,每个人都拥有易容的天赋,他们可以一在瞬间变成另一个人而且模仿得惟妙惟肖,这种神奇的能力使他可以随意进出各种场所而不会受到阻拦。 戴林伯曼是一名出狱不久的惯犯,他一直计划盗取世界上最珍贵的珠宝,为了达到自己的目的,他需要利用皮斯塔切奥的伪装能力,为此戴林绑架了皮斯塔切奥的父母。在解救自己的父母的过程中,皮斯塔切奥偶然发现了自己的特殊能力,并从祖父的口中得知了自己是易容世家的后人。在祖父及漂亮女助手詹尼弗的帮助下,皮斯塔切奥渐渐掌握了易容的技巧,并粉碎了戴林的阴谋,成功救出了父母......
10.0 英语 · 2002 · 美国 · 剧情片
本·阿弗莱克,塞缪尔·杰克逊,Kim Staunton,托妮·科莱特,西德尼·波拉克,蒂娜·斯隆,理查德·詹金斯,Akil Walker,科尔·霍金斯,伊林·盖特兹,詹妮弗·邓达斯,马特·马洛伊,阿曼达·皮特,迈拉·卢克利希亚·泰勒,布鲁斯·奥尔特曼,乔·格里法西,安吉拉·戈塔尔斯,凯文·苏斯曼,威廉·赫特,迈克尔·麦格拉斯,约翰·本杰明·西基,迪伦·贝克,苏珊娜·赫弗纳,乔丹·盖尔伯,欧嘉·梅雷
都勒(塞缪尔•杰克逊 Samuel L. Jackson 饰)是一个失意的黑人商贩,为了能获得孩子的抚养权,他费力地争取到了房屋贷款。在酗酒者分享会上,滴酒不沾的他难掩心中的欢喜,言辞激动。凯文(本•阿弗莱克 Ben Affleck 饰)是一家艺术品基金会的白人律师,他曾经帮助某富豪做过慈善捐助工作。但当老人死后,他却在上司的授意下,接连清洗了基金会的老成员,此举被老人的继承人视为背叛,一纸诉状将其告上法庭。 正在此时,一场车祸让都勒和凯文相遇。因为拿错了对方的文件,两人的命运发生了改变。因为错过了约会的时间,都勒的孩子被判由妻子抚养,从此父子难得见面。而凯文也在法庭上被逼上了绝路,陷入了信任危机。这时,两人才发现彼此的对抗只会让事情更糟,但是化敌为友的路途却荆棘丛生……
7.0 法语 · 2002 · 法国 · 喜剧片
儒勒·斯楚克,热拉尔·朱尼奥,Michèle Garcia
故事发生在巴黎被德军占领期间,巴蒂诺尔(杰拉尔·朱诺 Gérard Jugnot 饰)是肉铺的老板,因此生活要比那些手无寸铁的普通居民要好过一些,但也仅仅是一些而已。一天,生活在他们家楼上的一个犹太家庭遭到了德军的逮捕,洞悉这一切的巴蒂尔诺为了保护自己和自己的家庭,而选择忍气吞声坐视不管。 几天之后,犹太家庭之中的小儿子西蒙(儒勒·斯楚克 Jules Sitruk 饰)敲响了巴蒂诺尔家的大门,原来,他从集中营里偷跑了出来,投奔巴蒂诺尔,希望后者能够收留他。这下可为难坏了巴蒂诺尔,一方面,他十分同情西蒙的遭遇,另一方面,他深知如果收留了西蒙,将会给他带来多大的麻烦。
7.0 英语 · 2002 · 英国 · 喜剧片
史蒂夫·库根,约翰·汤姆森,保罗·帕波维尔,连尼·詹姆斯,雪莉·亨德森,帕迪·康斯戴恩,雷蒙德·沃林,罗恩·库克,约翰·西姆,丹尼·坎宁安,Dave Gorman,纳尔夫·李特,安迪·瑟金斯,奈杰尔·皮瓦罗,马丁·汉考克,彼得·凯,Mark E. Smith,娜奥米·拉德克利夫,西恩·哈里斯,罗伯·布莱顿,恩佐·科伦蒂,尼尔·贝尔,西蒙·佩吉,Elizabeth Kelly,克里斯·乔奇,彼得·冈
1976到1992年,曼彻斯特,一个关于摇滚乐、性和药物的故事。汤尼威尔森和朋友创立著名唱片品牌:Factory,旗下有多个知名乐团,例如Joy Division、Happy Monday,以及在Joy Dividion主唱Ian Curtis自杀后,其余成员组成的New Order。全片以DV拍摄,经由汤尼威尔森的故事探索Factory兴衰历程,重现曼彻斯特当年光辉的音乐风潮。同时也从威尔森的观点,来看Ian Curtis自杀事件。
10.0 英语 · 2002 · 美国 · 喜剧片
蒂姆·艾伦,蕾妮·罗素,斯坦利·图齐,汤姆·塞兹摩尔,约翰尼·诺克斯维尔,丹尼斯·法里纳,杰克·科勒尔,詹妮安·加罗法洛,帕特里克·沃伯顿,本·福斯特,佐伊·丹斯切尔,Heavy D,欧玛·艾普斯,杰森·李,索菲娅·维加拉,安迪·里克特,迈克尔·麦克沙恩,丹尼尔·伦敦,拉尔斯·阿兰兹-汉森,DJ·考尔斯,库伦·道格拉斯,Flip Schultz,Mitchell Carrey,乔恩·卡斯丹,大卫·
大麻烦》是曾执导《矮子当道》(“Get Shorty”)和《黑超特警》(“Men in Black”)的导演巴里-索南费尔德(Barry Sonnenfeld)推出的最新力作。此部喜剧片有个不错的演出阵容:蒂姆-艾伦(Tim Allen)、雷妮-鲁索(Rene Russo)、斯坦利-塔茨(Stanley Tucci)、汤姆-赛兹莫尔(Tom Sizemore)、约翰尼-纳什维尔(Johnny Knoxville)、贾森-李(Jason Lee)和德怀特-“Heavy D”-迈尔斯(Dwight“Heavy D”Myers)。影片改编自普利策奖得主、幽默作家戴夫-巴里(Dave Barry)最畅销的一部小说,讲述了一个神秘的手提箱是如何将一个 离了婚的父亲、一个郁闷不乐的家庭主妇、两个杀手、一对街头流氓、两个情窦初开的少年以及两个联邦调查局(FBI)的特工和一只引起幻觉的蟾蜍连结在一起,并改变了他们的生活。 蒂姆-艾伦在片中饰演埃利奥特-阿诺德(Eliot Arnold)--一位已卸任的新闻工作者和离了婚的父亲。他的儿子马特(Matt,本-福斯特饰,Ben Foster)正在与他的邻居朋友珍妮(Jenny,祖伊-德施尼尔饰,Zooey Deschanel)一起玩水枪游戏。与此同时,混乱场面来临了。二个傻乎乎的杀手斯纳克(Snake,汤姆-赛兹莫尔饰)和埃迪(Eddie,约翰尼-纳什维尔饰)出现了,他们准备暗杀珍妮名声不好的继父阿瑟-赫克(Arthur Herk,斯坦利-塔茨饰),因为阿瑟偷了他老板的钱。然而,这两个自称“杀手”的傻瓜并没有去刺杀阿瑟,相反却去偷了一个军火商装有核武器的手提箱。 当利奥特-阿诺德和莫妮卡警官(Monica,简尼安-加罗法洛饰,Janeane Garofalo)前去追寻斯纳克和埃迪时,一路上遇见了迈阿密当地形形色色的居民,还有一只巨大的引起幻觉的蟾蜍、一条名叫达夫妮(Daphne)的巨蟒和拦路的山羊,以及市民们熟悉的娱乐公园“假牙冒险园”(Denture Adventure)。
9.0 其它 · 2023 · 其它 · 剧情片
Tyrell Williams,Haye Lee,Kar-Yung Lau
14-year-old Jimmy (played by Tyrell Williams) practices kung fu. For the lion dance, which is performed out on the streets, he is determined to hold the head of the lion. But when his teacher, the sifu, announces the new crew, his dream comes crashing down. He has to make do with the tail end, while the talented newcomer Li Jié (Haye Lee) is given the coveted place. Jimmy does all he can to become number one and earn his place up front with the head. But this means he has to defeat a number of annoying bullies, convince the sifu of his qualities and, especially, overcome himself. Williams, a former Dutch karate champion and Lee, a kung fu practitioner, jump and kick in their first feature film. Kung fu leeuw is an exciting film for young people about the challenges of growing up – which are easier to face when you’re armed with the wisdom of the martial arts. Filmmaker Froukje Tan uses Rotterdam as the backdrop for the lion dance, highlighting the less obvious traditions of the city. Previously, Froukje Tan made the feature films Swchwrm (2012) and Links (2008), and the short Het jongetje dat niemand verstond (2002).
8.0 英语 · 2002 · 其它 · 喜剧片
史蒂夫·厄尔温,Terri Irwin,玛格达·苏班斯基,大卫·文翰,拉黑·休姆,阿登·杨,凯特·宾汉,斯蒂夫·巴什托尼,史蒂文·维德勒,Alyson Standen ,大卫·富兰克林,罗伯特·科尔比,蒂姆斯·伯特姆斯,Sui the Dog,宾迪·艾文
史蒂夫·艾尔文(本人饰)是澳洲的一个具有传奇性的野生动物保护者,一直为了自己的事业而奋斗不懈,顽强的与偷猎者进行体力与脑力的斗争。而这一次,他又发现一些“偷猎者”正在围剿一只野生鳄鱼。正义感十足的他勇敢出发,殊不知这些偷猎者原来有惊人的来历。他们是美国政府派来的秘密侦探,此行目的是为了一个珍贵的电子芯片。那个可怜无辜的鳄鱼就是因为误吞了它才引来这场杀身大祸的。 于是,一场各怀目的的较量在澳洲神秘的野生地带展开,同时也为我们展示了一个美丽却充满危险的澳洲风情。
5.0 英语 · 2015 · 英国 · 喜剧片
Sarah Jayne Butler,格鲁吉亚·马奎尔 Georgia Maguire,罗伊斯·皮尔逊 Royce Pierreson,蒂姆· 普莱斯特 Tim Plester
本片讲述的是一个年轻女人努力不懈的追求真爱,苦苦寻找真名天子的故事。这是一部介于《唐顿庄园》与《BJ单身日记》之间的电影。贝基最近刚刚大学毕业,在一家没有什么前途的公司工作。为什么她就找不到自己的梦中情人呢?她发现这个问题很难找到答案,因为她发现自己都不够了解自己。这场追爱之旅是如此的离奇曲折。这部爱情喜剧就是90后追求爱情的缩影---他们不会盛装打扮,手牵手,漫步在塞纳河畔,也不会坐在炫酷的摩托车上抱紧一个型男的胸膛;而是喜欢街头买醉,穿梭于交际场合,与朋友亲密接触。英国广播公司一号广播评论道:这部电影是生活中很多人的真实写照。
8.0 其它 · 2017 · 其它 · 剧情片
Anna Patierno,Gianni Vastarella,Marcello Fonte,Martina Abbate,Raffaella Giordano,Valentina Vannino
《闯入者》讲述了一个关于冲突和危险的故事。乔凡娜经营着一家课后中心,照顾贫困的孩子。生活在这样的环境下,许多家庭担心的都是安全问题。一天,玛丽亚和她的两个孩子来到中心避难,并请求乔凡娜保护。很快,乔丹娜发现玛丽亚把她的中尉丈夫藏在屋里,而她的丈夫是卡莫拉组织的一员。尽管乔凡娜被玛丽亚骗了,但当玛利亚的丈夫被捕时,她依然拒绝驱逐玛丽亚一家……
5.0 其它 · 2016 · 其它 · 剧情片
Sergio Morosini,Shine Marx,Domingos Marengula,Irene Doliente Paña,Chai Fonacier,Manuel Asucan,Rixel Manimtim
In Buenos Aires, Exe (25) loses his job and doesn’t want to look yet for another. His neighbourhood and friends are looking so strange as common to him. On the Internet he discovers Alf, a boy from Africa, who also has a sad job. Later, Alf also follows another guy, Archie, who escapes to the jungle. In the exotic context of the jungle’s vegetation, Archie follows the path of some ants to their nest. One of them goes out and on her path she founds Canh, a Philipinne guy who’s sitting over a big dirt mountain, he then goes down to his strange and beautiful city, and he also has a sad job.
5.0 其它 · 2018 · 其它 · 剧情片
玛丽萨·特里安德菲里都,季米特里斯·伊梅洛斯,Maria Filini,Eleni Karagiorgi,Konstantinos Gogoulos,Eirini Asimakopoulou,Danae Primali,迪米特拉·弗拉霍布鲁,Orfeas Aggelopoulos,Georgia Tsagaraki,Areti Seidaridou,Ioanna Mavrea,Nikol Driz
帕纳约塔与丈夫科斯塔斯和两个孩子住在雅典一个很受欢迎的社区里,生活似乎很平静。她唯一的工作就是照料家务和抚养孩子。随着经济危机的严重打击,这个家庭艰难度日。在这种情况下,帕纳约塔为了补贴家用,外出就职,找到了一份清洁工的工作。虽然她的工作环境恶劣,她也面临着残酷的剥削,但到目前为止,她在枯燥的生活中度过了最快乐的时光。但这不会持续太久,因为第一轮的裁员很快就会到来。
7.0 英语 · 2009 · 美国 · 喜剧片
约翰·卡拉辛斯基,玛娅·鲁道夫,卡门·艾乔戈,凯瑟琳·欧哈拉,杰夫·丹尼尔斯,艾莉森·珍妮,吉姆·加菲根,Samantha Pryor,康纳·卡罗尔,玛吉·吉伦哈尔,约什·汉密尔顿,Bailey Harkins,Brendan Spitz,Jaden Spitz,克里斯·梅西纳
伯特·法兰德(约翰·卡拉辛斯基 John Krasinski 饰)和维罗纳·德·泰桑特(玛娅·鲁道夫 Maya Rudolph 饰)是一对恩爱夫妇,维罗纳怀孕了,因此二人需要找到一个最适合的地方,安家,抚育即将到来的子女。他们首先想到投奔伯特父母,却不巧遇上二老决定出门旅行,他们继续走过亚利桑那州、威斯康辛州,寻找许多故交、亲属,也目睹家家有本难念的经。在走过一站又一站的过程中,两个人的感情愈发相笃,愈加意识到彼此都是唯一,也许将来也会遇到所见其他夫妻那样的问题,也正是这些真实故事,更利于他们找到幸福,兜兜转转,他们最终的家到底在何方……
7.0 英语 · 1994 · 美国 · 恐怖片
安德鲁·罗宾逊,阿米·多伦兹,索蕾尔·默恩·弗莱,J. 特雷沃·埃德蒙,希尔·哈勃,亚历山大·博林斯基,马克·麦克拉肯,斯蒂夫·卡纳利,葛洛瑞亚·亨德利,利利安·查维,卡伦·凯耶,J·P·马诺克斯,约翰·盖汀斯,Roger Clinton,Joe Unger
几个年轻人把村子里有个小孩叫汤米是一个怪胎,长的很丑,城里的几个年轻人经常来这里欺负他,捉弄他.有一次好象把他杀死了,丢进一个井里. 收养汤米的老太婆是一个巫婆,她可以让汤米复活,但是她没有那样做. 城里的那几个人知道后为了寻求刺激,要玩那种复活.就去了巫婆的家里,我记得他们每个人都把手指割了一下.弄一滴血.他们走的时候碰到了油灯,结果老太婆的家里着火了. 在某一个晚上,汤米的棺材里面变红了,还响了几下.最后那几个人来这里看见汤米已经不在棺材里面了.才开始害怕.后来,汤米复活了,变成个南瓜头怪物,然后去找那些人去报仇。每次报仇之前,墙上会出现一个特殊的符号,周围就会起大风,有一次是一个农场主,他正和一个女人睡觉,然后被杀死了,女的吓成神经病,然后警方开始调查。有几个年轻人最后被追杀,其中有一个女孩被汤米逼到了井边,正要杀她时,警察把他们包围了,女孩的爸爸是警察,那个警察和汤米以前小时候在一起玩玩具火车,那个警察还救过他,最后汤米犹豫了似乎不想杀他女儿,那个警察也劝其他人不要杀汤米,可就在此时有人开枪射死了汤米,汤米掉下了那口井。
10.0 英语 · 2018 · 美国 · 恐怖片
Vasile Flutur,Jillian Geurts,Joy Shatz
It's been eight years since the opening night tragedy of Hell House, LLC and still many unanswered questions remain. Thanks to an anonymous tip, investigative journalist Jessica Fox is convinced that key evidence is hidden inside the abandoned Abaddon Hotel-evidence that will shed light on the hotel's mysteries. She assembles a team equally hungry for answers with one goal: break into the hotel and discover the truth.
7.0 英语 · 2023 · 美国 · 欧美剧
安德鲁·巴兹,Annette Holland,William O'Donnell
约翰·卡朋特的《郊区的尖叫》是传奇导演、作家和制片人约翰·卡朋特创作的一部打破体裁的无剧本恐怖选集系列。这部剧探索了郊区阳光普照的街道、修剪整齐的草坪和友好的邻居背后隐藏的黑暗秘密和难以言喻的邪恶。每一集都聚焦于一个真实的恐怖故事,由经历过恐怖的真实人物讲述。他们的第一手资料通过优质的电影场景,新闻剪辑,家庭照片和档案镜头被带入生活,将恐怖电影的视觉语言与纪录片的工具和技术相结合,为观众创造了独特的恐怖体验。
7.0 英语 · 2015 · 其它 · 剧情片
安娜·德·阿玛斯,Lorenza Izzo,亚伦·伯恩斯
小有名气的建筑师埃文·韦伯(基努·里维斯 Keanu Reeves 饰)事业有成,生活美满。他住在洛杉矶一套亲手设计的别墅中,妻子凯伦(伊格纳西·阿尔曼德 Ignacia Allamand 饰)美艳动人,一双儿女杰克(Dan Baily 饰)和莉莎(Megan Baily 饰)乖巧可爱。某个假日,凯伦驱车带着孩子们外出度假,留下埃文一人在家中工作。瓢泼大雨之夜,艾文突然听到了敲门声。来者是被淋成落汤鸡的女孩贝尔(安娜·德·阿玛斯 Ana de Armas 饰)和吉妮丝(洛伦扎·伊佐 Lorenza Izzo 饰),他们迷失方向,请求埃文提供帮助。两个女孩就像善解人意又诱惑媚人的小妖精,让埃文多少有些把持不住。 色字头上一把刀,世间哪有从天而降的美食和便宜……
5.0 英语 · 2000 · 英国 · 爱情片
朱丽叶·比诺什,薇朵儿·希维索,朱迪·丹奇,阿尔弗雷德·莫里纳,莉娜·奥琳,凯瑞-安·莫斯,约翰尼·德普,盖南·科内尔,休·奥康纳,约翰·伍德,彼得·斯特曼,莱斯莉·卡伦,阿诺德·亚当,J.J. Holiday
平静的小镇在寒冬里迎来了火热的一天。年轻的薇安萝雪(朱丽叶特-比诺什 Juliette Binoche 饰))带着女儿来到这里,在当地教堂的对面开了一间名为“天上人间 核桃糖”的巧克力店。巧克力香浓的气味在小镇上空飘荡,吸引众多小镇居民,而神奇的是,薇安萝雪每次做出来的巧克力,都能满足顾客的心理需求,发掘他们心中隐蔽的渴望。很多人原本封闭灰暗的生活有了新的色彩。但是,这却激怒了镇里的神父和贵族,他们视薇安萝雪为异类,镇里出现了对立的两派。而这时,吉普赛人洛克斯(强尼戴普 Johnny Depp 饰)远道而来,加入了薇安萝雪的阵营,他令薇安萝雪勇敢地打开了自己内心的欲望,二人共浸爱河,却想不到神父盘算着如何把这个“不祥”女子赶出小镇,于是,新旧观念的大碰撞开始了。
8.0 英语 · 2002 · 美国 · 欧美动漫
Phil Vischer,Mike Nawrocki,Tim Hodge
这个一群可爱的蔬菜们的故事,开始于一次意外事故。 在一个月光皎洁的夜晚,一群驾驶着大篷车旅行的“蔬菜”们在大道上一边前进,一边快乐的唱歌。但是他们不小心与一群由“衣服”为主力组成的小团体发生了争执,于是引发了一场战斗。在和这伙晒衣绳、拳击短裤和豪猪等的作战中,“蔬菜”们的大蓬车出了事故,于是他们只好来到一个破旧萧条的海鲜市场寻求帮助。 在这里他们遇到了一群号称“什么事也懒的做”的海盗。在等待拖车帮忙的时候,他们与这群海盗坐在一起闲聊。海盗们讲了一个关于主人公芦笋约拿的故事: 故事发生在很久以前的另一个地方。主人公芦笋约拿是一个信使。不过他可不是一个普通的投递员,他是上帝的信使。约拿很喜欢自己的工作,一天,他接到一个任务,要他把信送给古亚述国尼尼微城的人们。 约拿不喜欢尼尼微人,因为他们不仅喜欢撒谎、偷窃,而且还喜欢用鱼砸人。于是,约拿不仅不着急去完成任务,却坐上了一家相反方向行驶的船。船的主人正是这群“什么事也懒的做”的海盗。在船上,他还遇到了一个地毯“商人”,毛虫卡里尔。 不幸的是,约拿被一只巨大的鲸鱼吞到了肚子里面。在鲸鱼的肚子里,又发生了一段惊险、刺激却又好玩的故事
7.0 其它 · 2023 · 其它 · 爱情片
路易莎·拉涅瑞,葛丽泰·斯卡拉诺,詹卡洛·科马尔,奥罗拉·乔维纳佐,Damiano Gavino,Andrea Di Luigi,Alvise Rigo,Eugenio di Fraia,Gianluca D'Ercole,Silvia Bazzini,Federico Mancini,Luca Finotti,Annandrea Vitrano
Two 25-year-old men who meet by chance, fall madly in love, and are then separated due to an unexpected event. For the next thirty years they pursue the hope of finding each other again.
8.0 英语 · 2002 · 美国 · 纪录片
马丁·辛
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