Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Armstrong Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov September 25, 2019

David Fairhead's " Armstrong" (2019) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British label Altitude Film Distribution. The supplemental features on the disc include galleries of deleted and unused scenes, as well as two featuruettes. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked."

The next frontier

Two types of valuable information emerge from David Fairhead’s film. The first, not surprisingly, is what virtually everyone interested in its subject matter would expect from it -- new, often very intimate information about Neil Armstrong’s personal life and professional career, as well as some lesser-known, primarily technical facts about his historic accomplishment. The second is about the socio-political climate in America before, during and after Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the Moon, as well as the event’s significance for then-current global trends and other important developments.

The bulk of the intimate information comes from old letters and notes written by Armstrong and read by Harrison Ford. Many are from Armstrong’s early years as a test pilot who was apparently so committed to his work that he actually struggled to find time to go out on a date. His work, as Ford reveals, was at the center of his existence, and significant progress is what he pursued at all times.

The film confirms that the pivotal moment in Armstrong’s life came during the Korean War, when a dangerous accident inspired him to become an astronaut. After that for years Armstrong basically did all sorts of different training courses and tests that were supposed to improve his already very impressive skills to operate sophisticated flying equipment. However, Armstrong’s ability to ‘understand’ the equipment and maintain composure during crunch times are what reportedly transformed him into the ultimate professional. Indeed, according to relatives and various people that knew him well and worked with him during numerous tests, Armstrong was extremely good at analyzing risky situations under pressure and then making the right, meaning most logical, decisions that could ensure success. That was basically the secret behind his professionalism -- no matter the situation the man always had a crystal-clear, exceptionally pragmatic mind.

The second half of the film has all of the crucial intimate recollections that separate the hero from the very ordinary man that Armstrong apparently was when he wasn’t working. His two sons, Mark and Rick, fill many gaps that reveal a modest man who did the best he could to be a good father. His sister, June, and first wife, Janet, also comment on some of the typical flaws a man fully committed to his work had. These are honest, often very moving descriptions of Armstrong that really make the film fascinating to behold.

Of course, Fairhead uses a massive amount of archival footage, plenty of which is very rare and never-before-seen by the public. Some of the early footage from Armstrong’s days as a test pilot is particularly interesting because it makes his remarkable professional transformation and the success of the journey to the Moon seem even more extraordinary. Needless to say, at the end of the film it really does feel like some things in this world actually do happen for a reason.

The one notable omission in the film is Aldrin’s take on the many key events that are addressed in it. There are probably good reasons for its existence, but it is impossible not to agree that Aldrin deserved a major spot in a film that delivers so much new and interesting information about his partner on Apollo 11.

Armstrong Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.40:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, David Fairhead's Armstrong arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Altitude Film Distribution.

Like most documentaries, Armstrong uses brand new original and plenty of archival footage to tell its story. It is the reason why when I grade a documentary I focus on the manner in which the final product, which would be the combination of footage that the director and his editor put together, is transferred in high-definition. So while I would comment on both, I am only concerned with technical issues that may have occurred during this transition, not the nature of the footage that was incorporated into the complete documentary.

The new footage looks predictably outstanding. It is sharp, clean, and stable, as it should be. A lot of the archival footage comes from very healthy sources, but there are of course traces of aging and some cases damage. Given the nature of the project, this is unavoidable. Also, different footage comes in different aspect ratios, so keep this in mind when viewing the film. (Our specs indicate the aspect ratio of the final product, as envisioned by Fairhead). There are no purely transfer-specific anomalies, (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Armstrong Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature. (Some of the archival footage has English subtitles that are on the documentary). When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

I viewed the film with the 5.1 track. There is quite a bit of music throughout the film, but you should not expect to hear any impressive dynamic contrasts. The bulk of the material is comprised of new interviews and archival footage where the audio frequently has some limitations. While these limitations are not distracting, they do show that the original material is aged. This being said, there are no transfer-specific anomalies, such as dropouts or digital distortions, to report.

Armstrong Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Deleted Scenes - in English, not subtitled. (18 min).
  
  1. Working at the local Airport
  2. Carrier Qualified
  3. First Flight in the Panther
  4. Edwards & Yeager
  5. Flying the X-15
  6. Both Sides Chose Pilots
  7. The New Nine
  8. Problems with Gemini
  9. Phone Call/Unlocking the Lunar Module
  10. Trans Lunar Injection
  11. Madame Broz

• Additional Scenes - in English, not subtitled. (7 min).
  
  1. Algebra
  2. Valerie Anders
  3. LLTV Crash
  4. Gerry Griffin's Neil Armstrong Story

• Featurettes - in English, not subtitled. (9 min).
  
  1. Gemini 8 Capsule
  2. Recording "Flight of Fancy"

Armstrong Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I have read and seen so much about Apollo 11 and its historic mission that I wanted David Fairhead's film to be as intimate and modest as possible. I wanted the 'small' details that would fill important gaps, but not from the usual 'big' talking heads and historians that these types of films like to welcome. This is essentially what Fairhead's film does -- it offers a very ordinary portrait of a true American hero and an equally casual look at America in a unique moment in time. Its only weakness is the absence of a prominent spot for Neil Armstrong's partner, Buzz Aldrin, but I still think that it ought to be considered unmissable. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.