The Tuskegee Airmen

Director: Robert Markowitz
Actors: Laurence Fishburne, Allen Payne, Malcolm-jamal Warner, Courtney B. Vance, Andre Braugher
Studio: Hbo Home Video
Category: DVD

List Price: $9.98
Buy New: $3.82
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Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars 52 reviews
Sales Rank: 2786

Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dvd-video, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
DVD Layers: 2
DVD Sides: 1
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 106 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.6 x 0.6

MPN: HBOD91285D
ISBN: 0783118147
UPC: 026359128523
EAN: 9780783118147
ASIN: B000053V7E

Theatrical Release Date: August 26, 1995
Release Date: January 23, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: BRAND NEW, Factory Sealed items direct from the Studios. 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. Quick International Airmail!
The Tuskegee Airmen

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Customer Reviews

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4 out of 5 stars The Tuskegee Airmen    November 4, 2008
Robert F. Ursprung
This film give a brief but interesting look at the hardships and problems that these individuals suffered as a result of their race instead of their abilities. While there is a footnote to the fact that these individuals were the most decorated unit in the Air Corp, it does not follow-up with what happens to them after the war.


5 out of 5 stars Tuskegee Airmen    September 15, 2008
Donna Laveese Fontenot
I love this Military Drama! Lawrence Fishburne plays a great role! As well all of the other actors played their role quite well.


4 out of 5 stars The Tuskegee Airmen: Both Historic and Dramatic    June 2, 2008
Chan Ingrid Ella
Historically accurate? Pretty close. The Tuskegee Airmen is a 1995 film based on a World War II fighter squadron called the Tuskegee Airmen. This fighter squadron was the first all black fighter squadron in the U.S. Air Force. It was first activated on March 19, 1941 in Rantoul, Illinois and was called the 99th Pursuit (later, Fighter) Squadron. Later, it moved to the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. The 99th began missions in North Africa, mainly doing ground attack missions. It later joined the 332nd Fighter Group with three other all black fighter squadrons. Since they joined the 332nd, their missions changed to bomber escort. Much of the film was based on this information.

Most of the events and people in the film were based on their historic counterpart. Almost all of the characters are fictional, but are based on real people. Only two people were real, them being Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. (Andre Braugher) and Eleanor Roosevelt. The other main characters, such as Hannibal Lee (Laurence Fishburne), were representations of real Tuskegee Airmen and the events that they went through. An example of this representation is when Hannibal takes Mrs. Roosevelt up in his training airplane; this is based on Charles Alfred Anderson taking the real Eleanor Roosevelt in his training airplane. Despite this accuracy, some details were left out. An example is the fact that Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. was the real commander of the 99th, although this is not pointed out until the North Africa campaign. He was actually placed in command of the 99th since its activation. Another element of the film's historic accuracy was its use of WWII footage. A great deal of the fighter scenes made use of WWII footage. It gives the film a bit of authenticity. The film also films along side the fighters, giving a person the feeling of flying with the fighters, while looking out the cockpit.

In addition to this feeling of authenticity the film also shows how bad the racism was for blacks at the time. Racism did play a part in the making the 99th fight in WWII. An example was a committee that was considering whether the "experiment" was worth the go ahead. Some committee members did submit a scientific paper that said that black people do not have the intelligence to operate complex machinery, but the majority of the committee voted in favor of the Airmen. What added to the effects of racism was the acting. An example is when three of the main characters were forced to move to the back of the train in order to make room for German POWs. The characters showed great surprise and anger, but kept that to themselves like many blacks probably did at the time. All of the actors had also clearly displayed the pride and determination that many of the Airmen had. An example is when Leroy Cappy (Malcolm-Jamal Warner) was about to give up trying to graduate from the Air Force academy, but Lee, Walter Peoples (Allen Payne), and Billy Roberts (Cuba Gooding Jr.) put pride back into Cappy by questioning him if he was going to give up as if they were Cappy's commanding officers. After this, Lee, Cappy, Roberts, and others graduated from the academy despite growing pressure from racism.

Despite little details missing or slightly altered, this film is a tightly wrapped package. It represented what really happened with the 99th with few elements and details changed. It used real footage from WWII, along with footage from its own production. It used racism to show how the airmen were treated, despite the fact that they were going out to fight a war for a country that discriminates against them. This film strived for historical accuracy.


5 out of 5 stars Glory earned the hard way.    May 26, 2008
Frank H. Mitchell
An excelent reproduction of true facts, it got here so fast I think they dropped it from of the
P 51's they flew.


1 out of 5 stars Unfortunate    April 25, 2008
John Kirby
I was extremely happy with my purchase of the Tuskagee Aiman as I hunted high and low and TvBoxset was the only one that had it ,so you can understand how happy I was when I put it in the DVD player and I got a message saying it would't play.This was unfortunate especially for me and I realise that it isn't your fault.These things happen sometimes when people buy from overseas.but that's the way it goes.I would be most happy to have written a good review but this time I can't.

John Kirby
P.s. I repeat, it isn't any fault of your's