Undaunted: The Forgotten Giants of the Allegheny Observatory

I bought this DVD without knowing exactly what to expect. I am related to someone who worked in the Allegheny Observatory many years ago so I knew of this project and was eager to see the finished movie. Still, with unknown production people involved and no idea what their goals or budget were like, I didn't know if the movie would be interesting to other possible viewers.

I shouldn't have worried. This is actually a very well-told, well-researched bit of American scientific history, smoothly packaged into a one-hour retelling. The interviews and narration are informative but not preachy; the images and graphics are tasteful and pleasing to look at. And, what do you know? It's possible to learn a thing or two along the way. I knew the names of most of the observatory's principal supporters but not all the details of their involvement. I also learned a bit more science.

Although the topic may be a niche one for most people the movie itself is engaging. I am glad I bought it.

I watched this movie from the OMNIMAX theater in Pittsburgh, then borrowed it from the Carnegie library of Pittsburgh to watch it a second time.I plan on obtaining more copies so that my 3 children and 7 grandchildren can watch it. This movie is long overdue in describing in an amazing way the history of Old Allegheny and Pittsburgh. Two separate and then one amazing area of our country that has never been given proper credit for what it did for our country. This area helped to build this country and helped us win two world wars. Carnegie,Frick,Thaw,Langely,Schwab,Brashear,Mellon, Heinz and Westinghouse. Pittsburgh leaders not only in industry but in the study of the heaven and planets and stars.Leaders in air flight and astrophysics. The Observatory in Riverview park is not just a place to walk your dogs around .It was and still is a vital part of the history of science in the country . Thank you Dan Handley for an excellent presentation of an amazing story.

This is a fantastic documentary (more like a collection of stories)! The production quality and the music make what could be a very dry subject enjoyable. But then the story telling and wealth of information packed into this movie make it one of the best documentaries I have ever seen. It is really unlike most documentaries--crossing into the boundary between movie and documentary. What keeps it from being a movie is the lack of heavy personal drama, but this was never intended to be a movie so it is not a fault at all.

You learn about two men, Samuel Pierpont Langley, and John Alfred Brashear, and their work at the Allegheny Observatory. What is fascinating is all of the interesting science that occurred from these two men--individually, collectively, and even away from the observatory.

You learn about how spectroscopy birthed astrophysics--and I mean you really learn about it, not just hear it mentioned. Great use of Neil deGrasse Tyson here. My wife turned to me and said "I never understood red shift until I saw this movie." Doppler effect is also well done, as is the Michelson-Morley experiment--which required Brashear's advanced optics. And there is a lot more.

I don't want to give too much away, but this is a great documentary.

It's better than the 400 years of the telescope, if you have ever seen that one.

Whoever rated this only 1 star is crazy.