I've been familiar with this documentary since 1978 when I joined the Soaring Society of America as marketing and PR director and screened it to large audiences at the EAA's Oshkosh fly-in. Afterwards, I had to explain to more than one viewer that the characters in the film were not actors. That says a lot.

The characters tell the story, mostly through dialogue, not some behind the scenes deep-voiced know-it-all. Producer/director Bob Drew is known in the documentary business for his ground breaking American cinéma vérité (or direct cinema). As Drew Associate's website says, he follows a visual logic rather than the traditional documentary lecture logic. It looks more like a movie.

What the viewer gets is the feel of soaring from hearing the thoughts of two pilots trying to capture the U.S. Open Class soaring championship, one who flies by the seat of his pants/emotion and one who flies with an analytical approach. There is also beautiful scenery and great music, some by the BeeGees, which held up the film going onto DVD for many years. 

I was fortunate to dine with one of the characters, George Moffat, at a Soaring Society convention. A really nice individual. I do identify with the other character, Gleb Derujinsky, because, after leaving the society, I went into advertising: writing and producing commercials like him. 

The film is not easy to find but is available on DVD. It is not on HD Bluray and that is why I give it a 9 but it is so much better than the horrible tape I had for years.

The documentary is a form of non-fiction storytelling that aims to present factual information, insights, and perspectives on real-world subjects, events, issues, or people. Documentaries can cover a wide range of topics, including history, science, culture, social issues, nature, biographies, and more.

Dziga Vertov in Man with a Movie Camera (1929)

The sport genre features the world of sports, capturing the excitement, competition, and personal journeys of athletes, coaches, and teams. The stories cover a wide range of sports and activities, each with its own unique characteristics and themes.

Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill in Moneyball (2011)

Flying hundreds of miles a day through wild weather with no engine requires feats of airmanship unprecedented in human history and known before only to the birds. Soaring birds are able to accomplish these feats through instincts developed over millions of years. A new strain of human being is able to make these flights through strenuous mental effort, calculation and sensational feel for the air. George Moffat and Gleb Derujinsky are great pilots and good friends who compete in the sport of Soaring for speed and distance in aircraft without engines - sleek competition gliders. Both would like to win the U.S. Soaring Championship. Derujinsky relies most on feel and creative impulse to sense his way through invisible air currents. Moffat does the same but relies more on a hand calculator he constantly works in his cockpit. This film 'The Sun Ship Game', voyages with both pilots into the sky at a regional contest in Vermont and into wild weather with eighty three other competitors in Marfa, Texas. Through eight days of hard flying in skies alternately filled with brilliant beauty and black violence, their two approaches arrive at a dramatic conclusion and one of them is named the U.S. Champion.

Get a closer look at some of Hollywood's perfect pairs.

Hollywood Power Couples

Get a closer look at some of Hollywood&#39;s perfect pairs.

See which big screen releases you can watch from the comfort of your couch.

Theatrical Releases Coming to Streaming

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

The Sun Ship Game

Photos

Top Cast2

User reviews2

Related interests

Storyline

Top picks

Details

Tech specs

Contribute to this page

More to explore

Recently viewed