DC Extreme Machines - The Need for Speed (2000)

From the British speed heroes of the 1930s to the first man to break the sound barrier; man is constantly obsessed with pushing the boundaries of speed, often at the ultimate cost - their own lives. This is a celebration of our adrenaline-fuelled passion to go faster than ever before. So sit back, buckle up and prepare to be overwhelmed by the need for speed.

Part 1: Fastest Man on Earth
"Fastest Man on Earth" follows Craig Breedlove, three-time hoider of the landspeed record, and Richard Noble, the current title hoider, in the build up to the record attempts. This fascinating programme features in-depth interviews with both men talking frankly about their hopes and expectations and follows them throughout the summer in training for the final countdown.

Narrator: William Hootkins
Director: Alice Harper
Executive Producer: Stuart Carter
Executive Producer for The Learning Channel: Jeanne Shanahan
Produced by Pioneer Productions for the Learning Channel
1997 Discovery Communicationa, Inc.


Part 2: Supersonic Landspeed
In 1997, Andy Green broke through the sound barrier in the jet powered Thrust SSC. This incredible achievement was celebrated around the world and Britain honoured Andy Green as a hero, the first man to break the sound barrier on land. Andy Green earned a place in the record books, but was he really the first? "Supersonic Landspeed" charts the history of those who risked their lives to break the landspeed record and examines how technology has evolved to make it happen.

Narrator: William Hootkins
Director: Alice Harper
Producer: Kirstie McLure
Executive Producer: Stuart Carter
Producer for The Learning Channel: Marly Carpenter
Executive Producer for The Learning Channel: Jeanne Shanahan
Produced by Pioneer Productions for The Learning Channel
Pioneer Productions TLC
1998 Discovery Communications, Inc.


Part 3: The Landspeed Record
After many trials and tribulations, we follow the continued attempts of Craig Breedlove and Richard Noble to achieve the elusive landspeed record. We follow Richard Noble's tests and preparation in the Jordan desert and look at the new modifications to his car. This film culminates with Noble and Breedlove's head-to-head challenge at Blackrock in September 1997, each driver hungry not only for the record, but also to go supersonic!

Narrator: William Hootkins
Director: Brian Leckey
Producer: Alice Harper
Executive Producer: Stuart Carter
Executive Producer for the Learning Channel: Susan Winslow
Produced By Pioneer Productions For The Learning Channel
Pioneer Productions TLC
1999 Discovery Communications, Inc.


Part 4: The Ultimate Race - the Hope
Bonneville Salt Flats is the spiritual home of landspeed racing. This exciting programme sees Al Teague, who beat the world record for wheel-driven cars in 1991, return there to defend his title against speed legend Don Vesco and his super car in the 1999 World Speed Finals.

Narrator: William Hootkins
Director: Mark Everest
Producer: Alice Harper
Executive Producer: Stuart Carter
Executive Producer for the Learning Channel : Susan Winslow
Produced By Pioneer Productions For The Learning Channel
Pioneer Productions TLC
2000 Discovery Communications, Inc.


Part 5: The Ultimate Race - the Glory
This fascinating programme gains an insight into the lives of the title holders of "Fastest Man on Earth" who explain their obsesson with speed. Meet Andy Green who jets across the sound barrier in his Tornado jet and Pat Rummerfield, a quadriplegic who smashed the world landspeed record.

Narrator: William Hootkins
Director: Mark Everest
Producer: Alice Harper
Executive Producer: Stuart Carter
Executive Producer for the Learning Channel : Susan Winslow
Produced By Pioneer Productions For The Learning Channel
Pioneer Productions TLC
2000 Discovery Communications, Inc.


Part 6: The Ultimate Speed Machines
"Ultimate Speed Machines" looks at the most advanced extreme machines on the planet, beginning with arguably the most sophisticated of them all, the human being. Watch track champion and 200m world record holder Michael Johnson in action and take a look at a new British bike made of carbon fibre that promises to smash all speed records. This exciting programme also looks at the fastest downhill skier, free faller, fastest boats, trains, cars, motorcycles and aircraft, making it a must for all speed lovers!

Narrator: William Hootkins
Director: Yavar Abbas
Executive Producer: Stuart Carter
Executive Producer for the Learning Channel: Susan Winslow
Produced By Pioneer Productions For The Learning Channel
Pioneer Productions TLC
1999 Discovery Communications, Inc.


Part 7: Speed Freaks
"Speed Freaks" provides an overview of all speed records, past and present. Featuring a comprehensive history of world speed boat records, the fastest planes in the sky, train records and landspeed records on both two and four wheels. This programme also investigates some of the world's quirkier records, for example, in-depth coverage of one man's attempt to be the fastest rocket bike in the world! "Speak Freaks" is another action packed rollercoaster of a ride charting many years of high speed record attempts.

Narrator: William Hootkins
Director: Stephen Marsh
Executive Producer: Stuart Carter
Executive Producer For The Learning Channel: Martha Conboy
Produced by Pioneer Productions for The Learning Channel
Pioneer Productions TLC
1997 Discovery Communications, Inc.


Part 8: Speed Freaks II
We live in an accelerated age, travelling through space at 64,000 miles per hour, life moves fast, but for some, the pace is not fast enough. They hunger for speed, they go fast, they want to go faster. "Speed Freaks II" takes a look at man's obsession with investing millions of pounds and spending countless hours on developing newer and more dangerous machines for one purpose, to be the fastest person on the planet! Speed freaks will always push themselves to the limit, sometimes they will go too far, but they will always come back for more.

Narrator: William Hootkins
Director: Stephen Marsh
Executive Producer: Stuart Carter
Executive Producer For The Learning Channel: Martha Conboy
Produced by Pioneer Productions for The Learning Channel
Pioneer Productions TLC
1998 Discovery Communications, Inc.


Part 9: Adrenaline Junkies
Adrenaline Junkies are obsessives who are hooked on danger in all shapes and forms. They rely on the performance from their speed machines to fulfill their dreams. These people can be found on land, in the sea and up in the sky. The Californian desert racers custom build their cars to go faster and faster over some of the most dangerous roads imaginable. Patrick de Gayardon and Barbara Brighetti practice extreme parachuting and sky surfing often reaching speeds of over 120 mph; and meet Shaun Baker, an extreme kayaker who takes his canoe over waterfalls. These adrenaline junkies are always just one step away from disaster, always pushing both man and machine to the limits of their endurance.

Narrator: William Hootkins
Director: Stephen Marsh
Producer: Alice Harper
Executive Producer: Stuart Carter
Executive Producer for the Learning Channel : Susan Winslow
Produced By Pioneer Productions For The Learning Channel
Pioneer Productions TLC
2000 Discovery Communications, Inc.






Feel free to contact me when links are dead