them a sense of wonder exhibits may fail to provide. This is achieved through its immersive cinematography, which provides viewers with vicarious participation. Steve McKerrow of The Baltimore Sun noted certain scenes are tributes to cinematic history: the scene in which a train hits the camera is similar to one from The Great Train Robbery (1903); the hot-air balloon scenes are reminiscent of Around the World in 80 Days (1956); and the barnstorming scene is probably set in the same field as North by Northwest (1959) crop duster chase scene. To Fly! has been deemed a travelogue of the US, which is compared to the closing section of This is Cinerama, which has a similar narrative. The many aerial shots of land and nature can be interpreted as symbolizing flight's use in cartography, reconnaissance, resource exploration, land-use planning, and navigation. Release NASM The first press announcements of To Fly! were issued on May 16, 1976, and on June 24, a preview of the film was screened at the NASM's Samuel P. Langley IMAX Theater. Two days prior to the film's release, Freeman was killed in a helicopter crash while scouting locations in the Sierra Nevada. Grief-stricken, MacGillivray initially doubted he could continue filmmaking but remained in the industry, keeping the production company's name, MacGillivray Freeman Films (MFF), as a tribute. Freeman's death made To Fly! his final work. The film premiered to big demand at Langley Theater on July 1, 1976. Conoco labeled the film a public service, and was also distributor. Lawrence Associates was co-distributor. MacGillivray assisted the inexperienced Langley projectionists and frequently visited the projection booth to ensure the film roll was in good condition. Pachelbel's Canon in D was played as an overture; it was praised as memorable, relaxing, religiously experiential, and meaningful. The music has been interpreted as being about humanity's quest to fly, aligning with the film it accompanied. After September 6 (Labor Day), Conoco began distributing the film to schools, organizations, and non-IMAX theaters. Like other Bicentennial films, To Fly! was initially scheduled for a one-year run but kept the film due to audience demand. In the 1990s, they upgraded the theater's sound system to digital and also released the film for digital projection. At times, there were 14 shows daily. A 20th-anniversary special edition of To Fly! was screened in 1996, using a new version of the score. This is exemplarily seen in