Apollo Day is coming up, and the perfect movie is finally out on DVD

[hbquikcomjamesl]

July 20, 1969: HERE MEN FROM THE PLANET EARTH FIRST SET FOOT UPON THE MOON. WE CAME IN PEACE FOR ALL MANKIND.

Disclaimer: I am not in any way connected with VCI Entertainment, nor with Bill Gibson, nor Barry Coe Productions, nor with any DVD retailer.

It seems that after all these years, Bill Gibson's Footprints on the Moon (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0129931/), the only contemporary, theatrically-released documentary of Apollo 11, has finally come out on DVD, sometime within about the past year. All the major online retailers can get it for you, and it's not especially expensive. Very well done DVD, too.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Re: Apollo Day is coming up, and the perfect movie is finally out on D

I would also highly recommend In The Shadow of the Moon. A wonderful documentary about the personal aspects of the Apollo project and how it impacted the astronauts personally.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Re: Apollo Day is coming up, and the perfect movie is finally out on D

I recommend the HBO miniseries From the Earth to the Moon. One of my favorite TV series of all time. Not a bad actor or writer in the bunch. Excellent stuff.

(in fact I emailed Brett Cullen - in this series, he plays astronaut Dave Scott - through his website a few years ago. He was really cool. He said that whenever one of his episodes aired, the real Dave Scott invited him over to watch it with the rest of the Scott family.)

Here's the episodes and what they are about:

Episode 1 - Can We Do This?
Origins of the space program, through Mercury and Gemini

Episode 2 - Apollo One
guess.

Episode 3 - We Have Cleared The Tower
Apollo 7. Framed from the POV of a (fictional) news crew covering the astronauts as they get ready for the mission. Mark Harmon really kicks some ass as Wally Schirra.

Episode 4 - 1968
Apollo 8, put into its historical context vis-a-vis the other events taking place that year (such as RFK's assassination)

Episode 5 - Spider
All about the design and testing of the Lunar Module. A cast of true techno geeks.

Episode 6 - Mare Tranquillitatis
Apollo 11.

Episode 7 - That's All There Is
Apollo 12. Narrated by Dave Foley (who plays Al Bean). All about the friendship and camaraderie of the Apollo 12 crew. Paul McCrane as Pete Conrad - need I say more?

Episode 8 - We Interrupt This Program
Apollo 13, and the media coverage thereof. Almost no scenes of the actual mission. Probably to avoid retreading the movie.

Episode 9 - For Miles And Miles
Alan Shepard, from his early days in Mercury through illness (which got him scrapped from active duty) and recovery in time to fly Apollo 14

Episode 10 - Galileo Was Right
Apollo 15, and their scientific missions on the moon

Episode 11 - The Original Wives Club
All about the astronauts' wives. And Apollo 16.

Episode 12 - Le Voyage Dans La Lune
Two different stories: the early silent film about a trip to the moon (made by George Melies) contrasted with our last trip there aboard Apollo 17

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

Re: Apollo Day is coming up, and the perfect movie is finally out on D

Hmm. Never heard of In the Shadow of the Moon.

But as to the miniseries, From the Earth to the Moon, that's been out almost since it aired on HBO (I have it on VHS, both commercial and off-air), and it's a dramatization. Footprints hasn't, and it was contemporary.

 

[JiNX-01]

Re: Apollo Day is coming up, and the perfect movie is finally out on D

Episode 1 - Can We Do This?
Origins of the space program, through Mercury and Gemini

Episode 2 - Apollo One
guess.

Episode 3 - We Have Cleared The Tower
Apollo 7. Framed from the POV of a (fictional) news crew covering the astronauts as they get ready for the mission. Mark Harmon really kicks some ass as Wally Schirra.

Episode 4 - 1968
Apollo 8, put into its historical context vis-a-vis the other events taking place that year (such as RFK's assassination)

Episode 5 - Spider
All about the design and testing of the Lunar Module. A cast of true techno geeks.

Episode 6 - Mare Tranquillitatis
Apollo 11.

Episode 7 - That's All There Is
Apollo 12. Narrated by Dave Foley (who plays Al Bean). All about the friendship and camaraderie of the Apollo 12 crew. Paul McCrane as Pete Conrad - need I say more?

Episode 8 - We Interrupt This Program
Apollo 13, and the media coverage thereof. Almost no scenes of the actual mission. Probably to avoid retreading the moviem (actually, the movie was made later).

Episode 9 - For Miles And Miles
Alan Shepard, from his early days in Mercury through illness (which got him scrapped from active duty) and recovery in time to fly Apollo 14

Episode 10 - Galileo Was Right
Apollo 15, and their scientific missions on the moon

Episode 11 - The Original Wives Club
All about the astronauts' wives. And Apollo 16.

Episode 12 - Le Voyage Dans La Lune
Two different stories: the early silent film about a trip to the moon (made by George Melies) contrasted with our last trip there aboard Apollo 17

I have the series on DVD. My favorite is Spider.

 

[RandyS]

Re: Apollo Day is coming up, and the perfect movie is finally out on D

I recommend the HBO miniseries From the Earth to the Moon. One of my favorite TV series of all time. Not a bad actor or writer in the bunch. Excellent stuff.

(in fact I emailed Brett Cullen - in this series, he plays astronaut Dave Scott - through his website a few years ago. He was really cool. He said that whenever one of his episodes aired, the real Dave Scott invited him over to watch it with the rest of the Scott family.)

Here's the episodes and what they are about:

Episode 1 - Can We Do This?
Origins of the space program, through Mercury and Gemini

Episode 2 - Apollo One
guess.

Episode 3 - We Have Cleared The Tower
Apollo 7. Framed from the POV of a (fictional) news crew covering the astronauts as they get ready for the mission. Mark Harmon really kicks some ass as Wally Schirra.

Episode 4 - 1968
Apollo 8, put into its historical context vis-a-vis the other events taking place that year (such as RFK's assassination)

Episode 5 - Spider
All about the design and testing of the Lunar Module. A cast of true techno geeks.

Episode 6 - Mare Tranquillitatis
Apollo 11.

Episode 7 - That's All There Is
Apollo 12. Narrated by Dave Foley (who plays Al Bean). All about the friendship and camaraderie of the Apollo 12 crew. Paul McCrane as Pete Conrad - need I say more?

Episode 8 - We Interrupt This Program
Apollo 13, and the media coverage thereof. Almost no scenes of the actual mission. Probably to avoid retreading the movie.

Episode 9 - For Miles And Miles
Alan Shepard, from his early days in Mercury through illness (which got him scrapped from active duty) and recovery in time to fly Apollo 14

Episode 10 - Galileo Was Right
Apollo 15, and their scientific missions on the moon

Episode 11 - The Original Wives Club
All about the astronauts' wives. And Apollo 16.

Episode 12 - Le Voyage Dans La Lune
Two different stories: the early silent film about a trip to the moon (made by George Melies) contrasted with our last trip there aboard Apollo 17

Agreed, excellent stuff. I also have the DVD. Have you read A MAN IN THE MOON, the book that that miniseries was based on? I haven't yet, but plan to soon.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Re: Apollo Day is coming up, and the perfect movie is finally out on D

I actually got to meet Alan Bean of Apollo 12 last year. It was awesome. Got a book signed by him and Andrew Chaikin.

 

[Ethros]

Re: Apollo Day is coming up, and the perfect movie is finally out on D

That's my birthday too