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Filmed in Zero-G!
I agree with all the praise the other reviewers have given this amazing film. The fact that they installed accurate models of the Lunar Module Aquarius and Command Module Odyssey into the Zero-G simulation aircraft (the infamous "Vomit Comet") shows the dedication the actors and crew to making an outstanding movie, considering the physical discomfort they were subjected to and the many retakes that had to be performed due to the maximum limit of 20-odd seconds of weightlessness which added to the difficulty in filming it. This film is enjoyable, not only to the casual viewer who has little interest in the Apollo moon-landing program, but also those with considerable knowledge find it a pleasure to watch. Interestingly enough,
I find the most emotional moments, for myself are not only the
point when it is clear they have survived re-entry to the atmosphere, but also early in the film when they are suiting up
and purging their bloodstream of nitrogen by breathing pure oxygen. They look like 20-th century knights putting on their armour and heading out to a great adventure!
Having said this, I feel the need to point out several flaws or weaknesses in the film that the viewer should be aware of.
(1) I think it was silly to show Lovell, Haise and Mattingly having a "beer party" at home during the first lunar landing by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin in Apollo 11. Jim Lovell was the back-up commander of the mission and he, along with all the other astronauts in the program were at mission control, not boozing it up at home!
(2) During the launch of the Saturn V moon rocket, an awesome experience difficult to convey on the small screen and with
small speakers, we suddenly see the film reverse and the smoke and fire belching out of the engines suddenly get sucked back into the rocket. Come on!
(3) On numerous occassions, doubt is expressed about the competance of the new Command Module Pilot Jack Swigert because he is a rookie. While it is true that on all the missions prior to Apollo 13, the CMP was an experienced astronaut, flight-crew Chief Deke Slayton would NOT give someone a crucial job like this unless he, and the other crew men had complete confidence in the man.
(4) Although Ken Mattingly was disappointed by being bumped from the crew, he was a complete professional and so he would NOT go home and pout by taking the phone off the hook as is shown in the film.
(5) At the end of the film, Tom Hanks states that Fred Haise had been promised to command the Apollo 19 mission as compensation for his losing the moon-walk on Apollo 13 but
"the mission was cancelled due to budget cuts", implying Congress and President Nixon had lost interest in the Apollo program. Actually, the government did fund the last three mission, but it was NASA itself, who had been shaken by the close call of this mission that cancelled the final three mission, something that I think is to their everlasting shame!
(6) This point can be considered a "nit-pick", but when the crew was going around the Moon they were pointing out various landmarks such as Frau Mauro and the Tsiolkovsky crater, but the problem is that they are on opposite sides of the moon and can not been seen at the same time....okay maybe I am too critical-who really cares?
In spite of these mild criticism, I can not recommend this film too much. After you see this one, you should also see Tom Hanks "From the Earth the Moon" which gives the entire history of the American manned space program, from the intial Mercury flights, through the two-man Gemini program, up through the Moon landing program of Apollo.
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