In case you've been living under a (moon) rock lately, it’s now fifty years since the first moon landing. Surely this should be a dark period of grim introspection as we look back on decades wasted and opportunities lost? Ha ha, of course not: it's time to celebrate the fact that 50 years ago we could put a man on the moon using basically a garbage can, some fireworks and a pocket calculator while today we can't even [insert common complaint here].
But if you can only see one
movie about the first men on the moon, this is the one to see; put together
entirely from archival footage (including sequences shot on 70mm film that have
never before been seen) and with period voice-over from news broadcasts and
voice recordings from Mission Control, this goes step-by-step through the
mission from the hours leading up to the launch through the journey to the moon
and the recovery afterwards.
While the trajectory of the story is never in
doubt, this is still a remarkably suspenseful film in parts – the moon landing
itself is nail-biting stuff, as a tiny fuel gauge ticks down in the corner of
the screen while we see the surface of the moon scroll by under the lander as
they look for a suitable landing site – and much of the footage is stunning to
look at whether you’re seeing it as a historical record or a reminder that much
of the equipment used to go to the moon was shockingly rough by today’s
standards.
There's a lot to take in here, right down to the outfits of the invited dignitaries and sightseers - Apollo 11 took place when the bright colours of the 70s were just starting to bloom but the styles themselves were still the straight-laced 60s. But even if you're not here for the fashions, there's so much to look at in every frame, this demands to be seen on the biggest screen possible (yes, it's available IMAX) It's a reminder of a stunning achievement, and a stunning
achievement in its own right.
- Anthony Morris
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