In the Shadow of the Moon

Michael Collins is the real star here. His anecdotes and personal observations are worth the price of admission. What a character!

This is a terrific collection of images and interviews. It puts a whole new spin on the entire undertaking and it completely humanizes these guys with the right stuff.

In fact, it is the very interviews contained in this DVD that is precisely what's missing from the currently airing "When We Left Earth" series. This is the superior collection!

When we think of the 1960's today we so often think of the assassinations, the race riots, the Vietnam War, the Beatles, etc. We often forget this was also the decade of the race to the moon. In 1961 the Russians officially launched the space race by launching the first human into orbit soon followed by a 15 minute manned flight by the U.S. The newly elected president of the United States, John F. Kennedy laid down the gauntlet by challenging our country to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade, at that time a more than ambitious (some thought impossible) goal. This film is the story, in the APOLLO astronaut's own words and incredible archival footage of how the U.S. became the first to land on the moon. As Roger Ebert says, we tend to focus on the accomplishment and not on the journey. This is about the journey as well as the incredible achievement. The clips, many seen on film for the first time, especially those walking on the moon's surface, are spectacular. This is a story that should be seen by everyone, especially those who did not grow up in the sixties. We may have forgotten that the first three astronauts were killed in a fire on the launchpad that could have stopped the whole mission dead in its tracks. These are the only men in the history of our planet who have seen earth from another celestial location. One final note. This was an achievement that united, literally the whole world. As the astronauts traveled the world afterwards, they were struck by the fact that everywhere, people referred to the achievement as 'WE' did it, not you did it. It was something that everyone was proud of, regardless of their country. How different that seems from the world culture today. Is there anything we could conquer today that could unite the world into saying WE did it. You will not be disappointed in watching this great film. [...].

A very good report of the travels to the moon, told by the people who participated. Beautifull pictures, very interesting witnessing by the astronauts. A must see for those who like astronautics.

I grew up watching the events of this film unfold. I was young and jaded, I suppose, for I just assumed everyone knew what they were doing. Watching this now, years later, older and wiser, I am amazed. What a wondrous story it really is. Watching the DVD, my entire family was mesmerized, including me. None of the praise this film has received is undeserved. Watch it and see.

This excellent and exciting documentary traces the growth of America's Apollo space program, from its early inception until the last manned moon mission in 1972.

Before his assassination, President Kennedy challenged Americans to put a man on the moon and bring him home safely. Few realistically thought that this lofty goal could be achieved, but the people at NASA embraced this challenge and worked tirelessly to make it reality. America was also in a space race with the Soviets, and they had already put a man in orbit. America needed a response from its own program; something that the Soviets could never hope to match. Apollo was that response.

The DVD begins with the selection of the original Apollo astronauts. These men, in the words of one of them, went from ordinary pilots to heroes literally overnight. The Gemini program put the first American into space, but the goal was still to reach the moon. The first Apollo spacecraft, Apollo 1, suffered a tragic fire during testing, and all three astronauts aboard were killed. Many of the other astronauts openly wondered if this would be the end of the program; it was not. Training continued in preparation for landing on the moon. Apollo 8, piloted by Jim Lovell, orbited only 60 miles above the lunar surface but did not land.

The stage was now set for Apollo 11, set to lift off in July, 1969. Two other crews were also training simultaneously. The entire world watched as Apollo 11 lifted off in the July heat and began its historic voyage. After three days, the crew of three was ready to land on the moon. The DVD has footage of Walter Cronkite describing the landing as well as a professional baseball game being interrupted to let the crowd know about the historic event. Neil Armstrong descended down the nine steps from the lunar lander and uttered his famous "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" sentence.

The fateful mission of Apollo 13 is also described in the documentary. Again, Jim Lovell was in command of the mission. This time, however, disaster struck. An accident occurred when the oxygen tanks were stirred, causing a terrific explosion which crippled the spacecraft. Many thought that the astronauts would not make it back, but the men at NASA never waivered in their belief. Despite overwhelming odds, the people at mission control were able to bring the astronauts back safely.

This is simply an awesome documentary. Only 12 American men have walked upon the the surface of the moon, and they remain the only human beings to have stood on another world. Many of the astronauts who flew on the lunar missions have been interviewed for this documentary, and their stories and insight put the viewer right on the moon with them. The actual footage from the missions is included as well. I was only 4 years old when Apollo 11 landed on the moon, so I have very little recollection of the actual experience. But this great documentary brings everything back as if it happened only yesterday. I plan to show this DVD to my three young children so they can experience what the children of the 60s were able to see.

I give this DVD my highest recommendation. 12 have been there; will there ever be another?