There were 17 missions named Apollo. In addition to these, there were 12 Gemini missions, all in low-Earth orbit, all as a way of testing what would be needed for the lunar missions. There have been all sorts of movies made, like Apollo 13. Other motion pictures, such as Hidden Figures, have brought the support staff to our attention. This isn’t even getting into miniseries and books.
It occurred to me while watching First Man that it‘s impossible to capture all of it in one movie. In fact, the movie left a lot of it out, focusing on Neil Armstrong. It caught me off guard. Then, I remembered what the name of the movie was. A movie called First Man should focus on Neil Armstrong.
The movie starts in 1961 with Armstrong testing an X-15. Upon attempting reentry, he bounces off the atmosphere, but is able to get everything under control and return safely to the ground. Regardless, he finds himself grounded. He’s distracted, and with good reason. His 2-year-old daughter is being treated for a brain tumor. No one can do anything and it’s weighing on him.
The movie moves forward to major events, starting with his applying for the Gemini project. Throughout, there are major historical events, like the Soviets beating America to several milestones. Several fellow astronauts die, which doesn’t sit well with his wife, Janet. (It’s not easy to see her husband and father of their two children go into space, knowing how many unknowns there are.)
Being that this is based on historical events, I’m not going to worry about spoilers so much. The movie doesn’t rely on any sort of shock value, nor does it play up any sense of tension. Plus, Armstrong lived until 2012. Saying that he makes it back to Earth isn’t ruining any part of the experience.
It’s somewhat difficult to get my head around the scope of it all. The movie does convey that people didn’t make it home safely. Apollo 1 didn’t launch due to an electrical fire, killing all three occupants of the craft. Wives have to deal with the reality of their husbands not coming home. Even when everything goes right, it’s not over until they walk through the door.
There is also a muted feel to the movie. There are arguments, but it’s not uncomfortable. There is excitement, but it’s not overdone. There’s a very even pace and tone throughout. I’m not sure that it’s necessarily a bad thing, but it’s not good, either. It seemed like the movie was stripped down to just the facts. I will say that there was a decent flow to the movie. It seemed long, but it didn’t seem boring or jerky.
I’m not sure that any one project could do all the space missions justice. Even to focus on one mission, like Apollo 11, would have to cover a lot of ground, including all the research that went into it and all of the people that were involved. Even a miniseries would be hard pressed.
There is a value in watching it, though. I could see people of high-school and college age watching it. It would be interesting to see the opinion of those that lived though the 1960s and know more about it. As I’ve indicated, I’m sure that there’s a lot that was left out.
It occurred to me while watching First Man that it‘s impossible to capture all of it in one movie. In fact, the movie left a lot of it out, focusing on Neil Armstrong. It caught me off guard. Then, I remembered what the name of the movie was. A movie called First Man should focus on Neil Armstrong.
The movie starts in 1961 with Armstrong testing an X-15. Upon attempting reentry, he bounces off the atmosphere, but is able to get everything under control and return safely to the ground. Regardless, he finds himself grounded. He’s distracted, and with good reason. His 2-year-old daughter is being treated for a brain tumor. No one can do anything and it’s weighing on him.
The movie moves forward to major events, starting with his applying for the Gemini project. Throughout, there are major historical events, like the Soviets beating America to several milestones. Several fellow astronauts die, which doesn’t sit well with his wife, Janet. (It’s not easy to see her husband and father of their two children go into space, knowing how many unknowns there are.)
Being that this is based on historical events, I’m not going to worry about spoilers so much. The movie doesn’t rely on any sort of shock value, nor does it play up any sense of tension. Plus, Armstrong lived until 2012. Saying that he makes it back to Earth isn’t ruining any part of the experience.
It’s somewhat difficult to get my head around the scope of it all. The movie does convey that people didn’t make it home safely. Apollo 1 didn’t launch due to an electrical fire, killing all three occupants of the craft. Wives have to deal with the reality of their husbands not coming home. Even when everything goes right, it’s not over until they walk through the door.
There is also a muted feel to the movie. There are arguments, but it’s not uncomfortable. There is excitement, but it’s not overdone. There’s a very even pace and tone throughout. I’m not sure that it’s necessarily a bad thing, but it’s not good, either. It seemed like the movie was stripped down to just the facts. I will say that there was a decent flow to the movie. It seemed long, but it didn’t seem boring or jerky.
I’m not sure that any one project could do all the space missions justice. Even to focus on one mission, like Apollo 11, would have to cover a lot of ground, including all the research that went into it and all of the people that were involved. Even a miniseries would be hard pressed.
There is a value in watching it, though. I could see people of high-school and college age watching it. It would be interesting to see the opinion of those that lived though the 1960s and know more about it. As I’ve indicated, I’m sure that there’s a lot that was left out.
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