Apollo on rewind

steve smyth — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:54:57 GMT

I like 'humanity's first moon-landing'...makes me feel good...

Apollo on rewind

b kooistra, fort worth, tx — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 02:31:24 GMT

How about "The Dish," a nice little Australian film about the contribution of land-based radio telescopes to recieve the downlink broadcasts from the moon? Based at least partly on reality, the film takes place at the giant dish in Parkes, NSW as Apollo 11 lands in July 1969.

Apollo on rewind

Catherine Bates Thompson,CT. — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 08:25:43 GMT

It's Time Too Go Back (Man&Woman)To RETURN TOO THE MOON Maybe a MOONBASE Too. But First Lets Go back Maned. RETURN!!!to The Moon Luna.!!! 6/24/2009.

Apollo on rewind

Kayak Otelleri — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 08:56:08 GMT

watch this movie when I first went to the moon for all of us really thought olacakmı possible? Imagine a day for humanity, such as after gelsede grandchildren will be able to travel to the moon

Apollo on rewind

Mark Young, Cocoa, FL — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:35:45 GMT

Alan, thanks for a great compilation there!! I'm six for ten, but when I get back from SD, I'll check out the rest. Sorry, too old for Twitter or Facebook, but I'm hoping "The Case for Pluto" is a good one!!!!

Apollo on rewind

Michael Prator, Phoenix, AZ — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:48:26 GMT

The list should include "The Dish" (2000) a "true" story about a satellite communication station in Australia that almost prevented the world from seeing the Apollo 11 Moon landing. This looks at the unsung heroes across the globe that helped the world witness history. Starring Sam Neill and filmed at the Parkes Observatory in Australia.

Apollo on rewind

Norman Fields, Bullhead City, AZ — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:57:41 GMT

People who consider themselves "sophisticated" movie goers probably did not like it (if they even watched it), but a good movie is "The Starfighter," a fun, good-time-in-the-TV-room flick, good time to watch a movie with the kids. Space opera and cliches aside, this movie celebrates the human spirit; it is an unashamed celebration of human courage, instead of a screed denouncing every human endeavor as exploitation of the universe.

Apollo on rewind

Eric, Salinas, CA — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:47:27 GMT

Great article Alan that brings back fond memories of my youth watching the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs. I really liked the series "From the Earth to the Moon, it was a great series showing each Apollo mission and did a nice job of showing us how things were back in the 60's.

I sure hope that President Obama rethinks Clueless George's idiotic space race revival of going it alone to the moon and Mars. I hope that Barack opens up our Ares program to other nations like Canada, Europe, Japan and heck even Russia and China and any other country that wants to join in the space exploration fun. We need to spread out the monumental costs by allowing other countries to participate and handle a share of those costs. The International Space Station has shown us that going to space cooperatively with other countries is the best way to go now.

Apollo on rewind

Howard Snyder, Cardston, Alberta — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:01:00 GMT

Destination Moon from 1950, written by Robert Heinlein, was the first attempt at a technically accurate space flight film. The science is plausible, the primitive special effects well done, and the impact on a generation of impressionable ten-year-olds lasted a lifetime.

Apollo on rewind

Doc, South Carolina — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:18:00 GMT

For an earthbound view of how the tv signals were handled, watch "The Dish." It is a mostly true story, but the characters are great in this Australian film. Sam Neil is the main character operating the Parkes Radio Observatory, which is located (still!) in the middle of a sheep paddock!

Apollo on rewind

Frank Glover, Rochesetr, NY — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:29:01 GMT

(sigh) I've seen a ton of documentaries and I'm old enough to remember it all, first-hand.

It's sad that so relatively little has been done in the meantime. (Compared to what was planned and intended at the time...we were meant to have reached Mars in the early to mid 1980's, you know, and have a ton of commercial and other manned activity happening in LEO.)

We *should* have been able to commemorate the Anniversary right there *at* the Apollo 11 landing site, by now...

Apollo on rewind

John Doe, Seattle, Wisc. — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:02:33 GMT

NASA's future is Apollo on rewind: it's future is all 'been there, done that.'

Innovation at NASA has taken a backseat to preserving the status quo...too bad for America and the rest of the world!

Apollo on rewind

Matt Falk, Mesa, Arizona — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:17:15 GMT

"Moon Machines" is a superb documentary series from the Discovery Science Channel. It covers the Apollo program from the point of view of the (very) many engineers and scientists who were given the task to make it all possible, and provides an in-depth look at just how difficult this technological endeavor proved to be.

It consists of six episodes: Saturn V, Command Module, Navigation, Lunar Module, Suits, and Lunar Rover. Many interesting details for those interested in the tech side of things, and PLENTY of footage you've never seen before!

It will be released on DVD July 7th, so I will finally be able to retire those copies I've keeping on my DVR for the past year :-)

http://www.amazon.com/Moon-Machines-Christopher-Riley/dp/B0026IQTR2/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I222YDL6XPB09B&colid=1KMZCTO4NFSCW

Apollo on rewind

Roger — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:50:05 GMT

I always liked Tony Palmer's The Space Movie. With plenty of NASA footage, voice-overs by astronauts and music by Mike Oldfield, what's not to like? Too bad it was never reissued on DVD. VHS copies are hard to find.

Apollo on rewind

Mike Schwab, Springfield, IL, USA — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:45:21 GMT

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062827/ Countdown 1968 a One Way moon landing, with supplies delivered until Apollo is finished. James Caan.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064639/ Marooned 1969 U.S. Astronauts stranded in orbit. Inspired the Apollo-Sputnick joint missions, leading to the joint space station missions. David Janssen.

Apollo on rewind

Mike Schwab, Springfield, IL, USA — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:52:17 GMT

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088611/ Space 1985 - 13 hour mini series, repeats 'The Right Stuff' adds through Apollo plus a fictional backside landing. James Garner, Blair Brown.

Apollo on rewind

Frank Glover, Rochester, NY — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:44:47 GMT

"People who consider themselves "sophisticated" movie goers probably did not like it (if they even watched it), but a good movie is "The Starfighter," "

Are you sure you don't mean 'The Last Starfighter?'

The first film to use extensive CGI for spaceships and space effects, I believe. (the CRAY-1 computer even got credit)

Apollo on rewind

Raquel, Palmetto Bay, FL — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:53:41 GMT

What about Le Voyage dans la lune (Voyage to the moon) of George Melies?? Maybe the First movie about going to the moon.

Apollo on rewind

Kevin Stirling, Producer/Director-- 'Moon Beat' — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 12:46:08 GMT

'Moon Beat' is a new (2009) award-winning documentary which recalls the flight of Apollo XI and the NASA space program from the perspective of the top journalists who covered the mission and the U.S. space program for many years.

News Reporters who appear in Moon Beat include:

John Noble Wilford, New York Times
Reg Turnill, BBC
Al Neuharth, Founder USA Today and Florida Today
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal Film Critic

and many others. (see website for information and entire list)

http://www.moonbeatthemovie.com/

Also, there is a page (Apollo Memories) on the website where visitors can actually write their own memories of Apollo 11 -- where they were, what they remember, who they watched it with on TV, what newspapers they read, any ideas or thoughts they have about the 40th anniversary and so on.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1399582/

Apollo on rewind

Jim Cook, Westborough, MA — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:45:47 GMT

Do try www.spacecraftfilms.com for a pile of "golden age of NASA" DVDs.

(I have no connections with these folks, but I am an armchair enthusiast.)

Apollo on rewind

Geoff Allshorn, Melbourne, Australia — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 19:50:37 GMT

Congratulations on a worthwhile "Top 10" list. What a pity it wasn't a Top 20!

You really should acknowledge the film "October Sky", based on the autobiographical, "Rocket Boys". It is a touching and inspiring film, and possibly a great one for kids (depending upon their age).

Also, don't forget the documentary series "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan. It's a little old nowadays, but still uplifting!

Sagan also wrote the fictional book upon which the film "Contact" (starring Jodie Foster) was based - another film worth a recommendation, in particular because it is the only film in this entire list which features a female scientist as the main character and a positive role model.

Finally, being an Aussie, may I add my endorsement to a couple comments above regarding "The Dish".

Apollo on rewind

M B Morley, Paris, France — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 22:35:55 GMT

Just to correct a comment made above (Michael Prator, Phoenix, AZ)regarding "The Dish", I'm sure you didn't intend to say that the Parkes Observatory in NSW Australia "almost prevented" viewing the moon landing! The film is a humourous fiction, whereas in reality Parkes Observatory had the highest quality reception for the televised footage that was broadcast from the moon, a fact that was belatedly noticed in Houston several minutes after Armstrong stepped onto the surface. The decision was eventually made to use all the footage that was rerouted through Parkes, and that is what the world was watching for almost all of the first moonwalk. This was in part because of the particular design of the satellite dish, which became a model for all the NASA Deep Space Network receiver stations. See the following info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkes_Observatory

http://www.parkes.atnf.csiro.au/news_events/apollo11/t
v_broadcasts.html

Apollo on rewind

kaplıcalar termal oteller — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 19:30:01 GMT

Go to the companies website they are selling these things around the world. I would imagine the companies who are going to lose their jobs over this are pressing very hard to keep it out.

Apollo on rewind

bursa haberleri — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:53:53 GMT