In the Shadow of the Moon (***)

Amazing visuals anchor this portrait of the astronauts of the Apollo program. Initiated by President Kennedy and encompassing eleven manned space missions in about four years (1968–1972), Apollo represents the only voyages in which men stood on a body other than Earth. About a third of this documentary is devoted to the period leading up to the first lunar landing, a third to Apollo 11 (the first landing, in July 1969), and a third to later voyages and reflections, including the story of the nearly doomed Apollo 13, the subject of the 1995 feature. (A special feature on the DVD explains this in more detail.)

Providing a basic chronology and the astronauts general reflections about their experiences are what the movie provides. Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, is seen only in historic footage, but the other two Apollo 11 astronauts, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, are interviewed extensively, along with other astronauts such as Apollo 13’s Jim Lovell (played by Tom Hanks in the movie). The personalities, especially of the avuncular Collins and Apollo 12’s modest Alan Bean, emerge. Period footage—Walter Cronkite’s TV coverage, crowds watching the Apollo 11 launch at Cape Kennedy, even Armstrong’s parents appearing on the game show I’ve Got a Secret—is a reminder of the cultural impact of the moon landings.

Little scientific information is included. Clearly, the technological and strategic challenges were enormous, but they are outlined in only the broadest terms. Given the artificial deadline—the end of the 1960s—imposed by Kennedy’s directive, there must have been enormous pressure to speed things up at the potential expense of safety. Another astronaut quotes Gus Grissom as being afraid to point out wiring flaws in the first Apollo module for fear of being fired. Grissom would die with his crew in 1967 when the module burst into flames on the ground. This is the film’s only hint of serious controversy or tension. The movie doesn’t even go into the end of the Apollo program, which involved the last three planned voyages being scrapped to save money and pave the way for the subsequent Space Shuttle program. Still, it’s a sound recounting of an important cultural moment in our planet’s history and how it felt to those most closely involved.

IMDB link

viewed 1/31/09 and 2/2/09 on DVD; reviewed 2/2/09