For All Mankind

This is a documentary of the Apollo missions sending mankind to the moon. It is all footage from NASA contemporary to the landings which some have never been publicly shown. There is no overall narration from a British commentator. It does include audio interviews with the astronauts during the 70's. The overall effect is a purity of experience and knowledge. There is minute slant in the footage. It's not colored by modern day events like the Challenger disaster. If anything, it's like a time capsule. It's behind the scene footage in mission control. It's lesser seen footage with the astronauts. It is a moment in world history inside the bubble. It's eerie and hypnotic.

Footage is all genuine but narration by astronauts is not captioned with who is speaking and from what mission. Footage from different flights is intermixed, again without any indication what flight it was so you get clips of Apollo 11, then some Apollo 13 footage, then some more Apollo 11 footage, who knows what else. It even looked like Gemini EVA footage was included as if it was Apollo footage...not sure if the directors/really knew what they were trying to convey. Video is great though, just don't expect to be able to follow what is going on...C+

I've always been a fan of space exploration (which incidentally helped fuel my star trek addiction, but that's another story) and this film is certainly very informative. Far be it for me to pontificate over this excellent and informative piece of film, go rent it instead. Or buy it even. Brian Eno's music adds a really effective other worldly atmosphere to this film. (I even went and bought the album! "Apollo" by Brian Eno if anyone's interested). You won't be disappointed.

This movie documents the Apollo missions perhaps the most definitively of any movie under two hours. Al Reinert watched all the footage shot during the missions--over 6,000,000 feet of it, and picked out the best. Instead of being a newsy, fact-filled documentary. Reinart focuses on the human aspects of the space flights. First and foremost, this is a great compilation of footage from the Apollo missions. Reinert did a fine job of taking so much and picking just the finest 80 minutes. It is utterly captivating. But what struck me, as a former philosopher major, was how emotionally the astronauts were affected by their trip. They were able to see how small mankind is compared to the universe, and how all our problems are petty in the grand scheme. It is an interesting way to change your perspective when you realize the world is far bigger than we know.

Watched it again last night, on the 35th anniversary of man's first walk on the moon. No need to reiterate what others have said here - it's simply a masterpiece, one of the finest, most moving documentaries ever made (especially compared to the half-witted hysterical polemics that pass for the form these days). It's sobering to think that the deeds recounted in this film are almost forgotten now. The Apollo program is arguably the pinnacle of human achievement, yet yesterday's anniversary passed with hardly a rememberance. I mentioned it to my wife, and she expressed skepticism that the moon landings ever took place! (to her credit, she watched the documentary with me). I consider myself fortunate to have lived in this time and in this place, and had the chance to watch as my countrymen, on behalf of all mankind, took our first, tentative steps on another world.

This movie is a very valuable resource regarding space education. As someone who works in the education field for the Hansen Planetatrium, we are always trying to interest the public in space sciences. Unfortunately, anyone who is 27 years old or younger has never seen anyone actually walking on the Moon. If it weren't for Apollo 13 most of the Elementary and Secondary aged kids wouldn't even know about the missions to the Moon. . Much less, the Gemini, Mercury, Altas, Skylab and other programs that preceded the Shuttle.

The only thing I would criticize is that the movie is not longer! The music (I think Brian Eno composed it) fits well, quite ambient, never overpowering and helps take the viewer along with the astronauts. What a wonderful beginning, with President Kennedy's speech that the U.S. wants to reach the Moon.... And the words that follow are told only by the astronauts, not by some earth-based narrator that would over-dramatize without knowing what the experience of space travel involves. I've searched for this movie since I rented it on laserdisc years ago, and now I find it's being released in DVD! If you can buy it, it's worth purchasing.