I’ve always had a fascination with the early days of NASA and the space program. The idea that you could strap a rocket to someone’s behind and hurtle them into space still blows my mind. The sheer audacity of the undertaking, the practical (albeit extremely complex) physics of space flight, and the bravery of the astronauts willing to be shot into the unknown is a testament to the can-do attitude and scientifically forward-thinking this nation used to be known for. I’ve always wondered what it must have been like to witness these historic events first-hand or to watch advancements in human achievement like these unfold on your living room TV. Apollo 11 offers as close an opportunity as humanly possible to relive those monumental moments in 1969 and does so with brevity and beauty.
Carefully crafted from hundreds of hours of film footage, including newly surfaced 70mm prints of the launch, Apollo 11 retells the story of Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin’s first trip to the moon. From the pre-launch procedures to the lunar landing, to the splash-down and post-return quarantine, it covers the entire mission in detail using predominantly original film and audio recordings from the mission. The footage is all period, with no voice-overs or interviews. The words and actions of those eight days are more than enough to tell this amazing story.
This is a stunning film to look at. Some of the famous footage we have of course seen before (anyone who grew up watching MTV certainly has), but the heavily culled archives have given us much more than what we might consider familiar. The opening shots alone of the massive crawler-transporter making its slow journey to the launchpad are enough to set the tone for this extraordinary undertaking. The size and scope of the mission come into view as we see the rocket, the control room, and the crowds watching all come together, reminding us once again that it’s not just the astronauts making this giant leap but all mankind.
Apollo 11 is completely void of the carefully planned and conventional story beats that make up your average Hollywood thriller, yet it is still an utter nail biter. Even though we know exactly how the mission ends, director Todd Douglas Miller continually keeps us on the edge of our seats through pacing, mood, and music. If nothing else, I hope Apollo 11 refreshes our collective memories about what we can accomplish through determination, imagination, and dedication to scientific research and funding.
James is a writer, skateboarder, record collector, wrestling nerd, and tabletop gamer living with his family in Asheville, North Carolina. He is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association, the North Carolina Film Critics Association, and contributes to The Daily Orca, Razorcake Magazine, Mountain Xpress, and Asheville Movies.