Saw the Apollo 11 IMAX film last night. Highly recommend. No narration just the NASA announcer, communications between ship and ground plus a few other bits added such as Walter and JFK now and then. Images are amazing, esp in IMAX. It moves well, no slow moments, no soap opera, no agenda, lots of unseen footage and some new stories, pure documentary, the trip is the whole story. PDI is great, TLI is great, LM separation, footage of the crowd is great. Go see, you wont be disappointed. 90 minutes long.
222 Reviews
The closest thing to a real-life time machine.
SigmaEcho7 March 2019
The restored 70mm footage looks like it was shot yesterday. It will make your jaw drop on the massive screen. There's something simply astounding about old restored 35mm, 65mm and 70mm footage viewed in full resolution today - it's like stepping into a time-machine and being transported, like you are really there. Any 70mm footage projected on an IMAX screen is simply magical, but this is not just real footage, but footage capturing possibly the most important moment in human history - certainly the most inspiring. You won't be able to experience the same thing at home, so I wish everyone would go out to their local IMAX and experience this first-hand. This is the kind of thing schools should require their students to experience.
The only reason I don't give it a perfect 10/10 is that because the film is made in a cinéma-vérité style, the audience simply experiences the event without really learning very much about the incredible engineering, science, training and logistics of the incredible Apollo program. So I hope this film inspires people to also seek out The Right Stuff (1983), Apollo 13 (1995), the massively underrated miniseries From the Earth to the Moon (1998) and the invaluable documentary In the Shadow of the Moon (2007) - possibly the definitive documentary about the Apollo program - which you should watch as a companion piece to this film.
The only reason I don't give it a perfect 10/10 is that because the film is made in a cinéma-vérité style, the audience simply experiences the event without really learning very much about the incredible engineering, science, training and logistics of the incredible Apollo program. So I hope this film inspires people to also seek out The Right Stuff (1983), Apollo 13 (1995), the massively underrated miniseries From the Earth to the Moon (1998) and the invaluable documentary In the Shadow of the Moon (2007) - possibly the definitive documentary about the Apollo program - which you should watch as a companion piece to this film.
Experience the Apollo 11 mission like you have never before
paul-allaer11 March 2019
"Apollo 11" (2019 release; 93 min.) is a documentary about the Apollo 11 mission. As the movie opens, we are informed it is "July 16, 1969" and a mere 3 hours away from the launch. We get full-color footage of the enormous crowds 15 mi. away from the launching pad. Meanwhile, through a quick photo montage, we get a quick glimpse at the three astronauts' life, as they are getting their space suits on. The TV commentator meanwhile talks about "the burdens and hope they carry for all mankind". It is then time for the astronauts to be driven to the Apollo. At this point we are then 10 min. into the movie.
Couple of comments: this documentary is directed and edited by Todd Douglas Miller. There have been many documentaries about the Apollo 11 mission before, so what sets this one apart? Several things: first and foremost, during the collaboration between the film makers and NASA, never before seen 70 mm full color footage was unearthed. That, combined with previously available 16 mm and 32 mm footage allowed the film makers to present this story in a way never before experienced. Frankly, words are not enough. The astronauts' elevator ride up to the top of the Apollo space ship (over 300 ft. tall) finally give a sense of how freaking high that is. Second, the film makers decided to use no voice-over or narrator, and instead let the TV commentary and the internal NASA discussions do all of the talking. Third, there is a fabulous electronic score, courtesy of composer Matt Morton. And get this: Morton used only instruments that were around at the time of Apollo 11's trip to the moon in July, 1969, including including the Moog modular Synthesizer IIIc, the Binson Echorec 2, and the Mellotron. Wow, just wow. When you combine all of these elements, it makes for outright compelling viewing. Even though we of course know the outcome, I nevertheless STILL felt tense as I was watching all of this unfold.
You may or may not be aware that Neil Armstrong spent the last 40 years of his life here in Cincinnati (where I live), including teaching at the University of Cincinnati. Upon his retirement, he became an even more private person than he already was, and public appearances were rare. I had the great fortune of seeing him narrate the "Lincoln Portrait" at a Cincinnati Pops performance in 2009, and the outpouring of love, respect and affection from the public for this true American hero made the hairs stand on my arms. Meanwhile, "Apollo 11" is an unforgettable movie experience, and highly recommended!
*UPDATE Jan 13, 2020* This past weekend I saw an edited version of the film called "Apollo 11 - First Steps Edition" at the Omnimax theater of the Cincinnati Museum Center. It is the exact same footage as in the original film, cut down to 45 min. so as to fit the IMAX/Omnimax schedules. I was incredibly excited beforehand, as I thought this would be true Imax/Omnimax footage, but alas, that is not the case. It's as before but projected on the half-dome screen that is the Omnimax. Still very enjoyable, and I love, LOVE the original score by Matt Morton blasting away in an Omnimax setting.
Couple of comments: this documentary is directed and edited by Todd Douglas Miller. There have been many documentaries about the Apollo 11 mission before, so what sets this one apart? Several things: first and foremost, during the collaboration between the film makers and NASA, never before seen 70 mm full color footage was unearthed. That, combined with previously available 16 mm and 32 mm footage allowed the film makers to present this story in a way never before experienced. Frankly, words are not enough. The astronauts' elevator ride up to the top of the Apollo space ship (over 300 ft. tall) finally give a sense of how freaking high that is. Second, the film makers decided to use no voice-over or narrator, and instead let the TV commentary and the internal NASA discussions do all of the talking. Third, there is a fabulous electronic score, courtesy of composer Matt Morton. And get this: Morton used only instruments that were around at the time of Apollo 11's trip to the moon in July, 1969, including including the Moog modular Synthesizer IIIc, the Binson Echorec 2, and the Mellotron. Wow, just wow. When you combine all of these elements, it makes for outright compelling viewing. Even though we of course know the outcome, I nevertheless STILL felt tense as I was watching all of this unfold.
You may or may not be aware that Neil Armstrong spent the last 40 years of his life here in Cincinnati (where I live), including teaching at the University of Cincinnati. Upon his retirement, he became an even more private person than he already was, and public appearances were rare. I had the great fortune of seeing him narrate the "Lincoln Portrait" at a Cincinnati Pops performance in 2009, and the outpouring of love, respect and affection from the public for this true American hero made the hairs stand on my arms. Meanwhile, "Apollo 11" is an unforgettable movie experience, and highly recommended!
*UPDATE Jan 13, 2020* This past weekend I saw an edited version of the film called "Apollo 11 - First Steps Edition" at the Omnimax theater of the Cincinnati Museum Center. It is the exact same footage as in the original film, cut down to 45 min. so as to fit the IMAX/Omnimax schedules. I was incredibly excited beforehand, as I thought this would be true Imax/Omnimax footage, but alas, that is not the case. It's as before but projected on the half-dome screen that is the Omnimax. Still very enjoyable, and I love, LOVE the original score by Matt Morton blasting away in an Omnimax setting.
See It On The Biggest Screen You Can
timdalton00724 March 2019
A half-century ago, Neil Armstrong stepped off the ladder of the Lunar Module Eagle and into the history books. In the decades since, that moment and the flights of NASA's Apollo program have been chronicled in seemingly countless documentaries. At the top of that list remains 1989's For All Mankind from the late Al Reinert and 2007's In The Shadow Of The Moon from British filmmakers David Sington and Christopher Riley. Up there with them now is 2019's Apollo 11, an exciting new film from Todd Douglas Miller that is begging for you to see it on the biggest screen possible.
Why?
In part because of Miller who, like those other great filmmakers of Apollo before him, wasn't content to merely do a rehash of what had come before. Miller's Apollo 11 is in part a deep dive into the NASA archives, uncovering things that even the most seasoned space enthusiast has likely never seen before. There's a wealth of pre-launch footage, for example, tracing the preparations from the rollout of the massive Saturn V rocket to the launch pad to multiple perspectives of the launch itself. Even when events move into space, there's still a wealth of rare material to experience including conversations between the astronauts themselves as well as between them and Mission Control in Houston. Even where footage that has become synonymous with the mission and the era such as the stage separations of the rocket or the Lunar Module's descent to the surface of the Moon, it's presented with clarity and scale rarely seen elsewhere. For that alone, the film renders excellent service.
It does so in other ways, as well. Unlike those two documentaries I mentioned at the top of this review, Miller doesn't use astronaut interviews (either aural or visual) to help tell the story. Instead, Apollo 11 unfolds entirely through archival sources ranging from the transmissions to the voice of NASA's public affairs or well-known TV commentators like Walter Cronkite. To help aid visually for parts of the mission where there isn't much or anything to show, the film employees simple animation alongside such commentaries. The film also makes effective use of split-screen and captions to portray mission control or to show events such as the actual walk on the Moon from multiple perspectives. As much as the footage itself on a cinema screen does, it presents the sheer scale of the endeavor but without losing the viewer in the technicalities involved in spaceflight.
In some ways, that's the greatest triumph of Apollo 11 the documentary. It's a film keen to present Apollo 11 the mission in awe-inspiring yet understandable terms, one that emphasizes how incredible in scope and achievement that flight five decades ago this July was. It's also a reminder, at a time when cinema screens find themselves increasingly dominated by would-be blockbusters and superhero flicks, of the raw power of cinema to present stories. Both of those are things we need reminding of, it seems, and the film does a superb job of both.
Why?
In part because of Miller who, like those other great filmmakers of Apollo before him, wasn't content to merely do a rehash of what had come before. Miller's Apollo 11 is in part a deep dive into the NASA archives, uncovering things that even the most seasoned space enthusiast has likely never seen before. There's a wealth of pre-launch footage, for example, tracing the preparations from the rollout of the massive Saturn V rocket to the launch pad to multiple perspectives of the launch itself. Even when events move into space, there's still a wealth of rare material to experience including conversations between the astronauts themselves as well as between them and Mission Control in Houston. Even where footage that has become synonymous with the mission and the era such as the stage separations of the rocket or the Lunar Module's descent to the surface of the Moon, it's presented with clarity and scale rarely seen elsewhere. For that alone, the film renders excellent service.
It does so in other ways, as well. Unlike those two documentaries I mentioned at the top of this review, Miller doesn't use astronaut interviews (either aural or visual) to help tell the story. Instead, Apollo 11 unfolds entirely through archival sources ranging from the transmissions to the voice of NASA's public affairs or well-known TV commentators like Walter Cronkite. To help aid visually for parts of the mission where there isn't much or anything to show, the film employees simple animation alongside such commentaries. The film also makes effective use of split-screen and captions to portray mission control or to show events such as the actual walk on the Moon from multiple perspectives. As much as the footage itself on a cinema screen does, it presents the sheer scale of the endeavor but without losing the viewer in the technicalities involved in spaceflight.
In some ways, that's the greatest triumph of Apollo 11 the documentary. It's a film keen to present Apollo 11 the mission in awe-inspiring yet understandable terms, one that emphasizes how incredible in scope and achievement that flight five decades ago this July was. It's also a reminder, at a time when cinema screens find themselves increasingly dominated by would-be blockbusters and superhero flicks, of the raw power of cinema to present stories. Both of those are things we need reminding of, it seems, and the film does a superb job of both.
Truly Amazing film
alanhstanley1 March 2019
Should be mandatory watching for all the folks that have lost the feeling of global humanity. I remember it from 50 years ago and I feel proud of the world as it looked then and the can do attitudes. The grace and humility of Neil Armstrong and crew was amazing. I was excited at each event and the music was marvelous. You know they make it but the tension was intense. so much could have gone wrong. What was error 202 !!!
Absolutely incredible!
mikejfm1 March 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I rarely rate any movie a 10 but this one is definitely. The footage is so clear that I had to keep checking myself because I thought they might have filmed certain parts to complete the story. Everything is authentic. It is because of this mission and all other Apollo, Mercury, and Gemini missions that I went into the space business for a 34 year career. The launch sequence is the most incredible thing I've seen on film. I will definitely be buying the blu ray but of course it will not beat the IMAX. Very well done!
Perfect Cinéma Vérité
BramOh24 March 2019
The film starts the morning of launch day July 16, 1969. There are no actors, no reenactments, no narrator. It is 100% restored archival footage and recorded audio, most of which I had never seen before. Opening footage of the crowds gathering around Kennedy Space Center gave you the sense it was apparent to everyone the magnitude of what was about to happen.
They had audio and video of (an issue I won't spoil, something during launch prep I had never heard of before). Obviously there is no external footage of the spacecraft from the time it leaves earth orbit until it arrived at the moon but the editing and coverage used are excellent and you never feel like you're in the dark or missing out.
There is no attempt made at politicizing the event or manipulating the viewer, it is raw, factual cinéma vérité. Although I did find Kennedy's speech moving, they made the excellent choice to NOT show the famous portion we've all heard about landing a man on the moon and returning him safely by the end of the decade. It was the rest of that speech, which I'm not sure I'd ever heard, that was astute, prophetic and even funny at one point.
My one very minor caution is that viewers who aren't already aware how critical/dangerous some maneuvers were could miss out on the gravity of the situation. The filmmakers do assist with this with the score, which is absolutely fantastic (and according to the credits, composed entirely with instruments available in July '69), and some minor on-screen graphics (e.g. FUEL 30 seconds, 1202 alarm). It's a trivial concern but viewers who are familiar with the space program in general, and this mission in particular, will get the most out of the experience.
The film wraps up after our astronauts are safely home and cleared from quarantine. During the credits there are a few more interesting shots of some of the celebrations.
They had audio and video of (an issue I won't spoil, something during launch prep I had never heard of before). Obviously there is no external footage of the spacecraft from the time it leaves earth orbit until it arrived at the moon but the editing and coverage used are excellent and you never feel like you're in the dark or missing out.
There is no attempt made at politicizing the event or manipulating the viewer, it is raw, factual cinéma vérité. Although I did find Kennedy's speech moving, they made the excellent choice to NOT show the famous portion we've all heard about landing a man on the moon and returning him safely by the end of the decade. It was the rest of that speech, which I'm not sure I'd ever heard, that was astute, prophetic and even funny at one point.
My one very minor caution is that viewers who aren't already aware how critical/dangerous some maneuvers were could miss out on the gravity of the situation. The filmmakers do assist with this with the score, which is absolutely fantastic (and according to the credits, composed entirely with instruments available in July '69), and some minor on-screen graphics (e.g. FUEL 30 seconds, 1202 alarm). It's a trivial concern but viewers who are familiar with the space program in general, and this mission in particular, will get the most out of the experience.
The film wraps up after our astronauts are safely home and cleared from quarantine. During the credits there are a few more interesting shots of some of the celebrations.
The greatest adventure of humankind?
ryplead21 February 2019
I had the chance to see an advance screening of the movie in Vienna, during a meeting of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and the word that best sums it all up is "WOW". It is wonderful to be able to witness all the work that went into a momentous achievement. There is the great moment we all know, the "one step for a man, a giant leap for mankind" moment. But this movie pays a much-deserved tribute to all those men and women who joined efforts to make this possible. Fantastic.
It doesn't get better than this doc.
JohnDeSando9 March 2019
"I didn't feel like a giant. I felt very, very small." Neil Armstrong looking on earth from the moon.
If somehow you missed Apollo 11's flight to the moon in 1969 (indeed you might not have been born yet), fear not: The perfect documentary about those three real superheroes is here. The titular doc stars Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins in nail biting suspense and no explosions save rocket propulsion.
The only part not of the original footage is the original synth drones' soundtrack by an inspired Matt Morton. The percussive beat has pomp like that of a thriller in which the president has a fleet of black SUV's rolling to its heart-beating energy, supporting a blockbuster that this time is for real.
Notwithstanding the deeply introspective First Man, starring Ryan Gosling as Armstrong, the real Armstrong comes through in this doc. As expected, he's like the straight arrow he is alleged to be-good guy, slightly nerdy, smart, evident even with as little face time as he has here.
Maybe that's the point: Without the sophisticated computers we have 50 years later, these astronauts and technicians work hard long hours together, no claims to glory, profit, or party loyalty. Their collaboration is worthy of any Marvel voyage; only it's real.
New images and sounds emerge despite the decades of depicting this event in multi-media. Some NASA shots have never been seen before. Although the images may not be as spectacular as the ones we've grown accustomed to, they represent the constantly renewable glory of mankind at its technological best, devoid of petty ego embellishments and full of human connections.
You'll find more dramatic renditions of this adventure, but you'll never find 93 minutes more perfectly capturing the grandeur of science and humanity working together to realize the impossible. This right stuff is right here in a grand documentary called, very simply, Apollo 11.
If somehow you missed Apollo 11's flight to the moon in 1969 (indeed you might not have been born yet), fear not: The perfect documentary about those three real superheroes is here. The titular doc stars Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins in nail biting suspense and no explosions save rocket propulsion.
The only part not of the original footage is the original synth drones' soundtrack by an inspired Matt Morton. The percussive beat has pomp like that of a thriller in which the president has a fleet of black SUV's rolling to its heart-beating energy, supporting a blockbuster that this time is for real.
Notwithstanding the deeply introspective First Man, starring Ryan Gosling as Armstrong, the real Armstrong comes through in this doc. As expected, he's like the straight arrow he is alleged to be-good guy, slightly nerdy, smart, evident even with as little face time as he has here.
Maybe that's the point: Without the sophisticated computers we have 50 years later, these astronauts and technicians work hard long hours together, no claims to glory, profit, or party loyalty. Their collaboration is worthy of any Marvel voyage; only it's real.
New images and sounds emerge despite the decades of depicting this event in multi-media. Some NASA shots have never been seen before. Although the images may not be as spectacular as the ones we've grown accustomed to, they represent the constantly renewable glory of mankind at its technological best, devoid of petty ego embellishments and full of human connections.
You'll find more dramatic renditions of this adventure, but you'll never find 93 minutes more perfectly capturing the grandeur of science and humanity working together to realize the impossible. This right stuff is right here in a grand documentary called, very simply, Apollo 11.
Beautifully restored footage details America's finest moment without bombast
samdlugach2 March 2019
Todd Douglas Miller's documentary Apollo 11 is a rich buffet of restored footage, clever image juxtaposition, and ingenious lip reading. There is SO MUCH newly-released footage, one gets the impression that 1/4 of the mission weight must've been cameras and film! Where have these images been for fifty years? There's no narration... just sounds and voices from the mission, peppered with occasional contemporaneous commentary from Walter Cronkite's legendary broadcasts. The film is a beautiful, visceral thrill ride, lovingly constructed, without aggrandizement... yet emotions soar. This is what America once was, and what it could be again, and I absolutely do not mean that in any jingoistic sense. Truly our finest moment. See it in IMAX if you can - IT IS WORTH IT.
Exciting material, dull presentation
winstonnc16 May 2019
OK, I couldn't see this in IMAX, which might have made the unearthed 65mm footage look spectacular. Otherwise, this is a rather pedestrian overview of flight. I was 26 then and remember the thrill of the event. Somehow this film doesn't capture the excitement. It's just a by-the-numbers, Readers Digest version of history. I rather preferred the older moon history, "For All Mankind," better.
A personal and memorable trip back to 1969
jimschultze14 March 2019
This film took me back to a time I'll never forget. I can vividly remember almost everything I did during those days in July, 1969.
I loved the fact that the narration was handled by using the recordings of the Public Affairs Officers during the mission. I think that's critical to the immersion factor of this film/documentary. Much of the footage at the launch pad was simply amazing and has never been seen before. The only visual NOT from 1969 is the occasional graphic illustrating an upcoming flight maneuver.
I was privileged to witness the Apollo 15 launch in 1971 and I will simply never forget the shock waves pulsating off my chest and column of liquid sunshine from those mighty F-1 engines as the Saturn V muscled its way into the Florida sky.
The inclusion of President Kennedy's moon challenge at the end was the absolutely perfect way to wrap up the story of "Apollo 11" and the satisfaction of a goal accomplished and a door opened to the future. This is what America is capable of achieving when we have the focus and the will to persevere and follow through. The question I'm left with is: "Do we still have the will to dream big and the courage to finish the course?"
I loved the fact that the narration was handled by using the recordings of the Public Affairs Officers during the mission. I think that's critical to the immersion factor of this film/documentary. Much of the footage at the launch pad was simply amazing and has never been seen before. The only visual NOT from 1969 is the occasional graphic illustrating an upcoming flight maneuver.
I was privileged to witness the Apollo 15 launch in 1971 and I will simply never forget the shock waves pulsating off my chest and column of liquid sunshine from those mighty F-1 engines as the Saturn V muscled its way into the Florida sky.
The inclusion of President Kennedy's moon challenge at the end was the absolutely perfect way to wrap up the story of "Apollo 11" and the satisfaction of a goal accomplished and a door opened to the future. This is what America is capable of achieving when we have the focus and the will to persevere and follow through. The question I'm left with is: "Do we still have the will to dream big and the courage to finish the course?"
Beautiful movie with one exception
Jim-50023 March 2019
THE SOUNDTRACK IS TOO LOUD. I know you're not supposed to use all caps when writing, because it makes it seem like you're shouting. But that's what it felt like in Apollo 11--like the soundtrack was shouted out by Lamb of God. I talked to the theatre manager and he said lots of people had complained about the sound as well. He also said he worked for the distribution company and they made the sound overly wrought on purpose, to create an immersive experience.
Well, they overdid it. I saw a few people leaving the theatre complaining about the sound. One was an elderly gentleman who said it was too much for his ears. A real shame, because it was an otherwise truly spectacular movie.
Well, they overdid it. I saw a few people leaving the theatre complaining about the sound. One was an elderly gentleman who said it was too much for his ears. A real shame, because it was an otherwise truly spectacular movie.
A technical masterpiece but not much else
nkgenovese-7283824 July 2019
Let's get this out of the way: Yes, this film is remarkable historical archive of the first space flight. It shows the hard work, the human ingenuity, and the sheer bravery of the people who went to the moon. This film is valuable if only as a look at what, in my opinion, might be the human race's greatest achievement.
That being said, the film is also really, really really boring. Technical competency aside, it is just incredibly tedious to watch all the shots of people looking concerned at computer panels. I, at least, thought the film could have done with closed captioning as I could not understand half of what anyone was saying and thus missed important context. Being unable to follow the dialogue, I actually found myself drifting off in the theater (which almost never happens to me). This movie is great for history buffs but most people would be better off and get just as much watching the original film of the moon landing.
That being said, the film is also really, really really boring. Technical competency aside, it is just incredibly tedious to watch all the shots of people looking concerned at computer panels. I, at least, thought the film could have done with closed captioning as I could not understand half of what anyone was saying and thus missed important context. Being unable to follow the dialogue, I actually found myself drifting off in the theater (which almost never happens to me). This movie is great for history buffs but most people would be better off and get just as much watching the original film of the moon landing.
I could not ask for a better movie than Apollo 11
marc-atkinson196112 March 2019
Whenever a NASA / space movie comes around, I usually give it the side-eye. We all know the story (but we really don't) about the complexities , risks, and triumphs. We all know who Tom Hanks is Apollo 13, Ed Harris is in the Right Stuff, and who Ryan Gosling tried to be (and failed miserably) is in First Man.
But this movie is fantastic, because there are no actors, no narration, and most refreshing of all: no political commentary jammed down our throats.
The movie opens with this menacing crunching and squeaking sound----like tank tracks. So, we all know what that is.....the Crawler: The ultimate slow, low-tech machine transporting the very front edge of engineering marvel.
The liftoff sequence had me riveted, as though not only was this the first time I was seeing it, but that I was there.
The cast is NASA, the stars are the engineers, and I have to thank Statement films, Douglas Todd Miller, and even CNN (ugh).
This is the best movie I've seen in years. Don't miss it. It has to be seen in the theater.
But this movie is fantastic, because there are no actors, no narration, and most refreshing of all: no political commentary jammed down our throats.
The movie opens with this menacing crunching and squeaking sound----like tank tracks. So, we all know what that is.....the Crawler: The ultimate slow, low-tech machine transporting the very front edge of engineering marvel.
The liftoff sequence had me riveted, as though not only was this the first time I was seeing it, but that I was there.
The cast is NASA, the stars are the engineers, and I have to thank Statement films, Douglas Todd Miller, and even CNN (ugh).
This is the best movie I've seen in years. Don't miss it. It has to be seen in the theater.
Beautiful Use of Archival Footage
a24wang4 August 2020
I'm at a loss for words. This documentary is complete perfection in every possible way. Not only does it showcase the incredible result of years of hard work and determination, but the pacing and gorgeous editing and soundtrack made this feel like 10 minutes and not 93, I honestly would gladly watch a 4 hour version of this. I'm so glad they didn't include any narration or interviews. The soundtrack really stood out to me, simply because it didn't stand out and go all dramatic and sentimental. instead, soundtrack, mission control audio and even moments of silence were beautifully woven together.
Wow! You really feel like you were there! Amazing!
prberg22 March 2019
This movie just took my breath away. We have all seen the Apollo 11 mission... But this movie just does it in a way where you feel like you were there. No sit down interviews.. just actual footage from the day and the mission. The footage looked so amazing.
The launch sequence just blew me away! So amazing in IMAX! I feel like we get a real view at the emotions of the people from the actual day. So amazing how the whole team succeeded with the entire Apollo program!
This movie is really powerful and a wonderful new take on the moon landing. Highly recommended!
The launch sequence just blew me away! So amazing in IMAX! I feel like we get a real view at the emotions of the people from the actual day. So amazing how the whole team succeeded with the entire Apollo program!
This movie is really powerful and a wonderful new take on the moon landing. Highly recommended!
Astonishingly good recounting of the 1969 mission to the Moon.
TxMike25 June 2019
This documentary was made using a lot of recently discovered film, much of it is high-definition, large format film. It truly gives amazing images.
But the story of course is the real meat here. I attended the same University as Armstrong, I had just graduated with my Master's when the Moon landing happened. I remember it well and will always have a connection, Armstrong and I walked the same college walkways, had classes in some of the same buildings, both watched the Boilermakers play football in the same stadium. Just a few years apart.
Recently I discovered separate online interviews with both Armstrong and Aldrin, in the documentary we see them as young men about to get the ride of a lifetime, then we see them nearer the end of their lives putting it all in perspective.
Great documentary, worth a viewing for anyone.
But the story of course is the real meat here. I attended the same University as Armstrong, I had just graduated with my Master's when the Moon landing happened. I remember it well and will always have a connection, Armstrong and I walked the same college walkways, had classes in some of the same buildings, both watched the Boilermakers play football in the same stadium. Just a few years apart.
Recently I discovered separate online interviews with both Armstrong and Aldrin, in the documentary we see them as young men about to get the ride of a lifetime, then we see them nearer the end of their lives putting it all in perspective.
Great documentary, worth a viewing for anyone.
I've seen this story before...watching the trailer makes me want to see that 70mm footage!!!
justin-fencsak27 February 2019
After FIrst Man won the oscar for Best VFX upsetting Avengers 3 on Sunday night, interest in the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 is at an all time high. This weekend marks a wide IMAX release of Apollo 11, a documentary composed of unseen 70mm footage of the moon landing and the work it took to make the event happen for billions of people watching on TV. I plan on seeing this movie soon as the release is only for one week only until Captain Marvel brings moviegoers back to theatres.
Absolutely Breathtaking!
yakster126 March 2019
Warning: Spoilers
After recently re-watching Apollo 13 and marveling at how accurate the special effects looked, to see the real deal is breathtaking. No models, blue screen or CGI required. I (and half the world) watched it as a kid but looking back I did not realize the enormity of it all. The Saturn V rocket itself was longer then a football field straight up in the air. Over one million people watching the launch live on the ground. Over half the world's population watched the landing on TV. With no narration and just the words of the astronauts and the people at Mission Control to guide us, I was on the edge of my seat watching velocity numbers increase and decrease accompanied by a pulsating music score. Another aspect that comes across in spades is these guys really did have "the right stuff". Calm and cool under extreme pressure. Check out Buzz Aldrin's heart rate on blast off. An amazing film that just shows what the human race can achieve when we apply ourselves.
VIEWS ON FILM review of Apollo 11
burlesonjesse59 March 2019
Warning: Spoilers
"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." Indeed.
In July of 1969, the spaceflight involving the first two people to land on the moon, is gloriously and masterfully depicted in Apollo 11 (my latest review). "Apollo" is shot in 70 mm, cut from thousands of hours of reel, baited in effective title cards, and contains cinematography from the actual astronauts involved (Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, and Michael Collins). Barely grainy, split-screened, and nevertheless revolutionary, you as the viewer feel like you're stuck in an outputted time warp.
Yup, it's official. "Apollo" is so far the best film of 2019 and the most heady since Kubrick's 2001. I left the theater elated and enthusiastic at what I just saw. Heck, Apollo 11 is the real "First Man", not the mediocre science fiction flick where Ryan Gosling plays a turgidly aloof Neil A. Armstrong.
Clocking in at a perfect 93 minutes, distributed by up-and-comer Neon, and containing archived restoration of the highest order, "Apollo" is a documentary without interviews, commentaries, narration, or whatever. Hey, its predictable true account just works and everyone from age 10 to 100 should check it out.
Director Todd Douglas Miller (a docu genius in the making) pulls you into "Apollo's" "in the moment" vision. He lets the actual people involved (no actors here) do the talking and his footage is so pristine and polished, your jaw will literary drop. After 50 years, I can't believe nobody thought about releasing this kind of maverick foresight earlier. Eat your heart out Paul Greengrass cause Apollo 11 is totally mind-blowing (and mind-boggling if you think about it).
"Apollo's" music by Ohio native Matt Morton, is an added bonus (it's fitting since most spacemen hail from the Buckeye State). It's stirring and Herculean and pounces in at all the right moments. Bottom line: Apollo 11 is the future of factual programs for years to come. Now all I gotta do is see Peter Jackson's They Shall Not Grow Old and my cinematic world will be complete. My highest rating: 4 stars.
In July of 1969, the spaceflight involving the first two people to land on the moon, is gloriously and masterfully depicted in Apollo 11 (my latest review). "Apollo" is shot in 70 mm, cut from thousands of hours of reel, baited in effective title cards, and contains cinematography from the actual astronauts involved (Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, and Michael Collins). Barely grainy, split-screened, and nevertheless revolutionary, you as the viewer feel like you're stuck in an outputted time warp.
Yup, it's official. "Apollo" is so far the best film of 2019 and the most heady since Kubrick's 2001. I left the theater elated and enthusiastic at what I just saw. Heck, Apollo 11 is the real "First Man", not the mediocre science fiction flick where Ryan Gosling plays a turgidly aloof Neil A. Armstrong.
Clocking in at a perfect 93 minutes, distributed by up-and-comer Neon, and containing archived restoration of the highest order, "Apollo" is a documentary without interviews, commentaries, narration, or whatever. Hey, its predictable true account just works and everyone from age 10 to 100 should check it out.
Director Todd Douglas Miller (a docu genius in the making) pulls you into "Apollo's" "in the moment" vision. He lets the actual people involved (no actors here) do the talking and his footage is so pristine and polished, your jaw will literary drop. After 50 years, I can't believe nobody thought about releasing this kind of maverick foresight earlier. Eat your heart out Paul Greengrass cause Apollo 11 is totally mind-blowing (and mind-boggling if you think about it).
"Apollo's" music by Ohio native Matt Morton, is an added bonus (it's fitting since most spacemen hail from the Buckeye State). It's stirring and Herculean and pounces in at all the right moments. Bottom line: Apollo 11 is the future of factual programs for years to come. Now all I gotta do is see Peter Jackson's They Shall Not Grow Old and my cinematic world will be complete. My highest rating: 4 stars.
Imax Candy
kgprophet7 March 2019
The main appeal for this film was to see launch footage and moon landing on the big Imax screen. Credit should be given to the film "For All Mankind", which also brought genuine NASA footage to the big screen. "For All Mankind" encapsulated the Apollo programs, so the producers had a larger collection of film to draw from. What is new with this film is the very narrow scope, just the actual Apollo 11 mission, with no real setup or interviews.
Thank God, because the story has been told a zillion times, and we just had "First Man" step us through the setup. The producers wanted to go for the big screen experience. Problem was, all that video footage from the moon that showed a lot of the action was unusable. The film that was shot during the mission I believe was 8mm, something that doesn't easily blow up well to the big screen. One saving grace were the still photos shot on the moon.
Unfortunately, not much time is spent on the lunar surface. In other documentaries, other media collected during subsequent missions gave a wider expanse of moon exploration. Here, roughly one day was spent on the surface. It is still an exhilarating experience, realising what we pulled off in 1969 was a dangerous stunt that had something like a 1 in 3 chance of success.
The film begins with the buildup to the launch. Appropriately, the editing consists mostly of wide shots. The clarity of the footage, enhanced for Imax, allows for scrutiny of smaller details. Tracking shots from helicopters are allowed to linger, giving the audience a chance to get a glimpse of fashion and the fascination of the tens of thousands of spectators surrounding the launch area.
You get a great appreciation of the size of the spacecraft and the complexity of the operation. The camera also lingers on the consoles at launch control. It seems almost science fiction how there were rows and rows of consoles, all filled with computer screens and a large array of buttons. The soundtrack consists almost entirely of communications made via radio headsets, with news reports providing some of the exposition.
Part of what makes a historical documentary come to life these days is the extra sound production. More time and care is given to flesh out the sounds, with digital fortitude. This also makes for an adrenaline pumping sequence with the long buildup to the launch. With the clear image and modern soundtrack, it is a thrilling experience to see on the big screen.
I enjoyed the throwback computer graphics, which deliberately was styled after the 1980s arcade game "Asteroids".
A good portion of the film finds a solution to the low quality film and video by going split screen, also a throwback style of editing that works here. The actual descent and launch from the moon is seen entirely through film footage shot from one angle out the window of the lunar module. Again, this is limited in scope, with very little to actually see, but the chatter that fills the soundtrack helps make up for it. Important milestones are chronicled, with the audience able to sense the need for everything to go perfect, and how something like one single firing sequence could go wrong and mean certain death.
Unlike "First Man", there are a couple moments that seem to catch Armstrong showing some emotion. One was during a video interview while the command module was returning to Earth, there was some pure appreciation of what had occurred, and how dangerous it was to pull it off. The other moment comes early in the film while we see the astronauts getting suited up. A montage of photos and films give a quick review of the three astronauts. One photo is of Armstrong looking at his son. The film cuts back to Armstrong getting suited up, looking away with the same expression on his face. This is a moment caught amongst all the official footage that reveals that Armstrong was probably thinking about his son at that moment.
I felt a special connection during the landing part of the mission. The U.S.S. Hornet was an aircraft carrier that was tasked to retrieve the astronauts and the spacecraft. It is now a museum in Oakland California. It was a thrill to see all the historic events that occurred on that ship that can be seen with your own eyes.
This documentary runs a brisk 93 minutes. It belongs in the same category as "They Shall Not Grow Old" in bringing enhanced historic footage to the big screen to create a "You are there" experience. You can definitely get a message from this movie, which is that you can achieve large goals with insurmountable odds. Something this country really hasn't done to this degree ever since.
Fans of this film should check out "For All Mankind" for more awesome lunar footage.
Thank God, because the story has been told a zillion times, and we just had "First Man" step us through the setup. The producers wanted to go for the big screen experience. Problem was, all that video footage from the moon that showed a lot of the action was unusable. The film that was shot during the mission I believe was 8mm, something that doesn't easily blow up well to the big screen. One saving grace were the still photos shot on the moon.
Unfortunately, not much time is spent on the lunar surface. In other documentaries, other media collected during subsequent missions gave a wider expanse of moon exploration. Here, roughly one day was spent on the surface. It is still an exhilarating experience, realising what we pulled off in 1969 was a dangerous stunt that had something like a 1 in 3 chance of success.
The film begins with the buildup to the launch. Appropriately, the editing consists mostly of wide shots. The clarity of the footage, enhanced for Imax, allows for scrutiny of smaller details. Tracking shots from helicopters are allowed to linger, giving the audience a chance to get a glimpse of fashion and the fascination of the tens of thousands of spectators surrounding the launch area.
You get a great appreciation of the size of the spacecraft and the complexity of the operation. The camera also lingers on the consoles at launch control. It seems almost science fiction how there were rows and rows of consoles, all filled with computer screens and a large array of buttons. The soundtrack consists almost entirely of communications made via radio headsets, with news reports providing some of the exposition.
Part of what makes a historical documentary come to life these days is the extra sound production. More time and care is given to flesh out the sounds, with digital fortitude. This also makes for an adrenaline pumping sequence with the long buildup to the launch. With the clear image and modern soundtrack, it is a thrilling experience to see on the big screen.
I enjoyed the throwback computer graphics, which deliberately was styled after the 1980s arcade game "Asteroids".
A good portion of the film finds a solution to the low quality film and video by going split screen, also a throwback style of editing that works here. The actual descent and launch from the moon is seen entirely through film footage shot from one angle out the window of the lunar module. Again, this is limited in scope, with very little to actually see, but the chatter that fills the soundtrack helps make up for it. Important milestones are chronicled, with the audience able to sense the need for everything to go perfect, and how something like one single firing sequence could go wrong and mean certain death.
Unlike "First Man", there are a couple moments that seem to catch Armstrong showing some emotion. One was during a video interview while the command module was returning to Earth, there was some pure appreciation of what had occurred, and how dangerous it was to pull it off. The other moment comes early in the film while we see the astronauts getting suited up. A montage of photos and films give a quick review of the three astronauts. One photo is of Armstrong looking at his son. The film cuts back to Armstrong getting suited up, looking away with the same expression on his face. This is a moment caught amongst all the official footage that reveals that Armstrong was probably thinking about his son at that moment.
I felt a special connection during the landing part of the mission. The U.S.S. Hornet was an aircraft carrier that was tasked to retrieve the astronauts and the spacecraft. It is now a museum in Oakland California. It was a thrill to see all the historic events that occurred on that ship that can be seen with your own eyes.
This documentary runs a brisk 93 minutes. It belongs in the same category as "They Shall Not Grow Old" in bringing enhanced historic footage to the big screen to create a "You are there" experience. You can definitely get a message from this movie, which is that you can achieve large goals with insurmountable odds. Something this country really hasn't done to this degree ever since.
Fans of this film should check out "For All Mankind" for more awesome lunar footage.
Accurate Information
andypalmerap-2732926 February 2019
This is the story of apollo 11's moonshot program in documentary style as filmed at the time. the saturn V rocket that took apollo 11 to the moon was designed by german rocket engineers from the second world war (see nasa official website).
I remember watching the apollo program on tv and stayed up very late when they landed on the moon. cant wait for a blue-ray release when i can watch at home as well.
Soundtrack kills a beautiful experience
emkt_o21 May 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Trivia states: "The electronic music soundtrack was played entirely on instruments available in 1969." But it sure sounds like they're using a 2019 Korg Minilogue which mimics the 1969 analogue Moog. And it totally takes anyone who listened to any moog in 1969 watching today out of the picture when you hear the yes "too loud soundtrack." (as another reviewer stated)
This seemed like it was going to be a magnificent cinema verite at the beginning, using only real sounds of the time, but they creators fell into the old bugaboo fearing viewers would be bored when the space scenes had no real recorded sound. Then they dump in the bogue audio and you realize: I guess I'm too old for the intended audience.
Even fake rocket sounds would have been better... Or bleeps, bloops and a theremin...
This seemed like it was going to be a magnificent cinema verite at the beginning, using only real sounds of the time, but they creators fell into the old bugaboo fearing viewers would be bored when the space scenes had no real recorded sound. Then they dump in the bogue audio and you realize: I guess I'm too old for the intended audience.
Even fake rocket sounds would have been better... Or bleeps, bloops and a theremin...
New footage proves what a vast enterprise the Apollo 11 mission was, but lacks the human perspective
Turfseer27 November 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Director Todd Douglas Miller got a hold of previously unreleased 70mm footage of the 1969 Apollo 11 moon mission and put together this grand opus which almost feels like it's in real time (well not quite). There is no narration except for some periodic news reports of the time including those from Walter Cronkite, whose familiar voice elicited a great deal of nostalgic feeling for me (as I was a mere babe of 16 years at the time of this historic event).
Miller's expert editing will undoubtedly remind those of us with dim memories what a vast enterprise the Apollo 11 mission turned out to be. Miller's documentary certainly has its moments-from the giant equipment utilized to propel the Apollo 11 rocket into space, the incredible power of the launch itself, the excitement of the first moonwalk and the tension at Mission Control, as the lunar capsule may or may not successfully navigate its way back to earth in those startling scenes of re-entry.
Despite Miller's technical triumph, not only is Apollo 11 way too long, it lacks the a human perspective-there are simply no interviews (including with the Apollo 11 astronauts Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins) which might add some suspense and excitement to the story. The camera pans through Mission Control numerous times but despite catching a glimpse of all those people who contributed to the incredible effort, we never get to hear from any of them!
Fifty years has now come and gone, and flights to the moon have stopped. I wonder why that is. Could it be that there was nothing really to discover there in the first place? What was the big revelation when Armstrong brought back his soil samples and rocks? Indeed, there is no question of the bravery of the three astronauts in completing the mission-but ultimately perhaps the planners should have consulted Ecclesiastes 1:9: "there is nothing new under the sun."
Miller's expert editing will undoubtedly remind those of us with dim memories what a vast enterprise the Apollo 11 mission turned out to be. Miller's documentary certainly has its moments-from the giant equipment utilized to propel the Apollo 11 rocket into space, the incredible power of the launch itself, the excitement of the first moonwalk and the tension at Mission Control, as the lunar capsule may or may not successfully navigate its way back to earth in those startling scenes of re-entry.
Despite Miller's technical triumph, not only is Apollo 11 way too long, it lacks the a human perspective-there are simply no interviews (including with the Apollo 11 astronauts Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins) which might add some suspense and excitement to the story. The camera pans through Mission Control numerous times but despite catching a glimpse of all those people who contributed to the incredible effort, we never get to hear from any of them!
Fifty years has now come and gone, and flights to the moon have stopped. I wonder why that is. Could it be that there was nothing really to discover there in the first place? What was the big revelation when Armstrong brought back his soil samples and rocks? Indeed, there is no question of the bravery of the three astronauts in completing the mission-but ultimately perhaps the planners should have consulted Ecclesiastes 1:9: "there is nothing new under the sun."
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