I want to put in a plug for the HBO series "From the
Earth to the Moon", which is now out on video. Can't
recommend it strongly enough. The producers didn't trot out their
version of the standards (the first landing, the Apollo 13
accident, the Apollo I accident, etc), but focus on relatively
obscure events in the space program:
- Grummond's construction of the LEM
- The geology of the moon (in what I think are the two most
joyful episodes, 10 and 12)
- Apollo 12's camera catastrophe
- Alan Shephard's grounding
In the cases where they do cover the standards, they do so
from a completely different angle. The Apollo I episode focuses
on the investigation. The Apollo 13 episode has an interesting
take on the shift in journalistic practices. The Apollo 11
episode focuses on Buzz Aldrin.
With the exception of episodes 10 and 12, there is no real
need to see them in order.
The acting is all low-key and natural. Even a hack like Rita
Wilson manages to come through with distinction. The guy playing
Frank Boorman was unknown to me, and delivered my favorite
performance. Mark Harmon was surprisingly good as Wally Shirra.
Stephen Root as Chris Craft, Lane Smith as the old-school
reporter are all very solid. Kevin Pollak and James Rebmar are
superb in the Apollo I ep. And a bunch of people who you'll have
to look up in the IMD to figure out where the hell you've seen
them before.
Having seen all but one, the weakest episode was the one on
Shepard--it was curiously uninvolving. Also, I didn't care for
the portions of the last episode that focused on the French film.
I fastforwarded through to the good stuff--the last moon landing.
