From the Earth to the Moon

[Lightning Steve]

I know this is an older series but I just picked this up at BB for 50% off ($27). I had caught a couple of episodes on TV and really enjoyed it so was happy to get the whole thing.
Now I was born in 62 so lived through this period but there was a lot I didn't know about, plus growing up with Star Trek, space exploration and the Moon landings didn't seem that big of a deal to me at the time. Now watching this and having a better understanding of what took place and the effort and risks involved, it really was one of Mans greatest feats.
If you haven't seen this series, you really should watch it. I found it to be really enjoyable and very well done.
Also picked up "The right stuff", $9, to help round out my space movie collection.

 

[mtrycrafts]

I know this is an older series but I just picked this up at BB for 50% off ($27). I had caught a couple of episodes on TV and really enjoyed it so was happy to get the whole thing.
Now I was born in 62 so lived through this period but there was a lot I didn't know about, plus growing up with Star Trek, space exploration and the Moon landings didn't seem that big of a deal to me at the time. Now watching this and having a better understanding of what took place and the effort and risks involved, it really was one of Mans greatest feats.
If you haven't seen this series, you really should watch it. I found it to be really enjoyable and very well done.
Also picked up "The right stuff", $9, to help round out my space movie collection.

That is great to hear, thanks for the feedback.
Yes, those days were the interesting ones. Hopefully you will be around for the Mars mission? And beyond? Or that is for grand kids.

 

[astrodon]

I really liked this series too. Also, I feel that The Right Stuff is one of the best movies ever made. I really like the sound track to The Right Stuff too. Too bad this sound track is impossible to find anymore. I grew up during the Space Race which had a big impact on me becoming an astronomer.

As for Mars, I think it's unlikely that humans will get there even during the lifetimes of the current generation's grand kids. A Mars mission is far too expensive and in our "immediate profits at all costs" mentality that country current has, I don't see a manned Mars mission happening for some time to come. Its a real pity, 2001: A Space Odyssey promised me hotels in space and lunar bases by now. What happened?

 

[Joe Schmoe]

I wasn't sure if that one would be interesting or boring because of the length. Thanks for the heads-up. (FWIW I was also born in '62.)

 

[Audioholics]

From the Earth ot the Moon is my favorite DVD set of all time. I would pick it over Lord of the Rings if I were trapped on a Desert Island.

 

[KevInCinci]

As a former NASA historian, I can tell you that "From the Earth to the Moon" is in a different league in terms of realism/accuracy than "The Right Stuff." The HBO guys really did their homework and worked with some of the best veterans of the space program to get things rights. As John Glenn told me about The Right Stuff, "The movie was lousy, but Tom Wolfe's coverage in the book, I thought, wasn't bad at all." I guess that's what happens when you've got to simplify things for dramatic purposes. That said, the movie is definitely on my shelf, too, since it's hard to get visitors to sit through a 12-part miniseries, but not so tought to get them to watch "The Right Stuff." What's harder is to keep them from rolling their eyes when I annoy them by pointing out all the inaccuracies !

Cheers,

Kevin

 

[Lightning Steve]

Thanks, thats good to know. Enjoyed every minute of FTETTM!

 

[race4aliving]

From The Earth To The Moon was a great mini series. I'm going to pick that one up for sure.
I consider the space program the father of our modern technical based living. the stuff they invented and then developed for their missions have changed the way we all live. With the use of almost everything we now use coming from or refined by the space race.
I'm all for starting a program to get us to mars, it would be great for pride pluse the benefits we'd reap from the trickle down tech. would just blow our minds.

 

[astrodon]

As a former NASA historian, I can tell you that "From the Earth to the Moon" is in a different league in terms of realism/accuracy than "The Right Stuff." The HBO guys really did their homework and worked with some of the best veterans of the space program to get things rights. As John Glenn told me about The Right Stuff, "The movie was lousy, but Tom Wolfe's coverage in the book, I thought, wasn't bad at all." I guess that's what happens when you've got to simplify things for dramatic purposes. That said, the movie is definitely on my shelf, too, since it's hard to get visitors to sit through a 12-part miniseries, but not so tought to get them to watch "The Right Stuff." What's harder is to keep them from rolling their eyes when I annoy them by pointing out all the inaccuracies !

Cheers,

Kevin

I agree with your statements about The Right Stuff in terms of its accuarcy, and the "firefly" part about John Glenn's flight really rubbed me the wrong way. But even with these minor annoyances, I still really liked this movie.

P.S. I still remember John Glenn's flight since it was on my 5th birthday!

 

[KevInCinci]

The personalities of the astronauts was probably the most accurate thing in "The Right Stuff," if somewhat exaggerated. Gus probably wasn't quite as grumpy and I think they mixed in some of Scott Carpenter's wonder of being in orbit with Glenn's firefly episode. It could've also used much more of Wally Schirra's sense of humor. I'm not sure why that was downplayed, since it would make for great comic relief.

The timing of the movie was interesting. it came out around the time the shuttle program was starting up and NASA was doing all it could to shed itself of the "fighter jock" mentality played to the hilt in the movie. But hey, anything that promotes interest in the space program is ok by my standards (expect maybe those despicable "did we land on the moon" Fox specials!).

Cheers,

Kevin