See the past. See the future. Imagine the possibilities.
We’re sitting in the IMAX Theater at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It’s dark and we’re wearing our special 3-D goggles as we wait to watch “Magnificent Desolation” produced by Tom Hanks, the movie about landing on the moon. First, in interviews with kids we find out their ideas about space and space programs, their thoughts about the future.
The moon rover leaves the spacecraft and lands on the moon, flicking up moon rocks as the wheels hit the surface. A couple of small pieces shoot off, flying towards us and at first we duck, as those rocks aim straight for our faces.
The door opens and the astronaut begins a slow backward descent down the ladder, slowly, slowly until he sets foot on the moon surface. We are there, we are on the moon too, a short distance from the rover. It is magnificent and it sure is desolate, the landscape unlike anything we’ve ever seen before, except in movies or in our imaginations. It sure is isolated too, and there’s nothing there on the ancient pitted surface to use as a reference. It’s awe-inspiring—imagine seeing the earth from way back here, to see how small it is really. The view makes us think of peace and mankind—why can’t we all live together there on earth in harmony?
The astronaut, in his bulky suit, turns and walks right up to us.
Such is the power of this movie that we do experience the moon landings. Vicariously, it’s true, but for most of us that’s the closest we’ll ever get.
Do they use actual footage taken on the Moon?
If you recall, the ‘conspiracy theorists’ think the whole thing was shot on a movie set … I’m just thinking this might add ammuntion to their cause (although, of course. they didn’t have Imax in those days)
Was this the series they showed on the FX-UK TV channel last year? If so, full marks for realism.
As far as I know, they use actual footage. Tom Hanks is also the guy who played the lead in the movie Apollo 13, so he’s got a pretty good idea of what’s what.
Yeah, we know about the conspiracy theorists, and those concerns are investigated openly and closely at the Space Center. When you see all the info, artefacts etc that are at the Space Center, the whole idea of the conspiracy theory being any more than just a theory becomes very far-fetched.
Not sure what was on the UK TV—maybe some of the same stuff.