For All Mankind - Criterion Collection

Amazon.com essential video

And you thought Titanic was pricey--this dazzling documentary comes courtesy of the hundreds of millions of dollars NASA spent on moon shots, ethereally gorgeous footage that had never been seen until journalist Al Reinert, who had covered NASA for magazines prior to this film, got his hands on it. (Reinert subsequently coscripted Ron Howard's acclaimed Apollo 13.)

Reinert sifted through 6 million feet of film footage and 80 hours of interviews with astronauts, which serve as humble voice-overs for the lyrical imagery, and he assembled all this into a unique experience which was nominated for a Best Documentary Oscar. Brian Eno's lovely, atmospheric score evokes the sense of peace the astronauts say they felt while floating through space; the film's spiritual quality is as affecting as its breathtaking visuals. "There was a great deal of difficulty paying attention to what our job was," admits one astronaut, and you can see why.

A major caveat--while this is mind-blowing on the big screen, it may be less impressive on your TV. Or, you can simply sit up real close. Who would've guessed that NASA was also a training ground for cinematographers? --David Kronke

Description

In July 1969, the space race ended when Apollo 11 fulfilled President Kennedy's challenge of "landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth." No one who witnessed the lunar landing will ever forget it. Breathtaking both in the scope of its vision and the exhilaration of the human emotions it captures, For All Mankind is the story of the 24 men who traveled to the Moon-told in their words, in their voices, using the images of their experiences. Criterion is proud to present Al Reinert's award-winning documentary in a new special edition.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing Visual Representation of the Apollo Program.......2007-06-22

This is not a point by point exploration of historical events but it is certainly a documentary in that it explores historical events though visual images and recorded interviews. It is an overview in montage of the Apollo program. If you are a stodgy historical stickler then find another film. However, if you are looking for a stunningly beautiful snapshot of one of the most amazing endeavors in human history then this is for you. For all Mankind will fire the imagination and inspire the mind.

Looks more like a lavish promo for NASA than a documentary.......2007-06-06

I guess it depends on how much footage of the Apollo missions you want to watch, but you get decidedly more viewing pleasure for the buck with the HBO series, From the Earth to the Moon - The Signature Edition, which also had unlimited access to NASA in making this documentary -- 720 minutes as opposed to 79 minutes plus whatever extras Criterion tossed in. For All Mankind is visually appealling but it doesn't give you anywhere near the depth of information that the HBO series provides, plus it loses much of its appeal on the small screen.

Excellent.......2007-01-23

Such a huge subject. Well covered and very moving using nothing but actual taped communication from astronauts and capcom. Not narrated so not particularly great as reference material, but very powerful in getting the message across.

Go for the moon.......2007-01-08

Apparently there are some historical inaccuracies in this movie. But I think if you take this DVD as more of a visual representation of the experience of exploring space and the moon then it is very good. It was very different from what I expected. having been a fan of the Eno record for almost 20 years, I expected it to be more contemplative. It starts out with JFK declaring that we are going to the moon and then proceeds to follow all the seps from preparation of the astronauts to the voyage and finally to langing on the moon and finally return to Earth. There are constant comments by the astronauts regarding space travel and their conversations with the control center. This I agree gives sometimes the false impression that we are watching a documentary. Brian Eno's music is discreetly in the background, more discreetly than I thought actually which is slightly disappointing.

never forget.......2007-01-07

We should never forget the greatest achievement ever. The Apollo 13 movie was just a movie, this is the real thing. If you have never seen it live, buy this DVD. Far better than what we see nowadays from the shuttles that never leave the earth's orbit.

DVD:

DVD

DVD