For All Mankind (The Criterion Collection)

For All Mankind (The Criterion Collection)

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Movie Reviews of For All Mankind (The Criterion Collection)

Movie Review: Preparation to Splashdown, Creatively Presented
Summary: 5 Stars

Reinert also wanted to use a generic approach instead of muddling everything up with astronaut identifications (which is actually an option in the subtitles) that might have turned 79 minutes of enjoyment into a technical approach that takes away from the FEELING of the race to the Moon. And all the astronauts, Reinert said, had no problem with that decision. There are enough documentaries and docudramas out there. In my opinion, the intent of this film was simply to place the majority of the world into the cockpit or LEM, buckle that seatbelt and enjoy the ride, since 99.99% or more of us don't have the opportunity to even ride supersonic, let alone even fly into space or even experience zero gravity.

The joy in watching FAM was in how Reinert simply found a way to let us feel the anticipation and drama of preparing for these trips "and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard," as President John F. Kennedy says in his Rice University speech. The quotes that Reinert lifted from the speech empowered the rest of the movie, that Reinert combined the different missions to create a display of a generic preparation- to- splashdown film.

It's such a long journey from Earth orbit to the lunar surface, and in that time, there's so much time to wait. In the way Reinert edited his movie (note that he NEVER said it's a documentary), he did a wonderful job of showing the down time that an astronaut had during that journey. Pop on the optional track where Reinert and astronaut Gene Cernan discuss the projects (the movie and Moon race project) to an even finer detail to get the most out of this DVD.

The package deserves 5 stars in my opinion. There was nothing that I didn't like, except that it wasn't longer. I first knew of FAM while surfing local channels and saw this great piece with a fresh musical track accompanying it. I taped what I could and held on to the hopes of this appearing in a digital format. What also sold me was the musical score by Brian Eno. He has a way of making music sound timeless, and the score he created still sounds just as fresh.

The folks at Criterion did a marvelous job to deliver a great DVD package (details below), and I wouldn't hesitate to purchase this again.

For those who harp about not knowing who is talking or who is being shown in the movie, the DVD has options to see who is speaking through the subtitles. Another set of subtitles is presented as an option to view simply who is on the screen at the time. I did not get this to view manned space exploration in chronological order (you can get this by viewing the Spacecraft Films series of Apollo, Gemini and the Saturns which have none of the excitement and human interest that FAM does). I just wanted a fresh view of the journey to the Moon, and Reinert delivered exceptionally well, in my opinion.

Technical details: 79 minutes in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.33:1; digital transfer from a 35mm print from original NASA stock footage; original mono track was digitally prepared and output as Dolby Digital 5.1 stereo; optional audio commentary by Reinert and Gene Cernan, Apollo 17 commander; paintings with audio commentary by Apollo/ Skylab astronaut and artist Alan Bean; liftoff audio and film footage from NASA; English subtitles with astronaut identifications; onscreen identifications of President Kennedy, astronauts and key NASA mission control specialists; DVD box says this is an RSDL dual- layer edition, also; 3- page, C- folding pamphlet with Apollo astronaut IDs, production credits and foreword by Reinert.

PS- One piece of stock footage that is recognizable is during staging when one of the rocket's rings is ejected. You know it, the ring floats off with flames inside it? It's incredible to see what the camera inside the ring shows, and Reinert describes in his comments how the footage is actually shot and recovered.

Summary of For All Mankind (The Criterion Collection)

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