Author Topic: Film: The Last Man on the Moon  (Read 12829 times)

Online jacqmans

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Film: The Last Man on the Moon
« on: 02/25/2016 07:24 am »
Trailer

Jacques :-)

Offline Proponent

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Re: Film: The Last Man on the Moon
« Reply #1 on: 02/25/2016 07:43 am »
Pet peeve:  A 200-series (i.e., Saturn IB) S-IVB ignition being passed off as a 500-series.

Offline Borklund

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Re: Film: The Last Man on the Moon
« Reply #2 on: 02/25/2016 08:46 am »
Very excited to see this. Unfortunately there is an ocean between me and the nearest screenings, so I'm going to have to wait for the blu-ray release. It's available for pre-order on Amazon.com for anyone else who is interested: http://www.amazon.com/Last-Man-Moon-Blu-ray/dp/B01BT1W1N2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1456344818&sr=8-1

Offline MATTBLAK

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Re: Film: The Last Man on the Moon
« Reply #3 on: 02/25/2016 09:33 am »
I looked at the Amazon link but saw no information about whether it is region-free or not - even though it is BDR. Does anyone know if it's going to be region-free, as some documentaries are?
« Last Edit: 02/25/2016 09:34 am by MATTBLAK »
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Offline Borklund

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Re: Film: The Last Man on the Moon
« Reply #4 on: 02/25/2016 12:01 pm »
I hadn't even thought of that. I am so used to either region free or digital releases. Anyway, a bunch of people have asked that very question on their Facebook page only a few hours ago, and the makers said they'd get back with an answer "soon": https://www.facebook.com/thelastmanonthemoon/posts/525702094257991. There might even be a downloadable version.

Offline eric z

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Re: Film: The Last Man on the Moon
« Reply #5 on: 02/25/2016 12:20 pm »
 Proponet's point reminds me of stuff like on "I Dream of Jeannie" where Major Nelson can be on 3 different rockets while climbing to orbit!
  Can't wait to pre-order this film, thanks for the heads-up. ;D

Offline Zed_Noir

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Re: Film: The Last Man on the Moon
« Reply #6 on: 02/25/2016 01:14 pm »
I looked at the Amazon link but saw no information about whether it is region-free or not - even though it is BDR. Does anyone know if it's going to be region-free, as some documentaries are?

The Amazon US listing indicated it is NTSC format and the Blu-Ray.com website (link) says the playback is:
Quote
Playback
Region A (B, C untested)

The DVD version from Amazon US is NTSC all regions.

Offline MATTBLAK

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Re: Film: The Last Man on the Moon
« Reply #7 on: 02/25/2016 09:44 pm »
Thanks - I'll have to change my pre order to ordinary DVD then.
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Offline MattMason

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Re: Film: The Last Man on the Moon
« Reply #8 on: 05/31/2016 12:57 pm »
Length: 1 hr 36 min
Director and Screenplay: Mark Craig
Website: http://thelastmanonthemoon.com/

Based on astronaut Gene Cernan's 1999 autobiography, the film is a densely packed and digestible version of Gene's life that mirrors the high points of the book fairly well.

As does the book, Gene begins with a not-so-short introduction to his Wisconsin birthplace and family and his life as a U.S. Navy pilot. While entertaining, it's not until 15 minutes into the film where the pace picks up as he and his ex-wife, Barbara Cernan Butler, recount how she encouraged Cernan, clearly quite the amazing people about the infant manned space program, to consider applying for the third round of astronauts. Much to his surprise, he gets the job.

The film uses many great archival photos, a little animation, and short film segments as he begins his training. As he does in the book, Cernan gives a substantial portion of the film to speak of astronauts Elliot See and Charlie Bassett, the original prime crew of Gemini 9 before they were killed in a jet crash at the McDonnell Douglas facility where their spacecraft was being built. Backup crew Tom Stafford and Cernan were flying behind in the inclement weather that claimed See and Bassett. The film has rarely-seen segments of See and Bassett in training with their backup team.

The film also pulls out some great computer animation and live-action simulation of Gene's missions, starting with Gemini 9. In particular, they illustrate Cernan's near-disastrous EVA to use a manned maneuvering unit, fighting a fogged visor and extreme fatigue. His struggle inspired Buzz Aldrin to help in developing better techniques for work in future EVAs.

The film lets you enjoy quite a bit of personal accounts from Barbara Cernan Butler, their daughter Tracy, personal photos of the astronaut families at play and parties, and from major people in the space program, including Christopher Kraft, Gene Kranz, Tom Stafford, Dick Gordon, and Alan Bean.  Cernan shows his humble side as he and Dick Gordon discuss the decisions that ultimately sent Gene on the final Apollo mission and not Dick, who was clearly disappointed not to be commander after his command module pilot work on Apollo 12.

Cernan also takes us into his friendship with Roger Chaffee and his wife Martha, who speaks in the film about the Apollo 1 fire that claimed her husband's life. After 50 years, she still was unable to hold back her tears in her account. One grim photo I've never seen was shown: the charred, incomplete remains of one of the Apollo 1 crew's space suits, ostensibly Chaffee's.

The footage on Apollo 10 was fascinating. They did a fair, but not very illustrative job of the ascent staging incident that caused Snoopy to pitch in a forward spin several times before Tom Stafford regained control: The closest time that an Apollo spacecraft met a near-tragedy in lunar space until Apollo 13. A computer generated illustration of this event would have been more illuminating, not to mention exciting.

Surprisingly the coverage on Apollo 17's mission is light, as if that were less important than the effect it had on Cernan and his family, which perhaps was a better way to emphasize matters. After that mission, Cernan made speeches and travel his livelihood, straining an already-strained marriage with Barbara, who just wanted some normalcy. It's clear, despite their divorce, that Barbara and Gene remain respect for each other as both appear truthful in how Gene never shook the trained selfishness that astronauts learned during the moon mission programs.

The film ends with Cernan's introduction of his second wife, and how he travels often, making a living with signings and speeches. While the film shows others of note in the space program at such events, such as Buzz Aldrin, the film lacks the book's certain distaste for Aldrin's perceived over-zealousness (while noting his clear competency) during his time in the space program that clearly ruffled Cernan's feathers, if not others.

The film ends on Cernan's ranch, something he vowed to recreate for himself as he had in his childhood, with drinks and talks with a pilot friend from his Navy days, and concludes with Cernan's last words from the moon just before the Lunar Module Challenger lifts off to return to the Command Module America, and home.

The Last Man on the Moon is available on Blu-Ray and DVD and video-on-demand services such as iTunes, Google Play, YouTube and Amazon, as well as Netflix (where I enjoyed watching it).
« Last Edit: 05/31/2016 12:59 pm by MattMason »
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Offline Oersted

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Re: Film: The Last Man on the Moon
« Reply #9 on: 05/31/2016 07:33 pm »
Trailer:

 - That's a no-brainer: gonna watch this ASAP!
« Last Edit: 05/31/2016 07:35 pm by Oersted »

Offline MATTBLAK

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Re: Film: The Last Man on the Moon
« Reply #10 on: 05/31/2016 07:39 pm »
I have my copy and I enjoyed it very much! Some melancholia in it, though, as you might expect.
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Offline Borklund

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Re: Film: The Last Man on the Moon
« Reply #11 on: 06/01/2016 06:05 pm »

Offline A8-3

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Re: Film: The Last Man on the Moon
« Reply #12 on: 06/01/2016 06:14 pm »
This is an excellent film. My wife enjoyed it as much as I did. I can't recommend it enough. See it.

Offline MattMason

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Re: Film: The Last Man on the Moon
« Reply #13 on: 06/01/2016 06:42 pm »
Already a thread about this film http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=39665.0

Thank you. A pretty intense search turned up zilch for me.
"Why is the logo on the side of a rocket so important?"
"So you can find the pieces." -Jim, the Steely Eyed

Offline MattMason

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Re: Film: The Last Man on the Moon
« Reply #14 on: 06/01/2016 06:46 pm »
Unable to find this original thread, I added my review here.

Mods, please merge the threads when you have time.
"Why is the logo on the side of a rocket so important?"
"So you can find the pieces." -Jim, the Steely Eyed

Offline Dalhousie

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Re: Film: The Last Man on the Moon
« Reply #15 on: 06/01/2016 10:30 pm »
I'll be hearing Gene Cernan speak tonight, so will get this DVD as soon as I can.
Apologies in advance for any lack of civility - it's unintended

Offline mike robel

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Re: Film: The Last Man on the Moon
« Reply #16 on: 06/01/2016 10:39 pm »
I enjoyed the film.

Offline Kansan52

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Re: Film: The Last Man on the Moon
« Reply #17 on: 06/01/2016 10:41 pm »
Saw him when the dedicated his statue here. Molded on his moon suit. The bronze includes a bit of gold foil from the Command module.

Offline punder

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Re: Film: The Last Man on the Moon
« Reply #18 on: 06/01/2016 10:42 pm »
It's available on NetFlix streaming. Saw it a few nights ago... fascinating. Had never seen suit photo either. Can't get it out of my head.

Offline Borklund

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Re: Film: The Last Man on the Moon
« Reply #19 on: 06/03/2016 12:37 am »
Saw it; very entertaining and moving all at the same time. Nearly brought me to tears twice.

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