For All Mankind [Blu-ray]

Without a doubt, this is one of the finest Blu Ray discs I own, not just for the fascinating and well done documentary, but for the total immersion in the Apollo Experience that new transfer (both video and audio) provides. It is STUNNING; there is no other way to describe 80 minutes of pure perfection.

The film that was brought back from the moon, original film elements, were used in the creation of this documentary to begin with when it was first compiled into an intriguing film some 20 years ago. With the advent of the new digital remaster, the film looks COMPLETELY different; so much so that my 12 year old daughter thought that the scenes shot on the Rover were special effects! Imagine her surprise when I told her that was actual moon mission footage, and it was as real and as untouched as if she herself were to take it using a camera. I don't think she ever grasped that fully. In any case, the video is INCREDIBLE.

The audio of this wonderful film is provided by the voices of the astronauts and their machinery as well as an ambient soundtrack by Brian Eno. The music fully immerses you in its wondrous and enveloping score. The new transfer of the Eno audio soundtrack really cannot be adequately described...it is truly a masterpiece, because it becomes part of the film; it IS the film...it literally feels like part of the missions represented in this documentary. You are surrounded by these voices and machines and this incredible, incredible score by Eno...and it is truly an experience.

I've had the film on DVD for a number of years and it has always been one of my favorites (these guys were all my heroes growing up in the 60s and 70s and I'm a NASA buff). With the new Blu Ray presentation, Criterion has pulled out all the stops. As I watched, I was just shaking my head at just how phenomenal a disc this is; that it could be SO much better than my original DVD copy (which was no slouch either, and I have an upscaling DVD player too that made it look great...but NOTHING like THIS!)

With the 40th Anniversary of our first steps in the playground of the Universe upon us, this Blu Ray makes you realize just how much more there is so see out there and why we need to return to the stars...and how much we need to take care of this fragile world (and each other) as well. Highly recommended...and highly inspirational.

This is a re-issue of a previous release by the Criterion Collection but features a brand new transfer of the film, which looks fantastic. All of the previous extra material has been carried over.

There is an audio commentary by filmmaker Al Reinert and astronaut Eugene Cernan, the last man to set foot on the Moon. Reinert provides some insight into how the film came together. He went through thousands of hours of footage and managed to put together an 80-minute film. Cernan shares some of his experiences about what it was like to be an astronaut at that time.

New to this edition is "An Accidental Gift: The Making of For All Mankind," a 30-minute retrospective documentary. Reinert always wanted to see this outer space/Moon footage on the big screen and this was the impetus for the film. He got his start as a journalist covering NASA in the early 1980s. Through his contacts he got access to their film archives and found footage that had never been shown. This is an excellent look at how For All Mankind came together.

Also new is "On Camera," a compilation of on-camera interviews Reinert conducted with 15 of the Apollo astronauts. In the film itself only the audio is used and it is nice to put a face to the voice.

"Painting from the Moon" is an updating of an extra on the original edition. After retiring from NASA, astronaut Alan Bean became a painter and this is a gallery of his work with commentary.

"NASA Audio Highlights" is a collection of 21 soundbites from the first ten years of the American space program. Some of the most famous words have spoken during this time, including Neil Armstrong's immortal words.

Finally, there is "3, 2, 1 . . . Blast Off!" a collection of launch footage of various rockets taking off for outer space.

Containing eighty minutes of amazing footage from Apollo missions to the moon, this newly restored high-definition digital transfer, from producer -director Al Reinert, takes an already amazing product, and makes it look and sound better. From Criterion Collection, this new release hit shelves on July 14th, and is sure to wow those interested in the footage of trips to the moon.

Reinert has done a remarkable job of gathering often never before seen footage of the adventures of the twenty-four astronauts who travelled to the moon. Combining said footage with an enchanting sound track by Brian Eno makes for an interesting look at some exciting footage.

Though Reinert may be a fine documentarian, he fails as a storyteller in this outing. By combining all the footage into a single trip to the moon, he confuses the audience as they try to determine whose voice is being heard, and why the faces continue to change. Once the film has ended, and some of the bonus material is viewed, you get a better idea of the goal, and the optional on-screen identifications do help, but it is not the combining of footage into one story that is the true tragedy in storytelling here. The omission of information regarding the return from the moon, re-entry, splash down, and simple questions such as; what is it like when that hatch is opened for the first time back on earth, or what is it like to step foot on earth again? It's somewhat laughable that in the bonus feature "An Accidental Gift: The Making of: For All Mankind" Reinert explains his reasoning for not telling the entire story, as he states that he felt the return was anti-climactic. Actually, it is the definition of climactic, and completely necessary to this tale.

Other bonus features include: Audio commentary featuring Reinert and Apollo 17 commander Eugene A. Cernan, the last man to set foot on the Moon, On Camera, a collection of excerpted, on-screen interviews with fifteen of the Apollo astronauts, A short piece on astronaut Alan Bean and his artwork, NASA audio highlights and liftoff footage, and A booklet featuring essays by film critic Terrence Rafferty and Reinert. In many cases the bonus material helps to round out the feature.

There is no question that the footage in this release is spectacular, but combining the footage with the interviews found in the bonus material, and allowing the footage to stand on its own rather than trying to combine it into one trip to the moon, would have made for a better viewing experience. The addition of the experiences of the astronauts on the return from the moon, are crucial to rounding out this project.

Recommendation: Great piece of history that makes for an educational and entertaining viewing experience, especially for those too young to remember the events. Could have and should have been a more complete piece of storytelling.

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