NEW Apollo 13 (DVD)

 

 

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Are you old enough to remember the space race and the first time an American set foot on the Moon? The Apollo 11 crew achieved that feat in July, 1969 and were followed by Apollo 12 in November, 1969. Apollo 13 attempted the trip in 1970, but an accident early in the mission prevented the landing. Instead, the mission became one of survival. Would the three astronauts make it back to Earth?

Jim Lovell (Hanks), Fred Haise (Paxton) and Ken Mattingly (Sinise) were set to make the trip, but Mattingly was replaced by Jack Swigert (Bacon), because it was feared that Mattingly might develop the measles on the trip. Gene Kranz (Harris) was in charge of Mission Control on the ground.

I remember the broadcasts of the Apollo 11 trip, but the American public were not particularly interested in seeing live footage by the time the Apollo 13 mission took place. We see the crew filming each other for TV, but they don't know that the pictures aren't being shown live. That all changed the moment the accident occurred. Instead of being a boring event, lives were suddenly at stake. TV crews scrambled to cover the unfolding events.

Hanks, Harris, Paxton, Sinise and Bacon are at their best in Apollo 13. We see the importance of trusting in the overall ability of the team, both in space and back in Houston. Director Ron Howard does a good job of showing how events aboard the ship affected things on the ground. The accident gave both teams several problems to overcome and it wouldn't have happened if either team had failed to contribute.

It's hard to imagine three men sitting in a confined space holding our attention for over two hours, but that's exactly what happens. You may not know how the original events unfolded, but the tension builds effectively even if you know how the story will end.

The overall look of the movie feels authentic. Shots of space are particularly effective. It's almost impossible to listen to the sound of the launch without feeling moved in some way.

The movie is structured in such a way that we feel that the three astronauts have something to lose other than their own lives. The first 30 minutes show Lovell interacting with his wife, Marylin (Kathleen Quinlan), and their children. We also see other crew members and it gives us a glimpse of their personalities. This segment is so effective and adds a lot to the remainder of the movie. Howard makes us feel as though we are back in 1970 and that we are part of Lovell's family or immediate friends.

The Blu-ray release isn't bad. Picture quality is adequate and the sound, particularly during the launch, is up to the task. I'm glad I upgraded.

I watched the TV movie, and relived the drama of when it actually happened! I've always been a "space cadet", and have tried to watch every Space Mission. Problem is, it doesn't seem such a big deal any more, even with the Challenger explosion that took 7 lives. It annoys me that I cannot see every lift-off and landing, because it isn't generally made known any more.
The night the Apollo 13 epic happened I tried to stay awake, so I could see if the men made it back, but being the mother of 5 young children, I had to give up and go to bed, but they made it back safely.
This is indeed a collector's edition, and I am proud to have it.

Talk about rolling snake eyes. To begin with, your mission is numbered "thirteen." Then the pilot you've trained with is grounded prior to lift-off because he's allegedly been exposed to the measles; he's replaced by a young buck still wet behind the ears. Once you're within spitting distance of the surface of the Moon an oxygen tank explodes. Obviously, it takes oxygen to breathe, so now what? Shut down everything in the command module, of course, shiver in the lunar module, and hope the gravitational tug from the Moon will slingshot you back home.

And I thought I had my bad days.

Yet the problems mentioned above merely scratch the surface of the true trials and tribulations of APOLLO 13. Director Ron Howard recreates this gripping, compelling story, right down to beehive hairdo's and computers the size of Mt. Rushmore. The drama, the sense of urgency--on the part of the astronauts, and the NASA staff in Houston frantically trying to save them--is so powerful and vivid I felt I was watching the actual event itself. To magically weave the viewer into the story is a crowning achievement for any filmmaker, and here, Howard succeeds like a wizard waving a wand.

Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Ed Harris, Kevin Bacon, and Gary Sinise headline a stellar cast in a grim race-against-time that had the entire world transfixed in April of 1970. I remember being glued to the TV watching Walter Cronkite broadcast around the clock to give us the latest developments of the Apollo 13 story; I remember the relief and joy I felt when that banged-up capsule was retrieved from the ocean. To relive the triumph--and near-tragedy--of this event is an awesome experience, and APOLLO 13 is awesome, indeed.
--D. Mikels

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5.0 out of 5 stars Houston, we have NO problem here!
I always liked this movie, but watching it on blu-ray made me fall in love with it. Excellent image quality and excellent audio. Read more

Published on May 14 2010 by David Rivers

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent
i remember watching this film eons ago,and thinking it was horrible.in fact,i even fell asleep while watching it. Read more

Published on Mar 5 2010 by falcon

5.0 out of 5 stars Apollo 13 Anniversary Edition incl. IMAX
This movie along with "From the Earth to the Moon" series was a Christmas gift for my Fiancee. He absolutely LOVED them.

Published on Feb 4 2009 by Linda Vandervliet

4.0 out of 5 stars Love This Film, The Special Features Are Worth It
This is a well-made film. Ron Howard says it's not a documentary, but a lot of it is based on real events. Read more

Published on Jan 7 2007 by L. Seybold

3.0 out of 5 stars Nothing Wrong w/ a Little Flag Waving I Guess
Kind of silly in its awesome patriotic seriousness but genuinely heartfelt. Give them a few points for meaning well. Goshdarnit! Read more

Published on July 6 2004 by J

2.0 out of 5 stars The "Widescreen" Version is Not Widescreen !!!
The movie, the story, the acting ... all superb!

The problem with this movie is the claimed "Widescreen" format, which is fraudulent. Read more

Published on Jun 13 2004 by Khemin

5.0 out of 5 stars I'M ROOTIN' FOR AMERICA!
"Apollo 13" (1995) was Ron Howard's excellent, patriotic re-enactment of the 1970 moonshot that went awry. Read more

Published on Jun 7 2004 by Steven R. Travers

5.0 out of 5 stars Good movie, good extras, nice price
"Failure is not an option!". So says mission-control director Gene Kranz, played by Ed Harris, as mission control devises a way to get the astronauts safely home... Read more

Published on May 16 2004 by K. Gittins

5.0 out of 5 stars A Dandy Film! And A Terrific "Collector's Edition" DVD!
1995's "Apollo 13" is a well-crafted and truly inspiring motion picture, based on the actual events of the nearly-doomed Apollo 13 moon mission in April 1970. Read more

Published on May 4 2004 by David Von Pein

5.0 out of 5 stars High Drama
Everything about this movie is five-star, the direction, the cast, the story, all working together to produce the recreation of real-life high drama! Read more

Published on April 4 2004 by Damian P. Gadal

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