NASA's worst nightmare turned into one of the space agency's most heroic moments in 1970, when the
Apollo 13 crew was forced to hobble home in a disabled capsule after an explosion seriously damaged the moon-bound spacecraft. Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, and Bill Paxton play (respectively) astronauts Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haise in director Ron Howard's intense, painstakingly authentic docudrama. The
Apollo 13 crew and Houston-based mission controllers race against time and heavy odds to return the damaged spacecraft safely to Earth from a distance of 205,500 miles. Using state-of-the-art special effects and ingenious filmmaking techniques, Howard and his stellar cast and crew build nail-biting tension while maintaining close fidelity to the facts. The result is a fitting tribute to the
Apollo 13 mission and one of the biggest box-office hits of 1995.
--Jeff Shannon
1 Engrossing, Excellent, Awesome & Inspiring!
We really enjoyed this DVD... it's one of our "keepers" and definitely worth owning and viewing regularly -- it will remind you (as it has our family) that is is so very good to be born/raised/live in this country.
It begins with a voiceover by Walter Cronkite (and yes, our announcer is the real thing!) which introduces us to the heroes as they walk across the gantry, and pays tribute to the three we lost in that disastrous fire on the launch-pad....
The movie follows those fateful days (beginning in pre-launch) and then in orbit, and it focuses on the united effort in bringing our boys home. These men are so smart -- all of them (not just in space but at Mission Control) and is a realistic view of the times. You'll see the old Izod shirts (remember the Alligators?) and Corvettes, Mission Control (hey, they smoke -- this was not a purified/Politically Corrected re-enactment/revision of truth)... I appreciated that.
Oh, and it's not all drama. There are moments of smiles, and it's not too intense excluding the JOYOUS moment when we hear them respond after four minutes coming through the atmosphere.... Still, I wouldn't suggest youngsters under age eight view it alone.
[Note: our family is protective of our children and they have not been raised on a diet of broadcast television. Yours may be used to intense programming -- please use your own judgment. There is nothing bloody-gruesome in the movie, nor in the commentary. That said, you will CARE DEEPLY about all the people you see.]
One more little (out of sequence) note: The end has Tom Hanks (who plays Jim Lovell) narrating a mini catch-up to present of the whole story. We learn what happens to the individuals in the movie. It's a wonderful "wrap" to an amazing six days in space.
If we are going to do a docu-drama, one might also suggest that future writers/directors view this one to get an idea that they public will spend perfectly good money on QUALITY shows that are truthful, accurate and not hack-jobs. (End mini-rant!)
I found the scenes compelling and recall the "lump in throat" of those days. To me though, seeing the families perspective broadened the effect. Oh, and Mrs. Lovell is a force to be reckoned with -- I liked her a lot! She's a classy lady.
Minor Quibbles: In two places there are swear words (Mrs. Lovell -- who in the commentary states she doesn't "talk like that" -- when discovering the magnitude of Jim's problems swears... I thought that extraneous. Also, in another section one of the astronauts uses a bad word (appropriate maybe, but basically, unnecessary).
The Best Stuff: After the movie we are provided with a mini-movie on how they filmed it all. NASA cooperated and many of the scenes were filmed in those planes that "deliberately plunge toward the earth" so the actors/film-makers/lighting guys et al were weightless. One of the brave actors in particular didn't want his testosterone questioned but... ;)
I particularly enjoyed the interviews... you could really see how much the whole crew wanted this to be an *excellent* movie, one to last through the ages. It's brought out that the movie will be (at some point in history) a look back on the whole era. We (the USofA) have some incredible individuals to be proud of... this is perhaps one of the best patriotic movies I have ever seen -- notwithstanding war epics. It makes me glad to be an American.
Okay, so you also see the real gents appearing on the Johnny Carson Show too. One more thing -- at the very end of the movie you see Jim Lovell -- he's the Captain of the ship that picks up the astronaut. His wife appears once too, but don't blink! (grin)
Also, the Bonus Materials include two voice-over commentaries. The first is made by Director Ron Howard (you know, he's good -- very good!) and tells inside things about the creation of this movie. I enjoyed it.
The best Commentary though was done by Mr. and Mrs. Lovell -- ah, and Ron -- that con-trail isn't supposed to be there. (winks)
All in all, this is one of our favorites... I'd go so far as to suggest you Pay Retail, and maybe even opt for First Class shipping so you won't have to wait. It is that good!
2 Fellow Reviewers, I Have a Problem
I posted a review of this film some four years ago after I had purchased the "Collector's Edition". About a year later, I watched the movie one more time. Since that time, my DVD has been stored in its jacket, safe and sound. About one month ago, I was going to view the film again but my DVD player tells me, "This Disc Cannot be Played on this Player". Cleaning and otherwise re-inserting the disc proved useless. I have since tried the disc in both my computer's DVD drives, two other different DVD players, a laptop and one more computer, all to no avail. I keep getting the same message. Does anyone know what happened to my disc while stored safely in its jacket? Why did it play well two times, and now says it can't be played, on the same player. Has anyone experienced this problem? Thanx...........
3 A bit of history hits the big screen...
Nominated for nine Academy Awards including Best Picture, Apollo 13 is one of the best movies of its decade. Despite prior knowledge of the historical outcome, it's guaranteed to keep viewers steeped in suspense. Director Ron Howard creates yet another fantastic picture, solidifying his transformation from Mayberry's favorite son on Andy Griffith to one of the most accomplished director/producers in all of Hollywood. Standout performances by Gary Sinise and Tom Hanks (on the heels of their Oscar-caliber portrayals from Forrest Gump) make Apollo 13 especially enticing to the movie connoisseur. Based on the true story of the Apollo 13 mission, the film stirs emotions of all types - hope, fear, and patriotism among them. In the end, it's one of those rare movies where the characters are able to intimately connect with the audience. In short, Apollo 13 provides a true glimpse into the lives of those who defined history...
Tom Hanks plays the role of real life astronaut Jim Lovell, member of the three man crew of Apollo 13 - the 1970 lunar landing mission. Accompanied by fellow crewmates Fred Haise (Bill Paxton) and Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon), Lovell rockets into space in pursuit of his dream of walking on the moon. Unable to make the flight, fellow astronaut Ken Mattingly (Gary Sinise) reluctantly remains on the ground.
Meanwhile, Americans show little interest in this latest lunar mission despite the fact that barely a year has passed since Neil Armstrong's famous words. Apollo 13 is perceived as "routine" and the flight gets little press coverage until Lovell utters some famous words of his own, "Houston, we have a problem"...
When things go horribly wrong on Apollo 13, the mission changes from one of moon landing to astronaut survival. Lovell, Haise, and Swigert feverishly work to uncover the problem. Meanwhile, in Houston, flight director Gene Kranz (Ed Harris), bumped crew member Ken Mattingly, and the legions of NASA ground control work around the clock to maintain contact and bring the astronauts home safely. As the minutes pass, the entire world holds its breath in anticipation of the outcome...
Following on the coattails of Tom Hanks back-to-back Academy Awards for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump - Apollo 13 hit the movie theaters with widespread anticipation. The monumental expectations of movie goers were not without merit as the film's multiple Academy Award nominations will attest. But what makes Apollo 13 such a strong and emotion-driven epic is its connection with the historical record. The events that unfold happened for real, and at the time, no one knew the final outcome. Unlike today, traveling to space was not routine (or at least not as overlooked as it is now). The men who flew the Apollo 13 mission were true heroes in every sense of the word.
And although they failed to reach the moon, the astronauts of Apollo 13 are immortalized in history in ways they never would have been had their flight gone off without a hitch. Tom Hanks, Ron Howard, and their colleagues do justice to this classic story of man's triumph over adversity. Compelling, suspenseful, and filled with drama, Apollo 13 is an unforgettable film - and a definite must-see movie...
The DVD Report
4 10th Anniversary Package Makes Superb Movie Soar Even Higher
I will always remember those tense three days in April 1970 when the Apollo 13 astronauts seemed suspended in space, and this was well before the days of 24-hour coverage by CNN and Fox. For those who have yet to purchase this movie on DVD, the tenth anniversary two-disc set is a must-have for any adventure film-lover, especially for those like myself who were obsessed with the nation's space program in the 1960's and early 70's. Ron Howard, the director, came of age with this thrilling recreation of the aborted Apollo 13 mission, as defining a moment in NASA's history as the tragic Challenger explosion. The 1995 movie was a faithful depiction of what went wrong with the flight and how the mission changed dramatically to one of saving the three astronauts from being marooned in space forever. One would think that knowing the ending would rob the viewer of the suspense factor, but Howard does an amazing job in making the story feel fresh by guiding us through the heroic acts both in the capsule and at NASA's Mission Control in vividly realistic detail. He also evokes the atmosphere back then with emotional and visual accuracy, showing how anti-climactic the mission was perceived in light of Neil Armstrong's first steps on the moon just the year prior. A rupture in the oxygen tank changed things completely as the movie illustrates a desperate attempt at survival with computer systems turned off, the capsule moving toward freezing temperatures and the three men relying on their gut instincts to maneuver the capsule home.
What I appreciate most about the movie is that Howard does not derail the basic story with unnecessary subplots or flourishes of melodrama. He realizes the real story is more than enough to engage the viewer and that the attention to detail, often technical in nature, is not off-putting. Howard even creates blood-pumping suspense out of the ground effort to jerry-build a scrubber to clean carbon dioxide from the capsule's air supply. This kind of film is all in the details, even the more predictable home scenes where family members try to confront their increasing sense of fear. The movie has a solid testosterone-heavy cast - Tom Hanks stalwart as always as Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell; Bill Paxton as Fred Haise; Kevin Bacon as last-minute substitute Jack Swigert; Ed Harris as determined flight director Gene Kranz; Gary Sinise as grounded astronaut Ken Mattingly; and bravely leading the homefront is Kathleen Quinlan as Lovell's wife, Marilyn. Even though the move is full of familiar suspense elements and the characters' interactions are often just officious, there is hardly a wasted dramatic moment in the entire film, pretty impressive given its 140-minute running time. This is a superbly done real-life adventure film and docudrama and aside from Philip Kaufman's 1983 adaptation of Tom Wolfe's "The Right Stuff", probably the best movie about the space program.
The smoothly edited, 116-minute IMAX version (produced in 2002) is on the second disc, and the widescreen orientation coupled with the enhanced sound makes for great viewing as well. There are three documentaries included spread across both discs: the comprehensive making-of feature, "Lost Moon: The Triumph of Apollo 13 - The Making of Apollo 13", which has interviews with Howard and the cast, as well as insight into how the space shots were created; "Conquering Space: The Moon and Beyond", a 48-minute general overview of the race to the Moon and the exploration of Mars, produced mainly for the uninitiated; and a twelve-minute NBC Dateline feature called "Lucky 13: The Astronauts' Story", which contains interviews with the astronauts and members of Mission Control for the Apollo 13 mission. There are two alternative commentary tracks, the first with Howard who is extremely knowledgeable and highly infectious in his descriptions of the shoot, the other with Jim and Marilyn Lovell providing valuable insight as to how it really felt as the events were unfolding. A truly excellent package.
5 The NASA Mission That Began 35 Years Ago Today
People can sometimes become complacent when it comes to technology and forget that it is the product of human endeavors that are far from perfect. Usually, engineers and builders do their best to ensure that the technology to be used is safe. However, mistakes can and sometimes do happen. Such was the case during NASA's Apollo 13 moon mission that was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on April 11, 1970. Intended to be the third landing and human exploration of the lunar surface, many people had lost interest in the program following the huge success of the previous two missions that included the first-ever manned landing on the moon. However, such complacency was quickly replaced by fear and anxiety, as the fates of the three Apollo 13 astronauts were unknown following a potentially lethal accident. These fears, anxieties and hopes were beautifully captured by director Ron Howard in his 1995, Oscar-nominated film aptly named "Apollo 13".
In the film, the three Apollo 13 astronauts, Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks), Fred Haise (Bill Paxton) and Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon), have a flawless launch as they set out for the moon. Jack Swigert was not originally supposed to be part of the Apollo 13 crew though. It was supposed to be Ken Mattingly (Gary Sinise), but when NASA doctors thought that he might have the mumps, he was grounded and Jack Swigert replaced him. This caused some minor consternation among all involved, but the mighty Saturn 5 rocket was launched on April 11, 1970 anyway. Everything appeared to be going normally until April 14, some 205,000 miles away from the Earth. Jack Swigert was instructed to mix the oxygen tanks, which, when he did, caused an explosion. The explosion caused multiple failures on board making the Mission Control personnel initially think that there was simply a communications or monitoring equipment failure. However, once Jim Lovell & Fred Haise regained control of the damaged ship, Jim Lovell reported to Mission Control those immortal words, "Houston, we have a problem." Once Mission Control personnel realized the severity of the situation, they considered ordering the crew to turn back, but there was no way to know whether the main rocket booster had been damaged. Instead, they opted for the safer, but longer route that would have the damaged ship go around the moon, then begin its return to Earth. Since the crew had to shut off power and had no active guidance computer, the tension was very high as Jim Lovell & Fred Haise manually operated the lunar-lander's rocket to cause the ship to return to Earth. Other problems included the intense cold (since there wasn't enough power for heat), having to adapt the square air filters from one ship to work in the round filter holes in the other so that they would not die from asphyxiation, boredom, not knowing whether or not the ship's systems would come back on properly, not knowing whether the heat shield had been damaged and Fred getting sick. This was truly one of NASA's finest moments in being able to assist the otherwise helpless crew be able to return to Earth, including Ken Mattingly working hard on the ground to help ensure that the Apollo 13 crew would be able to turn on what they need with the little power that they had available.
Other memorable characters in the film include Mission Control chief Gene Kranz (Ed Harris), Marilyn Lovell (Kathleen Quinlan) and Blanch Lovell (Jean Speegle Howard, 1927-2000). For its overall realism, wonderful cinematography, engaging story and wonderful acting, I rate "Apollo 13" with a resounding 5 out of 5 stars. The film won two Oscars for Best Film Editing and Best Sound, but was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Visual Effects, Best Art & Set Decoration and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium. Additionally, Ed Harris received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor, as did Kathleen Quinlan for Best Supporting Actress. If you have never seen the film, but aren't sure that you want to purchase a copy, I highly recommend seeing it at least once.
6 A Miracle in Space, Splendidly Told
I was only a few years old when Apollo 13 propelled Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haise into space, and I had no idea about what happened on that spaceflight for another decade or so, when as a teenager I watched a retrospective of the flight on the news magazine 20/20.
Over 200,000 miles from home, traveling through the icy vacuum of space faster than any humans in history save for thier six colleagues on Apollo 11 and 12, a mysterious explosion rocks Apollo 13. There's nowhere to "pull over." They have lost a large amount of thier oxygen supply, and what breathable air they have is being slowly poisoned by the carbon dioxide they breathe out. Most of their battery power is also gone; the electricity they have remaining would barely be sufficient to run a small household appliance for a few hours.
Their available navigational controls, given these circumstances, are little more than dead reckoning along with advice from Mission Control in Houston. And if they somehow manage to survive long enough to get back to Earth, it is uncertain if the explosion has damaged their heat shield or parachute deployment system. They could therefore either burn up in the Earth's atmosphere, skip off into space for eternity, or crash into the ocean at several hundred miles per hour.
Taking into consideration the absolutely staggering number of obstacles they were facing, the fact that these three men made it back to Earth alive is more than just a miracle. It's an inspiring story of people working together to solve epic problems with dire deadlines, unselfishly, because the alternative, in the words of flight director Gene Krantz, "is not an option."
The "failed" lunar mission became one of the utmost triumphs of the human spirit in American history, and this film does a better-than-worthy job of portraying it. Ron Howard's direction was a massive challenge... how he was not at the very least nominated for Best Director is befuddling. In order to have a believable level of realism (creating a zero-gravity environment here on Earth), Howard utilized "the Vomit Comet", a plane which conducts flights that dive at such an angle that zero-G environments are simulated for about 90 seconds at a time (for example, think about those little hills you go over in your car that make your tummy jump for a moment, and make that moment last for a minute and a half. Yipee!!!) Watch the "Making of..." documentary on the DVD; it's all there. Great extras!
I'm glad that this film doesn't forget the ordeals of the wives and families of the men on board; we live a great deal of their experiences through Marilyn Lovell and her children, and even through Jim's elderly mom, Blanch, who is played (I believe by Ron Howard's mother?), Jean Howard. Although the phrase "Houston, we have a problem" has become the iconic phrase from this film, Blanch has in my opinion one of the best-delivered lines of hope and encouragement in movie history. (I won't give it away... but you'll never look at a washing machine the same way again.)
I wish that Amazon had a little more lee-way in its rating system, because I'd like to give Apollo 13 4 1/2 stars. The performances of Tom Hanks, Gary Sinise, Ed Harris, Kathleen Quinlan, Bill Paxton, and Kevin Bacon are excellent and compliment the director's efforts nicely. If you are a lover of true-stories, fascinated by space travel, or a believer in what humans have the ability to do if they work together, then you will love Apollo 13.
7 Great Space Exploration Drama
As at least one other reviewer has pointed out, one of the most amazing things about "Apollo 13" is the way it keeps viewers on the edges of their seats (sorry for the cliche) even though the outcome of the story is familiar to most anyone with an interest in the film. This is a testament to the amount of work put into this film by absolutely everyone involved in its production. Ron Howard's direction is excellent, the special effects are top notch (convincing without being over the top), and every single cast member handles their duties almost flawlessly. The cast is as high profile as you could ask for. Tom Hanks, Gary Sinise, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Ed Harris, and Kathleen Quinlan are all well established stars, but the acting is clearly a team effort.
The story of Apollo 13 is of course a compelling subject for a film, and it deserves the deft handling it receives from Ron Howard and Co. It's a bit sad to see how space exploration, including landing on the moon, had become routine, and even boring to the public by the time of the mission (the astronauts had to protest to the press that there was nothing routine about traveling to the moon, and those hoping to see TV coverage of the mission before the accident were disappointed). This is especially sad considering the public had the same view of the shuttle missions before the Challenger and Columbia tragedies. Whatever one's view of the value of space exploration vs. the cost, the astronauts who engage in this exploration deserve better, and "Apollo 13" drives this point home quite clearly. The story of Ken Mattingly, who was cut from the flight, then brought in to assist with the rescue mission, is also compelling, and is told quite well here.
The DVD extras in the Anniversary Edition are worthwhile, if not spectacular. There are some interesting documentaries, and an IMAX version that is apparently simply edited for time (a plus, perhaps, for those turned off by the length of the orginal cut). Some reviewers have complained about the sound and picture quality, but I was satisfied. I feel that fans of this film will be quite pleased with this DVD release.
8 BEST DVD OF ALL TIMES
I LIKE THIUS MOVIE ALOT. I HANVE NOT SEEN THE IMAX VERSION. IF YOU LIKE THIS MOVIE GET IT
9 Houston we have a problem....(not)
A movie gem by Ron Howard that us teaches the value of perseverance and ingenuity. The Apollo 13 movie makes you feel like you are right in the middle of it desperately trying to bring our astronauts home. I especially enjoyed Ed Harris as mission control chief Gene Kranz. Give yourself a present and watch this movie.
10 Predictable but still thrilling
It's a question that probably enters a lot of director's minds when they film a movie based on a true story: how do you make it exciting and interesting even when we know the results of the real event? Yes the astronauts do survive, although one died several years later but still the movie manages to be thrilling.
Late 1960's, everyone was in awe as NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, blowing people's minds that we could do that and also satisfied that America was there first before Russia. However, that awe is starting to wane so when the Apollo 13 mission is announced, it's almost not even worth a mention.
Early 70's, Apollo 13 takes off and everything's fine until an explosion cripples the shuttle seriously and the crew have to fight to stay alive while the ground crew fight to figure out a way to bring them home with very little power. Helping out the ground crew is Ken Mattingly, the former pilot who was ousted for Jack Swigert days before launch for medical reasons.
One of my favorite scenes in the film and probably a good indicator of what the film can do, is when the crew fires it's engines in hopes to pick up some speed and return home quicker. They take a simple idea of keeping the Earth in a window and make it quite exciting. And it's what the film does best: it takes the simplest things or the most well-known event and makes it suspenseful, almost making you forget they'll be fine.
The human drama scenes are nicely played but it's the suspense scenes and the neat-as-hell space shots of the shuttle that look the most impressive but still the film is a good watch.
11 Not an improvement over the original release.
While this is "all new digitally remastered" I think most film buffs will find the picture quality a disappointment. The major change is an unnatural increase in color saturation; you could get the same effect (if you wanted to) with a minor adjustment to your TV. There do not appear to be any other "improvements." Certainly the picture does not resemble what was seen in theaters. I find it distracting and unpleasant to look at.
Don't buy this release as a replacement for the older disk - In fact, you may want to specifically look for the older disk if you don't have it.
12 Don't Replace your old DVD for the 10th Anniversary Edition
The two disc "10th Anniversary Edition" is worth renting, but not worth replacing your original Apollo 13 DVD for. The first disc contains the theatrical release plus the bonus features as found on the previously released "Collector's Edition" DVD.
There are 2 new short programs on the 2nd disc, with a few interesting tidbits, but the 2004 Mars rover landing is spoken about in the future tense, and the Columbia disaster isn't mentioned. In other words, the data was already dated by the time of its inclusion on this 2005 10th Anniversary Edition's release.
The 2nd disc also features the "IMAX" version, but it is hardly worth the watch as nearly 25 minutes have been hacked out and the color correction has been heavy-handed with the reds too intense and the skin tones too gold at times. Very disconcerting!
Overall, the "10th Anniversary Edition" DVD of this great film is a miss and only worth purchasing if you don't already have the film in your collection.
13 Terrific movie but a bit too early for reissue
Based on the true story of the astronauts that flew a mission to the moon, "Apollo 13" documents the disaster that almost caused these three men to be forever lost. During their flight the part of the ship exploded in space threatening to maroon the crew 205,500 miles away from home in the hostile vacuum surrounding them. Commanded by space veteran (he had circled the moon on Apollo 8) Jim Lovell, the mission had a string of disasters occur during their flight. Originally slated for Apollo 14, the crew was moved up in the rotation when Alan Shepard developed a raging ear infection. Then the crew's original pilot Ken Mattingly (Gary Sinise) who had trained and worked with them from the beginning tested positive for exposure to the German measles and was replaced by back up pilot Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon). Fred Haise (Bill Paxton) became ill during the flight becoming dehydrated and running a high fever. As the situation worsened in space, tensions ran high between Lovell, Haise and Swigert as Haise initially blamed Swigert for the accident, questioned his piloting skills and butted heads over their situation. Scrambling on the ground Mission Control lead by Gene Kranz (Ed Harris) kept running into obstacles to help the crew return safely at home. The flight was met by indifference from the fickle media as the drama of the moon landing had petered out after the launch and successful landing of Apollo 11 and 12. While NASA did try to jazz up the Apollo program with more fascinating scientific experiments for the crew, funds began to dwindle and interest waned as the public became fixated on problems at home. This apathy was reflected in the complete disinterest of the public until the crew's life was in peril. A dramatic, powerful docudrama with riveting direction by Ron Howard ("A Beautiful Mind"), great acting by Hanks, Paxton, Sinise, Bacon and Kathleen Quinlan, "Apollo 13" continues to resonate particularly in light of the disasters that have afflicted the Space Shuttle Program and subsequent loss of human life despite all the safety measures NASA has taken over the years. "Apollo 13" reminds us that despite the appearance of routine of these types of missions, they are far from routine and represent significant risk to the lives of those brave men and women who fly into space.
A sharp, vivid transfer with robust colors and deep, dark blacks are a highlight of this terrific transfer. Honestly, the previous edition looked just as sharp and just as good. With the exception of some minor digital blemishes, there's not a huge difference between the 10th anniversary edition and its older brother. This edition, like the previous one, sports an active surround mix that situates you in the Mission Control and pulls you into the vacuum of space. Unfortunately, packing the original extras on the first disc sacrifices some of the higher resolution image quality by taking up additional disc space. Essentially, disc one IS the same release as the first edition (with a couple of extras deleted) but with a digitally remastered picture (although it's my guess it's still from the same high resolution source as the first edition).
The resolution on "Apollo 13: The Image Experience" which occupies the second disc likewise looks terrific with slightly better definition perhaps because it was intended for a much larger screen originally. The sound for the Imax edition features an extremely active DTS mix that sounds slightly fuller and with improved depth than the 5.1 mix on the first disc. Again, packing the other extras on disc two is nice but sacrifices some of the available bit space which may have degraded the picture quality slightly.
Missing from this edition are Bill Paxton's behind-the-scenes home movies showing his time in space school. Also missing are the extra that focused on the visual effects, comparison of the movie's key sequences to real NASA footage. Still here are the original two commentary tracks by director Ron Howard and astronaut Jim Lovell with his wife Marilyn. There are the production notes from the previous edition as well as the original theatrical trailer. Luckily, the exceptional documentary "Lost Moon: The Triumph of Apollo 13" still appears on disc one. It's a great glimpse into the real events that inspired the movie but also focuses much more on the behind-the-scenes making of the movie. Ron Howard's comments (made to him by the commander of Apollo 15) that by the time we went back to the moon (the prediction is that we'll probably not go back for more than a century) everyone would have forgotten what really happened spurred him on to be as accurate as possible in making this terrific docudrama. Seeing the actors in zero g on the "vomit comet" is a blast. Many of the weightless sequences were shot in zero g on an airplane that helps astronauts train for missions.
"Conquering Space: The Moon and Beyond" provides a nice 45 minute summary of the space race and what prompted America to go to the moon in the first place. Opening with President John F. Kennedy's commitment to space exploration in vintage footage from 1961, the documentary touches on the highlights of the space race including footage of the first Soviet spaceships and the impact that the launch of Sputnik had on the world. When the United States jumped into the space race, the US failed initially to even get their rockets off the launch pad. These spectacular failures embarrassed the United States. Featuring interviews with astronauts Jim Lovell, Shannon Lucid, Roger Crouch and others the documentary does a nice job of summarizing both the successes and disasters that dogged both the United States and the Soviet Union during the competition to escape a foothold on the moon. It's a nice compliment to the film.
Since the acquisition of Universal by NBC, we've seen a lot more tie-in's between the Network and the studio. "Lucky 13: The Astronauts Story" is pulled from an episode of "Dateline" hosted by John Scott that came out around the same time as the release of the film. Again, there are interviews with Lovell and his wife. Featuring actual NASA footage from the Apollo 13 mission, it brings the reality of what occurred home. Interestingly, the movie tour of the space capsule actually has been seen by more people than saw the real broadcast.
The two commentary tracks provide a wealth of information and most of it is more than the trivial variety like "where this was shot" info we've become accustomed to hearing. We learn, for example, that the crawler seen when the spacecraft is being transported is the REAL deal with Ron Howard driving it. Kevin Bacon had one of the most daunting tasks as everyone else associated with Apollo 13 is alive but Swiggert passed away over a decade ago. So Bacon had to interview people who knew him and come up with a portrayal based on other people's information. Swiggert actually wrote many of the safety procedures prior to launch that ironically ended up being used to help save the Apollo 13 crew. Jim Lovell announced his retirement at the press conference after Apollo 13 because he knew he had little chance of commanding another mission with so many people behind him in the program.
The Lovell's commentary track is particularly revealing about what occurred in real life. For example, Howard came up with the subplot of Swigert coming onboard at the last minute and the unease of Lovell and Haise felt at having Swigert come onboard at the last minute. Evidently the nightmare that Marilyn Lovell had about the ship having an accident was probably caused because she watched the movie "Marooned" just prior to the flight. Marilyn Lovell points out the little mannerisms that Hanks did pick up from spending time with Jim Lovell. Lovell also points out that there were really two explosions. The first was the one they heard, the second they didn't hear but was detectable by NASA when the liquid oxygen began to bleed out into space.
A great docudrama gets another deluxe treatment on DVD. While I don't question that "Apollo 13" deserves it, it's too soon after the initial release to have this reissued again. Nevertheless, fans of the movie may want to upgrade this for the inclusion of the IMAX version of the film and the additional two documentaries included on disc two. Other than that, this is, essentially, the same release albeit with a nice, new digital master. Is the picture any better than the previous release? It's not noticeably different that I can tell.
14 Response to L. Benardo's review
Not much I can say about the movie has not already been said. However, a remark in L. Benardo's review stated that there was nothing that could have been done to prevent the Columbia tragedy. Although a focus of debate, I know that certain things could have been done during that flight. If they worked or not is another story, but the important point is something could have been done. When going over the tons of information on that flight I was reminded of Gene Kranz and what he did during the Apollo program. Again,this could be argued all night, but I just do not feel he would have done nothing. It was not him and this shows in the film. As an aside, a remark was made shortly after discovering the foam impact with Columbia that was along the lines of, "yeah, but that stuff is light". Newton figured that one out some time ago and a goose down pillow at 600 MPH can do quite a bit of damage. The Apollo program is just as much a part of America as anything else and should be celebrated and remembered. This film helps do both.
15 Problems, problems, problems....
"Apollo 13" is a tremendous cinematic achievement, just as the rescue of the Apollo 13 spacecraft during the actual mission was a tremendous technical achievement.
There are obviously reviewers around here who believe that Ron Howard and his effects wizards stooped to low-brow techniques in making this film, such as "running the film backwards" to show the flames being sucked downward by the rocket exhaust at launch. Obviously, such reviewers haven't seen the making of featurette on the DVD, and have probably just watched the VHS version. The use of such an underhanded means would be unworthy of a film which went to great lengths to reproduce the launch footage without using a single frame of NASA stock footage.
Apollo 13 is a tear-jerker movie for me. I remember watching my television set, awaiting the spalshdown, completely unaware that Marilyn Lovell was also watching hers, but praying with the rest of America that these three men, who had made it back so far, would be able to cross that last boundary between space and atmosphere and return safely to Earth. That extra minute was grating then, and is now.
Much has been made of the "inaccuracies" in Apollo 13, and I won't delve into them here, except to say that they are pretty much all noted and explained in the "making of" featurette or on the commentary track. It is fun to listen to Jim and Marilyn Lovell with their take on the events as they unfolded. Ron Howard also adds a great deal of interest with his commentary.
Before closing this, I must also make mention of the idiots who have posted reviews claiming that NASA never went to the moon, but that it was all a stunt done on movie sets. The so-called "facts" that they cite are really the ignoring of facts and a paranoid fantasy that everything the government does is somehow fabrication. Please don't buy into their stupidity.
Apollo 13 is a timeless movie. It probably resonates more with those who actually experienced the event on some level, but it truly gives an amazing picture of how we went to the moon, and how much more amazing it was because of the technology we did it with. In the days where a computer "would fit into a single room and hold millions of pieces of information", the technology almost sounds laughable by today's standards. It makes the accomplishment of landing on the moon, and of rescuing a crippled moon mission, all the greater.
16 Not worth an upgrade
I am rating this four rather than five stars just because I think Universal is overhyping an inferior reissue that they easily could have gotten right. They have upgraded the picture quality (which *could* make the upgrade worth it if you've got a really big screen), but it's shameful that they did not include the DTS soundtrack as an option with the normal version (it was previously available as a stand-alone DVD). The only new extras are two documentaries about the space program and Apollo 13 itself (there are enough of those documentaries already out there for any Apollo fan) and the IMAX version of the film--with a DTS soundtrack option! The IMAX version is stupendous when seen in an IMAX theater, but to present this edited version (made before IMAX upgraded their film platters to accomodate longer theatrical release conversions) on a DVD makes little sense other than as a throwaway extra.
I saw "Apollo 13" at least seven times during its original theatrical release and three times in IMAX. The original Dolby Digital DVD was the first DVD I bought. Back then they issued a separate DTS DVD which I never found in a store, and some people said it lacked some or all of the bonus features so I had not been willing to buy it online just for the superior sound--hey, this was back when Universal SE DVDs were priced at about twice what they are now. As many separate DD/DTS DVDs were reissued with both soundtracks, I was sure "Apollo 13" would so I never bothered to pick up the DTS version. Looks like I'll have to wait for the HD release for them to fix this glaring oversight--or now go find the out-of-print DTS version....
17 Filmed in Zero-G!
I agree with all the praise the other reviewers have given this amazing film. The fact that they installed accurate models of the Lunar Module Aquarius and Command Module Odyssey into the Zero-G simulation aircraft (the infamous "Vomit Comet") shows the dedication the actors and crew to making an outstanding movie, considering the physical discomfort they were subjected to and the many retakes that had to be performed due to the maximum limit of 20-odd seconds of weightlessness which added to the difficulty in filming it. This film is enjoyable, not only to the casual viewer who has little interest in the Apollo moon-landing program, but also those with considerable knowledge find it a pleasure to watch. Interestingly enough,
I find the most emotional moments, for myself are not only the
point when it is clear they have survived re-entry to the atmosphere, but also early in the film when they are suiting up
and purging their bloodstream of nitrogen by breathing pure oxygen. They look like 20-th century knights putting on their armour and heading out to a great adventure!
Having said this, I feel the need to point out several flaws or weaknesses in the film that the viewer should be aware of.
(1) I think it was silly to show Lovell, Haise and Mattingly having a "beer party" at home during the first lunar landing by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin in Apollo 11. Jim Lovell was the back-up commander of the mission and he, along with all the other astronauts in the program were at mission control, not boozing it up at home!
(2) During the launch of the Saturn V moon rocket, an awesome experience difficult to convey on the small screen and with
small speakers, we suddenly see the film reverse and the smoke and fire belching out of the engines suddenly get sucked back into the rocket. Come on!
(3) On numerous occassions, doubt is expressed about the competance of the new Command Module Pilot Jack Swigert because he is a rookie. While it is true that on all the missions prior to Apollo 13, the CMP was an experienced astronaut, flight-crew Chief Deke Slayton would NOT give someone a crucial job like this unless he, and the other crew men had complete confidence in the man.
(4) Although Ken Mattingly was disappointed by being bumped from the crew, he was a complete professional and so he would NOT go home and pout by taking the phone off the hook as is shown in the film.
(5) At the end of the film, Tom Hanks states that Fred Haise had been promised to command the Apollo 19 mission as compensation for his losing the moon-walk on Apollo 13 but
"the mission was cancelled due to budget cuts", implying Congress and President Nixon had lost interest in the Apollo program. Actually, the government did fund the last three mission, but it was NASA itself, who had been shaken by the close call of this mission that cancelled the final three mission, something that I think is to their everlasting shame!
(6) This point can be considered a "nit-pick", but when the crew was going around the Moon they were pointing out various landmarks such as Frau Mauro and the Tsiolkovsky crater, but the problem is that they are on opposite sides of the moon and can not been seen at the same time....okay maybe I am too critical-who really cares?
In spite of these mild criticism, I can not recommend this film too much. After you see this one, you should also see Tom Hanks "From the Earth the Moon" which gives the entire history of the American manned space program, from the intial Mercury flights, through the two-man Gemini program, up through the Moon landing program of Apollo.
18 The Imax Experience
This movie is so much more inhanced in the IMAX experience. I just attended a viewing of the movie at my local IMAX in Hutchinson, KS and was totally impressed and overwhelmed with the emotion of the film on an IMAX. With my tour of the Cosmosphere and seeing all of the Apollo artifacts that NASA has gracously given to us to carry on history to our children, it has made me more connected to our past history of space exploration. I hope that if anyone can get to an IMAX that they go because there will not be a dry eye in the house. As for my copy of Apollo 13 I will cherish it for as long as I don't where it out.
19 a vastly entertaining film just got greater!...
HAVING SEEN THE FILM THEATRICALLY 3 TIMES UPON IT'S INITIAL RELEASE, I WAS FLOORED THIS MORNING WHEN I SAW THE FULL PAGE AD IN THE SUNDAY NY TIMES, THAT 'APOLLO 13'WAS FINALLY GOING TO BE GIVEN THE DELUXE TREATMENT ON DVD THAT IT SO LOVINGLY DESERVES. WHAT ASTOUNDED ME EVEN MORE ABOUT THIS REMARKEABLE RELEASE IS THAT IN ADDITION TO THE FILM, AND DOCUMENTARIES, DISC 2 IS TO BE PRESENTED IN THE AWESOME IMAX VERSION AND IN GLORIOUS DTS SOUND! AND THE PRICE IS A STEAL. THANK YOU, UNIVERSAL, FOR GIVING US A CLASSIC IN A PRESENTATION SO WELL DESERVED. A GREAT FILM, JUST GOT GREATER.
20 One of NASA's finest hours & a great film
For the over 40 year old viewer, "Apollo 13" recaptures the feeling of America at that time when we were still the "can do" people. As with "The Right Stuff," when there were test pilots who didn't worry about safety too much but just flew by the seat of their pants, you have astronauts here literally using duct tape and other household items to salvage their crippled space capsule and try to get home. I think there is a certain irony that 35 years later after two years grounded we still can't get the space shuttle back up and running and now the Chinese, Europeans, Russians, and average millionaire American seems more capable of getting people or equipment up into space than NASA. We can't even save the Hubble. I think if this Apollo mission took place today, those crew members would be doomed. Which makes this film all the more appealing.
The entire cast is excellent. The music score beautifully compliments the action. Although beyond the launch there isn't a great deal of physical action, this film is as suspenseful and dramatic as any Alfred Hitchcock film, gripping, and also inspirational as routine household items (including, quite literally, that duct tape) do get used to cobble together a way to salvage the crippled ship, conserve the remaining oxygen, and power supply (which was barely enough to run a modern day kitchen appliance), and figure a way to get them into the proper orbit to get back into Earth's atmosphere without either being incinerated or bouncing off it and out on a one way trajectory into infinity. The effects, particularly the launch, are impressive and realistic and give the feeling they're using real film footage, ie. they don't look like effects. You also feel like you're there. Everything looks very realistic.
It seems to me that the film unfairly got a bad rap at the time it was originally released merely because Ron Howard made it. Even if you are not a big space buff, which I'm not although I did like "The Right Stuff" very much, "Apollo 13" is quite entertaining and exciting once it quite literally gets off the ground. It is a little bit of a slow start as characters get introduced and the mission takes shape, but from the moment one of the crew gets bumped from the flight because his medical reveals he has the measles, you begin to get a sense of foreboding of things to come and wonder how this change in crew will affect the mission. It proves to be quite significant.
Despite all the drama, there is some witty dialogue from time to time to relieve some of the tension. But above all, the movie shows a positive "can do" quality and optimistic attitude often missing in today's America and NASA despite all our present-day superior technology. There is such irony that in those incredibly dangerous early days of the space program, there was no launched mission, i.e. they got off the launch pad, in which the astronauts didn't get back even when they were flying as far as the moon in itty bitty space capsules. Today manned missions don't go beyond the space station and Earth's orbit -- the latter the type of stuff being doing back in the 1960s. Viewed from this perspective, "Apollo 13" the film and the mission are that much more powerful and emotional to watch and I couldn't help but feel a little bit of nostalgia for those earlier days in the American space program.
21 JUST LIKE THE TAGLINE SAYS...
This is an excellent movie. To all those who are laughing because they think this wasn't real enough: this is about as real to life as you're going to get in a non-documentary film. The special effects are excellent. I don't know how you could possibly do a rocket launch effect better than Mr. Howard's crew did. In addition, this movie is even more exciting, as the tagline, says, because it's all true. It's one of those movies that's so true to fact that you have to look at insignificant details like the color of Lovell's car before you can find inconsistencies between the movie and fact.
22 Gripping story professionally rendered
I don't think it matters whether you remember the story of the Apollo 13 space mission or not. Whether you know the ending or whether you were otherwise occupied at the time in 1970, the tension created and maintained by the fine script (by William Broyles Jr. and Al Reinert with uncredited help from John Sayles) and the direction of Ron Howard will compel your interest. And when the resolution comes it will command your emotions.
Part of the success of this movie goes to the fine acting by Tom Hanks, who is, in a professional and psychological sense, very much like those fly boys with the Right Stuff who fearlessly left our comfort cocoon here on earth and ventured into the cold, dark airlessness of space for glory and honor and maybe for proof of their manhood. Like the astronauts depicted, Tom Hanks is always on task and always delivers an arresting and believable performance.
Ed Harris, who played the flight director in Houston was also excellent as was Kevin Bacon as the replacement astronaut who had to fly the ship. In fact the entire cast, especially a whole lot of people with small roles as part of the nearly anonymous support techno nerds at NASA, gave believable and compelling performances. A lot of the credit for that has to go to Ron Howard, who made sure that they all looked the way they were suppose to look. After all, they were engaged in the success or failure of the mission in the most immediate sense.
I also was very much moved by the musical score by James Horner. When you have an extraterrestrial epic, you need the music of the spheres, and Horner provided that. The music was so triumphantly married to the events and to the cosmic adventure, that it inspired without drawing undue attention to itself. It is one of the most beautiful film scores I have ever heard.
Although this was nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture, it won only two, for Best Film Editing and Best Sound. Perhaps the movie was considered too much of a purely commercial venture at the time (and because of the budget it was largely that of course), and perhaps Howard's direction and intention seemed very much by the book. However I think the final result turned out to be more than some thought when it was released in 1995. It is a heroic epic, with a worthy theme, professionally done. Everybody worked hard for veracity and they certainly convinced me. Nonetheless there is perhaps something missing here. Although the sheer horror of dying in the cold vacuum of space or being burned up by a too rapid descent into the atmosphere is kept very much on our minds, there is a level of psychological reality that lives within the heart and soul of the astronaut and within the astronaut's family that was attempted here but not entirely achieved.
See this for Ron Howard who did a great job as director and for Tom Hanks, one of the most charismatic actors of our time, and especially for astronaut Jim Lovell who lived it and (with help from Jeffrey Kluger) wrote the book Lost Moon (1994) upon which the film was based.
23 Ron Howard scored with this one
Apollo 13 is a well cast and extremely well directed movie that tells the story of one of NASA's finest hours. Even though the actual outcome is well known, the movie provides dramatic tension as the Apollo 13 crew and the people at mission control work their way through a most remarkable life threatening situation. The cast is outstanding, with Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon and Gary Sinise all giving wonderful performances. For me Ed Harris as Mission Control director Gene Kranz just about steals the movie. He is just incredibly good in this role , possibly his finest hour on screen.
It is easy to take the technical aspects of this film for granted because they are so realistic and presented in almost documentary form but the effects and the atmosphere aboard the space capsule and lunar landing craft are extraordinary.
This is definitely a film worth owning and one I pull off the shelf now and then and always enjoy viewing.
24 Woah there.
I just found out that a special edition is due out in March next year. Here's what I found from IGN:
"Universal will release Apollo 13: Anniversary Edition in a two-disc special edition on March 29 next year (what a coincidence, it's the anniversary of my birth). Retail price will be $22.98. Disc one will feature a remastered movie in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen and a Dolby Digital audio track. It will sport two commentaries; one by director Ron Howard and a second commentary with Jim and Marilyn Lovell, plus production notes, cast bios and a featurettes called Lost Moon: The Triumph of Apollo 13.
The second disc will have the IMAX edition of the film, which is 24 minutes shorter. This version of the film comes with a 1.66:1 anamorphic transfer and a DTS soundtrack."
So you're probably just better off waiting on that one to get the better picture and audio plus some cool commentaries. And you can only imagine how that IMAX version will look if you have the proper set-up.
25 INTERESTING FACTS
W. Wawrzyniak "Woj"
I am sure glad to find your letter. I could never find out why Ron Howard would do this to his greatest work "Apollo 13." In some way I wish he hadn't but at least this explains the difference between my VHS copy and my Widescreen DVD.
I already posted a letter about another film called "Colossus - The Forbin Project." "Universal" is releasing this only in 1.33 or Full Screen version while it was film at 2.35:1Ratio. So I use "Apollo 13" as an example of how "Universal" and the rest have been cropping other movies.
Your letter shows that I was wrong when it comes to Apollo 13. Yet, the majority of the 1.85 movies are nothing more than 1.33 with black bar cropping the picture. I hope someday they well stop doing this.
26 SPACE ODDYSSEY
Ron Howard's flag-waving, spirit-boosting APOLLO 13 is a very well done and convincing movie. Relying on the intensity of the real life dangers, Howard eschews overwhelming special effects or inappropriate sidebars.
It's interesting to remember that in 1970, we had just come off of landing a man on the moon, so what could possibly overshadow that? Indeed, in 1970, space travel was so mundane or 'unexciting' that when the astronauts gave a live broadcast from their capsule, the networks did not even run it; they said it wasn't dramatic enough. However, when the crew and program became jeopardized, television couldn't get enough of it. A prime example of the desensitized, ratings-craved television world.
The performances are excellent throughout: Tom Hanks gives his usual stalwart performance as Jim Lovell--the thing about Hanks is he makes his characters believable and displays a wide range of emotions, sometimes with just the look on his face: Bill Paxton calms down a bit to play Haise, the more "cowboy" astronaut; and Kevin Bacon is good as the last minute addition to the crew when Gary Sinise is ousted because he was exposed to measles by one of the backup crew. Sinise's disappointment is captured in his understated performance. Ed Harris is brilliant as the flight director, a man who keeps his cool and faith in the catastrophic conditions. Kathleen Quinlan does well as Marilyn Lovell, Hanks' on screen wife, who bravely tries to get her family through the crisis.
An intelligent script, special effects and Howard's assured direction combine to give us a heart pounding realistic view of the endangered space program.
27 Quick note about widescreen complaint...
Hi there,
Just pointing out that Apollo 13 was actually shot using the Super 35 process, which utilises the FULL film frame (4:3 ratio) and the CROPS it to 1:2.35 for the cinema film print. This way the filmlmakers do not have to worry about their films being panned and scanned later on and sides of the image being lost. When watching the TV 4:3 version of Apollo 13 you are in fact seeing the entire film as it was shot.
The cinematic release, still valid by the film makers (as they shoot with a 1:2.35 mask on the viewfinder so as to capture all the intended action in frame), is in fact a cropped version on the top and bottom; hence the widescreen DVD of this film is still exactly what you saw in the theatres, so don't worry - you have not been ripped off. All is well.
28 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. What they have done is taken the full-screen version... and sliced the top and bottom off of the picture and fraudulently packaged it as "Widescreen."
I am currently watching "Apollo 13" on the Sci-Fi channel in fullscreen... and running the DVD at the same time, flipping between them. What is immediately viewed is that the width of the field of view is identical between the cable TV fullscreen version and the claimed DVD widescreen version. The DVD "Widescreen" version has deliberately cut off the top and bottom of the fullscreen view and then dared to call this "Widescreen." As all who have compared fullscreen with widescreen know, the widescreen version should reveal up to a third more width than fullscreen without decreasing at all the vertical field of view. This DVD does exactly the reverse, keeping the width the same as the fullscreen cable TV airing while cutting off the top and bottom of the fullscreen picture.
Thus... this DVD has ripped customers off in claiming it is Widescreen.
29 I'M ROOTIN' FOR AMERICA!
"Apollo 13" (1995) was Ron Howard's excellent, patriotic re-enactment of the 1970 moonshot that went awry. The Soviets offered their assistance, but NASA said they would handle their own house, and they did. It is virtually impossible to conceive that any other country on Earth could have produced astronauts and ground crew that could have gotten that ship home safely. Howard makes a film that has you waving the flag when you walk out. At least you should.
STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"
STWRITES@AOL.COM
30 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. Although initially viewed as a disaster (explosion in spacecraft which forces cancellation the the moon-landing mission), in reality it is a story of success due to resourcefulness. The astronauts must return to earth and splash down safely with only enough electrical power to run a coffee pot.
Probably the best of director Ron Howard's movies, it is well acted by stars Tom Hanks (as Jim Lovell), Kevin Bacon (Jack Swigert), and Bill Paxton (Fred Haise) as the three space-bound astronauts, Gary Sinise (mission-bumped astronaut Ken Mattingly), Ed Harris (mission control Gene Kranz), and Kathleen Quinlan (Marilyn Lovell). The movie was nominated for 9 Oscars including best picture, writing, supporting actor (Harris), supporting actress (Quinlan), music, and visual effects, and won for editing and for sound.
There are a lot of special effects thoughout the movie, including the entirely-recreated lift-off sequence from a bird's-eye viewpoint. The weightlessness scenes were achieved by filming in a KC-135 airplane that did a series of parabolic climbs and dives, allowing about 25 seconds of filming at a time.
An exciting 220 minute movie about one of the most-watched successful rescues in history, the DVD contains a good "making of" documentary, a commentary by director Ron Howard, and another by Jim and Marilyn Lovell. "Bill Paxton's home movies" were never located, and the "comparison with NASA footage" and the "extensive exploration of special effects" were brief parts of the "making of", not separate items. Text-based production notes and cast/crew blurbs, and a trailer. Undocumented feature is the isolated score which plays in its entirety at the main menu (can skip forward, but not backward, however). The 2.35:1 wide-screen movie has 56 (!) chapters. Highly recommend for fans of any of the actors listed above, the space program, or adventures in general.
"With all due respect, sir, I believe this will be our finest hour" - Gene Kranz
31 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.
Director Ron Howard guides this project with passion. A passion that seems to be equally shared by each and every one of his starring actors on screen -- Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise, Bill Paxton, and Ed Harris. Plus, there's the ever-appealing Kathleen Quinlan, as Hanks' wife. Quinlan and Howard worked together more than two decades prior to this movie -- on "American Graffiti" (Kathleen had a very small role in that 1973 film, which starred Howard).
Three astronauts' lives hang in the balance during the last half of this finely-tuned film, as the Apollo 13 spacecraft suffers a major "problem" on board. An oxygen tank explodes, crippling the craft and endangering the lives of the moon-bound passengers (Astronauts Lovell, Haise, and Swigert -- portrayed by Hanks, Paxton, and Bacon, respectively).
Some of the more dramatic dialogue-driven scenes on board the spacecraft are fictionalized, but most of this film (from what I've been able to discern) is derived from actual, true events. With much of the dialogue between Mission Control and the spacecraft being taken (nearly verbatim) from the official NASA tapes and transcripts.
This single-disc (and single-sided) Universal "Collector's Edition" DVD delivers the goods admirably IMO, with very good picture quality, excellent 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround sound (with the rousing music score shining through especially well), and some nice bonus features to boot.
The film is presented here in its original theatrical ratio of 2.35:1. This is the perfect screen shape for this film, in my view -- nice and w-i-d-e! And it looks great via this anamorphically-enhanced DVD transfer.
DVD Special Features include a very informative and extremely fun-to-watch Making-Of documentary, "Lost Moon". This feature, which runs 58 minutes, begins with a nicely well-preserved clip of the real three Apollo 13 astronauts being introduced by Johnny Carson on "The Tonight Show" (circa May 1970). Director Ron Howard, and the cast members, add much insight into the making of this technically-challenging motion picture, including stories (with film clips) from rehearsals inside the KC-135 aircraft (a modified Boeing 707 jetliner) known as "The Vomit Comet", which was used by the filmmakers to simulate weightlessness. Interesting stuff here.
Also on tap on the DVD are two Audio Commentary Tracks (one of them by Director Howard), the film's Theatrical Trailer, and some extensive text notes.
This DVD package also contains a multi-page (fold-out type) paper insert, which contains Production Notes, Chapter Lists (for both the film AND the nearly-hour-long documentary, which is broken down into 13 "chapters" itself), and some photographs.
Plus -- Don't forget about the really cool "Easter Egg" on this disc. Well, I guess you could say it's not really an "Egg", being that it isn't really "hidden" here. But it isn't an "advertised" bonus on the packaging, at any rate. -- By just popping in the disc and getting to the "Main Menu", you thereby get to the unadvertised bonus of the "Complete Musical Score" to the film, which will play non-stop to its end by just leaving the Main Menu on the screen. Pretty nifty indeed. An excellent idea, I think, for incorporating an "Isolated Music Score" onto a DVD. I wish more DVDs had this nice musical feature. The music score can be "advanced" to the next "track" (or music segment) by using your remote's "Skip" or "Chapter Advance" key. (You can only go "forward" in the score, however. The "Skip Back" button has been disabled for this bonus feature; at least it has been on my player.)
"Apollo 13" is a good film to re-visit occasionally -- and this well-done Universal Collector's Edition DVD makes doing just that even a greater pleasure.
32 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!
All the pieces of the story are tightly woven together to tell a riveting tale that keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat and takes them on an emotional roller coaster.
This is a story that had to be retold, and a movie that had to be made!
33 the light and the shadow of Apolo
I am young man, for that I don't know about Apolo activity very much, but in those days in Japan even, I hear that arriving to the moon of Apolo 11 was special things. For instance in Japan the pictures was printed to top article of all newspaper and the live was broadcasted all over Japan.
I have thought that a series of Apolo challenging succeeded, but when I watched this movie, I was very surprised.
Certainly because the movie was univers genre, there were difficult technical terms, but the scene that the crews struggled against the accident that broke one after another, the tense situation of NASA and the crews etc, there ware many highlight scene, that is, we can't blink our eyes for the special scene broke one after another.
After I watched this movie, I was interested to the universe world even in addition to Apolo history of NASA. In such meaning, the movie was important for me.
Though the comment have been said from old times, arriving to the moon was incredible things and dreaming. I am a little sad because recently NASA don't challenge to landing of other cosmoses including the moon. Certainly many cost will be needed. and their money is tax. That is difficult problem.
But challenging is what give dream to us. That is sure.
Thank you for reading poor English.
34 Great science fiction
Apollo 13 is an exciting film about a trip to the moon, filmed "documentary style" as if it really happened. of course the whole thing was faked, and here's why-
Facts about the Moon
An average days temperature on the moon ranges from 260å¡ F to 280å¡ F, too for film to survive. At those temperatures, film crinkles up into a ball.
About 20 miles about the Earth, there is a radiation belt named the Van Allen belt. No human can get through this belt, If you try than you get hit with 300+ rads of radiation. Unless they are surrounded on each side by 4 feet on lead.
There are millions of micro-metors traveling at speeds up to 6000 MPH, which would tear the ship to pieces.
If you look at the pictures/video of people on the moon, you will never see more than 3 stars.
When the LEM set down on the Lunar surface, it gave out 3000 lb. worth of thrust. This would have created a massive hole underneath the Lunar Module, but in pictures of the Lunar Module, the ground underneath is untouched.
But why would they do it?
I have come up with three reasons why NASA would fake a landing on the moon:
MONEY. NASA gathered about 30 billion dollars pretending to go to the moon. That means that someone is getting a lot of money in their pockets.
ATTENTION. If you ever saw the movie "Wag the Dog", the president has sexual relations with a 12 year old. This information goes out to the media 1 week before elections. So, to get the publics mind off of the little Girl, the president stages a war with Albania. The moon shots were the same concept. People did not like what was going on with the Vietnam war, so, to get the publics mind off of all the bad things going on in Vietnam, the US faked a moon landing. If you check your dates, we abruptly stopped going to the moon around the same time the Vietnam War Ended. (
TO WIN THE SPACE RACE -- Back in the late 60's early 70's, Russia and the US were in a heated battle to see, well, pretty much who was better. Once the US realized that they couldn't send a man to the moon, they couldn't just say, "OK Russia, we give up."
I recommed this movie if you are able to forget all the facts and just enjoy a well told story.
35 engineers to the rescue
I saw this long ago in the theatre and rented it tonight to see some good, old-fashioned problem-solving. You can get plot details from the other reviews.
It was interesting to see the film post-Columbia: for example, the issue of telling the astronauts whether there was a particular problem came up as a small dramatic moment, and the flight commander (the Ed Harris figure) decided not to tell them because the astronauts could do nothing about it, anyway. Was it ethical for NASA to keep the astronauts in ignorance of their chances? There were lots of problems they >could< do something about, however. The representative from Grumman (the movie presents Grumman as the manufacturer of the LEM (Lunar Excursion Module) that is the astronauts' shelter on the way back to earth) is featured 2 times asserting his ignorance of the LEM's ability to fire its rockets for any purpose other than landing on the moon. This concern with corporate liability stands in contrast to the other engineers' focusing on using available resources to make the craft do something that differs greatly from the original mission plan. One of the great subplots of the movie shows how a little duct tape, some spare parts, and a lot of ingenuity can compensate for unexpected demand on the air-cleaning system.
I think the movie intends to show that individuals display heroism and that great achievement entails great risk for some, but also that great technical achievements float on the collaborative work of thousands of people. The mass of engineers at NASA are white-shirted, sideburn-wearing, narrow-tie sporting problem-solvers, completely subsuming their individual egos to the collective task of "getting them home." It is compelling to see the astronauts turn off their computer and follow "Newton's laws" on their way back to Earth; from the perspective of 2004, their "computer" display looks less sophisticated than pong (that dates me!). In general, the showcasing of antique technology (31 years old) is really cool, from the TV-camera cockpits at launch to the bizarre analog gauges in the command module (like my mom's diet scale from the 1970s), to the computer displays with their elementary graphics.
My first memory of TV is watching the moon landing; near this anniversary of the Columbia disaster, it is bittersweet to watch this story of disaster averted. The romantic appeal of stepping on Mars aside, I'm relieved that amazing advances in computers and robotics permit us to explore the solar system "better, faster, cheaper" by keeping people here at home.
This movie would be a 5, except the depiction of women was so lousy as to be irritating. Did the mom really let a 5 year old watch what might have been his dad's incineration on re-entry to the earth's atmosphere? Did moms really let their kids listen to the TV pundits who emphasized the long odds? I applaud any woman engineer making her way in the world.
36 You never know what events are to transpire to get you home
At some point in the publicity surrounding the 1995 film "Apollo 13" I had occasion to hear the real Jim Lovell say the word's "Houston we have a problem" that signaled to NASA that a routine mission to the moon had become a life and death situation. If you did not know what Lovell was saying I doubt that you would be able to tell any difference in his tone from anything else he said during the mission. With that baseline in my mind every time I have watched "Apollo 13" since then I have been aware that Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, and Kevin Bacon as astronauts Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigert are a lot more emotional then than their real world counterparts. However, that does not take away from my enjoyment of this film.
When I was in the first grade when my father was stationed in Orlando, Florida, we would go outside and watch the Mercury missions take off from Cape Canaveral. We were in Japan when Neil Armstrong first walked on the moon, an event that we were able to watch on Japanese TV. So the idea that going to the moon was "routine" is inherently offensive and I easily picture a universe in which Fate cripples Apollo 13 as reminder to humanity not to take sending men to the moon in a small capsule for granted.
The best part of Ron Howard's film takes place on earth as the NASA team headed by Gene Kranz (Ed Harris) has to deal with the disaster and the potential of losing the crew. When one of the adminsitrators declares that this could be the worst disaster NASA has ever faced, Kranz insists, "With all due respect, sir, I believe this is gonna be our finest hour." Indeed, watching NASA literally true to figure out how to get a square peg into a round hole is the most captivating part. After the explosion cripples Apollo 13 the three astronauts spend most of their time waiting in their freezing lunar module for the few times when they can actually do something while former crew member Ken Mattingly (Gary Sinise), pulled from the mission because he was exposed to measles, tries to figure out how to turn on the capsule's power without using too many amps (Stop and think about how weird that is to have as a tense situation).
The space shuttle disasters with "Challenger" and "Columbia" are a subtext for this movie because those two times there was nothing NASA could do. By the time they knew there was a problem, the astronauts were gone. This time, there is things that can be done, and despite all the rocket scientists running around the place, it is good old fashion American problem solving that matters here. As Kranz says at one point, "I don't care about what anything was DESIGNED to do, I care about what it CAN do," and there is a sense in which NASA jury rigs a final solution.
Kathleen Quinlan plays Marilyn Lovell, the wife who has to suffer while her husband's mission is ignored (the networks will not show the crew's television broadcast) and then as the entire word waits to see if he and his crewmates are going to die in space. However, the bit role I like is Jean Speegle Howard as Blanch Lovell, Jim's mom. Blanch is in a retirement home and is not always clear on what is going on; when Marilyn assigned Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to distract her from the worst predictions of disaster on television as Apollo 13 heads back to earth she wonders if they work with her son. But when Marilyn and the kids first tell her about what is happening with the mission and she notices her granddaughter is scared, she tells her: "Don't you worry. If they could get a washing machine to fly, my Jimmy could land it."
Much was made about what the cast and crew went through to make "Apollo 13," during zero-G dives in an aircraft containing a capsule set to film the weightlessness scenes. But as much as the film and the story about technology, both really come down to the human beings. Harris and Quinlan were both nominated for their supporting roles and the film was up for Best Picture, but was one of those rare nominees that directed itself (i.e., Howard was not nominated) and won Oscars for Film Editing and Sound. If you watch "From the Earth to the Moon," produced by Hanks, you will find the episode of Apollo 13 takes a different tack from both this movie and the rest of that series that is rather interesting as well.
37 Outstanding film, first-rate DVD
Apollo 13 is a rare combination. Good acting, quality direction, a compelling story, and rich DVD. Tom Hanks nearly won his third consecutive Oscar for this effort, and very deservedly so. Even with the movie's foregone conclusion (it IS a historical film) Ron Howard manages to keep tremendous tension in tightly strung film. Overall, Apollo 13 is a tremendously entertaining movie that performs the unique effort of keeping historical faithfulness, personal interest, and the big picture all in razor sharp focus.
This DVD continues in the path of the original film, carrying a ton of rich information. By far the most interesting feature of the movie is the commentary track by Jim and Marilyn Lovell. Jim Lovell, besides having an excellent memory of the events depicted, clearly has a tremendous appreciation for the moviemaking process. When he points out the differences between the film and what actually happened, he also does a fine job of exlpaining WHY the change was made in way that makes you feel comfortable with the whole film. The Lovells also have a tremendous appreciation for Tom Hanks, pointing many of the small gestures, turns of phrases, and other idiosyncracies of Jim Lovell that he picked up and blended into his performance. This is one of the best commentary tracks on any film.
The documentaries showing the experiences of the actors, the research involved, and the details of the actual events provide a rich and informative backdrop for the movie. Considering this DVD was released before Hollywood really got the hang of what people wanted in special editions, this is an incredible DVD. A definite purchase for fans of the movie or space exploration.
38 Ron Howard at his best
Director Ron "Opie" Howard gets behind the camera and directs his best film ever....a dramatization of the near-fatal voyage of Apollo 13. Starring Tom Hanks & Kevin Bacon. James Horner's music soars like a rocket throughout the movie...with vocal accompaniment by Annie Lennox. (The Eurythmics) A great movie to watch.
39 Spectacular account of a dramatic event
Almost nine years after have watched the movie for the first time and nearly 34 years since the events it inspired took place, the movie "Apollo 13" seems even more captivating. The story of Apollo 13, for any who have followed the space program and especially for those who witnessed it, is as gripping a story as has ever been told throughout American history. It is fraught with drama, intrigue, plot twists, and thrilling danger. What's more, it all really happened! In April of 1970, the American public was already viewing the amazing accomplishment of landing on the Moon as passŽ and could not have cared less about the Apollo 13 mission. Interest was so apathetic that the astronaut broadcast as the ship was about to enter lunar orbit was not even carried on television. The fickle public certainly had its interest piqued when, not long after the unwatched broadcast, a simple house-cleaning maneuver (stirring the oxygen tanks) exposed a deadly flaw that led to a tremendous explosion. That explosion sent Apollo 13 flying out of control, ended any hopes of landing on the Moon, and left fate of the three astronauts (Commander Jim Lovell, LM pilot Fred Haise, and Command Module pilot Jack Swigert) very much in doubt. The heroic efforts put forth by the members of Mission Control, as well as the astronauts themselves, the bring Apollo 13 safely back to Earth is one of the greatest stories ever told.
Acclaimed director, Ron Howard, saw this and, inspired by Lovell's own personal account of that mission crafted one of the truly great historical films to ever hit the screen. "Apollo 13" is a true cinematic achievement. It re-ignites the imagination and wonder that the space program held in the 1960's and early 1970's. Using cutting-edge special effects in service of the story (as opposed to in place of it), Howard is able to give audiences a true up close view of the entire Apollo mission. Using archive footage to craft the special effects scenes, the director is able to make launch seem lifelike, as if the viewer is standing atop the tower watching the rocket about to lift off. The scenes in space are well crafted and extraordinarily realistic. When the astronauts are forced to shutdown much of the lunar module, and all of the command module, to conserve power, the abject cold and forlornness that these men were forced to endure is felt by the audience. The true mark of this film's greatness is found in the fact that, even though we know from history that the men of Apollo 13 survived, the final moments during re-entry, as played out in the movie, are still incredibly gripping and tense. Then, the emotional release that comes knowing they made it is so overwhelming that even the most cynical, hard-hearted viewer will get choked with emotion.
The storytelling and effects of "Apollo 13" are great, but the film would likely have still fallen short if not for the tremendous cast hired to perform these roles. Tom Hanks is solid as the unflappable Jim Lovell, Bill Paxton (who seems to always find a way into every blockbuster) is good as the trusted, but untested rookie Fred Haise, and Kevin Bacon gives an accurate portrayal of last minute replacement Jack Swigert. Gary Sinise plays Ken Mattingly, the astronaut Swigert replaced due to fears of a measles infection, with appropriate melancholy. The other truly standout performance is turned in by Ed Harris, who plays the no-nonsense rock of a flight director, Gene Kranz. Harris truly deserved his Oscar nomination for this performance and there is certainly a strong argument to be made for him to have won the award over eventually Supporting Actor winner, Kevin Spacey. "Apollo 13", itself, was a strong contender for Best Picture honors, only losing out to the worthy "Braveheart". The one baffling question is why Ron Howard was omitted from the Best Director nominations (he would have to wait 7 more years before receiving his due for "A Beautiful Mind").
"Apollo 13" is not only a great thriller; it is also a telling history lesson. It enables us to remember those wondrous days of the quest to reach the Moon, as well as the drama of that imperiled flight. These days, it is disheartening to realize how the space program has stagnated since those heady days. "Apollo 13" proves, beyond a doubt, that we still have the men with the will, knowledge, and courage to take this space exploration to places beyond imagination.
40 Avoid panicing while your Angel flies about the Cabin
A longer albeit appropriate alternate title for Apollo 13. Like the rest of my family, I (then in my teens) sat on tenterhooks before our TV, praying for our Astronauts. Though no one must believe in an Almighty God / Buddha / Mohammed / What Have You, Apollo 13 is superb evidence that such a Divinity not only Exists but has a Good Reason for Everything - and contemplating the 100s of literal Miracles by which our Astronauts safely returned to Earth, it is at least clear to me, one or more Angels / Unseen Helpers were there, helping our Men surmount the otherwise Impossible. No, no one -has to- believe in God. The Bottom Line here is whether it's Apollo 13 -or- any of the countless unexplainable times when one or more human beings could have 'bought' it but didn't, Something - or Someone - surely intervened ... furnishing, I say, ample reason to throw "God is dead / doesn't exist" OUT the door. Watch Apollo 13 and draw your own conclusion - and I wish for you that you reach the sort of conclusion I briefly expounded upon here.
41 Exceptional, Ingenious, Fantastic..You Know any other Words?
There is plenty of praise worthy of this film, "Apollo 13," directed by Ron Howard. Not only is it surprisingly attune to the facts of the ill-fated moon mission, it still makes you care about the astronaunts who flew: Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks), Jack Swaggert (Kevin Bacon) and Fred Haise (Bill Paxton). The film also features Gary Sinese has Ken Maddingly, the astronaut kept out of the mission. Their woes began when an oxygen tank exploded and they had to rely their lunar lander in order to get home. But they were aided by NASAs' impassioned crew back on the ground led by team leader Gene Kranz (Ed Harris). Plenty of risky improvising insues to get them home, such as using socks and suits to help make an air filter and turning off their navigating computer in order to save power.
Even throughout all this tenchnical and historical clutter, director Ron Howard still keeps the filming flowing fluidly with white-knuckled scenes aboard the spacecraft. And the production design is incredible. Most likely modeled after the actual Saturn 5 rocket, the exquisitely detailed sets serve to give the film an added sese of realism, and isn't the truth more interesting than almost any fiction? It should be said however that the film is also augmented by a sharp script that keeps the movie exciting as well. However, more importantly Howard instills a tangible human element that lifts the film even higher.
42 Houston, We Have a Problem
Apollo 13, Ron Howard's 1995 recreation of the star-crossed April 1970 manned mission to the moon, is a riveting and stirring film about courage and ingenuity in the face of great peril.
Starring Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, Kathleen Quinlan, Xander Berkeley and Ed Harris, Apollo 13 begins with a flashback sequence set in January of 1967, when the three crew members of Apollo 1 died in a tragic launch pad accident. As Walter Cronkite does a voiceover, there is a quick segue to Houston July 1969, where veteran astronaut Jim Lovell (Hanks) is throwing a moon-landing party to watch Neil Armstrong be the first man on the moon. (According to the director's commentary, this scene was written and shot to introduce the major characters of the drama and to give the viewer some idea of what life was like in the astronaut community during NASA's Apollo heyday.)
After a tender moment with his wife Marilyn (Quinlan) and a scene at Cape Kennedy in which Lovell explains to a skeptical politician the necessity of continuing the manned moon landings at least up to Apollo 14 (a mission he is slated to command), fate intervenes. Al Shepard, the commander of Apollo 13, is grounded when an ear infection flares up, and Lovell and his crew, lunar module pilot Fred Haise (Paxton) and command module pilot Ken Mattingly (Sinise) are moved "up the slot" to take over.
For Marilyn, the news is a mixed blessing. On the one hand, she's aware that this will be her husband's final mission in space, so she's proud and supportive. On the other hand, she has a bad feeling about this flight, and her anxiety comes to the fore in this exchange:
MARILYN: Thirteen. Why does it have to be Thirteen?
LOVELL: Because it comes after Twelve, hon.
Lovell might have been nonchalant about the mission's "unlucky" number, but Apollo 13 was dogged by bad luck even before it lifted off the pad at 1313 hours on April 10, 1970. A few days before liftoff, command module pilot Mattingly was grounded when another astronaut came down with the measles (he'd never been exposed, so ground controllers were afraid he'd get sick in space). Lovell was forced to choose between flying with a replacement, Jack Swigert (Bacon) or holding out for Mattingly and being "bumped" off the flight altogether.
There were other little omens of ill luck involving Lovell's Corvette and Marilyn's wedding ring; critics later lambasted Howard for coming up with such "hokey" scenes, but according to Jim and Marilyn Lovell in their separate audio track, these events actually did occur.
Despite some minor errors in the details and a few things done intentionally for dramatic license, the depiction of an Apollo moon shot is about as accurate as a movie made for entertainment can be. Hanks and Quinlan even stayed with the Lovell's to capture their characters' qualities and motivations. Bacon and Paxton are wonderful as Lovell's two crewmates, and Ed Harris portrays Flight Director Gene Krantz as a logical and determined engineer/administrator. Watching him go from grim realization that the mission has been jeopardized by an explosion ("We just lost the moon.") to firm decisiveness ("We've never lost an American in spaceflight and we sure aren't going to lose one on my watch. Failure is not an option.), one sees that the moon landings depended as much on the ground controllers and engineers in Houston as they did on the astronauts in the spacecraft.
With a stirring score by James Horner and top notch special effects, Apollo 13 is one of director Howard's finest offerings. It is fast paced, incredibly well-written and acted, and it is a fine tribute to the men and women who worked for a decade to get us to the moon and back.
43 Simply the greatest movie about space ever made.
This film, in my opinion, is a staggering achievement--the saga of Apollo 13, the first time an American spacecraft was in real danger of destruction. The most impressive thing about this film is the fact that almost the entire storyline is absolutely authentic. The skill and bravery (and honest fears) of the crew, the ingenuity of the NASA ground support team, the events as portrayed in the movie--all of this is what actually happened. For once Hollywood manages to almost completely avoid tampering with the facts--this is said to be the influence of Tom Hanks, who is a space enthusiast; Hanks believed (correctly!) that the actual story contained more than sufficient drama. The movie moves at a quick pace, never drags, and the end packs an emotional wallop that I personally found to be unforgettable. I saw this film when it first came out, and just revisited it on DVD. The impact is the same--this is a powerfully told story about a great event and a great success of courage and technological prowess.
I like Tom Hanks as an actor, and this is the best performance by him that I can recall seeing. He simply becomes his character, Astronaut Lovell--he plays the part to utter perfection. The supporting cast is equally good and all turn in superb performances. This is a great and classic film that will leave few viewers untouched. The DVD audio and video are crisp and clean, and this DVD belongs in every library collection.
44 Well done.
One way to note how good this movie is: WE ALL KNOW HOW IT TURNED OUT -- WE KNOW THEY GOT HOME SAFELY -- and yet it still manages to be a suspenseful movie!
Without doubt, the master stroke was to film some scenes in actual zero-G aboard the cargo plane (as described in the supplemental material on the DVD). Think of all the space movies that had cheesy imitation weightlessness using wires or other gimmicks. Those techniques might have ruined this movie. Getting the actual zero-G shots was sheer brilliance.
Like all movies of historical events, the truth was altered a bit here and there for dramatic purposes (small sample: It appears that Jim Lovell's actual words were "Houston, we've had a problem". But in popular culture it has always been "Houston, we have a problem", and that's the way it's said in this movie). In light of the overall excellence of this film, it's easy to forgive small inaccuracies like that.
45 This one should be in everyone's library
This is one of those movies that really makes you think. The events in the film (for the most part) are as they actually happened.
This film follows the crew of the Apollo 13 lunar mission, when something goes terribly wrong with the spacecraft, threatening the mission, as well as the crew's lives.
The actors in the film do an excellent job, and with good reason. Many of them have been nominated for oscars, and some of them have won. Tom Hanks and Kevin Bacon are just two of the high quality actors in this film. Ed Harris and Gary Sinise play supporting roles, but do it flawlessly. The acting is so good, that parts of the film make you feel as though you are there in the capsule with these men.
This was the first DVD I bought after getting my DVD player, and saw how crisp and clear the picture was. I was a bit fooled by this, as a lot of DVDs aren't this good. The picture and sound are crystal clear.
I recommend this movie to everyone with a DVD player. It is acceptable for children, and might even teach them a thing or two about the history of manned spaceflight.
46 Really good film
A fascinating story, and very well-told. I'm naturally suspicious of anyone as overtly commercial as Ron Howard, and movies like 'A Beautiful Mind' show how willing his partners are to fudge facts in the name of money. Nevertheless, I am a thorough space nut, so how could I not like this film. Tom Hanks is effortlessly charismatic, as is Ed Harris in his second space program opera, the other being 'The Right Stuff.' By the way, NASA is still losing its marbles. The next generation of space heroes will be taikonauts, so you'd better start studying Mandarin Chinese--the U.S. Government will be sure to dismiss their accomplishments in order to save face.
47 love it
This movie always makes me cry at the end, even though everyone knows how it ends...The suspense, the action, the fear palpable throughout the entire movie just makes the whole thing real for a new generation of people who weren't there when it happened. If more of history was protrayed like this I might just be a history buff!
48 Solid special edition on one disc
With no nifty packaging and no "picture" disks, this is the best bargain you will get for your money. Not one but two commentaries, an immensly entertaining documentary, a cache of other goodies and all on one disc. This has been a favorite in my library since a got it over a year ago. The movie is great and is one of Ron Howards best. Read the editorial review for the plot.
When this came out, there were alot of other titles that came out with "Collecter's Editions" only to be reissued again a few years down the line with an "improved" version. It's nice to know that some studios got theirs right the first time. Don't be fooled by the unpretentious packaging of this DVD. Get this one.
49 Classic!
I saw this when It first came out on Video(I was too young to see it in the theathers when it came out). Its a classic, it deals with the real-life problem of getting one our our "rockets" back from outer space!
50 Great Movie, HORRIBLE DVD TRANSFER, JUST LIKE BTTF
If anyone has been over to the reviews for the Back to the Future trilogy boxed set, you'll see that there are many people who are dissapointed at how Universal formatted the DVD's for Widescreen. It seems that they just took the Fullscreen version and Cropped it again to make it widescreen instead of adding more of the movie to the sides.
Well, I'm afraid that Apollo 13 is the same way. I compared it to my old VHS copy and there is definitely MORE of the picture included in the VHS version.
51 apollo 13
outstanding movie a must have movie in your collection,no fiction just fact
52 Good movie
I like Tom Hanks as an actor. Is rare for someone as "big" a star as he is not to use "obscene language" in films. This one the entire family can sit and watch together. This movie was based on "real" facts, and Tom went to great lengths to keep it as factual as possible via use of costumes, special effects, NASA film footage, set design, etc. Here is another Kevin Bacon flick too.
For those of you who didnt live during that era, it is a good educational film......to be enjoyed with the likes of another excellent " factual space flick" called " THE RIGHT STUFF"......Ed Harris also plays a part in that film, as John Glenn.
If you are a Tom Hanks fan, then you'll want to add it to your collection
53 Longer But Time Flies
This movie is a little longer, but the time flies. If you liked both "Top Gun" and "The Abyss", you will probably like this movie. Enough character building to make it interesting, but the beat-the-clock action is what is gripping. The performances are excellent and realistic (being a "geek" that has worked with this type equipment and scenarios). Suitable for all audiences, it is a pleasure to view.
54 Wide Screen Format for this movie is a ......
First of all, this movie is of course awesome. One of my all-time favorites. The Extras on this DVD are great too. The documentary is about 60 minutes long and very entertaining and interesting.
Now the disaapointments:
In the details for the DVD it says there is footage from Bill Paxton's 'home movies' shot during astronaut training. I can't find them on the disc at all.
The biggest disappointment is the way this movie was converted to WIDE SCREEN format. Wide Screen format, when viewed on a standard TV is supposed to give you more to see, but of course a smaller picture due to the black strips at the top and bottom.
With most wide screen formats (like Castaway for instance) I lose about 25% of the screen to the black bars - no big deal, you see more of the original movie.
But, with Apollo 13 the wide screen black bars take up literally 50% of my screen. And, to top that off you are NOT actually getting more in the picture. I compared my old Full Screen VHS version side-by-side to the Wide Screen DVD version, and I literally lost half of the view. There was very little gained on the outer edges. Very poor - it looks like they actually took the Full Screen version and covered it up with black bars.
Looking back, I still think I would buy this because of the documentary film.... but beware of how much you lose with the Wide Screen format. If I want to watch the movie, I actually use my VHS tape instead of the DVD.
5 STARS for the movie itself, and the Extras - but because of the lost images in wide screen format, i give it 2 stars in the end.
Anyone else notice this big in the wide screen format? Is is because this is an older film?
55 A must have for any DVD advicate!
I loved the movie when it came out and the DVD experience did not fail to show. It had great insight to the making of the movie, the real life story, and it also lets you listen to the musical soundtrack (won't need to get the CD if you liked the music by JAmes Horner). Plus it had the usual advantages: widescreen and an excellent surround sound soundtrack to make it feel like it did in the movie theatre. This is one that is the tops of the DVD movies it shows that DVDs were invented for films like this one.
56 I love this movie!
I love this movie so much, it has encouraged me to be an astronaut. I would love to also be an actor in a movie with either Bill Paxton, Tom Hanks, or Kevin Bacon starring in it. I am the one that loves science and am facinated by how they survived, and how Fred Haise (Bill Paxton) could survive a 104 degrees fever. I mean, the highest fever I've ever heard of is 103 degrees, which I have had in some cases. Though I am only 12, I will continue to yearn to be an astronaut or an actor and love scientific movies and so on. But I am not a total whiz kid, you see. I'm just like other "kids" as adults may call us. If you like scientific movies such as "Twister" or "The Perfect Storm", then you'll love Apollo 13, trust me.
57 ENOUGH ALREADY!
ROCKY V may have tanked at the box-office, but that didn't stop Sylvester Stallone from reviving the Apollo Creed character from the original film and spinning him off into his own franchise. By the time this THIRTEENTH installment was released, the series had run out of gas. The film is probably best remembered for it's tagline, "Yo, Houston! It's me, Rocky..."
58 So Close...And Yet So Far
Director Ron Howard's historical drama about the 1970 space mission to the moon, that went horribly wrong is a good film. When a malfunction on board the Apollo 13 space capsule strands its three man crew, they must work together, with the NASA team on Earth, to find a way home. With power running low and time running out, three lives are at stake, as the nation waits and worries...Tom Hanks is Commander Jim Lovell, Bill Paxton is Fred Haise, and Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert, make up the crew, while Gene Krantz (Ed Harris) heads the team on the ground. The cast has great chemistry together. As a proponent of the space program, I found the film very interesting, even beyond the dramaic aspects, right down to the nuts and of how one trains for a space flight. Some Ron Howard films tend to be overly cheesey or heavy handed, not this one, I still find myself getting caught up in it all. The film never gets boring or bogged down and is perfectly paced.
The "Collector's Edition" DVD contains a bunch of extras. The highligts of those, for me, are the feature length documentary about the film and the real incident. There's a good commentary track with Howard and an even better one with Commander Lovell himself. The disc also has composer James Horner's complete film score as a "hidden"extra You can access this on the DVD by getting to the main menu, and just letting it play out. It's one of Horner's more popular scores for a film. It's a treat that the powers that be included it. here. The DVD is recommended with a solid [4] star rating
59 Im Sick
I cannot believe that this movie meant anything to anyone.It was so fake and the special effects were terrible.Tom Hanks is brilliant but not in this movie.If you watch this it will be wasting 2 and a half hours of your time.
60 Excellent Movie, Excellent DVD Commentary
There were moments of this movie that seemed so real. I don't think that the awesome story about this Apollo mission was completely revealed to people on earth until the release of this movie. When watching the scene where the astronauts are using the rocket motor from the lunar module to adjust their course back to earth, you really get this ominous sense that they are in this very tiny spacecraft between two very large planetary objects, in an even larger void that is our universe.
The commentary from Director Ron Howard offers a great ongoing behind the scenes making of the movie. Part, but not all of the spacecraft scenes that the actors filmed were in a weightless environment, thanks to the NASA plane that astronauts use to prepare for being weightless. There were scenes that I thought had to have been filmed while weightless, but were actually filmed using simple tricks. I have no idea though, how a replica of the lunar and command module were put into that NASA airplane, and how they got actors and a director and cameras working together. Only a dedicated director, crew and actors could have made that possible.
The other commentary track of Jim Lovell, Apollo 13 astronaut, and his wife Marilyn is a rarity among DVD commentaries. There are few DVDs of such a monumental true story where real people from the story can relate these events to future generations. If only this medium was available during George Washington's time.
Also included is an hour long documentary of the making of the movie, Apollo 13. This is a DVD well worth owning.
61 Movie - 3.5 stars; DVD - 3 stars
Unlike "The Right Stuff," the brilliant film on the Mercury space program that focuses more on character profiles and symbolism than factual history, "Apollo 13" is an entertaining space film that can be used by high school and junior high history teachers. This is due to director Ron Howard and his crew's painstaking recreation of the Apollo space program -- from using a weightless environment to borrowing large chunks of mission control transcripts. The recreations are so dead-on that astronauts and mission control members report having forgotten they were on a set, or confusing the digital imitations for the real thing.
Where Howard's dazzling special effects and technical accuracy leave off, his cast takes over. Tom Hanks' enthusiasm for the subject matter shows as Commander Jim Lovell. He skillfully portrays both the excitement of going into space and the stoicism with which the astronauts approached their dangerous work. Bill Paxton as Lunar Module Pilot Fred Haise, Kevin Bacon as Command Module Pilot Jack Swigert and Kathleen Quinlan as Lovell's wife Marilyn also shine, but it is masters of subtlety Ed Harris as flight director Gene Kranz and Gary Sinise as grounded astronaut Ken Mattingly who steal every scene. They are given ample opportunity to do so, thanks to the wise decision to focus as much on the heroism on the ground from geeks with pocket protectors as the heroism in space from the astronauts.
The only problem is the film's occasional ham-handedness, most noticably in its attempts to place the mission in a historical context. Where Hanks, Howard and producer Brian Grazer's miniseries "From the Earth to the Moon" (in the segment "1968") deftly underscored the turbulence of the late 1960s and early 1970s, this film makes offhand references through the eldest Lovell daughter to the Hippie Movement and the Beatles breaking up, which comes off as crass and afterthought-like.
Still, the film is alternately suspenseful and meticulous in most of the right places, and is therefore valuable both as a movie and as a historical record.
The DVD was made when studios were only beginning to play with the medium, and while the "Apollo 13" DVD was an early groundbreaker, the awkwardness shows. An hour-long documentary and two commentary tracks -- one from Howard, one from the real-life Jim and Marilyn Lovell -- together provide a glimpse into both the historical facts and the filmmaking tricks (although screenwriters William Broyles, Jr. and Al Reinert are entirely ignored). But the extras mostly stop there. There is a trailer and production and cast and crew notes, and the menu is a CD for the film score soundtrack, albeit a CD which cannot be paused and in which you can skip FORWARD but not BACKWARDS. Yet the DVD is a far cry from the Special Editions of today. There are no NASA documentaries, for instance, and very little original documentary footage.
While it seems possible, perhaps likely, that Universal could eventually release an even more loaded DVD release, the current one is more than adequate for educational and entertainment purposes.
62 On the edge of your seat
I have a simple rule. If a movie based on actual events, and which you already know the outcome, can still keep you on the edge of your seat, then it is phenomenal. This is the case with Apollo 13. You will be cheering at the end. Wonderful job by Ron Howard, as usual.
63 Apollo 13 Rocks
I've stood in the training facility at NASA's Johnson Space Center and had a veteran astronaut tell me that this film is very realistic. I really enjoyed the way Ron Howard used the C-130 "vomit comet" aircraft, normally used for weightless training, to simulate the weightless environment astronauts live in. Well done. This movie is a must-see. Also, ... see "Astronauts & Other Exciting Careers in Space," a film we made to take young people through an entire space shuttle mission. We filmed at the Johnson & Kennedy Space Centers and NASA filmed the orbital part of the mission for us.
64 The Complete Musical Score for Apollo 13 in Dolby Digital
It starts whenever you hit your 'Menu' button to bring up the main menu and will keep on playing all the way to the end. You can advance in the score by pressing the 'Skip' button on your remote control.
65 well done
I enjoyed watching this film, showcasing the troubles of the apollo flight to the moon. i dont think i can add much more than what others have said, but will just say that it skillfully combines a great story with suspense and deep characterizations.
Overall, well done.
66 Apollo 13
I First Saw Apollo 13 In The Movie Theaters In 1995 And I Was The First To Get A Copy Of That Very Same Movie On Vhs But With Dvd Takeing Over It's Wirth It
67 It's All Been Already Said
This is an incredible movie. I recommend the DVD as it has a nice section on the making of the movie (with Ron Howard) as well as an interview with Jame Lovell.
Of course the sound is fantastic with the DVD..........enjoy.
68 "Houston, We've Got A Problem..."
Those words are the tag line for every fictionalized account of space exploration disaster, but the one time they were spoken in earnest makes all the fictionalized accounts wane like the setting moon.
APOLLO 13 is a great film. Tom Hanks, who plays Jim Lovell, spacecraft Commander of the aptly-named "Odyssey" really deserved an Academy Award for this one (and might have gotten it, had he not already won previously, two years running).
The film recounts the terrifying ordeal of astronauts Lovell, Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon), Fred Haise (Bill Paxton), their families, and their ground-based support crew, after an oxygen tank explosion on the third lunar landing mission forces an abort. The three men have to reduce their spacecraft to barely livable conditions in order to survive a quarter-million miles from home.
Director Ron Howard captures the tension of the event perfectly, and also recaptures the ambience of NASA in 1970, a mixture of energy, technical competence, and frustration, when it seemed the American public had just about forgotten it's once lionized space program in the wake of moon missions so successful they seemed absolutely boring.
For anyone old enough to remember those fearsome days of Apollo 13, as I do, this movie sparks memories. For a moment in time, the planet was united: besides the Western Powers, the Soviets, the Red Chinese, the North Koreans and North Vietnamese set out rescue vessels to retreive the returning men.
With barely enough electricity to run a toaster, limited water, no heat, and hardly any oxygen, the three astronauts faced almost certain death. Ron Howard captures their understated emotion, as well as their phenomenal resilience and test-pilot cool, without making them seem miraculously superhuman or unassailably cold-blooded.
Bacon's Swigert, a last-minute replacement to the crew can't help but gloat over his good luck, and then becomes increasingly waspish as the disastrous mission winds on.
Gary Sinise, as Ken Mattingly, grounded for an illness he'd never contracted, is at first embittered, but later becomes an enthusiastic fourth crew member as he unstoppably tests out rescue scenario after rescue scenario in the NASA simulators.
Bill Paxton plays an increasingly ill Fred Haise with such conviction that the viewer shudders with compassionate sympathy as Fred's flu and fever make him both less able to contribute and less willing to give in to his sudden illness.
Kathleen Quinlan, as Marilyn Lovell, and Ed Harris, as Gene Krantz, both turn in true-to-life performances, both of which capture the hopes and fears not only of Mrs. Lovell and Flight Controller Krantz, but of the rest of the hundreds of people involved in the rescue effort on the ground.
Without becoming "documentary" the film uses clips of actual news broadcasts to underscore its reality. What's particularly surprising is the low-tech state of the Apollo; a digital wristwatch of today has more computing power than the entire Apollo space vehicle. This movie is also a very watchable, almost completely accurate history. There are a few moments of Directorial license in the telling of the tale, but not many. The story doesn't need additional drama. I recommend Jim Lovell's excellent book LOST MOON (or APOLLO 13), to sort out the occasional changes.
As it was, the technology of Apollo both failed and succeeded beyond reckoning. As spectacular an accomplishment as a moon landing is, it pales besides the importance of the human drama.
"I don't care what anything was designed to do," barks Krantz at one point, "I only want to know what it can do." It seems that Jim Lovell's mother has the answer: "If they could get a washing machine to fly, my Jimmy could land it."
APOLLO 13 is a great testament to the human spirit.
69 Good and almost great
Apollo 13 is a very good film and worthy of 3.5 stars, but there is no 3.5 stars on this rating device. The DVD release does deserve a 5 star. The movie still is a 3.5 movie though.
Apollo 13 follows the life of Jim Lovell and his crewmates as they prepare for the disaster mission, and it's very moving at times. It has great special effects. (Like when the Saturn V rocket launches off) It has great acting from every angle: Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, Ed Harris, and Kevin Bacon. I especially think Ed Harris acting here is grand. It speaks volumes. Tom Hanks is good here, but his acting is better in Forrest Gump, Philadelphia and Saving Private Ryan. This is still good work. The writing is superb and the directing is very well. I especially like how much suspense is built on the radio silence moment. You know what's going to happen, but for a moment you can feel the emotions running in all the characters and get caught up in the "are they going to make it" mentality. That's how good this movie is at times. A good movie that almost stands as a great movie.
Along with the movie the DVD offers many special features that are worthy of checking out and looking into. Along with audio commentary is a documentary and a full version of the orginal soundtrack. Buy the DVD today.
70 Definitely a keeper!
When I was just five years old, I remember my parents taking me to watch the launch of one of the Apollo rockets. It was one of the most amazing things I had ever seen, yet I never thought much about that event until I saw "Apollo 13." That's when I was reminded by my father that it was that particular moon-shot that I had seen so many years ago. This movie recounts the toils and tragedy of the ill-fated mission to the moon, but it also recalls the apathy with which the American people had begun to treat their space program.
Tom Hanks is terrific as Jim Lovell, the heroic leader of the mission whose resolve helped his crew survive. Bill Paxton and Kevin Bacon are very good as his fellow astronauts, and Gary Sinise and Ed Harris are excellent as the ground crew struggling to bring their men home. Director Ron Howard has turned out a number of good movies during the last 25 years, but this has to rank as his best to date. This is definitely worth adding to your home viewing collection.
71 Not as Great as is Should have been but it`s a fine film.
When Three Men (Two-Time Oscar-Winner:Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton), who have been training to go in Space and Walk on the Moon. but it`s turns to be a Intense Journey, when they come close to Death. They have to find another way to get back to Earth and Going Back Home.
Directed by Oscar-Winner:Ron Howard (Williow, Far and Away, A Beautiful Mind) has made a well made film, which is Based on a True Story. Fine Performances by Hanks, Bacon, Paxton, Gary Sinise, Ed Harris(In a Oscar Nominated Role), and Kathleen Quinlan (In a Oscar Nominated Role). Director:Howard gives his Brother-Clint Howard a Small Memorable Role. Great Visual Effects by Digital Domain. Re-Release and Re-Edited for IMAX. Super 35. Grade:B+.
72 I believe this will be our finest hour
APOLLO 13 is a unique adventure story that finds its magic in the history books. And although the film is more cinematic, the story it is based is easily more dangerous. It is also amazing that this story has faded from our psyche.
The unlucky 13th Mission was to be a moon landing, but after several mishaps beginning with a last minute crew change, a mechanical malfunction cripples the crew and the space capsule, changing its mission to one of survival. The lunar lander is used as a lifeboat, the only chance the astronauts have for survival.
Ron Howard put away his "Opie Taylor" fishing rod long enough to direct one of the richest human ensembles in awhile. Sure, Tom Hanks is excellent as astronaut Jim Lovell, but it is the people surrounding him that are the real treat. Kathleen Quinlan is wonderful as Jim Lovell's wife Marilyn. Her strength and humanity keeps this space adventure grounded on earth. And she shows exactly how difficult the situation is. She is extremely gifted in communicating sub-text. Her reaction watching the show-stoppng launch sends chills through the viewer. Gary Sinise is also wonderful as 'grounded' astronaut Ken Mattingly and helps add respect to the nuts and bolts mechanics that could easily have buried this film in the doldrums. Ed Harris puts in his finest performance yet as Gene Kranz, the head of ground control. His performance has some incredible nuances as he postpones his emotions for a time when they can be dealt with, after the crew was back on terra firma. Surprisingly, Ron's brother Clint also excels as one of the ground controllers. He is left with some very funny lines and does his brother proud.
The film was a major commercial success and it deserves to be, with wonderful special effects that actually serve the picture and a triumphant musical score by James Horner (TITANIC). Overall, this film delivers in spades and, along with the RIGHT STUFF and FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON, makes for a great rainy weekend marathon.
Watch for the real Jim Lovell saluting Hanks onboard the military carrier at the end of the film! The DVD has nice sound that will challenge your receiver and 2 extremely interesting commentaries as well as a making of documentary. This was an early DVD release so the video could use another remaster.
Houston, we have a problem.
73 ron howard at his best
Great acting and a suspenseful, action-packed story
74 Must have for any DVD Collection
Everything about this movie is fantastic. There's a great story, great acting, and extremely realistic special effects. I was amazed at how I was at the edge of my seat throughout the whole movie, even though I knew how it turned out. Ron Howard did an unbelievable job of keeping up the suspense. Enough about the movie though, everyone has seen it.
All of the extras on the DVD are fantastic. However, if you're a history buff, and a stickler for historical accuracy, then the commentary with Jim and Marilyn Lovell is what you are looking for. They go through the entire movie and clear up any embellishments made to improve the "story". Most surprisingly you find out that things you thought were made up, are actually true. It was a very interesting addition.
Fantastic all around DVD. If I didn't own one DVD, I would consider this a candidate for my first. MUST HAVE!
75 Great Story...
In April of 1970, flights to the moon seemed very ordinary, so no one was excited about the Apollo 13 launch, except for the astronauts and their families... Little signs of bad luck appeared here and there - the unlucky number 13, which was not only included in the spaceship's name but in some time points of their crucial events, an astronaut being bumped off the flight because he might have caught the measles, and the commander's wife losing her ring the morning before the launch. But nothing major, and definitely nothing scientific... Even their broadcast from space was not aired - not interesting enough, probably...
Up until a few minutes after the broadcast, that is - when a routine operation on the oxygen tanks caused a loud bang - and pretty soon not only the landing on the moon was cancelled, but also the landing back home seemed in geopardy. Thruogh the heroic efforts of the crew - both on the spaceship, but mainly in mission control - and many not-too-standard improvisations, the space shuttle landed on earth.
The quality of picture and sound were great, and the extra material is excellent, especially the commntary of the real Jim Lovell and his wife...
Even though not all of the little detail were exact - Jack Swaiggert was a very competent pilot who even wrote the emergency procedures for the CM, and the crew were only worried about his ability to work the ship while they were not on it but on the LEM. Also, an interesting fact I've read in Jim Lovell's book is that using the LEM as a lifeboat is an idea that they got on one of the practice flights they had before the actual lift off... But nevertheless, this is still is a great reproduction of one of the most succesful failures ever...
76 Excellent DVD with wonderful extras.
This is one of my favorite movies of all time. The DVD transfer is great. There is an extensive and fascinating documentary with Ron Howard, Hanks, other actors and producers, even Jim and Marilyn Lovell! Oh, and don't forget to look for the "easter egg" (a.k.a. "hidden feature") on the disc. When you go to the menu, the soundtrack of the movie will start and play each song, even the "unreleased" tracks that you can't buy in the store! At first I thought that the menu would just play the main title theme over and over but if you keep listening, it goes from one track to the next. Just hit the skip button on your DVD player. Awesome movie.
77 Fantastic movie and DVD
As it seems many other reviews have noted, Apollo 13 is a great film. It captures a gripping story with good detail and technical accuracy. Throughout the film, special effects really bring the scenes to life. From the launch sequence to the final splashdown, all of the effects are very professional and not overdone.
While I really enjoyed the movie to begin with, I found the bonus material on the DVD made me enjoy it even more. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the documentary had actual content and wasn't just a bumch of clips from the film. In the documentary you'll learn how the story was woven into scenes in the movie and get a much better idea of how well done the movie is. The documentary also talks about where liberties were taken with the story line and what tidbits of the movie actually weren't added t
