Customer Reviews
Profoundly Beautiful - By: Mr. A. C. STANLEY-CLARKE, 05 Aug 2008 
I found this feature documentary to be an amazing compilation of mans journey of all journeys - to travel to the moon. For those who know little about the Apollo missions this is a great overview, beautifully put together with an easy pace. More importantly are the words from the astronauts themselves. They truly convey their experiences to the audience with deep conviction & passion. The political climatein the sixties & Kennedys astounding vision lay the foundations for this incredible feat to be realised within a decade. This is simply & profoundly awe inspiring.
I wanted to learn more! - By: J. Matthews, 23 Jun 2008 
Unfortunately, the feature-length format is insufficient to cover this topicin any depth. The film whizzes us through the background of the space racein the 60s, then dipsin & out of the various key Apollo missions - lessening a sense of the timeline of events. The footage & interviews are all good, but if, like myself, you've read a decent book/seen other documentaries on the same subject, you won't really gain much insight. The film has re-kindled my interest, however, so I'm now going to check out the [12 hour] From The Earth To The Moon series.
An Important Historical Document - By: P. Hewitt, 05 Jun 2008 In the Shadow of the Moon contains original footage & interviews with the surviving Apollo astronauts. Its juxtaposition of the film from the 60s & early 70s with a bunch of bright, engaging menin their seventies talking about when they went to the moon is a fantastic way of telling the story of when the world was still full of optimism about the future.
The film loses something from being on the small screen. I own this DVD but saw it at the cinema too & the cinema is the best way to see it. Saying all that, its still worth buying & the bonus with the DVD is you get another hour of interviews which are full of more entertaining & insightful anecdotes.
This is an important historical document & should be part of your DVD collection.
Great documentary - a change from the norm - By: Anna Culver, 01 Jun 2008 I am not a space nut -in fact, as I was not alive/very old for the missions, they are not anything I have particularly thought about before. However, this is such a beautifully produced & directed documentary that it does not matter - & I certainly know a lot more now!
The character of all those involved (Neil Armstrong notable by his absence) shone through - their down to earth nature & "allin a days work" attitude was humbling. They make it easy to forget how dangerous such pioneering work was.
Allin all, a lovely film that makes a real change from fiction blockbusters. The film, like its stars, is both understated & awe-inspiring. Enjoy! (And if you are also an Apollo enthusiast, you would love it even more!).
Our Finest Moment fondly revisited - By: R. Deighton, 29 Apr 2008 In a world of war & financial crises look back at a better time when America focussed on more noble goals & carried the hopes of the whole human race with them. This film is a nostalgic & at times emotional view of the Apollo missions as told by the astronauts themselves.
I remember being sent to my next door neighbour's to watch the landings live as we didn't have a TV, the whole street was deserted, you could here a pin drop as everybody waited & watched. Seeing the grainy shots of Armstrong walking down the ladder & uttering the single most important sentence of any human beingin History brought all that back & now I'm old enough to understand its significance.
The photography is fantastic but the score of this film is what truly elevates it. There are many standout scenes, the launch sequence, the tension as the crowds of people watch, the global interviews after the landing & Walter Cronkite getting emotional to name a few. However I found listening to the Kennedy speech & watching the faces of the astronauts & understanding the allegiance that they have for their slain president very poignant.
There have been many space documentary films & indeed some of this photography can be seenin "For all Mankind" which is even more beautifully scored by Brian Eno. There is also "Apollo 13", however that film celebrates a triumph born of disaster, this Film celebrates the greatest of all triumphs & shouldin my opinion be the one you focus your efforts on, it's the real deal after all!
The DVD has a reasonable bunch of special features but if a little predictable. The Film itself is worth the money alone. Its nearly 40 years since it happened many of us who saw it live have forgotten, so many of you will not have been born, celebrate this moment, take the time to re-live all of itin its magnificence time & time again .....
