FOR ALL MANKIND, directed by Al Reinert is a compilation documentary that uses footage shot entirely by The National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) over the years of the mission to reach the moon. Edited by Susan Karda the documentary captures not only a trip to the moon but also the spirit of the astronauts who made the journey. FOR ALL MANKIND is an exciting documentary that takes you back in time as you travel to the moon with the astronauts who were there. The entire film uses first person narration of many astronauts speaking at the time or reflecting on their experience. In addition footage of the Houston Command Center, and the dialog between the astronauts and mission control is used. Original Music by Brian Eno plus recordings the astronauts took with them are also used.
The documentary film FOR ALL MANKIND begins as the moon comes out from behind some dark clouds, and the edited footage of President John F Kennedy at Rice University in 1962 where he said: “We choose to go to the moon, We Choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.”
“We set sail on this new sea because there is new knowledge to be gained, and new rights to be won, and they must be won and used for the progress of all people…”
“…we shall send to the moon, 240,000 miles away from the control station in Houston, a giant rocket more than 300 feet tall, the length of this football field, made of new metal alloys, some of which have not yet been invented, capable of standing heat and stresses several times more than have ever been experienced, fitted together with a precision better than the finest watch, carrying all the equipment needed for propulsion, guidance, control, communications, food and survival, on an untried mission, to an unknown celestial body, and then return it safely to earth, re-entering the atmosphere at speeds of over 25,000 miles per hour, causing heat about half that of the temperature of the sun–almost as hot as it is here today–and do all this, and do it right, and do it first before this decade is out–then we must be bold.”
“And, therefore, as we set sail we ask God’s blessing on the most hazardous and dangerous and greatest adventure on which man has ever embarked.” — JFK
Six years later in 1968 the first manned flights to the moon began and continued through 1972. During that time there were nine manned flights resulting men walking on the moon. A nation accomplished a goal and in the process learned much, produced much and found a renewed identity. There’s a lesson to be learned in this historic journey in to outer space at a time, when NASA did not have the computing power found in the basic MacBookPro today! Much can be accomplished when a culture has the will to do something. It’s hard to imagine anything as grand and challenging as the trips to the moon happening today. FOR ALL MANKIND shows what can be accomplished when there is a collective shared agenda.
FOR ALL MANKIND is historical in nature, using actual footage shot at the time, to build a story that brings you on the trip to the moon; from the dramatic lift off, the leaving of Earth orbit at six thousand feet per second and ultimately orbiting the moon. Once in moon orbit you go with the astronauts in the moon lander as it settles gently on the surface of the moon. On the moon you take that famous “small step for a man, giant step for mankind” with Neil Armstrong and walk on the moon.
FOR ALL MANKIND does a great job recreating the travel to the moon experience. This includes the feeling the astronauts experienced leaving the planet, and seeing it grow smaller as they moved farther away from its blue oceans. There are no longer countries and continents just one mother Earth. It also shows you life in the command module as the astronauts deal with weightlessness in this tiny space ship. FOR ALL MANKIND is an amazing documentary that humanizes space travel, the uniqueness of humankind and the planet Earth.
“FOR ALL MANKIND is the firsthand story of a great mythic adventure. Touching the Moon was b definition a work of inspired imagination and high art, and scarcely requires further embellishment… The movie is a testament to the power of primitive vision and the strength of human will.” — Al Reinert
J R MARTIN – AUTHOR – CREATE DOCUMENTARY FILMS, VIDEO AND MULTIMEDIA – REAL DEAL PRESS
For All Mankind – 1989 – The Criterion Collection – 79 Min. Directed by Al Reinhart
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[amazon_image id=”B0026VBOIS” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]For All Mankind (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray][/amazon_image]
[amazon_image id=”B004BQVJ2W” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]For All Mankind[/amazon_image]
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[amazon_image id=”0982702329″ link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Create Documentary Films, Videos and Multimedia: A Comprehensive Guide to Using Documentary Storytelling Techniques for Film, Video, the Internet and Digital Media Projects.[/amazon_image]