10 moon-landing TV specials you’ll want to see
Programs mark the 50th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 mission
“There’s a foot on the moon! Oh boy! Hot diggity dog! Yes sir!”
That’s how an an awestruck Walter Cronkite described the scene on July 20, 1969, when astronaut Neil Armstrong stepped onto the lunar surface. On that fateful day, with more than half a billion people worldwide watching on television, Apollo 11 became the first spaceflight to land men on the moon.
Fifty years later, television is commemorating the audacious historic achievement with a long parade of documentaries and specials. Here are 10 to check out. (These are in addition to news programming offered by the broadcast networks and 24-hour cable news channels):
“Apollo: Missions to the Moon” (9 p.m. July 7, National Geographic): This feature-length documentary from Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Tom Jennings weaves together more than 500 hours of footage, 800 hours of audio and 10,000 photos to revisit all 12 Apollo missions. With no narration or modern-day talking heads, the film strives to provide an immersive, you-are-there experience.
“Chasing the Moon” (9 p.m. July 8-10, PBS): This six-hour documentary upends much of the conventional mythology attached to the space race by recasting it as “a fascinating stew of scientific innovation and PR savvy, political calculation and media spectacle, visionary impulses and personal drama.” Among those interviewed: astronauts Buzz Aldrin, Frank Borman and Bill Anders; futurist and theoretical physicist Freeman Dyson; Sergei Khrushchev, the son of former Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev; Poppy Northcutt, the first woman to serve in NASA’s Mission Control; and Ed Dwight, the Air Force pilot selected to train as America’s first black astronaut.
“NOVA: Back to the Moon” (8 p.m., July 10, PBS): Imagine a studio apartment on the Sea of Tranquility. This special introduces viewers to the scientists and engineers who are working to make life on the moon a reality.
“Moon Landing: The Lost Tapes” (10 p.m. July 14, History): Newly uncovered footage, rare photographs and previously untelevised audio interviews help to recall the timeline of events and impending challenges of the Apollo 11 mission, while also capturing the astronauts’ doubts and fears as they stand on the brink of making history.
“8 Days: To the Moon and Back” (9 p.m. July 17, PBS): This documentary brings the moon mission back to life by blending rare audio — featuring candid conversations between Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins — with newly shot studio footage, NASA and news archives, and CGI recreation and special effects. It begins with the countdown (Day 1) and ends with the final splashdown (Day 8).
“Wonders of the Moon” (10 p.m. July 19, BBC America): This eye-popping special uses stunning, detailed imagery to reveal the monthly life cycle of the moon to reveal how it influences life on Earth.
“Apollo 11” (6 and 9 p.m. PDT July 20, CNN): This feature-length documentary captures the tense, exhilarating days and hours surrounding the “one giant leap for mankind.” It is primarily comprised from newly discovered 70mm footage and more than 11,000 hours of audio recordings. (Note: This is a re-airing of the special that originally premiered June 23).
“Apollo: The Forgotten Films” (8 p.m. July 20, Discovery; 7 p.m. July 21, Science Channel): A compelling behind-the-scenes look at the exhaustive preparation that went into sending the first humans to the moon. Footage compiled from NASA Research Centers, The National Archives, and various news reports.
“The Day We Walked on the Moon” (9 p.m. July 20, Smithsonian): Notable witnesses recall their thoughts and feelings during the first 24 hours following the moon landing. The documentary includes new interviews with the children of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. Also interviewed: Astronaut Michael Collins, the third member of the Apollo 11 mission, members of Mission Control and celebrities such as Queen guitarist and doctor of astrophysics Brian May.
“Confessions From Space: Apollo” (10 p.m. July 20, Discovery): Learn what it was like to go to the moon from the people who lived it. In an event hosted by The Explorers Club, Buzz Aldrin (Apollo 11), Michael Collins (Apollo 11), Charlie Duke (Apollo 16), and more come together to share insights, experiences, and stories.
Contact Chuck Barney at cbarney@bayareanewsgroup.com. Follow him at Twitter.com/chuckbarney and Facebook.com/bayareanewsgroup.chuckbarney.