‘Apollo 13’ Movie Recreates Drama of Aborted Moon Flight

April 17, 2020

Mounted atop its mobile launcher, a crawler-transporter moves the Apollo 13 spacecraft atop its Saturn V rocket to Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The rollout took place Dec. 16, 1969 almost four months prior to the April 11, 1979 liftoff. — Mounted atop its mobile launcher, a crawler-transporter moves the Apollo 13 spacecraft atop its Saturn V rocket to Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The rollout took place Dec. 16, 1969 almost four months prior to the April 11, 1970 liftoff. Photo credit: NASA

A Review of the 1995 Film ‘Apollo 13’

By Bob Granath

To paraphrase Forrest Gump, “Space movies are like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.”

“Apollo 13” set out to chronicle NASA’s dramatic third mission to land on the lunar surface. It was based on Jim Lovell’s best-selling book, “Lost Moon.” On the big screen, what happened in 1970 is pretty much what you get.

“Apollo 13” director Ron Howard, left, talks with actor Tom Hanks (portraying Jim Lovell) during a scene filmed in 1994 next to a crawler transporter at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The crawler-transporter was used to move Saturn V Moon rockets from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. Photo credit: NASA

To mark the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 13 mission and 25th anniversary of the film, theaters around the country are planning to re-release the Academy Award-winning movie later this year. Out of nine Academy Award Nominations, the film earned Oscars for Best Film Editing and Best Sound.

After its nationwide release on June 30, 1995, “Apollo 13″ received rave reviews, including a 95 percent rating by Rotten Tomatoes, a review website for film and television. The positive comments came from professional movie reviewers and space personnel alike. The American movie-going public voted where it counts — at the box office. “Apollo 13” made $26 million its first weekend and out-drew all other films. According to Box Office Mojo, the film earned more than $355 million in the quarter-century since its release.

*A ticket for the June 28, 1995 Space Coast premiere of “Apollo 13” movie. Photo credit: SpaceAgechronicle.com*

Space movies are not new. In the 1920s, German rocket pioneer Herman Oberth developed special effects for the early sci-fi film “Frau im Mond” (“Woman in the Moon”). In the 1930s, Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers were popular. The 1950s and ’60s saw a string of science-fiction space films from “The Day the Earth Stood Still” to “2001: A Space Odyssey.”

Production of space oriented films moved to “warp speed” when America’s space program was still in its infancy. “Star Trek” on television and in theaters developed a devoted following and George Lucas produced his first “Star Wars” trilogy in the 1970s and ’80s. These films were exciting, but all were fiction.

Then came “The Right Stuff.”

In 1983, “The Right Stuff” covered real characters and real events. No Capt. James Kirk or Luke Skywalker here — this was Al Shepard and John Glenn and the way it really was.

*Apollo 13 lunar module pilot Fred Haise speaks to guests prior to the Space Coast premiere of “Apollo 13” movie. Actor Bill Paxton played Haise in the film. Photo credit: SpaceAgeChronicle.com*/Bob Granath

Or was it?

According to Mercury astronaut Wally Schirra, “The Right Stuff” was “fun and entertaining with some great special effects, but missed on accuracy.”

The recreation of Gus Grissom’s Mercury spacecraft hatch popping off prematurely after splashdown appeared very realistic. But, the depiction of Grissom sort of “freaking out” as the cause of the failure was about as factual as any episode of “Star Trek.”

“The public was left with a blurred vision of what actually happened through typical Hollywood distortion of the facts and random insertion of just-plain fiction,” Schirra said.

In 1994, director Ron Howard arrived at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, leading a small army of movie personnel to film scenes for “Apollo 13.” He also had a script based on Lovell’s book and two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks to portray the Apollo 13 commander. Howard was determined to tell the dramatic story and tell it accurately.

He succeeded.

On the day Apollo 13 launched, NASA astronaut Ken Mattingly, left, confers with fellow astronaut Joe Kerwin, a spacecraft communicator. Mattingly, whom actor Gary Sinise portrayed in the “Apollo 13“ movie, was scheduled to be command module pilot for the mission, but was replaced due to being exposed to German measles. Photo credit: NASA

So concerned was Howard with authenticity, he didn’t want to simulate zero-gravity. Realistic mock-ups of the command module and lunar module interiors were built and fitted into NASA’s KC-135 aircraft. The cast and crew then flew scores of dives in which 20 to 30 seconds of zero gravity could be experienced and filmed.

Needing a crawler-transporter as a backdrop for a motion picture, there was only one place for Howard to go — the Florida spaceport. Kennedy employees recognized footage of a crawler-transporter, the Vehicle Assembly Building, a Firing Room and a launch pad. There also was some of their fellow employees.

NASA Flight director Gene Kranz monitors operations from his console in Mission Control. He was played by Ed Harris who also starred in “The Right Stuff” as astronaut John Glenn. Photo credit: NASA

Movie producers often look for locals for small roles and as “extras” — people who have a certain “look.” Many Kennedy employees were among those taped for “Apollo 13.”

“Apollo 13” premiered on the Space Coast on June 28, 1995, to a tough audience. Like the national premiere in Houston a few days earlier, the viewers included lunar module (LM) pilot Fred Haise and his wife, Mary. Many of those in attendance were a part of the Apollo 13 mission 25 years earlier.

All together about 500 people were at the showing on Merritt Island, near Kennedy. Most of them talk-the-talk and walk-the-walk every day. Their reaction was universally positive generating comments such as “Awesome,” “Breathtaking” and “It was very accurate.”

During Apollo 13’s return to Earth, Jim Lovell tries to stay warm and sleep. Because the lunar module was powered down to save electricity, the temperature dropped to 38 degrees Fahrenheit. In the “Apollo 13” movie, the set was chilled down to the same level. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Swigert

Yes, there were some areas of embellishment. For example, NASA didn’t roll Saturn Vs to the launch pad two days prior to lift off. Haise commented that the mid-course correction firing of the LM’s engine during the trip back to Earth “was far more dramatic in the film than in reality.” However, where it counted, he believed “Apollo 13” was “on target.”

In March 2016, the Canadian-based YouTube video producer, WatchMojo.com, placed the motion picture “Apollo 13” number 1 on their list of the “Top 10 Most Historically Accurate Movies.”

Hanks is excellent as Lovell. From the opening scene, he is believable. His finest moments are displaying Lovell’s coolness under pressure — such as when he announces, “Houston, we’ve had a problem.”

The day after the Apollo 13 onboard explosion, NASA astronaut Jerry Carr, left, briefs Mary Haise on the status of the mission. The wife of Fred Haise said she liked the way she was portrayed by actress Tracy Reiner, but asked, “Do I really sound that Southern?” She was reassured that movies always have actors exaggerate Southern accents. Photo credit: NASA

The key elements of good acting are the little things, such as facial expressions. How do you depict Lovell’s disappointment of losing a chance to walk on the Moon while not also expressing fear? Hanks pulls it off. He is very believable as the realization comes over his face that the lunar landing is lost when Mission Control gives the directive to shut down the command-service module’s fuel cells and computer.

One of the true heroes of Apollo 13 was lead flight director Gene Kranz. Ed Harris (John Glenn in “The Right Stuff”) has Kranz down pat from the “White Team” vest and crew cut, to his no-nonsense manner in leading his team in Mission Control.

The last “nice touch” occurred in the climactic arrival of the safely returned crew on the deck of the recovery ship. As the captain of the USS Iwo Jima greets the three actors who portray the astronauts, keen eyed space enthusiasts recognized the skipper as the real-life Jim Lovell — himself a retired Navy captain.

Marilyn Lovell, the wife of Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell, speaks to members of the news media on April 17, 1970 following the successful splashdown and recovery of the crew. Actress Kathleen Quinlan played the role of Marilyn Lovell. The “Apollo 13” movie accurately portrays reporters “camping out” on the Lovell’s front lawn. Photo credit: NASA

The motion picture “Apollo 13” sets out to tell one of the most dramatic stories of our time. There is so much drama, very little embellishment is needed. But when it comes to Hollywood film makers, that usually doesn’t stop them. However, Ron Howard tells the story as it should be told — the real stuff.

For those not yet born 50 years ago, “Apollo 13” tells how a well-organized, focused space agency can meet the challenge of almost insurmountable odds. For others, it is a reminder of a proud moment in our past pointing in the direction of even greater challenges in our future.

Lessons learned from NASA’s Apollo Program are being applied as the agency prepares for the Artemis lunar exploration program. Plans call for landing the first woman and the next man on the Moon. The effort is designed to use innovative new technologies and systems to explore more of the Moon than ever before. What was learned on and around the Moon will be used to send astronauts to Mars.

A Review of the 1995 Film ‘Apollo 13’

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

SpaceAgeChronicle.com