Presented by Oscar winning director Ron Howard, In the Shadow of the Moon is a touching and awe inspiring documentary which focuses on the 1960's space race spurned on by the Cold War, and endorsed by then American President John F. Kennedy.
The film features interviews with the astronauts who were apart of the Apollo 8, 11, and 13 missions (with the exception of first man on the moon, Neil Armstrong), who after all these years still speak of their experiences with wonder and excitement.
They cover the dangers of the experimental and turbulent processes of space flight; the mood of the United States at a time when the assassination of JFK, Vietnam, and the civil rights movement were looming in the background; the worldwide excitement of their accomplishments and the fame that came with it; and the strong spiritual connection felt with the universe once in space.
The best moments, however, come from their descriptions of being launched into space, orbiting the Earth, and landing and walking on the moon. Footage taken at the time provides a spectacular visual narrative, which even the most active of imaginations could not muster.
Director David Sington has crafted an important film which re-establishes the bravery and sacrifices of these men who dared to venture into territories not yet known to man. The jaded dregs behind the ever increasing number of fake moon landing conspiracies should take heed to the warning issued by one astronaut, that while conspiracy theorists have pseudo evidence to back their claims, he and his colleagues have their footprints on the moon to back theirs.
Fans of Phillip Kauffman's great 1983 space race biography The Right Stuff will love what this film has to offer. For everyone else, In the Shadow of the Moon is recommended viewing sure to move the most cynical of souls.