Chasing the Moon, the latest in the “American Experience” line is a very well made documentary series going through man’s quest to travel to the moon to beyond.
NOVA: Chasing the Moon
(2019)
Genre(s): Documentary
PBS | NR – 390 min. – $39.99 | July 9, 2019
Date Published: 08/15/2019 | Author: The Movieman
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PBS Distribution provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Blog Post.
The opinions I share are my own.
THE MOVIE — 4.25/5 |
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Synopsis: Chasing the Moon reimagines the race to the moon for a new generation, upending much of the conventional mythology surrounding the effort. The series recasts the Space Age as a fascinating strw of scientific innovation, political calculation, media spectacle, visionary impulses, and personal drama. With no narration and using only archival footage–including a visual feast of previously lost or overlooked material–the film features a diverse cast of characters who played key roles in these historic events. Among those included are astronauts Buzz Aldrin, Frank Borman, and Bill Anders; Sergei Khrushchev, son of the former Soviet premier and a leading Soviet rocket engineer; Poppy Northcutt, the 25-year-old “mathematics whiz” who gained worldwide attention as the first woman to serve in NASA’s Mission Control; and Ed Dwight, the Air Force pilot selected by the Kennedy administration to train as America’s first black astronaut. Quick Hit Review: This is very well put together documentary series, breaking down the beginnings of the space program and the competition with Russia to the difficulties of getting to the moon with the lives and treasure it cost, where it did take strength and fortitude and stay the course that began with President John F. Kennedy. Unlike the Mill Creek’s NASA: A Journey Through Space, this one, also utilizing archive footage over narration, we do get some great sound bites with those involved in the space program and general experts in the field as they explain some of the situations, and complications, that had arisen. Lengthy for sure, but this documentary series was absolutely compelling. |
SPECIAL FEATURES – 3.0/5 |
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This three-disc set is housed in a standard Blu-ray case. Not a ton of bonus material, but there is Making Chasing the Moon: Interview with Robert Stone (11:10) and Making Chasing the Moon: Behind the Scenes with the Film Crew (135:54) featurettes. |
VIDEO – 4.0/5 |
| PBS releases Chasing the Moon onto Blu-ray with a 1.78 widescreen aspect ratio and given a nice looking 1080p high-definition transfer even when considering the majority of the film is comprised of archive footage, so with that detail isn’t always the best but colors were decent. |
AUDIO – 3.75/5 |
| Each episode (or part) comes with a standard DTS-HD Master Audio Stereo track and while it’s nothing extraordinary or shows off very much depth, dialogue did come through with good clarity and there was a slight boost with the liftoff scene. |
OVERALL – 4.0/5 |
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Chasing the Moon, the latest in the “American Experience” line is a very well made documentary series going through man’s quest to travel to the moon to beyond, and the trials and tribulations that the space program went through to reach that goal. |
Check out some more 1080p screen caps by going to page 2. Please note, these do contain spoilers.