| Apollo 13 | | Cast : | Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise, Ed Harris | | Director : | Ron Howard | | Studio : | Universal Studios | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, Dolby | | Released Date : | June 30, 1995 | | DVD Released Date : | March 29, 2005 | | Language : | Spanish (Subtitled), Spanish (Dubbed), English (Original Language), French (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | August 09, 2005 | | Summary | I believe this will be our finest hour... | Content
 | APOLLO 13 is a unique adventure story that finds its magic in the history books. And although the film is more cinematic, the story it is based is easily more dangerous. It is also amazing that this story has faded from our psyche.
The unlucky 13th Mission was to be a moon landing, but after several mishaps beginning with a last minute crew change, a mechanical malfunction cripples the crew and the space capsule, changing its mission to one of survival. The lunar lander is used as a lifeboat, the only chance the astronauts have for survival.
Ron Howard put away his "Opie Taylor" fishing rod long enough to direct one of the richest human ensembles in awhile. Sure, Tom Hanks is excellent as astronaut Jim Lovell, but it is the people surrounding him that are the real treat. Kathleen Quinlan is wonderful as Jim Lovell's wife Marilyn. Her strength and humanity keeps this space adventure grounded on earth. And she shows exactly how difficult the situation is. She is extremely gifted in communicating sub-text. Her reaction watching the show-stoppng launch sends chills through the viewer. Gary Sinise is also wonderful as 'grounded' astronaut Ken Mattingly and helps add respect to the nuts and bolts mechanics that could easily have buried this film in the doldrums. Ed Harris puts in his finest performance yet as Gene Kranz, the head of ground control. His performance has some incredible nuances as he postpones his emotions for a time when they can be dealt with, after the crew was back on terra firma. Surprisingly, Ron's brother Clint also excels as one of the ground controllers. He is left with some very funny lines and does his brother proud.
The film was a major commercial success and it deserves to be, with wonderful special effects that actually serve the picture and a triumphant musical score by James Horner (TITANIC). Overall, this film delivers in spades and, along with the RIGHT STUFF and FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON, makes for a great rainy weekend marathon.
Watch for the real Jim Lovell saluting Hanks onboard the military carrier at the end of the film! The DVD has nice sound that will challenge your receiver and 2 extremely interesting commentaries as well as a making of documentary. This was an early DVD release so the video could use another remaster.
Houston, we have a problem.
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| Rating | | | Date | August 08, 2005 | | Summary | Almost tragedy turned into Great American Cinema. | Content
| Love this movie, would recommend it to anyone who would like to be grossly entertained for 220 minutes. Both acting and direction are great. My favorite Ron Howard movie. Gary Sinise and Ed Harris shine. |
| Rating | | | Date | August 06, 2005 | | Summary | VERY WELL MADE | Content
| THIS MOVIE WAS VERY GOOD. I'M SURE MOST WILL AGREE. THE EXTRAS ON THE DVD ARE NOT BAD EITHER. WE'VE ALL SEEN EXTRAS THAT ARE JUST TRASH, BUT ON THIS DVD THERE ARE SOME EXTRAS THAT ARE HISTORICAL AND INTERESTING. ALSO THE EXTRA ON THE MAKING OF THIS MOVIE POINTED OUT SOME FACTS YOU'LL NOT KNOW BY JUST SEEING THE MOVIE. GET A COPY FOR YOUR FRIENDS OR KIDS. |
| Rating | | | Date | August 02, 2005 | | Summary | Failure was not an option. | Content
| ... and this release is certainly not a failure.
Firstly I must state that "Apollo 13" is one of my favourite movies, therefore I was both favorably inclined towards this release and disposed towards being critical of substandard features.
This release is technically excellent, both the Theatrical Release and IMAX versions are clean prints with good quality sound. The menus are clear and work well, allowing easy navigation of features. The case and slip cover are high quality and use some of the original imagery from the theatrical release posters.
The commentaries on the Theatrical Release are an asset, particularly the one by Jim and Marilyn Lovell. Their comments underline the fidelity of the movie to the events depicted and the recreation of the hardware and the procedures.
Although I won't deliver any spoilers, one of the most impressive aspects of the film is that there is genuine suspense regarding the ending, even though I - and most people who were around in 1970 - know what happened. This is testimony to the writing and to Ron Howard's direction.
This is also reflected in the documentary "Lost Moon: The Triumph of Apollo 13" where the crew and cast members come across as being absolutely commited to portraying events accurately, but in a way that underscored the innate drama of them. Tom Hanks and Ed Harris particularly stand out in this regard. The interviews with the people they portrayed are thought-provoking and make the viewer re-examine the way in which many recent mainstream films have mangled history "for dramatic effect". "Apollo 13" is proof that that doesn't need to be the case.
To Quote Jim Lovell: "Gentlemen, it has been a priveledge to fly with you."
Highly recommended to anyone with even a passing interest in the space program. |
| Rating | | | Date | July 28, 2005 | | Summary | An epic odyssey! | Content
| The experience is the final result of a bad experience. This statement of Robert Kennedy illustrates with accuuracy the anguish moments lived not only in USA but the rest of the world in those early seventies.
Ron Howard knew recreate with all the possible realism those hard times with a superb cast a supeb stage and a very adjusted script despite certain common places.
This film despite not having won the most important prize of the Academy deserves with wide argumentation to be in the elite of the top ten best American Films in the Nineties. |
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