Search - Apollo 15: Man Must Explore (Extended Collector's Edition) on DVD

From the Producer...

Mark Gray | Charlotte, NC | 03/14/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've always said that there are people who get what we're doing, and people who don't. I'm writing this explanation for those who might misunderstand some of the reviews, most especially "data dump" below.

First of all, there is no video feed one can record "straight from" in 1971. The material on these sets is scattered among various centers in various conditions of preservation. The work that goes into bringing it all together, including new transfers of all of the film material (which you should compare to the previous grainy transfers of the filmed material), is expensive, time consuming and difficult. The 6 DVDs are packed with the video and audio material collected, including all of the TV and motion picture film from the mission, as well as all the stills from the surface, plus training, preparation, launch, recovery, a 3D representation of the landing site showing the traverses, and more.

Apollo 15 had a 16mm camera taken on the surface on the LRV. It jammed repeatedly. There is very little 16mm film footage from the surface on Apollo 15. (Nor is there 16mm footage of the trans-Earth EVA, it jammed too). ALL of the 16mm film shot on Apollo 15 is included on the set. Apollo 16 had a 16mm camera which took nearly all of the film you've seen from the LRV and it was the only time footage was taken of the LRV driving on the moon. Apollo 17 did not carry a 16mm camera out on the surface during their EVAs. If one is going to criticize, one should at least make half an effort at some research to back up their claims.

The only motion picture film from the CM in lunar orbit is included. (very little).

Our sets were designed to present this information without a filter, so that it can be used by serious researchers and those with a serious interest in the record of the U.S. space program. For this reason, on purpose, the material is left in the original form. We do perform noise reduction and color correction on the TV and make new digital transfers of the film. But the material on this mission is from 1971. This was a time when just to change a channel you would get up, clunk the thing over a few channels, adjust your rabbit ears and try and get the best possible picture. And the TV was from a quarter of a million miles away, analog, with low signal strength.

In actuality, how lucky we truly are to have any chronicle of these voyages of exploration. In contrast to the complaints about the picture quality of the time, I find the footage extraordinary."

What we knew but never really saw

Gil Salame | 05/03/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Wow! The landing at Hadley was really the most spectacularly beautiful site in all the Apollo missions. This set shows all available footage (both video and 16mm) of the Apollo 15 landing and in full colour as well!OK people who are interested enough in Apollo to sit through the complete downlink series may be few and far between, however, in all cases I have found myself compelled to watch. These missions really were the greatest moment in human history.Spacecraftfilms have made these sets with so much passionate love about what's in them, that you'll be hard pressed to fault them. EVERYTHING is there. No curtailed mix of several Apollo mission footage generally trying to represent one landing, no cheesy music, no voice overs telling us what we can plainly see on the screen.The chapter sections are chronoligically arranged, and subchapters allow you to review film magazine pictures, assembled moon landscape panoramas, and the seperate 16mm films. Not only the moon EVAs are there. You get the pre-flight tests, suit-ups, multi angle launch views of the Saturn V rocket, mid flight downlinks, news conferences, splashdown recovery and even CM lunar survey film footage.Prepare a weekend of couch potatoe asorbtion with this (and the other Apollo Downlink sets). You will not be disspointed. Furthermore, the educational value of these sets cannot be overstated. WELL worth the moeny hands down."

Man Must Explore.... this boxset!

B. Federovitch | Hamilton NJ | 03/18/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As a fairly new fan of the Apollo series, and by no means a scientific expert, I was concerned that a boxset on Apollo 15 might be a bit overwhelming. Thanks to the excellent production and organization of this Spacecraft Films set, my fears were unfounded.
As other viewers have stated, everything regarding the mission is here. But even if you want to skip through a lot of it (like some of the prelaunch meetings), you won't be disappointed. You don't get the feeling that you're witnessing a greatest hits or highlight film of a great moon visit, but almost the whole thing.
I think Spacecraft has done a remarkable job with this series giving us a comprehensive library of an incredible project in American history. The more I watch, the more I can't wait to see another mission out on DVD. Why just read about it and look at stills, when you can actually relive it?
If you're a parent or teacher, it can be an incredible teaching device. But if you just appreciate knowledge, it's an amazing revelation."