On 6 DVDs this spectacular set brings you the complete television transmissions and onboard film of the Apollo 17 mission - the last lunar mission of the Apollo program. Featuring complete coverage of training, preparation... more », launch, recovery and more, this set brings you rare onboard recordings (such as audio from inside the command module during launch) and delivers over 27 hours of material documenting this historic mission. Featuring unique commentary from interviews conducted at the time of the mission, you'll get a fascinating look at what going to the moon is really like... until we go back, of course.« less
"First of all... this set is all about loving the Apollo moon missions. If you do, then you have to have this set. If you don't, learn some background on Apollo and you'll appreciate it much better.
With 6 discs and hours and hours of footage (including all of the moonwalks from the mission) the set kept me busy for weeks. I watched this on TV when I was 12 and was fascinated... now I am even more astounded. Amazing how things look different, and how much more you notice as an adult.
Coolest things about the set: during launch you can select to listen to the astronauts talking to one another inside the capsule as they are launched. I've never heard that before and it is a hoot! Also, there are several angles of the launch to see, as well as a cool flyover of the landing site (which for this mission was very rugged).
One of the things I like best is that you can enjoy the footage without a filter... no one trying to "interpret" what is happening for you. (They annoyed me by stepping on the sound of the astronauts when I was 12, and I am sure they would annoy me now). I loved Cronkite and all, but would rather just hear what was happening!
There are other sets in this series that are also good... (Apollo 11, 15, 13 and others). I'm glad the stuff is finally available (and looks great on DVD) as I've been looking for it for years.
Highly recommended."
Annoying packaging changes damage discs
spaceman biff | australia | 01/15/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"this spectaular set from spacecraft films continues the fine tradition set by pervious sets....
However due to the clunky amaray packaging 5 out of my 6 discs were bouncing around loose and scratched..(hopefully they will still play) be beware of this if you are purchasing
yes thats right , the nice outer and inner card slipcases that these sets used to have have been replaced by cheap and nasty plastic amarays. why? they look like asian bootlegs now
its now impossible to have a nice matching set on your shelves, its like having an enclopaedia with all the volumes differents sizes. lets hope spacecraft films see the error of their ways and produce packaging with some style and class again for those of us in for the full set"
For Apollo Freaks Only
Carl A. Johnson | Lake Orion, MI United States | 10/07/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"An incredible six DVD set encompassing the last manned flight to the moon in December, 1972. Mark Gray's Spacecraft Films has realized a dream for many Apollo Freaks that have wanted the best quality footage and video availiable of America's early space missions. Previously released bootleg videos of the Apollo moonwalks were copied from grainy film kinescopes, not the master videotapes. For this new set, Spacecraft Films made sure that nearly all of the lunar EVA video had been digitally enhanced and remastered from the master two-inch videotape reels that were stored at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. This results in that "live as it happened" look that only original master videotape can give you. Bravo, Spacecraft Films!"
Great, but for space buffs only
P. Lemmens | Netherlands | 01/17/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The complete footage of Apollo 17. Some 27 hours of raw material. Great for hardcore space buffs, space historians, Apollo freaks and the like, but likely very boring for the casually interested. No commentary, no music, no mounting... just the raw footage.
The packaging is ok, but as the reviewer before me already mentioned: there's a big chance that your dvds will arrive in a slightly damaged state (i.e. scratches) because they get loose during transport. My package was also broken and 4 dvds were damaged (but still playable, luckily). So, beware for this.
Anyhow, a big Compliment to Spacecraft Films for making this all happen!"
After a 3 month wait to receive it, I was somewhat disappoin
C. Giesbrecht | Winnipeg, MB Canada | 05/06/2007
(3 out of 5 stars)
"This set contains a lot of TV footage, and not much 16mm film footage. Spacecraft Films says that TV footage provides a better picture quality, but I beg to differ.
Yes, the 16mm film footage converted to video is "choppy" because the framerates don't match, it's quality is excellent. The video is full 30 FPS, but it has "muddy" pictures.
The audio is sometimes incomprehensible. I had thought this was going to be a professionally digitized product, and I guess my expectations were too high. It could very well be that the source material prohibits any higher quality.
Let me just say I am glad I decided to buy only one of these, because I had thought of buying all of them.
This set does, however, contain a good historical coverage of the mission."