Search - Apollo 13 on DVD

MPAA Rating: PG Content Advisory: Adult Situations, Suitable for Teens Movie Release: 1995 DVD Release: 03/16/1999 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Edition: Dual Layered Audio Tracks: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 2 hrs 20 mins Studio: Universal Studios Members Wishing: 11 Genres: Drama, Historical Film, Docudrama, Space Adventure See Also: Apollo 13 [Special Edition], Apollo 13 [Anniversary Edition], Apollo 13 [Widescreen Anniversary Edition], Apollo 13 [HD DVD], Apollo 13 [Collector's Limited Edition] [Widescreen], Apollo 13 [Collector's Edition]

"Houston, we have a problem." Those words were immortalized during the tense days of the Apollo 13 lunar mission crisis, and the suspense, fear, and excitement of those days are captured in Ron Howard's epic recreation of the 1970 crisis. When the commander of the original mission Ken Mattingly (Gary Sinise), bows out due to possible exposure to measles, astronaut Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks) leads command module pilot Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon) and lunar module driver Fred Haise (Bill Paxton) on what is slated as NASA's third lunar landing mission. All goes smoothly until the craft is halfway through its mission, when an exploding oxygen tank threatens the crew's oxygen and power supplies. As the courageous astronauts face the dilemma of either suffocating or freezing to death, Mattingly and Mission Control leader Gene Kranz (Ed Harris) struggle to find a way to bring the crew back home, all the while knowing that the spacemen face probable death once the battered ship reenters the Earth's atmosphere. Even though the outcome, in which all three astronauts miraculously survived, is historical fact, the film derives suspense from the situation itself and from the actions of the heroic astronauts and the men on the ground. Howard's taut direction, a solid ensemble of players, and eye-opening special effects all add to the overall impact of the film, which has been hailed as one of Hollywood's best historical dramas. In 2002, the movie was released in IMAX theaters as Apollo 13: The IMAX Experience, with a pared-down running time of 116 minutes in order to meet the technical requirements of the large-screen format. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide

Tom Hanks - Jim Lovell
Bill Paxton - Fred Haise
Kevin Bacon - Jack Swigert
Gary Sinise - Ken Mattingly
Ed Harris - Gene Kranz
Kathleen Quinlan - Marilyn Lovell

Throughout the Collector's Edition DVD of Apollo 13, much emphasis is placed on the film as a historical document. An early Universal Collector's Edition, this disc sets the tone for the extraordinary Universal DVDs that would follow. The 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer is flawless and the impressive Dolby track makes viewers feel like they are actually at a rocket launch. The hour-long documentary "Lost Moon" provides rare footage of the crisis and the media aftermath that is worth the price of the DVD alone. The making of the film is more of a backdrop for the retelling of the story in documentary format with all of the major players, from both NASA and Hollywood. It's always good to see an in-depth production documentary that doesn't skimp on the details, and "Lost Moon" doesn't disappoint. Also included are two audio commentaries, one with director Ron Howard and the other with Jim and Marilyn Lovell. While Howard's commentary is what one would expect of a director commentary, the real treat is the Lovell commentary, which again helps place the DVD more in the realm of a historical document. Trailers and production notes are also included. Universal set the standard for Collector's Edition DVDs, and =Apollo 13 is an effort that rises above even those expectations. ~ Oliver Thornton, All Movie Guide