"Earthrise" as captured on film by the Apollo 8 with its crew of Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and Bill Anders on December 24, 1968. That was approximately seven months before the first steps on the lunar surface by Neil Armstrong followed by Buzz Aldrin. The very first picture was in black and white above. The infamous color print followed (click here).
Provincetown is a 'natural' for this type of event. I thought the 'film venues' need work with better seating, especially the samller venues where reading subtitles can be made difficult. That reality is easily made up by the variety of cuisine along with expert chefs, as well as the varied and vibrant nightlife of the clubs and the salons, spas and plush B&Bs. There was never any 'wanting' so much as satisfaction during any time in Provincetown at the film venues.
But, there was no looking any further than Provincetown for any subject a person was willing to venture into and there were some venues sold out very early. The weather was fabulous with sunshine during the day that warmed the air, after weeks of nothing but rain. In the evening, a light jacket and depending on the person sometimes a more substantial outer covering, cape, 'hoodie' or fashionable scarves proved necessary. The sea breeze was a welcome end to the day, actually.
There was an abundance of art galleries and every where I went there was always a satisfied customer talking about the perfect painting or sculpture or antique just recently purchased. Basically, there was much to find in P'town. A lot of satisfied folks left for home at the end of the festival on Sunday. I did not stay to the end and left Sunday morning missing the patron award for best film. Each film had a ballot at every viewing.
I viewed only five films over the weekend and all were interesting and exceptional, the first was "In the Shadow of the Moon (click here)." and here.
"In the Shadow of the Moon" is an expose of the astronauts that took place in the Apollo Moon Mission program. It was interesting to hear their perspective. They obviously were all touched in a unique way by their experience. I found they all were in reverence to Earth. That was a quality of their experience which meant a great deal to me. Here these men engaged in a 'space race' with Russia were far less interested in 'the political jazz' of the moment, 'the celebrity' if you will and were moved to find Earth the point of focus to their mission. They all spoke of Earth as if unique to their experience. While the Moon was their mission, it was Earth they regarded as delicate and in need of protection by their society.
They impressed me as humble men with a great love of their country in that no act of bravery was too much to ask. They realized the brevity of the dangers they faced and yet were more than willing to participate to the end of the mission, confident everyone involved was completely dedicated to their safe return home.
Of course, there was also a second focus to the film, besides the men, the mission and their experience and that was the blatant bravery of President Kennedy to envision the program in the first place. JFK put complete political clout in the people involved with NASA and the space program without hesitancy.
It was astounding to listen to him make a speech full of uncertainty and speculation now in the year 2007 when so much of the political arena is full of pre-arranged theater for the sake of deceiving the public and creating an image. Little did JFK care about image when he put his full support behind the USA Space Program. It was very refreshing to hear a President speak with such speculation about the future and the confidence he had in the people of our nation to overcome all the obstacles to what would become the moment in time when the entire world stopped to listen to Neil Armstrong's (click here) first words while stepping onto the mooon.
"That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."
So dedicated to 'that memory' and it's preservation in time, that following his career with NASA, Neil Armstrong retired to his farm and never became a public figure. That fact was noted by his piers in the film. It was interesting to hear them speak of 'the moment' and their regard for Neil as the choice for the first human step onto the moon. They all believed no one else would be able to be so calm as to deliver such a resounding statement.
The 'actual' film took a great leap after the climax of the discussion of Apollo 11. It seemed as though it fast forward the rest of the program to get it all in. At the end of the film, the astronauts speak to the speculation regarding the reality of the program and it's success to reach the moon; stating they were there and making light of any speculation.
It is a film worthy of the time for viewing and certainly a film young people 'should' be interested in to realize the way the American people 'of the sixties' were dedicated to greatness and leadership. I remember the Apollo 11 mission and sitting by the television with my father for the very moment we heard those words. It was a victory for all Americans, a moment of greatness that our astronaut actually achieved 'the moment' in human history when we first stepped onto an alien surface and then returned to Earth safely. Perhaps it was that moment that instilled the reverence in all of us for Earth through their insight, pictures and love for their home even today. It is a great historical film by it's unique ability to capture the astronauts in their reverence for life on Earth and their humble bravery as pioneers.
But, there was no looking any further than Provincetown for any subject a person was willing to venture into and there were some venues sold out very early. The weather was fabulous with sunshine during the day that warmed the air, after weeks of nothing but rain. In the evening, a light jacket and depending on the person sometimes a more substantial outer covering, cape, 'hoodie' or fashionable scarves proved necessary. The sea breeze was a welcome end to the day, actually.
There was an abundance of art galleries and every where I went there was always a satisfied customer talking about the perfect painting or sculpture or antique just recently purchased. Basically, there was much to find in P'town. A lot of satisfied folks left for home at the end of the festival on Sunday. I did not stay to the end and left Sunday morning missing the patron award for best film. Each film had a ballot at every viewing.
I viewed only five films over the weekend and all were interesting and exceptional, the first was "In the Shadow of the Moon (click here)." and here.
"In the Shadow of the Moon" is an expose of the astronauts that took place in the Apollo Moon Mission program. It was interesting to hear their perspective. They obviously were all touched in a unique way by their experience. I found they all were in reverence to Earth. That was a quality of their experience which meant a great deal to me. Here these men engaged in a 'space race' with Russia were far less interested in 'the political jazz' of the moment, 'the celebrity' if you will and were moved to find Earth the point of focus to their mission. They all spoke of Earth as if unique to their experience. While the Moon was their mission, it was Earth they regarded as delicate and in need of protection by their society.
They impressed me as humble men with a great love of their country in that no act of bravery was too much to ask. They realized the brevity of the dangers they faced and yet were more than willing to participate to the end of the mission, confident everyone involved was completely dedicated to their safe return home.
Of course, there was also a second focus to the film, besides the men, the mission and their experience and that was the blatant bravery of President Kennedy to envision the program in the first place. JFK put complete political clout in the people involved with NASA and the space program without hesitancy.
It was astounding to listen to him make a speech full of uncertainty and speculation now in the year 2007 when so much of the political arena is full of pre-arranged theater for the sake of deceiving the public and creating an image. Little did JFK care about image when he put his full support behind the USA Space Program. It was very refreshing to hear a President speak with such speculation about the future and the confidence he had in the people of our nation to overcome all the obstacles to what would become the moment in time when the entire world stopped to listen to Neil Armstrong's (click here) first words while stepping onto the mooon.
"That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."
So dedicated to 'that memory' and it's preservation in time, that following his career with NASA, Neil Armstrong retired to his farm and never became a public figure. That fact was noted by his piers in the film. It was interesting to hear them speak of 'the moment' and their regard for Neil as the choice for the first human step onto the moon. They all believed no one else would be able to be so calm as to deliver such a resounding statement.
The 'actual' film took a great leap after the climax of the discussion of Apollo 11. It seemed as though it fast forward the rest of the program to get it all in. At the end of the film, the astronauts speak to the speculation regarding the reality of the program and it's success to reach the moon; stating they were there and making light of any speculation.
It is a film worthy of the time for viewing and certainly a film young people 'should' be interested in to realize the way the American people 'of the sixties' were dedicated to greatness and leadership. I remember the Apollo 11 mission and sitting by the television with my father for the very moment we heard those words. It was a victory for all Americans, a moment of greatness that our astronaut actually achieved 'the moment' in human history when we first stepped onto an alien surface and then returned to Earth safely. Perhaps it was that moment that instilled the reverence in all of us for Earth through their insight, pictures and love for their home even today. It is a great historical film by it's unique ability to capture the astronauts in their reverence for life on Earth and their humble bravery as pioneers.
