In the Shadow of the Moon (2007) ★★★★
This British documentary uses archive footage and contemporary interviews with Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins, James Lovell, Alan Bean, and six other astronauts as they tell the story of the Apollo missions, the NASA space program and the USA's quest to put a man on the moon and bring them back to Earth safely.
It's an achievement to make a film this century (this was released in 2007) with eight of the twelve men who have walked on the moon – Buzz Aldrin, Alan Bean, Edgar Mitchell, David Scott, John Young, Charles Duke, Eugene Cernan, and Harrison Schmitt – is an achievement in itself.
The remastered NASA footage has been carefully edited to fit a narrative and works very well with the interviews – the men are articulate and willing to talk about the lows and highs of their time at NASA. It's a shame Neil Armstrong didn't participate because, although his contributions are recognised by other astronauts, he is notable for his absence.
Even without Neil Armstrong, the documentary is an engrossing and informative watch and is particularly precious now that four of the participants have sadly died since the film was made.
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