US/1995/COLOR/WIDESCREEN 2.35:1/STEREO SURROUND/140 MINUTES/DIRECTED BY RON
HOWARD/STARRING TOM HANKS/ED HARRIS,KEVIN BACON/MCA-UNIVERSAL/57 CHAPS/2 DISCS/CLV/$44.98
Bring out the American flag. Ron Howard’s Apollo 13 will sure make you feel
grand about waiving it. Howard does a splendid directing tour guiding the re-enactment of
the events of the near disaster of this space mission. The research is meticulous and the
level of reality rivals documentary filmmaking. What is truly remarkable is that although
his audience knows what the outcome will be an incredible amount of tension s sustained.
Once the mission begins to fall apart and the crew begin their return to earth crew and
audience alike wind up holding their respective breath.
What a grand ensemble of acting talent is conducted by Ron Howard. Every actor’s
interpretation is right on the money. Yes, these are all fine actors, but it is to the
credit of Howard that the amazing uniformity of performance has been achieved. Tom Hanks
plays Jim Lovell to perfection. He just might get a third Oscar in a row. Ed Harris is
inspiring playing Gene Kranz manning Mission Control. Kevin Bacon and Bill Paxton work in
grand harmony with Hanks aboard the spacecraft. The actors are all a sheer joy to watch at
the top of their craft.
Howard directs from a screenplay written by William Broyles, Jr. and Al Reinert.
Reinert’s extensive research, which went into the making of his documentary, For
All Mankind, is dramatized is spectacular fashion. Dean Cundey’s camera is
fabulous in the tight quarters of the Apollo 13, following the astronauts through the ship
with seamless fluidity. James Horner’s score is equally thrilling.
Apollo 13 is a brilliant movie and an equally stunning disc. The transfer
conveys a feeling of immediacy that emphasizes the veracity of the events. Consistently
sharp with vibrant colors, Apollo 13 achieves a level of reference quality. The
sets are beautifully lit and the power of the lighting matches perfectly to disc. Space is
the deep, black airless place. The blacks are endless, smooth, with no noise whatsoever.
Grain, like air, has been banished from space in Apollo 13. The sound is massive. The bass
rumple on take-off will challenge your system’s woofers. Make sure they are up to the
task. Every sonic detail is captured on this grand laser disc effort from the controlled
chaos of Mission Control to the struggling breathing of the astronauts as they race
against time and oxygen. Apollo 13 a must have disc!
