Sunday 1 June 2008

Good moon arisin'

What we learned from Last nights TV:

Always count your shadows:
Things are never black and white, television is dumbing down we are told and to a large extent they are right with everything from “Grand designs” to “Britain’s got talent” being bland crud. But then you get a episode of Dr Who like last night which was genuinely creepy and involving and maybe just maybe things aren’t too bad.

Then there was the doc about Johnny Cash, and the bit in compilation of his “Country Gold” shows where the Everly brothers sang a song about their dad complete with guitar breaks from their dad that was so lovely I found I had something in my eye.

Lastly I finally caught “In the shadow of the moon” on channel 4 last night which was clearly wonderful, any film with Gus Grissom in it will do for me. It was about the Apollo moon landings and was simply but beautifully done mixing interviews with the 8 moon walkers left with excellent footage and stills.

I do think human history demands one last interview with Neil Armstrong, I respect his privacy but surely he can talk in private to someone and it be released say 10 years after he sadly passes. Imagine having a first hand record of Christopher Columbus.

One of the most amazing parts of the film was hearing Michael Collins (left in lunar orbit) talks about the moment when his circling ship slipped behind the Moon and he’s alone in something not much bigger than a camper van on his own in the Universe. The fact that he enjoyed it tells us something about the inner spirit of adventurers. The whole film was filled with optimism but not was never glib. Of course the BBC did much the same with the Dr and friends except they didn’t even need to leave Cardiff!

1 comment:

ally. said...

i got a telly on sunday as well but i'm so out of the habit of watching one i forgot all about this and i do love a bit of space and apollo and all - i'll dig out my space book and dream
x