New in cinema - Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum on their way to the moon
Have Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin really walked on the Moon in July 1969 - or was the historic event only a staging? The Moon landing was not long past when doubts began to swirl around the famous "Apollo 11" space mission. The romantic comedy "To the Moon" with Hollywood stars Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum cleverly plays with this persistent conspiracy theory and remains relevant in today's era of Fake News.
Directed by Greg Berlanti, the film revolves around the harried marketing expert Kelly Jones (Johansson), who is tasked with polishing NASA's image before the planned "Apollo 11" launch. She puts it succinctly: "We're selling the Moon." For this, she is even personally commissioned by a sinister government representative (Woody Harrelson).
Astronauts on Cornflakes Packages
Jones must ensure that the public and politics support the mission, which is primarily a race between Americans and the Soviets during the Cold War. After the Soviet Union sent Yuri Gagarin into space in 1961, the US wanted to quickly catch up and win the "Space Race" with the first American on the Moon.
The ambitious Start Director Cole Davis (Tatum) is far from convinced by his new colleague's ideas, such as using astronauts as endorsers for Cornflakes packages. When the government orders a fake Moon landing in a secret studio, the situation escalates.
The dimensions with thousands of people who worked on the Moon landing mission at NASA were overwhelming for Tatum and Johansson. "My brain couldn't grasp it: how many people were responsible for so many small things - and it all had to work perfectly. There's no room for error," Tatum told the German Press Agency. The endeavor was greater than anyone could imagine.
Tatum: "Age of Disinformation"
The first manned Moon landing marks its 55th anniversary on July 20 (US time). Armstrong and Aldrin spent roughly three hours exploring the lunar surface that day. The third astronaut of the mission, Michael Collins, orbited the Moon in the command module. Millions of people followed the events live on television or radio, and the mission left an indelible mark on collective human memory. In 1976, Bill Kaysing's book "We never went to the Moon - America's Thirty Billion Dollar Swindle" fueled rumors of a hoax.
Johansson stated that it is probably easier to fake a Moon landing today because of the widespread dissemination of false information. "It's like the age of disinformation," Tatum said. If one looks at the current times, no one will believe anything anymore. Everyone will have their own narrative, which is also fascinating in a way. "Because if you don't believe anything, you simply create what you want to believe," he emphasized.
Despite the historical account of the famous "Apollo 11" mission, "To the Moon" entertains with the conspiracy theory that the images from the mission were doctored. The comedy is not just a roughly two-hour story about the Moon landing, but also tells of a battle for truth and morality. Does the million-strong audience in the film get to see the original recordings of the astronauts or only the studio images? How far would a government go for its own image and its position in the Cold War?
Great costumes and too many storylines
At times, it seems Director Berlanti ("Love, Simon") wanted to accommodate as many storylines and aspects surrounding the moon landing in the film, but not all of them are fully developed. Therefore, the movie feels somewhat overloaded in the second half. The film stands out even more for its fantastic costumes in the 60s look. Johansson, who leaves the strongest impression as the leading actress with her beehived hair and vibrant clothes as a clever career woman, fits the bill. The chemistry between Johansson ("Black Widow") and "Magic Mike"-Star Tatum on screen is also noteworthy when their characters' (slightly cheesy) romance unfolds.
Info about the movie
- Despite the ongoing doubts about the Moon landing during the Cold War, NASA was determined to win the "Space Race" with the first American on the Moon, aimed at surpassing the Soviet Union's achievement with Yuri Gagarin in 1961.
- Actors Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum star in the movie "To the Moon," directed by Greg Berlanti, which highlights the conspiracy theories surrounding the Apollo 11 mission and remains relevant in the era of Fake News.
- Woody Harrelson portrays a sinister government representative in the film, tasking Johansson's character, Kelly Jones, with boosting NASA's image before the Apollo 11 launch.
- NASA employees found themselves overwhelmed by the complexities of the Moon landing mission, with thousands of people involved in the minutest details of the endeavor, leaving no room for errors.
- Channing Tatum, playing the role of Start Director Cole Davis, was struck by the enormity of the project and the countless people working tirelessly to make it a success.
- During the filming of "To the Moon," Tatum expressed his concerns about the age of misinformation, making it easier for people to believe that a Moon landing could be staged due to the widespread dissemination of false content.
- The movie's plot revolves around the conspiracies surrounding the Moon landing and the role of government manipulation in shaping public opinion during the Cold War.
- The release of Bill Kaysing's book "We never went to the Moon - America's Thirty Billion Dollar Swindle" in 1976 fueled rumors of a hoax, further fueling conspiracy theories around the Moon landing.
- A crucial moment in the movie is when the government orders a fake Moon landing in a secret studio, escalating the situation and igniting intrigue between the characters.
- Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin's Moon landing on July 20, 1969, generated millions of live viewers and left an indelible mark on collective human memory, but the conspiracy theories still persist, spurring Hollywood's interest in exploring these themes in their film productions.
