77 replies to this topic

[TheMcGuffin]

I did see Apollo 18 today.  Without giving too much of the story away, the military was in control of the launch, although the three astronauts were never informed of their true mission by the Department of Defense.  They found a Russian spacecraft on the moon and a cosmonaut who came to a very bad end, although the military suspected that the Russians had conducted a moon landing in secret, disguised as a satellite launch.

As the story develops, the astronauts are actually forced to use the communication system on the Russian moon lander, and when they contact the Soviets they are immediately transferred to an assistant Secretary of Defense in Washington who's really controlling their mission.  Then they realize that the Soviets and the US have some kind of secret deal and the real purpose of their mission is very different from what they imagined.

By then, of course, it's far too late.

[septic peg]

TheMcGuffin, on 10 September 2011 - 04:46 AM, said:

I did see Apollo 18 today.  Without giving too much of the story away, the military was in control of the launch, although the three astronauts were never informed of their true mission by the Department of Defense.  They found a Russian spacecraft on the moon and a cosmonaut who came to a very bad end, although the military suspected that the Russians had conducted a moon landing in secret, disguised as a satellite launch.

As the story develops, the astronauts are actually forced to use the communication system on the Russian moon lander, and when they contact the Soviets they are immediately transferred to an assistant Secretary of Defense in Washington who's really controlling their mission.  Then they realize that the Soviets and the US have some kind of secret deal and the real purpose of their mission is very different from what they imagined.

By then, of course, it's far too late.

And yep thats a fair and accurate summary. But how, overall were you feeling after seeing the film?  And the blair witch style of filming?  I admit to being somewhat, not a whole lot tho...dissapointed with it, tho as said, Id watched it streaming on the pc so may not have 'got the best' from it...

[The Lone Ranger]

Who knows, perhaps they already have a moonbasis.

The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence...

[TheMcGuffin]

septic peg, on 10 September 2011 - 06:59 PM, said:

And yep thats a fair and accurate summary. But how, overall were you feeling after seeing the film?  And the blair witch style of filming?  I admit to being somewhat, not a whole lot tho...dissapointed with it, tho as said, Id watched it streaming on the pc so may not have 'got the best' from it...

I'd have to give it two stars out of four.  It had its moments, especially at the end, although I won't give away any of the details.  I liked the Cowboys and Aliens film better.  I thought the style was designed to give it a gritty, amateur feel, and some people don't like that at all, but I think they were trying to give the illusion that this was 'authentic' astronaut footage from 1974.  It looked to me like they had all the details of the Apollo spacecraft just about right, along with the sound effects and the radio communications--the "Houston, we have a problem" dialogue.  Indeed they did, especially when they realized Houston wasn't running the show.

[moonlight583]

I agree with Mike215's comment, leaving the 3 of them up there to die..was very disturbing. Enjoyed the movie as as Sci/fi/conspiracy flick. Cowboys and Aliens I thoroughly enjoyed.

[MID]

Mike 215, on 08 September 2011 - 11:46 PM, said:

One of the main points of Apollo 18 is that NASA was willing to sacrifice the lives of the astronauts because they were infected with alien bugs. In read life, would the space agency do such a thing?

I think the main point of Apollo 18 is to entertain those who like a little horror fantasy, and to make some money.
Unfortunately, it seems to be inspiring some rather illogical and unreasoned discusion.

In real life, the space agency took precautions to isolate lunar crews and test them for any infections or foreign agents they might have in their bodies. After a couple of missions, they had determined that extensive quarantine or examinations were no longer necessary.  I think the abandoning astronauts on the Moon thing is just another creative Hollywood device to rivet the audience and make them emotionally overwrought by the film.  

In reality, no such thing would've happened, and in reality, no such top secret mission could've been launched without someone noticing.

[Mike 215]

Yes, the agency took precautions from infections, but I can believe that if the astronauts were infected like they were in this film where the bugs are eating them alive, I really doubt that they would be brought back to earth. Even if the decision was to bring them back to earth, I bet they would keep them in quarantine with armed guards ready to shoot for years. And above their heads would be flame throwers ready to incinerate everybody if the bugs got out of control. The convicts on death row would have a better life then those poor slobs.

[MID]

Mike 215, on 11 September 2011 - 04:05 PM, said:

Yes, the agency took precautions from infections, but I can believe that if the astronauts were infected like they were in this film where the bugs are eating them alive, I really doubt that they would be brought back to earth.

They probabaly would never have made it back.  Being eaten alive tends to interfere with everything, including flying a spacecraft.

Quote

Even if the decision was to bring them back to earth, I bet they would keep them in quarantine with armed guards ready to shoot for years.

Shoot bugs?

Quote

And above their heads would be flame throwers ready to incinerate everybody if the bugs got out of control. The convicts on death row would have a better life then those poor slobs.

Well, if they're being eaten alive, they're already gonna die.  You want to burn them to death too?

God, we're going overboard here, all inspired by some silly movie?!

[Colonel Rhuairidh]

moonlight583, on 11 September 2011 - 11:18 AM, said:

I agree with Mike215's comment, leaving the 3 of them up there to die..was very disturbing. Enjoyed the movie as as Sci/fi/conspiracy flick. Cowboys and Aliens I thoroughly enjoyed.

Oh thanks, spoiler why don't you.  

[Xpeople]

The plot would make a good video game, too.

[aquatus1]

The Lone Ranger, on 10 September 2011 - 07:13 PM, said:

Who knows, perhaps they already have a moonbasis.

The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence...

It's also not a very firm foundation for speculation.

[petrafinch]

There is also speculation that there was even an Apollo 20 mission

Edited by petrafinch, 27 September 2011 - 01:39 PM.

[petrafinch]

There is also speculation that there was even an Apollo 20 mission

[MID]

petrafinch, on 27 September 2011 - 01:41 PM, said:

There is also speculation that there was even an Apollo 20 mission

There is also another variety of Apollo related nonsense for the gullible to buy into.

"Apollo 20" would've been the final Apollo mission.
It never happened, as Apollo 18 and 19 never happened either, much to my personal regret.

There was never a Rutledge or Snyder in the American astronaut corps, and Leonov (Alexei), was a little busy when this nonsense was supposed to be happening.
He was Chief of the Cosmonaut Office and training Center, was no longer on flight status, and had made his last flight the year before (ASTP..which is no doubt how his name oddly popped up in this fantasy).

This entire thing about Apollo 20 is a total fabrication...a fake.

It's been thoroughly covered herein someplace...long ago.

[skyeagle409]

MID, on 27 September 2011 - 09:36 PM, said:

There is also another variety of Apollo related nonsense for the gullible to buy into.

"Apollo 20" would've been the final Apollo mission.
It never happened, as Apollo 18 and 19 never happened either, much to my personal regret.

There was never a Rutledge or Snyder in the American astronaut corps, and Leonov (Alexei), was a little busy when this nonsense was supposed to be happening.
He was Chief of the Cosmonaut Office and training Center, was no longer on flight status, and had made his last flight the year before (ASTP..which is no doubt how his name oddly popped up in this fantasy). tranquillity

This entire thing about Apollo 20 is a total fabrication...a fake.

It's been thoroughly covered herein someplace...long ago.

I agree!

However, if the next group of astronauts set foot on the moon and found a boulevard lined with fast-food restaurants, which specialize in green-cheese, cheeseburgers, to seafood from the "Sea of Tranquility, to Papa-in-the-Moon pizzas, then I might have to reconsider.

I might even consider buying beachfront property along the "Sea of Serenity."

Edited by skyeagle409, 27 September 2011 - 10:25 PM.