SHOOTING FOR THE MOON; HBO SERIES ABOUT SPACE GOES ALL OUT.Byline: Keith Marder Daily News Television Writer ``From the Earth to the Moon From the Earth to the Moon Verne tale of a group who have a monster gun cast to shoot them to the moon. [Fr. Lit.: WB 13:650] See : Astronautics ,'' a 12-part series played out over the next six Sundays from 8 to 10 p.m. on HBO Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) A form of oxygen therapy in which the patient breathes oxygen in a pressurized chamber. Mentioned in: Ozone Therapy , is the brainchild of space-obsessed actor Tom Hanks Noun 1. Tom Hanks - United States film actor (born in 1956) Hanks, Thomas J. Hanks , who played astronaut Jim Lovell James "Jim" Arthur Lovell, Jr., (born March 25, 1928) is a former NASA astronaut, most famous as the commander of Apollo 13, which suffered an explosion enroute to the Moon but was brought back safely to Earth by the efforts of the crew and mission control. in ``Apollo 13.'' The two-time Oscar-winning actor was involved in the writing, directing and acting of the series, as well as being the host and executive producer of this ambitious, $65 million project. Based on Andrew Chaikin's acclaimed book ``A Man on the Moon,'' NASA NASA: see National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA in full National Aeronautics and Space Administration Independent U.S. gave this docudrama its full support. Painstaking care was taken to make sure accuracy was not compromised for story, down to the authentic vehicles and props, which came from places such as the Kennedy Space Center Kennedy Space Center (Cape Canaveral) U.S. launch site for manned space missions. [U.S. Hist.: WB, So:562] See : Astronautics . The production's crew refurbished lunar modules and vehicles and built a 38,000-square-foot moonscape moon·scape n. 1. A view or picture of the surface of the moon. 2. A desolate landscape. [moon + (land)scape. in a blimp blimp: see airship. hangar in Tustin. This all adds up to a great-looking example of what television can do best - tell a story. Although the 12 stories (four were available for review) work as a series, each is a self-contained story. However, these are not a dozen mini-documentaries on trips to space. Hanks set out to pick one theme (astronauts' wives, for instance) and use it as the launching pad for a compelling hour. The directing - despite being shared by Hanks, Sally Field and others - is sharp, and it's clear from the number of spectacular special-effect shots that all of the $65 million made it to the screen. And, into some actors' pockets. There were about 100 major, and 400 additional speaking roles, and the 271 days of production were spread over more than 100 locations. It appears well worth it and should help HBO continue to grow its reputation as a good value just as ``The Larry Sanders Show,'' and movies such as ``Don King: Only in America'' have in the past. Sure, you could call this indulgent on Hanks' part, but the results justify the extravagance. This is more than a science-fact tale. It is an excellent period piece that takes us back to the days of the Cold War, when landing a man on the moon before the Russians was worthy of national excitement. Today, it is worth 12 hours of your time. The schedule of episodes: April 5 Part 1: ``Can We Do This?'' - President John F. Kennedy "John Kennedy" and "JFK" redirect here. For other uses, see John Kennedy (disambiguation) and JFK (disambiguation). John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917–November 22, 1963), was the thirty-fifth President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in challenges NASA to get a man on the moon before the Russians and by the end of the '60s. Starring Tim Daly, Al Franken, Chris Isaak, Dan Lauria, Ben Marley, Stephen Root and Peter Scolari. Directed by Tom Hanks. Written by Steven Katz. Part 2: ``Apollo 1'' - A prelaunch pre·launch adj. Preparatory or preliminary to launch, especially of a spacecraft or missile. blaze takes the lives of astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee, severely threatening the Apollo program. Starring Chris Isaak, Dan Lauria, Ben Marley, Kevin Pollack and Nick Searcy. Directed by David Frankel. Written by Graham Yost. April 12 Part 3: ``We Have Cleared the Tower'' - The launch of Apollo 7, the first manned flight of the program, is chronicled through the eyes of a documentary filmmaker. Starring Mark Harmon, Peter Horton, Daniel Hugh Kelly, Ann Magnuson and Nick Searcy. Directed by Lilli Fini Zanuck. Written by Remi Aubuchon. Part 4: ``1968'' - The forward movement of the space program is juxtaposed jux·ta·pose tr.v. jux·ta·posed, jux·ta·pos·ing, jux·ta·pos·es To place side by side, especially for comparison or contrast. with the country's social unrest. In the same year that Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. were assassinated as·sas·si·nate tr.v. as·sas·si·nat·ed, as·sas·si·nat·ing, as·sas·si·nates 1. To murder (a prominent person) by surprise attack, as for political reasons. 2. and urban riots and the Vietnam War Vietnam War, conflict in Southeast Asia, primarily fought in South Vietnam between government forces aided by the United States and guerrilla forces aided by North Vietnam. raged, Apollo 8 orbits the moon. Starring David Andrews, Tim Daly, Cary Elwes, Nick Searcy and Rita Wilson. Directed by David Frankel. Written by Al Reinert. April 19 Part 5: ``Spider'' - A look at the lunar module from sketch pad to Apollo 9 in which two manned vessels link up in space for the first time. Starring Matt Craven, Dann Florek, Clint Howard, Kieran Mulroney and Nick Searcy. Directed by Graham Yost. Written by Andy Wolk. Part 6: ``Mare Tranquilitatis'' - The thrilling lunar decent of astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, who descend to the moon's surface during the Apollo 11 mission. Starring David Andrews, Bryan Cranston, Cary Elwes, Tony Goldwyn, Diana Scarwid, Nick Searcy and Rita Wilson. Directed by Frank Marshall. Written by Al Reinert, Graham Yost and Tom Hanks. April 26 Part 7: ``That's All There Is'' - The life of a lunar astronaut detailed through the eyes and ears of the exuberant Apollo 12 crew. Starring Dave Foley, Ben Marley, Paul McCrane, Lane Smith and Tom Verica. Directed by Jon Turtletaud. Written by Paul McCudden, Eric Bork and Tom Hanks. Part 8: ``We Interrupt This Program'' - Reporters, from serious journalists to tabloid types, cover the disastrous Apollo 13 flight. Starring Dan Butler, Clint Howard, Jay Mohr, Connor O'Farrell, Stephen Root and Lane Smith. Directed by David Frankel. Written by Peter Osterlund and Amy Brooke Baker. May 3 Part 9: ``For Miles and Miles'' - Alan Shepard, America's first man in space, encounters skepticism and self-doubt when he's finally cleared for lunar flight after years of being grounded due to an inner-ear disorder. Starring Adam Baldwin, Gary Cole, Tim Daly, Daniel Hugh Kelly, Ted Levine and Nick Searcy. Directed by Gary Fleder. Written by Erik Bork. Part 10: ``Galileo Was Right'' - A look at the arcane world of lunar geology and the preparations for making lunar exploration more than just an engineering feat. Starring Tom Amandes, David Clennon, Bret Cullen, Doug McKeon and Nick Searcy. Directed by David Carson. Written by Jeffrey Fiskin. May 10 Part 11: ``The Original Wives Club'' - The Apollo astronauts' spouses and their time in the spotlight during the rise of the women's liberation movement Women’s Liberation Movement appellation of modern day women’s rights advocacy. [Am. Hist.: Flexner, 396] See : Feminism . Starring Wendy Crewson, Ann Cusack, Sally Field, DeLane Matthews, Dierdre O'Connell, Elizabeth Perkins, Debra Jo Rupp Debra Jo Rupp (born February 24, 1951) is an American television actress perhaps best known for her role as Kitty Forman on the sitcom That '70s Show from 1998 to 2006. She is a natural actor as opposed to a method actor. , Cynthia Stevenson, JoBeth Williams and Rita Wilson. Directed by Sally Field. Written by Karen Janszen, Tom Hanks and Erik Bork. Part 12: ``Le Voyage Dans La Lune'' - The final stanza celebrates all of America's lunar missions, focusing on 1972's Apollo 17, the last time men walked on the moon. Intercut in·ter·cut v. in·ter·cut, in·ter·cut·ting, in·ter·cuts v.tr. To interweave (two separate, usually concurrent scenes) in a film; crosscut. v.intr. To crosscut. are scenes that look back at George Melies' pioneering 1902 film ``Le Voyage Dans La Lune'' showing how long space travel has fired man's imagination. Starring Tom Amandes, Bart Braverman, David Clennon, Tom Hanks, Tcheky Karyo, Daniel Hugh Kelly, Stephen Root, Nick Searcy and Lane Smith. Directed by Jonathan Mostow. Written by Tom Hanks. Check listings, or the Web site http://www.hbo.com/apollo, for additional show times. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: HBO's ``From the Earth to the Moon'' follows the U.S. space program from its infancy through Apollo 17. |
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