Author Topic: The Space Race on National Geographic  (Read 49344 times)

Offline Johno

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Re: The Space Race on National Geographic
« Reply #15 on: June 09, 2006, 05:00:36 AM »
Argh, you have hit a raw nerve.  If I hear another student quote the Simpsons as some kind of source of information, I'll SCREAM!!

(satire, yes.  Information, NO!)

Offline DonPMitchell

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Re: The Space Race on National Geographic
« Reply #16 on: June 09, 2006, 06:54:48 AM »
I bought the show on DVD (from amazon.uk) and watched it.  It was a lot of fun to watch, and I grabbed a lot of good frames from the terrific Soviet stock footage.

As history, it was junk, very inaccurate, full of mistakes and meladramic fiction.  They couldn't even say Korolev's name correctly!
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Offline spacecat27

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Re: The Space Race on National Geographic
« Reply #17 on: June 09, 2006, 08:12:35 AM »
I picked up on that too, Don   :(
There was not even any attempt at consistency toward the pronounciation- every actor had their own version.

Under the heading of 'things we'd like to see but will never happen'.... since you mentioned in another thread that Anthony Hopkins should play Korolev, I've been thinking YES!  Perfect!  But I'd love to see it done in a stage play venue so the intensity of the man would shine through without Hollywood special effects to compete with---- Kind of like the PBS treatment of the play, "Copenhagen" about the meeting between Bohr and Heisenberg.

Offline Ottawan

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Re: The Space Race on National Geographic
« Reply #18 on: June 09, 2006, 08:57:56 AM »
Note to spacecat . . . I think "From the Earth to the Moon" beats "The Right Stuff" hands down for casting. Examples, the actors portraying Neil Armstrong, Frank Borman, Ed White, Pete Conrad and Al Shepard!!
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Offline LunarOrbit

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Re: The Space Race on National Geographic
« Reply #19 on: June 09, 2006, 09:50:31 AM »
I didn't like the casting of Al Shepard in From the Earth to the Moon, Scott Glenn (The Right Stuff) looked more like the real Shepard, in my opinion. But then again, if looks aren't what you're basing it on then the portrayal of Shepard in FTETTM was likely more accurate. ;)

David Andrews (Frank Borman in FTETTM) was spot on though! Much better than when he was cast as Pete Conrad in Apollo 13. :lol:
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Offline Bob B.

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Re: The Space Race on National Geographic
« Reply #20 on: June 09, 2006, 10:07:26 AM »
Note to spacecat . . . I think "From the Earth to the Moon" beats "The Right Stuff" hands down for casting. Examples, the actors portraying Neil Armstrong, Frank Borman, Ed White, Pete Conrad and Al Shepard!!
It was I who mentioned The Right Stuff, not spacecat.  I think both The Right Stuff and FTETTM did a very good job with casting.  I just think the five main characters in The Right Stuff where pretty much dead on.  Dennis Quaid as Gordon Cooper, Fred Ward as Gus Grissom, Scott Glenn as Al Shepard, Ed Harris as John Glenn (who I also think made a good Gene Kranz in Apollo 13), and Sam Shepard as Chuck Yeager.

EDIT:  I'm speaking only about physical appearance, not the actors' portrayals of the real people.
« Last Edit: June 09, 2006, 10:10:20 AM by Bob B. »

Offline Ottawan

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Re: The Space Race on National Geographic
« Reply #21 on: June 09, 2006, 10:57:45 AM »
Sorry about that Bob :?

Agree about David Andrews. In addition I thought the entire Apollo 12 crew was portrayed brilliantly.
Man must explore . . . and this is exploration at its greatest

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Offline Satanic Mechanic

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Re: The Space Race on National Geographic
« Reply #22 on: June 09, 2006, 12:40:54 PM »
Sounds like I missed a stinker of a show. :lol:

I remember the guy who made the DeepCold website, also made a screenplay for a movie called "Star City".  He never published it on his website, he just had some CGI of it.

Anthony Hopkins would be a perfect Korolev.  They need to get the guy who played Kruschev in "Enemy at the Gates" as Kruschev again. 
Who should be cast as the role of Gagarin?  They should get a new person who looks like him and not a "Hollywood-Star".  Knowing Hollywood, they would cast some freak like Cruise or Kilmer or Will Smith (wild wild west). :lol:

SM

Offline Bob B.

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Re: The Space Race on National Geographic
« Reply #23 on: June 09, 2006, 01:09:04 PM »
They need to get the guy who played Kruschev in "Enemy at the Gates" as Kruschev again.
That was Bob Hoskins.  I agree he was a good Kruschev.


Who should be cast as the role of Gagarin?
I think Gary Oldman bears a resemblance to Yuri Gagarin but he's about 20 years too old for the part.
« Last Edit: June 09, 2006, 03:43:59 PM by Bob B. »

Offline DonPMitchell

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Re: The Space Race on National Geographic
« Reply #24 on: June 09, 2006, 02:29:01 PM »
I liked the portrayal of Khrushchev in Space Race.  He was by all accounts a pretty sane guy with a crude sense of humor ("Sputnik!  We pulled the Americans' pants around their ankles!")

I once sent an email question to Sergey Khrushchev, Nikita's son.  He immediately replied with his phone number, "Let's talk!".  A very nice man.

Space Race was fun, I wouldn't suggest not seeing it.  Just take all the interpersonal scenes with a grain of salt.  For example, Korolev only spent a short time in a Gulag.  He and Glushko were both under house arrest during the war, but working on Rocket projects for the government.  They make it appear that Glushko was free and Korolev was digging trenches in Siberia the whole time.  And Glushko would never have suggested Korolev to the authorities, as a rocket leader.  When asked who they needed, he would have said "Me me me!  Pick me!".  In fact, both Korolev and Glushko owe their lives to Tupolov, the famous aircraft designer.  He is the one who convinced Stalin that the two rocket scientists were too valuable to be shot or sent to Siberia.  Almost every scene is a mistake of that order.

« Last Edit: June 09, 2006, 02:30:40 PM by DonPMitchell »
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Offline DonPMitchell

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Re: The Space Race on National Geographic
« Reply #25 on: June 09, 2006, 03:01:31 PM »
Yury Gagarin, hmmm, I would cast Bill Paxton.

By the way, not about space history, but I highly recommend the PBS film Day One, about the Manhatten project.  It irks me that it is not out on DVD yet.  It's vastly superior to the other movie with Paul Newman (as good as he is).  It's a great example of what a science-history documentary should be!
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Offline Bob B.

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Re: The Space Race on National Geographic
« Reply #26 on: June 09, 2006, 03:42:02 PM »
I once sent an email question to Sergey Khrushchev, Nikita's son. He immediately replied with his phone number, "Let's talk!". A very nice man.
I had the opportunity to meet Sergei Khrushchev once.  He and I where on the same cruise ship to see the 1998 solar eclipse in Europe.  Scott Carpenter was also on the cruise and had an autograph session one day.  Mr. Khrushchev was directly ahead of me in line as we waited for an autograph.

Offline DonPMitchell

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Re: The Space Race on National Geographic
« Reply #27 on: June 09, 2006, 07:01:58 PM »
Nikita Sergeyevich was a remarkable leader.  I'm old enough to remember him banging his shoe at the UN.  The comedian Viktor Borgia made fun of that by playing the piano with his shoe.   But when I was older, I appreciated him a bit more.  I read his autobiography (Khurshchev Remembers), which I recommend.

He wrote about the total fear of living in the circle of power around Stalin, because the slightest wrong word could get a man shot or disappeared.  Even more insane was Beria, the head of the secret police and Stalin's assumed successor.  A few days after Stalin's death, Khrushchev invited Beria to the next meeting of the politburo.  Much to his surprise, Khurshchev denounced Beria, and Marshall Zukov imediately took him outside and shot him before anyone could react.  So, a big laughing red-faced man, but not someone to underestimate.
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