Apollo 13 (Widescreen 2-Disc Anniversary Edition)

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NASA's worst nightmare turned into one of the space agency's most heroic moments in 1970, when the Apollo 13 crew was forced to hobble home in a disabled capsule after an explosion seriously damaged the moon-bound spacecraft. Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, and Bill Paxton play (respectively) astronauts Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haise in director Ron Howard's intense, painstakingly authentic docudrama. The Apollo 13 crew and Houston-based mission controllers race against time and heavy odds to return the damaged spacecraft safely to Earth from a distance of 205,500 miles. Using state-of-the-art special effects and ingenious filmmaking techniques, Howard and his stellar cast and crew build nail-biting tension while maintaining close fidelity to the facts. The result is a fitting tribute to the Apollo 13 mission and one of the biggest box-office hits of 1995. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Proof that Hollywood sometimes gets it right.......2007-08-13

I remember really liking this movie when it came out in 1995 - and now, more than 10 years later, I recently watched it on DVD with my kids. I realize now why this is such a great movie - this isn't your typical movie that's "based on true events" or worse "inspired by true events". The actual events were so incredibly dramatic that they didn't need to "Hollywoodize" the story. You really feel like you are there, living the events that shook the nation when Apollo 13 almost didn't return. Sure, the casting, the production, the effects, and the acting are top notch. But it really is the screenplay that makes this movie such a success - because the actual story is just so good that they didn't need to screw it up.

Apollo 13.......2007-07-11

A nail-bitingly tense and heroic tale of survival-against-the-odds based on the actual Apollo 13 crisis, Howard's Oscar-winning drama rekindles the exhilarating enthusiasm the nation felt during the first flights to the moon--and also draws on the collective anxiety that pooled in the wake of the Challenger explosion. Even without this context, "Apollo 13" is a grippingly authentic story, crisply helmed by Howard and superbly acted by a first-rate cast including Hanks, Bacon, Paxton, Harris, and Gary Sinise--most of whom prepared with zero-gravity flights at the director's insistence.

Apollo 13 is a gripping tale of moon travel.......2007-05-19

I remember seeing this movie in the theater, and it was awesome. It still is, on DVD. The astronauts almost didn't make it back. One of the top ten movies ever made.

The extras are nice, if you have the time. Together they take at least a couple of hours.

Review.......2007-05-07

I had to replace my original Apollo 13 DVD which, after several successful playings, started to fail to "play back." Possibly, this failure was exacerbated by my attempted "fix" which was to clean the business side of the DVD with an (electronic grade) 99% alcohol cleaning solution.

At any rate, I am happy to have the new disk.

(Of the many [more than 100] DVDs I have, this is the only instance of media failure I have experienced.)

Keep It Honest !.......2007-04-29

Good movie of a great human adventure,well acted and professionally filmed.
Looks a bit stiff and un-imaginative in the developpement of the "story" but overall a very fine visualisation of this tragic-heroic piece of American history.

Average customer rating:

Excellent story line. Excellent special effects. Excellent HD DVD.
Great movie; HD didn't improve picture that much
A MUST OWN EXPERIENCE!
Pleasantly surprised
Not the greatest HD-DVD, but still good

Apollo 13 [HD DVD]
Starring: Tom Hanks , Bill Paxton , Kevin Bacon , Gary Sinise , and Ed Harris
Director: Ron Howard
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
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ASIN: B000FA57NK
Release Date: 2006-04-25

Customer Reviews:

Excellent story line. Excellent special effects. Excellent HD DVD........2007-08-14

There is nothing that this movie is missing. It has great acting, great directing, great special effects, and the HD DVD transfer is flawless. More movies like this need to be released in the HD DVD format.

Great movie; HD didn't improve picture that much.......2007-04-07

This is a very good movie, but if you are thinking about double-dipping and buying it on HD DVD to replace your DVD, don't. Yes, it does look better, but not much better. If you don't have it, then buy it on HD DVD.

A MUST OWN EXPERIENCE!.......2007-03-31

To view and relive this cinematic retelling of the astronauts' odyssey in HD is purely a sight to behold. The space scenes make you feel like you're really out thre with them. A little grainy sometimes in scenes involving the families of the astronauts or other "non-space" stuff, but you have to remember that this film is actually quite old now, so I believe the transfer is as good as can be expected, with little to gripe about. I would have appreciated a Dolby True HD sound track, but the dolby digital plus does the trick for that sonic "oomph" you're looking for. All in all, the film itself excels at what it tries to do. A great film and great HD-DVD material.

Pleasantly surprised.......2007-02-18

I'm not a videophile, so don't expect any technical jargon.
Overall, this is a stellar HD DVD from Universal yet again.
Nice detail, particularly during the space sequences...the clarity is spectacular. Slight film grain, possibly intentional.
Overall, a must-have for fans of the film.

Note: contains ALL special features of the previous version, except the IMAX version.

Not the greatest HD-DVD, but still good.......2007-01-12

Apollo 13 is my first HD-DVD purchase (well it came free with my HD-E1), and I can say it is a HUGE improvement over DVD, HUGE...but after watching for a good 10mins, i noticed it could have been much better.

PICTURE QUALITY: 7/10

Picture Quality is AVERAGE all the way up to AMAZING, depending on the shots. Don't get me wrong, it's not terrible by any means, it's just not what you consider DEMO material. There's alot of noise on the image ie. BG walls and white shirts, but maybe this was an intentional aesthetic choice by Ron Howard, who knows. On the good side, there are some amazing shots that TRUELY take your breath away, and you can just FEEL how 3-Dimensional the image is. It was moments like these that even WOWED my folks, who immediately noticed the difference on my Panasonic 50" plasma.

SOUND QUALITY: 7/10

On the sound front, it's not bad. Not as IMPACTFUL as my old DTS DVD, as it feels alot lower in volume and lacks that oooomph on the LFE front. But it's a still satisfying experience and far from terrible by any means. Overall, it's a very clean mix.

-zallapo

Apollo 13 (Full Screen 2-Disc Anniversary Edition)

Average customer rating:

Proof that Hollywood sometimes gets it right
Apollo 13
Apollo 13 is a gripping tale of moon travel
Review
Keep It Honest !

Apollo 13 (Full Screen 2-Disc Anniversary Edition)
Starring: Tom Hanks , Bill Paxton , Kevin Bacon , Gary Sinise , and Ed Harris
Director: Ron Howard
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0006Z2LP6
Release Date: 2005-03-29

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

Proof that Hollywood sometimes gets it right.......2007-08-13

Apollo 13.......2007-07-11

Apollo 13 is a gripping tale of moon travel.......2007-05-19

Review.......2007-05-07

Keep It Honest !.......2007-04-29

Apollo 13 (Widescreen Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

Proof that Hollywood sometimes gets it right
Apollo 13
Apollo 13 is a gripping tale of moon travel
Review
Keep It Honest !

Apollo 13 (Widescreen Collector's Edition)
Starring: Tom Hanks , Bill Paxton , Kevin Bacon , Gary Sinise , and Ed Harris
Director: Ron Howard
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0783225733
Release Date: 2006-08-22

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Proof that Hollywood sometimes gets it right.......2007-08-13

Apollo 13.......2007-07-11

Apollo 13 is a gripping tale of moon travel.......2007-05-19

Review.......2007-05-07

Keep It Honest !.......2007-04-29

Average customer rating:

MUCH better than the movie!!!
The Real Apollo 13
As gripping as the mission itself...
Superb documentary
Far better than the movie

Apollo 13: To the Edge and Back
Starring: Sy Liebergot , Marilyn Lovell (II) , Barbara Lovell , Gene Kranz , and Jim Lovell
Director: Noel Buckner , and Rob Whittlesey
Manufacturer: WGBH Boston
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0002TSZQ0
Release Date: 2004-09-07

Amazon.com

Produced a year before Ron Howard's film of the doomed space mission hit Hollywood, To the Edge and Back brings the real faces of the Apollo 13 saga to the forefront. Astronauts Jim Lovell and Fred Haise talk about the flight (Jack Swigert died in 1982) while the technicians, including mission operations director Chris Kraft and flight director Gene Kranz, recall the moon shot and the near-fatal explosion. It's still hard to make the story fill an hour, so there's time to examine the space race in general and show previous missions. The "showing" part is the program's weakness. Ron Howard used no real footage in his film, which was smart since there really isn't a lot of interesting footage, just the usual launch and TV transmissions. Simple computer animations fill in the gaps, yet even the money shot--a still picture of the damaged spacecraft--is not shown. Still, this is a key document for those digging to see the "real" behind the story. It works as a wonderful "extra" to the Oscar-winning Hollywood film. --Doug Thomas

Description

"I could see a gaseous substance escaping... That's when it definitely occurred to me that we were in deep trouble... Very shortly, we'd be completely out of oxygen. These were the thoughts of James Lovell and the rest of the crew of Apollo 13 as they heard the ominous explosion that robbed them of most of their oxygen, food and water - 200,000 miles from Earth.

Apollo 13: To the Edge and Back tells the gripping, true story of the catastrophic flight of the Apollo 13 and the heroic struggle to bring the astronauts back alive. With first-hand accounts from the pilots, their families, and the people of mission control, it documents a thrilling struggle against time and all odds and serves as a reminder that, in the words of James Lovell, "We do not realize what we have on Earth until we leave it."

Special DVD features include: scene selections and closed captions.

On one DVD5 disc. Region coding: All regions. Audio: Dolby stereo. Screen format: 4 x 3 Full Screen.

Customer Reviews:

MUCH better than the movie!!!.......2007-02-18

I saw this when it first showed on public television and was so incredibly moved by it. The footage and interviews are great. VERY WELL done! Then when I saw the Ron Howard movie I was SOOOO disappointed...the movie doesn't do the actual story justice. Buy this documentary and learn a valuable life-lesson: No matter how many things go wrong, keep trying and never give up hope!

The Real Apollo 13.......2007-01-10

A 90-minute documentary telling the story of Apollo 13 from the point of view of those who experienced it; with testimony from Jim & Marilyn Lovell, Gene Kranz and others with a first-hand role.

Concentrating on events as they happened, the film does as much justice as possible to the story within the time allotted: more detail in the causes of the explosion would have been welcome, but difficult to squeeze in.

Overall, well worth seeing.

As gripping as the mission itself..........2005-08-10

One of the best documentaries I've ever seen. If you're a space buff, and haven't seen this, get it. Told by the people who actually lived the experience, "Apollo 13: To The Edge And Back" is very well written and presented. Originally produced during the 25th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing, this documentary was an influence on Ron Howard during the production of his movie "Apollo 13". "To The Edge And Back" also covers a little of the history of the U.S. space program and the causes and motivations for going to the moon. The technical aspects are clearly explained in terms the layman can easily understand. If you could only have one Apollo 13 documentary, let it be this one.

Superb documentary.......2005-07-01

Though I love the movie Apollo 13 to death, I have to express an appreciation for this documentary, which covers the mission gone awry without the overdramatization that occurs in spots in the movie and manages to be almost as thrilling. This is in fact a great companion piece to the film, to get a notion of both what they got right (a surprising amount) and what they got wrong. Any space geek should have both in their library.

Far better than the movie.......2005-03-30

Nothing in the tamer "Apollo 13" movie lives up to the extraordinary tension and power of this documentary. Many things not covered in the thatrical film are here, so much so that my wife and I kept looking at each other with open mouths, wondering, "How much ELSE could go wrong?!?" It was while watching this presentation that we realized how truly heroic and ingenious the NASA folk were. We were limp from excitement after watching, "To the Edge and Back".

Average customer rating:

Just Like You Were There
The Most Complete Record Of The Apollo 13 Mission Ever!
As It Happened - Really
This is very cool...
You are back to 1970 Apollo 13 days

Apollo 13: The Real Story
Starring: Spacecraft Films
Manufacturer: Spacecraft Films
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00065EB1S
Release Date: 2004-11-01

Description

This 3-DVD set details the Apollo 13 mission through the actual television transmissions, onboard film, press conferences and more. The set begins with an original documentary detailing the mission, and includes all of the television transmissions and onboard film, the midnight press conference detailing the emergency, additional press conferences throughout the mission, footage from the Apollo 13 review board investigation showing the nature of the explosion, complete coverage of training, suitup, launch, mission control, recovery and more. Over 10 hours of the real story of Apollo 13, through new digital transfers of archival film. This 3-DVD set brings you the story of the mission through the real stuff.

Customer Reviews:

Just Like You Were There.......2007-01-23

Other than Apollo 11, Apollo 13 was the most watched and followed Apollo
Mission. It's still a miracle these guys made it back. Spacecraft Films
Apollo 13 gives you footage not seen in any of the many documentaries that
are out there (There's a lot of them), including 16mm Film of the Service
Module Bay after it was discarded. Another home run with Spacecraft Films!

The Most Complete Record Of The Apollo 13 Mission Ever!.......2005-06-06

"Apollo 13: The Real Story" is an information-packed 3-Disc DVD set produced by "Spacecraft Films" (a division of "Red Pepper Creative, Inc." of Charlotte, North Carolina).*

* = Not to be confused with the 1995 Universal Studios' theatrical motion picture starring Tom Hanks.

You won't find a more detailed and thorough account of the remarkable and nearly-tragic voyage of Apollo 13 than what is presented in this handsome set of DVDs -- that fact is for certain. Why? Because EVERY single scrap of available TV and film footage of the Apollo 13 mission is placed onto these three Digital Discs.

Such as........

>> The complete TV transmissions and onboard film from the nearly one-week-long Apollo 13 mission (April 11 to April 17, 1970).

>> Coverage of the spacecraft's rollout, along with footage of: suit-up, launch, recovery, extensive Mission Control footage during the days following the accident, and footage of world reaction to the successful homecoming of the crew.

>> Exclusive commentary by Sy Liebergot, Apollo 13's lead "EECOM" (Electrical, Environmental, and Communications) Flight Controller. Plus additional commentary by Dave Mohr, Propulsion Designer and Engineer.

>> More than 12 full hours of material.

Plus, this DVD collection contains two informative documentary programs as well, which give a very good overview of the events that transpired before, during, and after the Apollo 13 flight.

One of the two documentaries was produced by NASA; while the other one was created for this DVD release by the folks at "Spacecraft Films", and was written and produced by Mark Gray. 100% of that program's video footage is comprised of original NASA video (TV and film). Lots of vintage archival Apollo XIII images are shown during that 43-minute documentary, which was put together in 2004 and is narrated quite capably by Linda Emond. A very pleasing and appropriate musical score also accompanies this "Main Program" located on Disc #1 of this set.

You can give your DVD Player's "Angle" button a good workout during the "Launch" segment located on Disc 1. Six separate angles of the Apollo XIII thunderous launch can be viewed and toggled through via the "angle" DVD feature on your remote control. There's even a 7th "composite angle" option, which places all six of the launch viewpoints on screen at the same time.

The "Launch" section also sports a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround audio track, plus a DD 2.0 Commentary Track as well.

This DVD set is fascinating from start to finish, with good-quality digitally-remastered video footage throughout; and very good audio quality as well. The Menu designs are first-rate and classy too. A very well-done (and fitting) piano music score plays whenever any Menu is on screen. Plus: Each Sub-Menu includes a "Play All" option for continuous playback of all the material/programs that are featured on that portion of the disc.

Each of the three discs is single-sided and sports unique 'Apollo 13'-related disc art. A 4-page booklet is also included in this package, with detailed info on all the TV and film footage that can be found on each disc. One of the discs features a great-looking picture of Apollo 13 on the launch pad. A larger version of this same gorgeous pre-launch photo graces the front of the enclosed booklet as well.

Following is a detailed listing of the material that can be found within this 3-Disc DVD compilation .................

DISC 1:

>> "Apollo 13: The Real Story" -- An original "Spacecraft Films" documentary constructed from the television, film, and audio record detailing the Apollo 13 mission, what was planned and how it unfolded. Provides an overview to the detailed material in this three-disc DVD set. (43 minutes long; Eight Chapter Stops included.)

>> Geology Training -- Footage of Apollo 13 Astronauts Jim Lovell and Fred Haise undergoing Lunar EVA geology training in Hawaii. Audio from pre-flight interview with Jim Lovell.

>> EVA Training -- Lovell and Haise training for their Lunar EVA. Audio description of the planned lunar surface activities. Silent film footage.

>> Crew Training -- Includes simulator work; plus LLTV (Lunar Landing Training Vehicle) work with Jim Lovell and T-38s with Lovell and Haise. Audio from air-to-ground during construction of the Lithium Hydroxide canister fix after the accident.

>> Equipment Checkout -- Checkout with the prime crew of the EVA equipment and the LM (Lunar Module). Includes LM leg deployment checks. Silent footage.

>> Saturn V Erection -- Stacking of the launch vehicle in the VAB (Vehicle Assembly Building). Audio is commentary by propulsion engineer Dave Mohr, discussing the S-II "engine-out" anomaly during the Apollo 13 launch.

>> Rollout -- Transfer of the launch vehicle from the VAB to Pad 39A. Natural sound of crawler transporter.

>> Launch Day -- Coverage of the traditional pre-launch breakfast, suit-up, and walk to the transfer van. Audio from flight director loop before launch.

>> Launch -- Multi-angle coverage of the launch of Apollo 13, at 1:13 PM on the afternoon of Saturday, April 11, 1970. Audio from public affairs officer, air-to-ground, and flight director loop. Flight director loop and air-to-ground audio continues to orbit. Second audio track features commentary by Dave Mohr, propulsion engineer.

>> Television Transmission #1 -- A short time after launch, while the spacecraft was still in Earth orbit, the crew's first television broadcast was made, showing views of the Earth from orbit.

>> Television Transmission #2 -- Transposition and Docking. TV transmission and 16mm data acquisition camera coverage of the transposition and docking maneuver.

DISC 2:

>> Television Transmission #3 -- Features TV transmission from inside the Command Module on the way to the moon.

>> Television Transmission #4 -- Features TV transmission just before the accident.

>> Mission Control -- Coverage from Mission Control just before and just after the accident. Includes Mission Control footage as the wives of the astronauts arrive for the television transmission, Mission Control during the television broadcast, and immediately after the accident. Audio is commentary from Sy Liebergot.

>> Midnight Press Conference -- April 13-14 press conference outlining what was currently known about the mission and return.

>> Mission Control -- Coverage from Mission Control from during the flight home.

>> April 15 Press Conference -- Includes preparation for the "burn" as the Apollo 13 spacecraft comes around the moon. Conference also includes information on the progress of the Lithium Hydroxide canister solution, and also includes questions from the press.

>> April 16 Press Conference -- Deke Slayton answers questions about plans for the Apollo 13 entry and recovery, and the current status of the spacecraft and the crew.

>> Entry at Mission Control -- Extensive April 17 coverage from inside Mission Control, beginning at 140:20 GET (Ground Elapsed Time) through entry. Audio is commentary from Sy Liebergot.

>> Aboard Apollo 13 -- 16mm data acquisition footage from inside "Odyssey" (Command Module) and "Aquarius" (Lunar Module). -- NOTE: This section of the DVD is the section that contains the "real-time" audio from Apollo 13 and Mission Control before and after the accident. Absolutely fascinating stuff here, as the Flight Controllers grapple with the problems they're seeing on their computer screens and attempt to troubleshoot the difficulties in various ways. A very lengthy real-time audio section following the accident is included here, which is very nearly worth the price of this fabulous DVD collection all by itself (IMHO).

>> Mission Timeline -- Extensive timeline of mission events and the timeline of the accident and voyage home.

DISC 3:

>> Service Module Separation -- 16mm data acquisition and 70mm still images of the Service Module after separation, showing damage to the SM spacecraft. Audio is air-to-ground.

>> Recovery -- Including operations surrounding the spacecraft's tension-filled atmosphere re-entry and footage from the carrier deck, including MOCR (Mission Operations Control Room) footage.

>> Medal Presentation -- Presentation of the "Presidential Medal Of Freedom" to the Apollo 13 astronauts at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on April 18, 1970.

>> World Reaction -- Footage from around the world showing the reaction to the Apollo 13 mission.

>> Post-Flight Press Conference -- From April 21, 1970.

>> Review Board Press Conference -- Initial press conference concerning the setup of the Apollo 13 review board.

>> Review Board Findings -- Extensive detail of the findings of the review board and their recommendations for changes for continued flight, including film shot during oxygen tank testing to re-create the accident.

>> Retrospective -- 1995 Johnson Space Center symposium, marking the 25th anniversary of the Apollo 13 mission.

>> "Houston, We've Got A Problem" -- Vintage 1970s-era NASA-produced film documenting the flight of Apollo 13.

--------------------------------------------

Final "APOLLO 13: THE REAL STORY" Thoughts.........

This amazingly-comprehensive, in-depth, and well-put-together multi-disc DVD set will appeal to anyone with an interest in America's space program and, in my own opinion, can be regarded as a prized "collector's item" by those who enjoy video and DVD material of this nature.

If you want to see and hear every tiny little detail about the near-tragic Apollo 13 aborted moon mission, then this package of DVDs is the package to get.

As It Happened - Really.......2004-12-28

Spacecraft Films have done it again. Time after time they bring a depth of coverage to the Apollo lunar missions that noboby else can match.
For me the TV transmissions are the real bonus. While I agree with Laurenc that film archive quality is supierior to TV in the 1960's/70's, television is how we witnessed the Apollo miracle 'As It Happened' - live.
I think everyone's heart skipped a beat when finally the 'chutes of Apollo 13 opened live on TV.
This 3 disc set has it all - the press conferences and mission control film before and after the accident. Audio commentaries by NASA personnell, and of course all the onboard film and TV.
There's even a close look at the famous photo of the stricken CM taken just before re-entry, with the air-to-ground audio.

Highly recommended.

This is very cool..........2004-12-02

Having seen just about everything out there on space, when I saw this set I was unsure whether or not there was anything new to be said about Apollo 13. I was pleasantly surprised.

I was 11 when Apollo 13 happened, and I felt even closer to the whole thing because Jim Lovell was my favorite astronaut (I met him when I was younger and he signed a picture for me). The set opens with a documentary that gets reasonably technical about what happened - but I like that. You get the technical stuff and it still brings out the emotion, too. Some of the best things I liked about the set was seeing the press conferences - knowing that they don't know the outcome yet - and seeing the concern on everyone's faces. Watching the TV just before the explosion was also good, as well as the commentary by EECOM Sy Liebergot (played by Clint Howard in the Apollo 13 movie) over the mission control footage.

As usual the material all looked great on DVD, and there were some other extras that were interesting. It's also fun to watch it and watch the Apollo 13 movie - you can specifically see little parts that were lifted directly and other parts that were completely different.

You are back to 1970 Apollo 13 days.......2004-11-29

This compilation is perfectly put together and with all related "surface" events like MOCR coverages,press conferrences, public reactions it simply brings the atmosphere of those hectic days back from the first alarm to the really whole world relief after successful splashdown. Who experienced the Apollo 13 flight 34 years ago "live" like I did is simply back in 1970!
I have one comment however - I fully understand that TV coverage is making the atmosphere and spirit of actuality of this particular mission where really whole world was there through TV, but, the TV quality was not the best one that time and I am missing the film coverage of the splashdown and recovery. This would show this final moment in much better quality than TV. It is ironic to say that the TV coverage from Apollo 13 onboard was much better than the surface TV coverage of landing with many disturbancies. If you look at film recovery footages from Gemini missions and compare it to TV coverages from Apollo flights you see the difference. If I could recommend anything I would add recovery films into each flight material definitely.
Besides of this the material is excellent, valuable and a must in each space fan library.

Average customer rating:

No Captioning
Review of the movie Apollo 13
Cropping DVD = Super 35 format used in most films today.
AMAZING STORY
Correction to previous post. regarding cropping the DVD...

Apollo 13 (Widescreen DTS)
Starring: Tom Hanks , Bill Paxton , Kevin Bacon , Gary Sinise , and Ed Harris
Director: Ron Howard
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0783230710
Release Date: 1999-03-16

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Customer Reviews:

No Captioning.......2005-11-01

WARNING! This video has no captioning. I've rented it and it does NOT have captioning. It is useless to me and fellow Deaf and Hard of Hearing folk.

Review of the movie Apollo 13.......2005-09-08

This movie was delivered within the specified time frame

Cropping DVD = Super 35 format used in most films today........2004-12-29

Actually, the 'cropping' seen on the DVD was also on the laserdisc, letterboxed VHS, and theatrical editions of the film. This was also evident in films like "Terminator 2" and "The Matrix", where films are shot in fullframe 1.33:1 and later reframed to either 1.85:1 or preferably 2.35:1 theatrical aspect, thus masking the top and bottom of the picture. A lot of directors like to use this format, one: because it is easier to frame a shot this way, and two: they are thinking of the afterlife the film will have on video and how little differences there will be in the positioning of the shot. Rather than have panning or scanning as with the Panavision format, Super 35 can exist in both fullscreen or widescreen without actually panning or scanning. The only difference is that the widescreen edition actually masks the top and bottom of the screen in this case.

Still, the fullscreen edition can reveal mistakes, such as a certain 'bug' disappearing and reappearing in 'The Matrix', or going back to 'Pee Wee's Big Adventure', a certain endless bicycle chain coming up through the bottom of the box containing the chain. Without the bars masking the top and bottom for proper framing, unwanted things are often revealed and, quite frankly, there is too much headroom and the shot isn't framed properly. Whether you see more on the top and bottom in fullscreen versus Super 35 widescreen, seeing more isn't necessarily better or for that matter, proper.

Stranger still are some cases in which Super 35 alternates between cropped shots, like the ones some have complained about versus the fullscreen version, and true widescreen. For example, another Super 35 film, 'Fire in the Sky', is almost all Super 35 cropping, until we get to the expensive 'alien abduction' scene. Here, there are closeups that are clearly cropped when compared to the fullscreen edition intercut with shots that do in fact show more picture information on the sides of the frame. The shot of the alien sneaking up behind Travis Walton only shows Travis Walton in the fullscreen edition, excluding the alien from the shot. In 'Terminator 2', during the 'nuclear nightmare' scene, the wide shot of the blast wave remains still in the widescreen version but pans to the left in the fullscreen version. It's a give and take process, where most shots in widescreen Super 35 films are cropped but then you get shots that are definitely in true widescreen. Still, this was how it was seen in theaters and therefore this is the film seen properly.

I'd say the only complaint about the Apollo 13 DVD I would have is that it's a lousy first generation transfer. At the time, the new advent of DVD looked amazing. Now with improved technology, the transfer looks terrible, with lots of artifacting, lack thereof detail, and yucky colors that recall the grotestque laserdisc transfer of '2010'. Also, though the DTS track is nice, it sans extras whereas DVDs made today wouldn't have that kind of pressing problem. Hopefully the upcoming anniversary edition will clear up those problems with a nice new transfer. But for now, one must settle with the disc available, and yes, it is properly framed in 2.35:1 and it is not incorrectly cropped in the way some would like to think it is.

AMAZING STORY.......2004-12-24

This is an excellent real story movie, very good performances, a master piece of art

Correction to previous post. regarding cropping the DVD..........2004-03-30

Hey Zahnduhl,

You're right to point out that we want to see movies in their true "theatrical aspect ratio" so I commend you for that. Film is an artform - would you crop a Picasso to fit your TV screen?

However, I felt it necessary to note that what you have noticed here in this case is most likely an instance of Universal Pictures releasing the un-masked (or Full-Ap) version of the movie as a 1.33:1 release instead of the typically butchered Pan&Scan version that we all so detest. I can't say for 100% sure on this DVD, but I will say that this was fairly common in the past to help the VHS sales. I commend them for at least doing this as opposed to cropping, but I can see how it could leave you (and others) thinking that your precious movie was cropped for the WS transfer.

Rest assured, however, that most likely you are just getting "more" in this VHS version than was ever released theatrically. This is possible when the studio decides to release original Full Aperture footage for the VHS release. Although, you will likely find that Visual Effects shots will still typically be cropped b/c most of the time VFX houses will only work in the final theatrical aspect ratio.

Anyway, I hope this clears up any confusion for you, now go buy the DVD. ;)

Description

It was April 11th 1970 at 14.13 hrs, when astronauts Jim Lovell, Fred Haise and Jack Swigert lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Apollo 13. Fifty six hours into the mission, Lovell had just completed a live TV broadcast back to Earth, when a loud bang was heard on the spacecraft. Stranded over 200,000 miles from Earth in a crippled spacecraft, the astronauts on course towards the moon, were now struggling in a desperate battle to survive. This is the spellbinding account of that mission, told by the astronauts and with live on-board cameras recording the suspense of this real-life thrilling drama as it unfurled, on both Apollo 13 and at Mission Control.

Average customer rating:

A great movie combo.
Excellent value
Good Value Pack
estupenda dupla

Apollo 13/Backdraft
Starring: Kurt Russell , William Baldwin , Robert De Niro , Donald Sutherland , and Jennifer Jason Leigh
Director: Ron Howard
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

( A ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B00005BJWM
Release Date: 2001-05-22

Customer Reviews:

A great movie combo........2003-06-17

These two movies are absolutely compelling and highly intense and riveting classics for the ages and are both absolutely needs.

BACKDRAFT (1991): I can't even begin to explain how much I absolutely love this dynamite firestorm of a modern classic. The movie is the story of two McCaffrey brothers who have long been in conflict with each other as they try to carry on the family business of firefighting and are forced to put aside their rivalries as they both pursue the culprit of a series of deadly arson attacks occurring all around the Chicago area. The two brothers are in for a surprise for who they discover is responsible for the rash of major fires all over Chicago. Spectacular special effects aren't the only things that light the fires of this movie but also of a great and strong story and how underrated the heroism of firefighting and police business really is. This is especially true in light of 9-11-01 and other acts of crime. "Backdraft" is one of my favorite movies of all time and I highly recommend this movie to everyone. There's little in the way of extras though on the DVD but the picture quality though is much better than the older VHS editions. "Backdraft" is arguably one of the best movies ever made. I give all my praise to all involved in this incredible project.

APOLLO 13: This is based on the ill-fated 1970 mission of the Apollo 13's attempt to land astronauts on the moon when an oxygen tank malfunctioned along with other space module equipment which nearly resulted in the loss of the lives of the three astronauts on board and their quest to return to Earth safely. "Apollo 13" is a marvelous and unsettling true story portrayal of the terrifying events that the astrunautas went through during the ill-fated mission and Tom Hanks is awesome in the movie. The Apollo 13 has gotten the ironic name of a 'successful failure', being that the original goal failed to be met, but the mission to safely return home after near disaster was a 'success'. This movie that documents the events of the mission is a wild ride of a true story. "Apollo 13" is a must-have movie. This DVD, unlike "Backdraft", has extras and the picture quality like the former, is much better than the older VHS edition.

This is a two-punch combo pack of two great movies and are highly recommended. Get both of these movies now! Both are modern classics and are timeless.

Excellent value.......2002-08-15

I don't own too many DVDs, I mostly rent, because of the price. However, the Apollo 13/Backdraft combo is just excellent. I paid about [$$$] for the pack. The general recording and sound quality on both DVDs is excellent. While it is unfortunate that the Backdraft DVD doesn't offer any compelling extras, the Apollo 13 DVD more than makes up for it. There are interviews with Ron Howard, Tom Hanks, and the other cast and crew members. They talk about their parts, how the movie was made, and how they felt about representing this important part of American history.

If anyone is at all a fan of Apollo 13, I highly recommend the DVD. Of course, being packed with Backdraft, also an excellent movie, only increases the value.

Good Value Pack.......2002-01-08

I wasn't aware of Backdraft when I purchased this value pack, I did purchased it beacuse of Apollo 13. Now, after enjoying both movies I can say it was worthy to get them in this pack. For the Apollo 13 DVD I can say that it is just great, all the sound and image quality you expect, you get it. I can't say the same for the Backdraft DVD, because it has no special features to enjoy. In general terms the pack is good, but that is because of the Apollo 13 DVD only.

estupenda dupla.......2001-05-24

apollo 13 es un fantastico dvd, infaltable, imageny sonido realmente muy buenos, backdraft es una pelicula interesante, este tipo de pack presentan una oferta muy buena al momento de decidir una compra

Apollo 13, The Historical Film From NASA

Average customer rating:

Apollo 13, The Historical Film From NASA

Manufacturer: Finley-Holiday Film Corp.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video
Product Features:

DVD Extra - Bonus Video: The Mission of Apollo-Soyuz
DVD Extra - Apollo Missions Quiz
DVD Extra - Apollo Photo Album
DVD Extra - Mercury Gemini Apollo Overview

ASIN: B000ER5NSI

Product Description

"Apollo 13: 'Houston We've got a problem'" The Real Men The Real Story, The Historical Film From NASA. 200,000 miles from Earth, an explosion rips through the Apollo 13 spacecraft. It is April 13, 1970, and what began as a thrilling journey to the Moon for astronauts James Lovell, John Swigert and Fred Haise - just became a mission of survival. When the system alarms began going off, they were over half-way to the Moon. For six days, the world watched breathlessly in hopes that three of America's finest young men could pilot a crippled spacecraft around the Moon and back to Earth

DVD:

DVD

DVD