Apollo 11 4K Review

Todd Douglas Miller (Dinosaur 13) takes us inside NASA’s groundbreaking mission that first put men on the moon – one we may never have witnessed otherwise! Archival footage and audio recordings take us there with this must-watch documentary.

The film’s new DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix is impressively immersive, featuring dialogue, sound effects and James Horner’s Moog-infused score that play out across its five speakers.

Audio

This 4K UHD Blu-ray release offers an excellent 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track. While not Dolby Atmos, this impressive mix still manages to stretch the capabilities of the format quite well when the movie gets into its action and mission sequences; during launch sequence and alignment burn you can hear people cheering along sidelines, and rocket’s roar was quite audacious; sound effects from James Horner’s score also sound phenomenal, working seamlessly together in perfect sync.

While not strictly speaking a drama, this film captures the powerful stories of those involved in this historic event. Instead of overstating things or trying to generate tension through overstatement or contrivance, instead the power of archive footage makes for a truly moving viewing experience.

Todd Douglas Miller and his crew used 11,000 hours of audio from astronauts, mission control personnel, and mission control comm channels (via their communications channels) to produce this riveting documentary. It creates the sensation that one is witnessing every step along their journey – simple graphics provide visual aid to show the timeline and state of various components onboard the spacecraft, but otherwise all you get to experience are stunning footage and sounds from space.

This movie should be seen by anyone interested in space exploration or America’s historic lunar landing. While not perfect, this stunning achievement should make us all proud that we were able to witness it and bear witness. It stands as a testament to those brave souls who risked everything to create something truly groundbreaking – an accomplishment which stands the test of time like nothing else can.

Visuals

As with the original 20th anniversary release, this 4K UHD Blu-ray version amplifies all of its good qualities further. Archival footage looks excellent while newer shots taken with the new camera look even better. Color has also improved significantly; although at times excessive red tones may become evident – particularly noticeable during Apollo 11 launch sequence and certain IMAX shots on the moon.

The new 65mm footage is truly astounding to look at; its incredible detail extends down to each track of the rocket as it takes flight on its journey toward Cape Kennedy from above, as well as clear images of both space craft itself as well as more subtle details like computer monitors, clothing creases and skin texture – rendering them flawlessly.

Realism can be found in wide color gamut and sharp imagery rarely found in modern Hollywood blockbusters using digital intermediates as filming medium. Blacks are deep and rich, while highlights remain bold yet not oversaturated.

One aspect that falls short of perfect video quality in this movie is the use of CGI in several scenes to fill gaps in archival footage, which becomes most apparent during the launch sequence and when astronauts step off of their crawler-transporter. However, as in most other movies of its type (with practical models being rendered largely CGI), this one remains apparent here too. Thankfully the lines between realistic models and CGI remain at a minimum throughout.

Todd Douglas Miller’s achievement of harnessing and presenting Apollo 11 images so effectively and evocatively in an effective documentary style film is truly extraordinary. Though not technically a documentary, as there’s no voiceover narration and only brief graphic breakdowns of certain aspects of its mission. This lack of editorial intervention allows it to become more direct cinematic work – an approach which pays dividends. Whether rewatching this classic from its original release or viewing it for the first time it is surely worthy of your consideration.

Extras

The Ultra HD Blu-ray features a static image with traditional navigation options while the standard Blu-ray loads directly to a static image with these options. Unfortunately, however, transfer quality varies as some archival footage is missing details (though newly found 65mm footage appears quite amazing) while 35mm and 16mm films look fantastic while newer IMAX footage simply amazing.

The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio lossless soundtrack is exquisitely detailed and engaging, particularly during launch sequences where rocket thrust and weight are conveyed with incredible force and accuracy. Crowd din and background public address announcements also come across clearly without resorting to over the top drama or extrapolated tension; you really feel as if you were there rather than being told what happened – one of the finest transfers for an archiveal documentary!

This release incorporates all of the bonus features from the 20th Anniversary disc release, such as Ron Howard and Jim and Marilyn Lovell audio commentary, new “Making of” featurette, theatrical trailer, and postcards with Apollo 11 imagery.

Included with that featurette is an amazing one in which the film’s composer takes us through all the layers of his Moog-infused score – definitely something music enthusiasts and admirers of him should check out.

Another noteworthy addition is a comprehensive interview between director All Reinert and Apollo 17 commander Eugene A. Cernan, in which they discuss their reasons for making the film and its use of archive footage from different sources – as well as its long process of preparation and preservation prior to this release.

Similar to films like Damien Chazelle’s First Man or Tom Hanks’ For All Mankind, this documentary doesn’t fall into the trap of being boring and oversimplified; instead it offers audiences a truly captivating and inspiring narrative using artfully repurposed archiveal footage to transport viewers back in time to an unforgettable period of history.

Overall

Apollo 11’s DVD release was something of a misfire. While available to rent for some time now, its lack of physical 4K release was surprising given how well-suited to such high resolution presentation it would be (Ron Howard’s Apollo 13 and Damien Chazelle’s First Man are among others that would benefit).

Dogwoof, an indie outfit from the UK, has finally released its 4K UHD Blu-ray release with an HDR master image source. As expected, it looks stunning; newly found 70mm footage in particular stands out, showing incredible levels of detail and clarity from Saturn V rocket tracks to Cape Kennedy overview shots to individual stage ribs on every stage and flag in exhaust plume; all elements of film rendered with stunning clarity at this resolution level. Even archival TV and space footage looks impressive; any instances where CGI filling gaps becomes more apparent due to being shown with higher resolution images.

But Apollo 11 really stands out in terms of sound design: its soundtrack features mostly NASA audio from its mission and sounds absolutely incredible, every voice crystal clear and conveying a sense of amazing achievement. While many Hollywood tentpoles rely on tension or camera angles for dramatization purposes, Apollo 11 uses knowing that astronauts were always facing certain death as its focal point – an invigorating film worthy of viewing on as large a screen as possible.

Apollo 11 is an essential addition to any history of space travel or American space program fan’s collection – it is both beautiful and riveting, looking incredible in 4K UHD! Truly an essential addition for collectors as well as any home video collection.