Apollo 13
My wife is taking a class that requires her to watch movies that reflect differing types of leaders. She has watched November Sky, Radio, The Miracle, and lastly, Apollo 13. It is interesting to observe the qualities that make a great leader. Some lead with an iron grip like the hockey coach in The Miracle. Some are enthusiastic leaders who bring people along with a strong vision and persistence. Apollo 13 had several people demonstrating differing leadership qualities that resulted in bringing a damaged lunar module safely back to Earth. It was an uplifting movie about how American know how overcame a tragic accident. A great movie with stunning visual effects and an unfortunate Oscar snub for Tom Hanks. It would have been three in a row for him.
The thing that caught my ear in the movie was how Ron Howard, you know the boy from Mayberry RFD, directed how the media handled the event into the movie. They all but ignored the launch and when things went wrong, wanted to be in the spotlight instead of the astronauts. As I listened to the TV coverage, it was endless speculation on how the latest speculated tragedy would alter their chances of making it back successfully. The great Walter Cronkite waxed on about how this potential tragedy would alter the American perspective on space. Reporter after reporter marched through various parts of the movie all speculating about different aspects of the success or failure of the mission. It was not news. It was shock jock audio candy that was designed to boost ratings instead of inform and educate. It was not the reporting of a recent event. That would have been the launch and the damaging of the capsule. This was a team of verminous vampires, designed to suck every last drop out of other people’s feelings and emotions.
The highlight of the movie was when the wife of the mission’s leader, told the NASA media official that the news people could not set up an antenna on her lawn. If they did not care enough about the event before it occurred, they would have to wait until the crew came home before she had anything to say to them. I applaud her strong stance on telling reporters to get stuffed. The movie depicts the reporters are little better than the paparazzi that hound the Hollywood set to get a picture of someone in a compromising situation. They did not care who they upset, trampled over, or speculated on. It was anything to keep the viewer watching. I almost turned off the movie. Once again, technology has come through with fast forward and the off switch.
Icool
Cobb
The thing that caught my ear in the movie was how Ron Howard, you know the boy from Mayberry RFD, directed how the media handled the event into the movie. They all but ignored the launch and when things went wrong, wanted to be in the spotlight instead of the astronauts. As I listened to the TV coverage, it was endless speculation on how the latest speculated tragedy would alter their chances of making it back successfully. The great Walter Cronkite waxed on about how this potential tragedy would alter the American perspective on space. Reporter after reporter marched through various parts of the movie all speculating about different aspects of the success or failure of the mission. It was not news. It was shock jock audio candy that was designed to boost ratings instead of inform and educate. It was not the reporting of a recent event. That would have been the launch and the damaging of the capsule. This was a team of verminous vampires, designed to suck every last drop out of other people’s feelings and emotions.
The highlight of the movie was when the wife of the mission’s leader, told the NASA media official that the news people could not set up an antenna on her lawn. If they did not care enough about the event before it occurred, they would have to wait until the crew came home before she had anything to say to them. I applaud her strong stance on telling reporters to get stuffed. The movie depicts the reporters are little better than the paparazzi that hound the Hollywood set to get a picture of someone in a compromising situation. They did not care who they upset, trampled over, or speculated on. It was anything to keep the viewer watching. I almost turned off the movie. Once again, technology has come through with fast forward and the off switch.
Icool
Cobb
posted by Cobb at
12:33 PM
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