|
|
| COUNTDOWN
(director: Robert Altman;
screenwriters: Loring Mandel/based on the novel The
Pilgrim Project by Hank Serls; cinematographer: William
Spencer; editor: Gene Milford; music: Leonard Rosenman;
cast: James Caan (Lee Stegler), Joanna Moore
(Mickey Stegler), Robert Duvall (Chiz), Barbara Baxley
(Jean), Charles Aidman (Gus, space doctor),
Steve Ihnat (Ross, project head of NASA), Charles Irving
(Seidel, reporter), Michael Murphy (Rick), Ted
Knight (Walter Larson), Stephan Coit (Ehrman);
Runtime: 101; MPAA Rating: NR; producer: William Conrad;
Warner Brothers; 1967) "An involving sci-fi thriller concerned with the space race to the moon by rival superpowers, Russia and USA." Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz An
involving sci-fi thriller concerned with the space
race to the moon by rival superpowers, Russia and USA.
It's also concerned about the safety of the
astronauts, personal reactions of those involved about
NASA policies and technical concerns about the
equipment. Director Robert Altman
("Nashville"/"Gosford Park"/"M*A*S*H*")
is least concerned about the plot and most concerned
with the emotional affects of the mission on the
astronauts and their families. The film was re-edited
when studio producers didn't care for Altman's
technique of overlapping dialogue and supposedly new
footage was shot by the producers when the
uncompromising Altman took a powder. When
the Russians launch their 3-man mission to land a man
on the moon first, the Americans compete to be first
and get ready to follow with their launch of Apollo.
The WH interferes with the mission of sending a 3-man
team headed by Air Force colonel pilot Chiz
(Robert Duval), military co-pilot Rick
(Michael Murphy) and civilian
scientist Lee Stegler (James
Caan) and orders NASA
director Ross (Steve Ihnat) to rename
the mission Pilgrim 1 and use only a
scientist civilian instead of the more
experienced Chiz on a one-man mission. The
reason for the switch to Lee is because the
Russians are using civilian scientists as
astronauts, and the Americans were aware that they
were also in a public relations battle and
jettisoned plans to use any military people. This
last-minute move, three weeks before the launch,
gets Chiz pissed he wasn't chosen, makes Lee's
wife Mickey (Joanna Moore) nervous about his
safety and concerned hubby will be away for a
year to reside on a NASA moon shelter station
and the flight surgeon (Charles
Aidman) argues with the project director
about safety issues for his brave civilian
pilot friend. The
topical film was made a year before the
Americans landed first on the moon and does a
good job anticipating the look of the Apollo
capsules. The moon landing scene simulated
in the Mojave Desert looked great. REVIEWED ON 9/9/2012 GRADE: B+ Dennis Schwartz: "Ozus' World Movie Reviews" © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED DENNIS SCHWARTZ |