Apollo 13 DVD 2-Disc Anniversary Edition Review

When I first heard they were making a film version of the Apollo 13 story, I said to a friend that the movie could be terrible and it would still be worth watching because the story itself was so gripping. When I finally had the opportunity to see it in the theater, the movie version of Apollo 13 lived up to my expectations.

The producers put together an incredible team to film an incredible story. Ron Howard has turned into a great director since the days I watched him as Opie and later Ritchie. His work behind the camera has won him more acclaim than his acting, and all of it well deserved.

Tom Hanks was just coming off his second Oscar winning performance as Forrest Gump. I heard that Jim Lovell was not interested in Hanks until watching his first Oscar performance in Philadelphia. Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise, and Ed Harris have all proven themselves in brilliant roles as well.

From the first strains of the soundtrack I knew I had to have through the triumphant splashdown, Apollo 13 was a blockbuster. It's hard to believe that a story you know so well could hold any suspense, but I was on the edge of my seat throughout.

Now, Universal has released it's 2-Disc Anniversary Edition DVD. This special edition release contains two versions of the movie, both the original release and the IMAX version, as well as a number of special features.

I would love to see the IMAX version on the jumbo screen. IMAX movies by their sheer size and sound quality can really draw you in. However, watching it on my TV does nothing for me, especially since many scenes have been edited.

The theatrical released film is as good as ever, though. I went through the same emotional roller coaster I had when I first saw the film. It hits me on multiple levels, experiencing the film and remembering the real thing.

The special features are great. "Lost Moon: The Triumph of Apollo 13" is a documentary on the making of the movie. It includes interviews with everyone involved, including Jim and Marilyn Lovell. Besides the usual commentaries by Ron Howard and Jim and Marilyn Lovell, production notes and a trailer, there are two special features I loved; "Conquering Space: The Moon and Beyond" and "Lucky 13: The Astronauts' Story."

As you can read, I loved the movie, and I love this special edition DVD release. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the history of space exploration, or if you just love a good story.

Scenes which still hit me each time I see them:

• Jim Lovell tells his family he has been bumped up to Apollo 13.
• Jim Lovell says to his crew, "We just lost the moon."
• Jim's son, Jeffrey asks, "Was it the door?"
• Marilyn Lovells says about the media, who just days before had no interest in her husband's mission, "Those people don't put one piece of equipment on my lawn. If they have a problem with that, they can take it up with my husband. He'll be home on Friday."
• Jim's mother comforting his daughter, "If they could get a washing machine to fly, my Jimmy could land it."