14 films about flights to the moon: from the dawn of cinema to the present day.

For the release of the film “Man on the Moon,” ProPedia recalls the most interesting and unusual stories about visiting the Earth’s satellite.

Science-fiction writers, and after them film directors, dreamed of the Moon long before man actually entered space.

1. A trip to the moon

Le Voyage dans la Lune

• France, 1902.
• Science fiction, comedy.
• Duration: 14 minutes.
• IMDb: 8.2.

The first science fiction film in cinematic history was only about 14 minutes long. It tells how an expedition goes to the Moon in a special capsule that was fired from a cannon. Arriving on the Earth's satellite, scientists discover aggressive Selenite inhabitants there and miraculously escape from them.

The shot where the rocket crashes into the eye of the Moon has become a true legend. For the beginning of the 20th century, this film has incredible special effects. The author of the film, Georges Méliès, came up with most of them himself. However, he filmed everything in his personal studio with his own money.

2. Woman on the Moon

Frau im Mond

• Germany, 1929.
• Fantasy, adventure.
• Duration: 169 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.4.

A motley crew sets off on an expedition to the Moon: a professor, his assistant, an engineer with his fiancee, a greedy businessman and a boy hidden on the ship. First, they encounter problems during landing, and then disagreements arise among the members of the expedition itself. And someone will have to sacrifice themselves to save the rest.

In contrast to the first film, this German film lasts almost three hours. During this time, the authors manage to show a real fantastic plot, and even a sincere love story .

3. Space flight

• USSR, 1935.
• Fantastic.
• Duration: 70 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.1.

The events take place in 1946 (that is, in the future at the time of the film's release). The first experiments in space exploration end in failure: the rabbit dies and the cat disappears. But following them on the Joseph Stalin rocket are the academician and his young companions. They successfully reach the Moon and even save a cat that went missing there.

When creating the film, the authors were advised by the founder of theoretical cosmonautics, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky. And despite the fact that real flights were at that time in the distant future, the filmmakers managed to plausibly show the launch of a rocket, overloads and weightlessness .

4. Destination - Moon

Destination — Moon

• USA, 1950.
• Drama, fantasy.
• Duration: 180 minutes.
• IMDb: 6.4.

The film is based on the novel Rocket Ship Galileo by Robert Heinlein. Only general features remain from the original. Almost the entire plot is devoted to the preparation of the first expedition to the Moon and the flight itself. One of the first astronauts even has to go into outer space due to engine failure.

It is curious that in 1969, Robert Heinlein, together with another famous writer Arthur C. Clarke , commented on live television on the real moon landing.

5. Catwomen from the Moon

Cat-Women of the Moon

• USA, 1953.
• Fantasy, adventure.
• Duration: 64 minutes.
• IMDb: 3.7.

On the dark side of the Moon, astronauts find a cave in which the air is breathable. They discover a city there inhabited by beautiful and friendly girls. But in fact, the natives do not have the most pleasant plans for the newcomers.

Every year the number of films about visiting the Moon grew, and such vulgar creations were inevitable even then. All the girls in the film wear tight tights (apparently this is why they are called cats), and the astronauts behave around them like bar patrons.

In 1958, a remake of this film, “Rocket to the Moon,” appeared. And in 1961, the film “Naked on the Moon” was released, where, as the title implies, they also abandoned tights.

6. From Earth to Moon

From the Earth to the Moon

• USA, 1958.
• Science fiction .
• Duration: 101 minutes.
• IMDb: 5.1.

It is a rare case when the action in such a film takes place not in the future, but in the past. In the film adaptation of Jules Verne's novel, three men and one girl are sent to the moon, who, of course, secretly made her way onto the ship.

7. The first people on the moon

First Men in the Moon

• Great Britain, 1964.
• Adventure, fantasy.
• Duration: 103 minutes.
• IMDb: 6.7.

Another adaptation of a classic work. This time the film was based on the novel of the same name by H.G. Wells . An international UN expedition arrives at the moon and discovers that the British had been there much earlier. The pioneer is in a nursing home and talks about the first flight and contacts with lunar inhabitants.

Interestingly, the unexpected ending of this film is taken from another of Wells's books, War of the Worlds. In 2010, another film adaptation of the same work was released. The script for it was written by one of the authors of Sherlock, Mark Gattis.

8. For the sake of all mankind

For All Mankind

• USA, 1989.
• Documentary.
• Duration: 80 minutes.
• IMDb: 8.2.

This is a documentary film compiled from video recordings of various expeditions of the Apollo space program. The plot consistently tells about all stages of preparation and the flight into space itself, as well as visiting the Moon and returning to Earth.

9. Apollo 13

Apollo 13

• USA, 1995.
• Adventure, history, drama.
• Duration: 140 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.6.

The film is based on the true story of Apollo 13. According to the plan, he was supposed to deliver the third earthly expedition to the Moon. But during the flight, a serious accident occurred, which not only prevented the mission from achieving its goal, but also jeopardized the possibility of returning home.

A few months before the actual flight of Apollo 13, the film Lost was released in the United States, in which the ship suffered a very similar accident and was stuck in orbit. Some astronauts saw this picture, and, according to them, it helped them make the right decisions. And the film “Apollo 13” gave viewers the legendary phrase: “Houston, we have problems.”

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10. First on the Moon

• Russia, 2005.
• Pseudo-documentary.
• Duration: 75 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.0.

A group of enthusiasts is trying to understand the events of the distant past. It turns out that back in the 1930s, an expedition to the Moon was sent to the USSR, but communication with the ship was lost, and then a strange meteorite fell to Earth. And all this was filmed by hidden cameras of intelligence agents.

Despite the obviously ironic content, the authors managed to convey many moments of preparation for the flight very truthfully. The fact is that part of this pseudo-documentary was filmed using real equipment from the old Star City.

11. Journey to the Moon 3D

Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D

• USA, 2005.
• Documentary, short film.
• Duration: 40 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.0.

The incredibly beautiful film includes both documentary footage from NASA and computer graphics. And behind the scenes, Tom Hanks (who once starred in Apollo 13) talks about the conquest of space and the majestic silence of the Moon.

12. Moon 2112

Moon

• Great Britain, 2009.
• Science fiction, drama, dystopia.
• Duration: 97 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.9.

Sam has been working on the Moon for three years at a rare gas extraction station. He can only communicate with a talking robot, and there is not a soul else around. His contract is already coming to an end. But then Sam meets his replacement - himself.

The first film by Duncan Jones (son of David Bowie) was made with minimal investment. Even a model of the lunar rover was simply dragged along on a rope.

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13. Apollo 18

Apollo 18

• USA, Canada, 2011.
• Mockumentary, science fiction, horror .
• Duration: 86 minutes.
• IMDb: 5.2.

According to official information, the lunar program ended with Apollo 17. However, supporters of conspiracy theories believe that there were other flights, but all data about them is classified. The mockumentary follows the next visit to the Moon, where the team encounters a strange infestation.

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14. Moon scam

Moonwalkers

• France, 2015.
• Comedy.
• Duration: 96 minutes.
• IMDb: 6.1.

And another plot based on a conspiracy theory. In the late 1960s, an FBI agent travels to London to get Stanley Kubrick 's help in filming the moon landing. However, instead of Kubrick, he comes across a petty swindler and weed lover who is filming documentary footage in a porn studio.

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