Apollo 13 (1995)

Three astronauts must devise a strategy to return to Earth safely after their spacecraft undergoes massive internal damage.

Director:

Ron Howard

Writers:

Jim Lovell (book), Jeffrey Kluger (book),

Stars:

Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon

Won 2 Oscars. Another 20 wins & 30 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Hanks	...	Jim Lovell
Bill Paxton	...	Fred Haise
Kevin Bacon	...	Jack Swigert
Gary Sinise	...	Ken Mattingly
Ed Harris	...	Gene Kranz
Kathleen Quinlan	...	Marilyn Lovell
Mary Kate Schellhardt	...	Barbara Lovell
Emily Ann Lloyd	...	Susan Lovell
Miko Hughes	...	Jeffrey Lovell
Max Elliott Slade	...	Jay Lovell
Jean Speegle Howard	...	Blanch Lovell
Tracy Reiner	...	Mary Haise
David Andrews	...	Pete Conrad
Michele Little	...	Jane Conrad (as Michelle Little)
Chris Ellis	...	Deke Slayton

Storyline

Based on the true story of the ill-fated 13th Apollo mission bound for the moon. Astronauts Lovell, Haise and Swigert were scheduled to fly Apollo 14, but are moved up to 13. It's 1970, and America have already achieved their lunar landing goal, so there's little interest in this "routine" flight.. until that is, things go very wrong, and prospects of a safe return fade.

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Plot Keywords:

space | astronaut | moon | nasa | apollo 13 | 

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Taglines:

Houston, we have a problem.

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Genres:

Drama | History

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for language and emotional intensity

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 June 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Apollo 13: The IMAX Experience

Filming Locations:

Ambassador Hotel - 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$62,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$200,645 (USA) (20 September 2002)

Gross:

$1,736,281 (USA) (9 April 2004)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

140 min 256 min (Anniversary Edition IMAX) 280 min (Universal's 100th Anniversary Blu-Ray Edition)

Sound Mix:

DTS-Stereo DTS IMAX 6-Track (IMAX version) Dolby SR

Color:

Color (DeLuxe)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Crawler seen moving in the background of one of the scenes as Apollo 13 is being moved from the Vehicle Assembly Building was the real NASA Crawler. Ron Howard got to drive it.

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Goofs

In the opening sequence, the Apollo 1 crew is shown being sealed into their capsule by an outward opening hatch. One of the main reasons the crew perished in the fire was that the Block I Apollo capsule in service at that time was equipped with an inward opening hatch. In only a few seconds the buildup of pressure caused by the fire made such an escape hatch nearly impossible to open.

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Quotes

[last lines]
Jim Lovell: [narrating] Our mission was called "a successful failure," in that we returned safely but never made it to the moon. In the following months, it was determined that a damaged coil built inside the oxygen tank sparked during our cryo stir and caused the explosion that crippled the Odyssey. It was a minor defect that occured two years before I was even named the flight's commander. Fred Haise was going back to the moon on Apollo 18, but his mission was cancelled because of budget cuts;...

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Connections

Spoofed in Plump Fiction (1997)

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Soundtracks

"PURPLE HAZE"
Written by Jimi Hendrix
Performed by The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Courtesy of Are You Experienced? Ltd.

User Reviews

Great Movie

My first job as an engineering graduate in 1960 was with NASA. I was fortunate enough to have been a Project Engineer on the Apollo Program, and I am familiar with the technical aspects of the program. But this movie was not as much about the technical aspects of the program as it was about a thrilling, real-life drama that just happened to take place during a glorious time and a once-in-a-lifetime project. Despite all of the little technical errors, Ron Howard and his crew have put together a superb film, one that deserved the 9 Academy Award nominations which it received. I wish that present-day film-makers would concentrate on happy situations, like this one, instead of the constant barrage of drivel to which we, the movie-going public, are made subject. Long live NASA and long live courage!!