Space is a perfect setting for films because of how vast and unknown it is. Filmmakers can make bold decisions about space because there is so much that is uncertain about it, giving them a longer leash for creativity. Plus, there aren’t many people who have actually seen some things in the sky, such as what it’s like to walk on the moon.
Ever wonder what it’s like to be on the moon? You probably have, as we can see the moon almost every night in the sky. It’s hard not to look up at it and wonder what’s going on above our planet. Gene Cernan knew what it was like to be on the moon. He’s the last person to set foot on it. That’s the subject of The Last Man on the Moon, a documentary you can stream for free on Tubi.
A look at an astronaut’s life
The film shows present day and archival footage
The Last Man on the Moon premiered in 2014 and was directed by Mark Craig. It is based on Cernan’s memoir of the same title that was released in 1999. Craig has focused on human stories as a documentarian, typically of people doing extraordinary things. He has made documentaries on sports, such as Formula 1 and Olympic track and field. But his documentaries all have a bit of a “regular person doing something incredible” feel to them.
This documentary is no different as he looks at Eugene “Gene” Cernan, an astronaut who, back in 1972, was the last person to walk on the moon. He has held that title for 53 years, and he also has the longest time spent walking on the moon as well.
The documentary was filmed for some time leading up to 2014 and featured interviews with Cernan and a number of other people from his life, highlighting his remarkable upbringing and how he came to be an astronaut. Cernan grew up on a farm without electricity in Chicago in the 1930s. He ultimately made his way to Purdue University before joining the Navy and enrolling in flight training.
The film alternates between telling Gene’s story and showing archival footage from NASA missions and the space program. It blends everything nicely to show a portrait of a man with a unique story. It shows a personal side of his story as well, highlighting his marriages, family, and features sit-down interviews with Cernan and others from his life. If you’re interested in watching a documentary on the Apollo program, having someone who lived through it and participated in it as your subject is a fascinating thing to watch.
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Diving into all that he accomplished
There’s a lot covered in less than 100 minutes
What makes the documentary more than just your average space movie is the great storytelling Cernan provides. He brings audiences into what it was like to train as a NASA astronaut and to prepare for Apollo missions. He went into space three times, twice on Apollo missions. He was also a backup astronaut for three other missions to space.
The film shows Cernan reminiscing about training and highlighting what it was like to grow up as he did and strive to become an astronaut. He focused his storytelling around relating his career to things that people might run into in their normal lives, bringing a grounded effect (no pun intended) to his space tale.
It’s what made his charismatic retelling of his journeys worth watching. There are newsroom clips from the 1960s and photographs that are interwoven into the storytelling, helping paint a wider picture of what went on. Craig does a good job of combining multiple media formats, as many documentaries do, to back up what the star is saying.
As Cernan talks about his trips to the moon, the documentary builds up the excitement, focusing on what these missions meant to the United States in general, let alone Cernan and the rest of NASA in the 1960s and 70s. These were patriotic moments in time, uniting the nation in the greatness of its space program. You can feel Cernan’s pride in his place in history as he filmed this (he died in 2017.)
How this documentary sets itself apart
It looks at a man’s life during historical events
The documentary feels very real, despite it being about people who did extraordinary things. Cernan and the other interviewees provide a great backstory into some of the tragic events that the space program has gone through. Multiple accidents that resulted in deaths are visited, painting a sobering picture of the dangers of space travel.
The Last Man on the Moon is different from other space documentaries because it not only includes the subject of the documentary as a part of it, but it gives both personal and professional looks at an astronaut’s life. It’s not just about space. It’s not just about science. It’s about a man who lived an amazing life and did some of it in a public manner during a rich period of American history.
You’ll be taken to rodeos, airfields, training facilities, and feel like you’ve been to all of these places before, as Cernan’s narration provides a lot of context to it all. The film doesn’t feel like a fleeting moment. It lets you live in the man’s life and makes it feel like you’ve walked in his moon boots. Plus, you’re hearing from someone who knows what it’s like to actually be alone with your thoughts in space, as he is one of only 11 people to ever step foot on the moon.
The Last Man on the Moon is worth watching
The Last Man on the Moon has been out for more than a decade but is still as interesting as ever. Cernan remains exactly what the title of the film says he is, but the documentary shows that his life was so much more than that. It’s a fascinating look at a unique life and one that anyone interested in space would enjoy.
- Release Date
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February 26, 2016
- Runtime
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99 minutes
- Director
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Mark Craig
