Arte - Mysteries in the Archives Series 1 (2009) Part 10 1969 Live from the Moon
Mysteries in the archives, ten investigations into ten events of the twentieth century that have marked our memory and our imagination. What do the archival images tell us? What are their origins, their hidden meaning? The documentary collection “Mysteries in the Archives”, directed by Serge Viallet, airs in Arte to satisfy our curiosity. Ten unpublished surveys reveal the secrets of audiovisual archives. “Images tell stories, we tell the story of images.” Viallet examines films that are often forgotten or ignored, shot during historical events Marilyn Monroe's tour of Korea in 1954, the American atomic tests at Bikini in 1946, the crossing of the Atlantic by aviator Charles Lindbergh in 1927, the entry of General de Gaulle into Paris in 1944, the funeral of John F. Kennedy in 1963 … All of them fulfill a decisive function in the great evolutionary narrative of the television epic. Viallet skips over and over again the sequences, zooms in on details, explains the meaning of this or that object, draws the eye to what to see behind the facade. By highlighting the deceptions, staging and editing, these documentaries are also an opportunity to review technical means and their evolution. Mysteries in the archives is a collection aiming to uncover and rediscover known or unpublished images that bear witness to our history. The audiovisual document becomes a piece of evidence that it is up to us to question, to make people talk. The image is scrutinized, dissected, and often, Mysteries in the archives takes our gaze away from what the camera operator had seen or expected. Each episode is constructed as an investigation. Some are about cheerful and amusing topics, others are about more solemn, momentous events. Serge Viallet, a true detective of the image, reveals a multitude of new elements and significant anecdotes hidden behind the story as it was shown to us in cinemas and then on television. Meticulous investigations are undertaken - film is rummaged, sifted through and sorted, examined frame by frame and analyzed until it finally reveals its secrets. This collection includes all 10 episodes of season 1.
Part 10 1969 Live from the Moon
On July 22, 1969, man walked on the moon for the first time. About 600 million people watched it live on television. In an incessant battle of technology and political nerve with the Soviets, media coverage of the Apollo 11 mission – including Neil Armstrong's first steps – was closely prepared, orchestrated and produced by NASA from some 360,000 kilometres away. These live images of the Moon provide proof of America's victory in the frenzied race against the USSR for the conquest of space. More than 600 million viewers have the privilege of following this adventure live on the small screen. But who films Neil Armstrong as he descends from the ladder and takes his first steps on the moon? Who placed the camera which shows Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin posing next to the American flag and listening to President Richard Nixon send them a congratulatory message? Is it really a coincidence that this fantastic show was in prime time for the people of the American East Coast.
Full Version Available Upon Request
Related Documentary