14 films about flying to the moon, from the dawn of cinema to the present day

Science fiction writers, and behind them, and movie directors have dreamed of the moon long before a real person spacewalk.

1. Journey to the Moon

Le Voyage dans la Lune

• France, 1902.
• Fantasy, comedy.
• Duration: 14 minutes.
• IMDb: 8,2.

First sci-fi film in cinema history only lasted about 14 minutes. It explains how the expedition is sent to the moon in a special capsule, which is fired from a cannon. Arriving on Earth satellite, scientists find it aggressive inhabitants, the Selenites and miraculously escape from them.

Frame where the rocket crashed into the moon eye, became a legend. For the beginning of the XX century, in this film the incredible special effects. Most of them the filmmaker Georges Méliès invented himself. However, he took everything in his personal studio with his own money.

2. Woman in the Moon

Frau im Mond

• Germany, 1929.
• Fantasy adventure.
• Duration: 169 minutes.
• IMDb: 7,4.

The expedition to the moon goes motley company: professor, his assistant, an engineer with his fiancée, a greedy businessman and boy hiding on the ship. First, they face problems when landing, and then there are disagreements among the members of the expedition itself. And someone has to sacrifice himself to save the others.

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

3. Space flight

• USSR, 1935.
• Fantasy.
• Duration: 70 minutes.
• IMDb: 7,1.

Events taking place in 1946 (that is, in the future, at the time of the picture). The first experiments of space exploration end crash: rabbit dies, and the cat disappears. But behind them on a rocket, "Joseph Stalin" sent academician and his young companions. They successfully get to the moon, and even save a missing cat there.

When making the film authors advised the founder of theoretical astronautics Konstantin Tsiolkovsky. And despite the fact that the actual flights were at that time in the distant future, the filmmakers managed to show the true start of the rocket, and overload weightlessness.

4. Destination - Moon

Destination - Moon

• United States, 1950.
• Drama, Science Fiction.
• Duration: 180 minutes.
• IMDb: 6,4.

The film is based on a novel by Robert Heinlein's "Rocket ship" Galileo. " The original is left only in common. Nearly the whole plot is devoted to the preparation of the first expedition to the moon and to the flight. One of the first astronauts even have to go into space because of engine failure.

Interestingly, in 1969, Robert Heinlein, together with other well-known writer Arthur C. Clarke commented live on television the real landing on the moon.

5. Catwoman from the Moon

Cat-Women of the Moon

• United States, 1953.
• Fantasy, adventure ,.
• Duration: 64 min.
• IMDb: 3,7.

On the dark side of the moon, astronauts are a cave in which the air suitable for breathing. They discover there is a city populated by beautiful and friendly girls. But in fact, Aboriginal women are not the most pleasant plans for newcomers.

Every year the number of visits to the Moon about the growing film, and such corny creations were inevitable even then. All the girls in the film wear tight tights (apparently, because of this they are called cats), and the astronauts behave with them as the visitors of the bar.

In 1958, there was a remake of the film "Rocket to the Moon." And in 1961 came the picture "Naked on the Moon", which, as the name implies, and abandoned from the tights.

6. From the Earth to the Moon

From the Earth to the Moon

• USA, 1958.
• Science fiction.
• Duration: 101 min.
• IMDb: 5,1.

Rare case when the action in this film is not in the future, as in the past. In the film adaptation of the novel by Jules Verne on the moon three men and one woman are sent, which, of course, sneak aboard the ship.

7. First Men in the Moon

First Men in the Moon

• United Kingdom, 1964.
• Adventure, fantasy.
• Duration: 103 minutes.
• IMDb: 6,7.

Another adaptation of a classic work. This time, the basis of the film lay eponymous novel HG Wells. UN International expedition to the moon comes and discovers that there is much earlier visited the British. It is a pioneer in the nursing home, and tells the story of the first flight, and contacts to the moon.

Interestingly, the unexpected ending of this movie taken from another book Wells - "War of the Worlds." In 2010 he published one more film adaptation of the same work. The script it was written by one of the authors of "Sherlock" Mark Gettis.

8. For the sake of all mankind

For All Mankind

• United States, 1989.
• Documentary.
• Duration: 80 minutes.
• IMDb: 8,2.

it documentary film, video assembled from various expeditions to the space program "Apollo". The plot tells consistently about all stages of the preparation and of the space flight, as well as visiting the moon and return 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 the ship "Apollo 13". According to the plan he had to deliver to the moon thirds of the expedition. But during the flight there was a serious accident, which not only did not allow the mission to achieve its objectives, but also jeopardized the possibility of returning home.

In just a few months before the actual flight of "Apollo 13" on the screens in the United States came the film "Lost," in which the ship has suffered a very similar accident and stuck in orbit. Some astronauts have seen this picture, and, according to them, it helped them to make the right decisions. And the movie "Apollo 13" gave the audience the legendary phrase: "Houston, we have a problem."

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10. First on the Moon

• Russia, 2005.
• Mockumentary.
• Duration: 75 minutes.
• IMDb: 7,0.

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

Despite the obviously ironic content, the authors managed to convey very truthfully, many aspects of the preparation for the flight. The fact that part of this mockumentary The film was shot using this technique from the old Star City.

11. Journey to the Moon 3D

Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D

• United States, 2005.
• Documentary, short.
• Duration: 40 minutes.
• IMDb: 7,0.

An incredibly beautiful film includes both documentary footage from NASA, and computer graphics. A behind the scenes Tom Hanks (Once played in "Apollo 13") tells the story of space exploration and the majestic silence of the moon.

12. moon 2112

Moon

• United Kingdom, 2009.
• Fiction, drama dystopia.
• Duration: 97 minutes.
• IMDb: 7,9.

Sam has worked for three years on the moon at the station for the extraction of rare gas. It can communicate only with a talking robot, and more around a soul. His contract is coming to an end. But then Sam meets his mate - himself.

The first film of Duncan Jones (son of David Bowie) was removed with a minimum investment. Even a model rover just pulled on a rope.

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13. Apollo 18

Apollo 18

• USA, Canada, 2011.
• Mockumentary, sci-fi, the horrors.
• Duration: 86 minutes.
• IMDb: 5,2.

According to official information, the lunar program ended at the "Apollo 17". However, conspiracy theorists believe that there were other flights, but all the data on them are classified. Mockumentary tells about the next visit of the Moon, where the team was faced with a strange infection.

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14. Moonlight scam

Moonwalkers

• France, 2015.
• Comedy.
• Duration: 96 minutes.
• IMDb: 6,1.

And another story, based on a conspiracy theory. In the late 1960s, an FBI agent sent to London to Stanley Kubrick helped him capture the landing on the moon. But instead he finds Kubrick petty crook and lover of grass that shoots documentary footage indoors Porno studio.

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see also

• 10 cool movies about space →
• 8 fascinating books about the universe and space →
• "Interstellar" or "Solaris"? Guess a movie about space on the frame →