The "Mercury" film appears to be Gemini 11 film footage.
Headshot Member
Posts: 1279 From: Vancouver, WA, USA Registered: Feb 2012
posted 08-10-2023 03:22 PM
Thanks for posting these links. The films were very interesting. I particularly enjoyed the car ride footage from around Pad 39A.
LM-12 Member
Posts: 3876 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Oct 2010
posted 08-10-2023 04:18 PM
I like the widescreen format of these 35mm films.
Blackarrow Member
Posts: 3670 From: Belfast, United Kingdom Registered: Feb 2002
posted 08-10-2023 05:22 PM
I enjoyed the footage shot from a helicopter flying low over the waves before it turns inland to film Complex 39. Shot by Gene Cernan, perhaps?
Blackarrow Member
Posts: 3670 From: Belfast, United Kingdom Registered: Feb 2002
posted 08-11-2023 10:55 AM
On a more serious note, might this be some of the wide-angle footage "found" along with the footage that was used in the "Apollo 11" documentary?
LM-12 Member
Posts: 3876 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Oct 2010
posted 08-11-2023 08:39 PM
Here is the shotlist for the Apollo 12 Rollout film in the first post. It says "65mm Panavision" in the top left corner. So maybe there is a 65mm version of the film?
Blackarrow Member
Posts: 3670 From: Belfast, United Kingdom Registered: Feb 2002
posted 08-12-2023 12:20 PM
My understanding is that 70mm wideangle film is actually 65mm across the frame (enlarged on screen to 70mm). This seems to be the film format used in the 2019 Apollo 11 documentary. As I recall, when that film was released, the producers indicated that there was a lot more widescreen format (70/65mm) film covering the other Apollo missions. Perhaps someone more familiar with film formats could comment, but it certainly looks like these film releases are from that treasure trove. Let's hope more will be released.
LM-12 Member
Posts: 3876 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Oct 2010
posted 08-12-2023 12:53 PM
I'll keep my eyes open for any more of these 35mm gems.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51772 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 08-12-2023 02:54 PM
I asked Stephen Slater, the archive producer on "Apollo 11," and he explained these films are from the same source material, only downsized to 35mm at the time they were shot, to allow them to be edited into NASA educational films.
In house, NARA does have the ability to work with the 70mm film.
These are 35mm prints of the reels that were used for editing purposes (down conversions). Some were shot 35mm originally. The Apollo 12 and 13 reels here definitely originated on 70mm, but this is a "downgraded" copy.
Pretty sure that none of these are from the Final Frame ["Apollo 11" production house] transfers, they are ones NARA had done internally.
Most of the 70mm footage used in "Apollo 11" did not have 35mm prints, which is why they remained unseen until they were found for the documentary.
The Apollo 12 and Apollo 13 films that we scanned were the 70mm originals. The other two clips were scanned as shown; they were 35mm prints, which means they were shot 35mm or the 70mm no longer exists.
LM-12 Member
Posts: 3876 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Oct 2010
posted 08-13-2023 10:16 AM
I believe the launch vehicle seen in the second and third films listed is Apollo 4.
Blackarrow Member
Posts: 3670 From: Belfast, United Kingdom Registered: Feb 2002
posted 08-13-2023 03:41 PM
It would be very helpful and desirable if a complete list could be compiled of all 70mm Panavision footage of Project Apollo which still exists. It would be even better if someone could digitally remaster it and string it together into a new documentary, but simply making additional footage available to the public is probably the best we can expect, and would still be wonderful.
ON EDIT: It looks like there is a list of all film available. Unfortunately it seems limited to Apollos 7 to 13 (but still pure gold!) and most of the footage is pre-mission or post-mission. I did see an entry for the Apollo 8 launch but it only displayed a few typed documents.
Two more points: the Apollo 12/13 footage (ref. 255.PV.107) identifies itself as "35mm... Anamorphic". Also, one shot shows a man holding a sheet of paper identifying the shot as "HH 19 A/S 12 Rollout". His security badge says "James McNearny, Technicolor Inc." I don't know if that helps at all.
LM-12 Member
Posts: 3876 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Oct 2010
posted 08-14-2023 01:41 PM
quote:Originally posted by Blackarrow: I did see an entry for the Apollo 8 launch but it only displayed a few typed documents.
This Apollo 8 launch film (255-PV-35) seems to have a 65mm print in the Archives, but no format of that film appears to be available online currently.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51772 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 08-14-2023 06:29 PM
quote:Originally posted by Blackarrow: ...if a complete list could be compiled of all 70mm Panavision footage of Project Apollo which still exists.
Such a list does exist. From Stephen Slater:
We have comprehensively catalogued all of the 70mm Panavision footage. It goes up to Apollo 12 as far as mission related footage goes. The Apollo 13 reels listed are only of early pre-flight training, and there is very little from after the Apollo 11 post flight quarantine celebrations (material we used in the spinoff documentary short "Apollo 11 Quarantine").
What you are seeing on the website is from the limited 35mm material NARA have been able to work with in house.
LM-12 Member
Posts: 3876 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Oct 2010
posted 08-14-2023 08:58 PM
The latest 35mm film description I could find is the Apollo 12 crew leaving the MSOB for Pad 39A on launch day: November 14, 1969.
LM-12 Member
Posts: 3876 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Oct 2010
posted 08-15-2023 05:08 PM
I found this 35mm version of "Bridge to Space" on YouTube.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 51772 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 08-16-2023 05:15 PM
From Stephen Slater:
All of the rushes (source material) for "Bridge to Space" were shot in 65/70mm, and we scanned it as part of the "Apollo 11" documentary production in 2018. It includes the firing room footage of controller Joanne Morgan used in the opening sequence of the documentary.
We believe that the production of this film at the end of 1967 was the earliest example of the Todd AO format being used by NASA.
LM-12 Member
Posts: 3876 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Oct 2010
posted 08-21-2023 11:02 AM
Here is more 35mm film footage:
Posts: 3876 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Oct 2010
posted 08-28-2023 03:27 PM
Here is a link to 30 reels of Apollo 13 newsreel footage from the National Archives. Reels 1, 3 and 25 are 35mm films. Reel 25 is the launch.
Some really great Apollo 13 pre-flight and launch day film footage on these reels.
LM-12 Member
Posts: 3876 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Oct 2010
posted 08-31-2023 01:43 AM
Some of the acronyms seen at the beginning of these 35mm films:
MPPSK = Master Projection Print Silent Color
MPPCK = Master Projection Print Composite Color
ONSK = Original Negative Silent Color
P Copy = Preservation Copy
LM-12 Member
Posts: 3876 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Oct 2010
posted 09-04-2023 10:29 AM
quote:Originally posted by Blackarrow: It looks like there is a list of all film available.
There are 182 films on that list and, based on what I have read, those films are 35mm and/or 65mm prints. The vast majority of those films are not currently available online.
LM-12 Member
Posts: 3876 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Oct 2010
posted 09-09-2023 01:12 AM
The Apollo 13 reels show that some 35mm film footage was taken in 1970. For example, Reel #1 looks like it was taken on March 26, 1970.
LM-12 Member
Posts: 3876 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Oct 2010
Posts: 3876 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Oct 2010
posted 10-05-2023 12:40 AM
More 35mm film footage: Apollo 8 Recovery
ea757grrl Member
Posts: 805 From: South Carolina Registered: Jul 2006
posted 10-05-2023 04:25 PM
Wow. Thank you for posting that. The Apollo 8 recovery footage is incredible!
LM-12 Member
Posts: 3876 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Oct 2010
posted 10-05-2023 05:18 PM
Are we seeing the Panavision camera in this Apollo 8 recovery photo? Is it the grey, shoulder-mounted camera?
LM-12 Member
Posts: 3876 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Oct 2010
posted 11-25-2023 02:47 PM
quote:Originally posted by LM-12: There are 182 films on that list and, based on what I have read, those films are 35mm and/or 65mm prints.
Here is a list of the Panavision film titles at NARA related to the Apollo missions. The films online are marked with an *asterisk:
255-PV-1: Aerials of Kennedy Space Center and Saturn Rocket on Pad
255-PV-2: Footage of Saturn 5 Rocket *
255-PV-3: ?
255-PV-4: Footage of Saturn 5 Rocket and Crawler *
255-PV-5: Footage of Headquarters
255-PV-6: Footage of the Visitors Spaceport Center
255-PV-7: Footage of Launch Pad
255-PV-8: Night Shots of Saturn V Rocket Tower *
255-PV-9: Night Shots of Saturn V Rocket
255-PV-10: Scenics
255-PV-11: Footage of the Astronaut Training Facility
255-PV-12: Footage of Bus Tours
255-PV-13: Footage of Bus Tours Interiors
255-PV-14: Footage of Bus Tours
255-PV-15: Scenics
255-PV-16: Footage of Bus Tours
255-PV-17: Sections of Console
255-PV-18: Prep and Hoist of S/C
255-PV-19: View of Rocket from Above
255-PV-20: S/C Mated in VAB
255-PV-21: People on Beach
255-PV-22: Footage of Crawler and Mobile Service Tower
255-PV-23: Footage of Mobile Service Tower and Fuel Areas
255-PV-24: Footage of Saturn 5 on Launch Pad
255-PV-25: Footage of Saturn 5 on Launch Pad
255-PV-26: ?
255-PV-27: Scenics
255-PV-28: Footage of Launch Pad and Crawler
255-PV-29: Apollo 8 Rollout
255-PV-30: Apollo 8 Rollout
255-PV-31: Apollo 7 Prelaunch
255-PV-32: Apollo 7 Prelaunch Press Site
255-PV-33: Apollo 8 Mission
255-PV-34: Apollo 8 Prelaunch
255-PV-35: Apollo 8 Launch
255-PV-36: Apollo 8 Interior Control Room
255-PV-37: Apollo 8 Day and Night Footage
255-PV-38: Apollo 9 Rocket on Pad
255-PV-39: Apollo 9 Rollout and LEM Assembly
255-PV-40: Apollo 10 Astronauts Cernan and Stafford Enter Simulator
255-PV-41: Apollo 11 Experimental Equipment and Apollo 10 CDDT Activity
255-PV-42: Apollo 10 CDDT Activities with Astronauts
255-PV-43: Apollo 11 Press Center Interiors
255-PV-44: Apollo 10 Astronauts and Mission Staff
255-PV-45: Apollo 10 and Apollo 11 Astronauts Demonstrate Lunar Equipment
255-PV-46: Apollo 10 Pre Launch
255-PV-47: Apollo 10 Launch Control Center Activities
255-PV-48: Apollo 11 Roll Out
255-PV-49: Apollo 11 Roll Out
255-PV-50: Houston LRL
255-PV-51: Apollo 10 Activities During SPS Burn and Splashdown
255-PV-52: Apollo 10 Activities at Time of Reentry and Recovery
255-PV-53: Apollo 10 General Activities at Arrival After Mission
255-PV-54: Zero Gravity Simulation Water Tank
255-PV-55: Apollo 10 Astronauts Stafford Cernan and Young Return to Kennedy Space Center
255-PV-56: Apollo 10 Astronauts Stafford Cernan and Young Speeches After Mission
255-PV-57: Barge Arrival with Apollo 13 Components
255-PV-58: Unloading and Transporting Apollo 13 Components from Barge
255-PV-59: Apollo 11 Flight Readiness Review Pre-Test Review and Flight Planning Policy Meeting
255-PV-60: Apollo 11 Lunar Surface Simulation
255-PV-61: Apollo 11 Lunar Surface Simulation
255-PV-62: Apollo 11 Astronauts Aldrin Armstrong and Collins at Simulator
255-PV-63: Apollo 13 CSM Arrival at Skid Strip and Unloading
255-PV-64: Apollo 12 Prime Crew in Altitude Chamber and CSM Mating with LM
255-PV-65: Apollo 12 Mating the Space Vehicle to the Booster
255-PV-66: MSS Removal from Apollo 11 Missile
255-PV-67: Apollo 11 Crew Training Activities Astronauts Suiting up in their Quarters and Arrival at Launch Pad
255-PV-68: Apollo 11 Launch Readiness Review Conference and Apollo 12 Astronauts in Altitude Chamber
255-PV-69: Apollo 11 Management Conferences and Vice President Agnew in Launch Control Center
255-PV-70: Aerials of Titusville
255-PV-71: Aerials of Crowds Gathering for Apollo 11
255-PV-72: Footage of Landing Strips and Buildings from the Apollo 11 Mission
255-PV-73: Aerials of Apollo 11 Launch Day Crowds
255-PV-74: Apollo 11 Astronauts Suiting Up and Leaving MSOB and Press Site Activities
255-PV-75: Apollo 11 Activities During Countdown and Launch
255-PV-76: Aerial Views of Manned Space Flight Center
255-PV-77: Apollo 11 Recovery Activities in the Pacific
255-PV-78: Apollo 11 Recovery Activities in the Pacific
255-PV-79: Apollo 11 Recovery Activities and Leaving Hawaii
255-PV-80: Apollo 11 Aboard the USS Hornet and in Hawaii
255-PV-81: Apollo 11 Aboard the USS Hornet and in Hawaii
255-PV-82: Arrival of USS Hornet in Hawaii
255-PV-83: Apollo 11 Recovery Operations Arrival at Hawaii
255-PV-84: Apollo 11 Recovery and Transport of MRL to Airport
255-PV-85: Arrival of Moon Rocks at Lunar Receiving Lab and Anechoic Building
255-PV-86: Night Footage of Arrival of Mobile Quarantine Unit at Houston
255-PV-87: Night Footage of Arrival of Mobile Quarantine Unit at Houston
255-PV-88: Exterior Shots of Manned Space Flight Center
255-PV-89: Exterior Shots of Lunar Receiving Laboratory
255-PV-90: Lunar Receiving Laboratory and Lunch Honoring Apollo 11 Astronauts
255-PV-91: Lunch at Rice Hotel Honoring Apollo 11 Astronauts
255-PV-92: Lunch at Rice Hotel Honoring Apollo 11 Astronauts
255-PV-93: Apollo 11 Astronauts Press Conference
255-PV-94: Apollo 11 Astronauts Press Conference
255-PV-95: Presidential Banquet at Century Plaza
255-PV-96: Presidential Banquet at Century Plaza
255-PV-97: Presidential Banquet at Century Plaza
255-PV-98: Presidential Banquet at Century Plaza
255-PV-99: Presidential Banquet at Century Plaza
255-PV-100: Apollo 11 Astronaut Night at the Houston Astrodome
255-PV-101: Apollo 11 Astronaut Night at the Houston Astrodome
255-PV-102: Apollo 11 Astronaut Night at the Houston Astrodome
255-PV-103: Apollo 11 Astronaut Night at the Houston Astrodome
255-PV-104: Apollo 11 Astronaut Night at the Houston Astrodome
255-PV-105: Apollo 11 Astronauts Aldrin Armstrong and Collins Honored by Joint Session of Congress
255-PV-106: Apollo 11 Astronauts Aldrin Armstrong and Collins Honored by Joint Session of Congress
255-PV-107: Apollo 12 Rollout and Apollo 13 Crew in Altitude Chamber *
255-PV-108: Apollo 11 Astronauts Present Moon Rock to Smithsonian
255-PV-109: Astronauts Aldrin and Armstrong Visit Grumman Plant
255-PV-110: Exteriors of Grumman Plant
255-PV-111: Apollo 12 EVA 1 and 2 Press Briefing
255-PV-112: Apollo 13 ALSEP Fit Check
255-PV-113: Apollo 13 ALSEP Fit Check
255-PV-114: Apollo 12 Prime Crew at Simulator and LCC Firing Room During CDDT
255-PV-115: Apollo 12 Suiting at Arriving at Pad CDDT
255-PV-116: Apollo 12 Astronauts Leave for the Pad and the LCC During and After the Launch
255-PV-117: Apollo 8 Astronauts
255-PV-118: Apollo 8 Astronauts
255-PV-119: Apollo 8 Astronauts Visit Hawaii
255-PV-120: Apollo 8 Astronauts
255-PV-121: Apollo 8 Astronaut Award Ceremony
255-PV-122: Apollo 8 Astronauts Visit Hawaii
255-PV-123: Apollo 8 Astronauts
255-PV-124: Apollo 8 Astronauts
255-PV-125: Apollo 10 Recovery
255-PV-126: Apollo 10 Recovery
255-PV-127: ?
255-PV-128: Apollo 10 Recovery
255-PV-129: Apollo 10 Recovery
255-PV-130: Apollo 8 Astronauts at White House *
255-PV-131: Apollo 8 Recovery *
255-PV-132: Apollo 9 Recovery
255-PV-133: Apollo 9 Recovery
255-PV-134: Apollo 9 Recovery
255-PV-135: Apollo 9 Recovery
255-PV-136: Apollo 9 Recovery
255-PV-137: Saturn 500P Rollout and Gemini Program
255-PV-138: Apollo 8 on Gantry and Blast Off
255-PV-139: Apollo 8 Launch and Reporters at Press Site
255-PV-140: Stock Footage of Wildlife and Nature at Kennedy Space Center
255-PV-141: Apollo 8 Recovery
255-PV-142: Apollo 11 Footage
255-PV-143: Apollo 11 Footage
255-PV-144: Apollo 11 Parade After Return
255-PV-145: Apollo 11 Astronaut Ceremony at New York City Hall
255-PV-146: Apollo 8 Astronauts at Houston Parade
255-PV-147: Apollo 8 Astronauts at Chicago Parade and City Hall
255-PV-148: Apollo 11 Astronauts in Chicago and Arrival in Los Angeles and President Nixon Arrives at Century Plaza
255-PV-149: Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 Parades
255-PV-150: Apollo 11 New York Parade from City Hall to United Nations Plaza
255-PV-151: Apollo 10 Recovery
255-PV-152: Apollo 11 Chicago Parade and Ceremony in Civic Center
255-PV-153: ?
255-PV-154: Atlas Agena on Launch Pad
255-PV-155: Gemini Launch
255-PV-156: Apollo and Gemini Launch at the Cape
255-PV-157: Launch Control Room
255-PV-158: Footage from Control Room and Launch Pad
255-PV-159: Footage from Control Room
255-PV-160: Footage from Mercury Launch *
255-PV-161: Footage of Saturn V
255-PV-162: Footage of Launch Tower
255-PV-163: Footage of Saturn V
255-PV-164: Footage of Saturn V
255-PV-165: Aerials of Marina and Beach
255-PV-166: VIP Spectators and Crowd Reaction at Launch
255-PV-167: Cape Canaveral Aerials
255-PV-168: Launch Spectators
255-PV-169: Footage of Crowds
255-PV-170: Footage of Crowds and Beach
255-PV-171: Footage of Marina Area
255-PV-172: Apollo 11 Astronauts and Aerials of Crowds
255-PV-173: Saturn Rocket on Launch Pad and Launch Crowd
255-PV-174: Apollo 11 Launch Day
255-PV-175: Technicians at Control Consoles
255-PV-176: Night Footage of Saturn Rocket
255-PV-177: Night Footage of Saturn Rocket and Mission Control
255-PV-178: Kennedy Space Center Launch Control and Footage of Dance Club
255-PV-179: Apollo 11 Recovery
255-PV-180: Apollo 11 Recovery
255-PV-181: Apollo 11 Activities
255-PV-182: Apollo 11
255-PV-183: Apollo 11
255-PV-184: Apollo 7 Launch Day Activities
255-PV-185: A Bridge to the Moon
255-PV-186: Apollo 8 Mission Pre-Launch and Launch
tlifan2 Member
Posts: 60 From: Palm Coast, Florida Registered: Feb 2014
posted 11-25-2023 06:26 PM
The film reel labeled "255-PV-160: Footage from Mercury Launch" is actually the Gemini 11 crew and their launch. The accompanying document states that it is a Mercury launch, but it definitely is not. Good footage of the crew leaving the Pad 16 suiting trailer and going to the Barton Freeway.
LM-12 Member
Posts: 3876 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Oct 2010
posted 11-26-2023 11:59 AM
That error was mentioned in the first post.
I don't know the film titles for these:
255-PV-3
255-PV-26
255-PV-127
255-PV-153
Blackarrow Member
Posts: 3670 From: Belfast, United Kingdom Registered: Feb 2002
posted 11-27-2023 09:56 AM
Has there ever been an explanation as to why NASA stopped doing the 65mm filming with Apollo 13? Just think how the launch of Apollo 17 would look in 65mm wide-screen!
LM-12 Member
Posts: 3876 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Oct 2010
posted 11-28-2023 08:04 AM
This Apollo 12 clip is probably part of the 255-PV-116 film footage. I see some large film cameras in the crowd.
Captain Apollo Member
Posts: 357 From: UK Registered: Jun 2004
posted 11-29-2023 10:54 AM
quote:Originally posted by LM-12: Are we seeing the Panavision camera in this Apollo 8 recovery photo?
Yes I think so. It compares to the camera you pointed out at 46:52 in this NASA film.
LM-12 Member
Posts: 3876 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Oct 2010
posted 11-29-2023 11:08 AM
We actually see two Panavision cameras filming the walkout in that NASA film.