Customer Reviews

60 Minutes - First Man (November 6, 2005)

5 star:		(0)
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2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

This DVD was a HUGE dissappointment. I eagerly awaited the arrival of this DVD. However, when I watched it, I was astonished that it lasted a mere 14 minutes! Neil Armstrong gives "60 minutes" the first TV interview in decades and they make it 14 minutes long. This DVD gives you no extras either, it is 14 minutes and that is it. The book "First Man" went into incredible detail(sometimes too much) on the life of Neil Armstrong, but this show went in the opposite direction barely covering touching on the life and especially the Apollo 11 experience of this remarkable man.

I echo the sentiments of other reviewers. I could not get this DVD to work on THREE different standalone DVD players, nor a DVD player built in to my high end laptop. Strike FOUR, you're OUT!

Nevertheless, I had the good fortune to watch the original airing of the "60 Minutes" broadcast on TV. Unfortunately, I also felt CBS and Ed Bradley's interview with Neil Armstrong, the FIRST (of twelve) human being to set foot on the Moon over 35 years ago, was far too limited.

Nor would an entire 60 minute interview have done justice to such a historically significant, decades later perspective on his life time experiences; an American who is the very personification of a LIVING LEGEND, who's famous "first" words, at the time of the Apollo 11 landing, will probably never be forgotten for all of eternity. Yet, all we get are a mere 14 minutes to learn more about his magnificent career as an pioneering aviator, astronaut, Moonwalker and Earth bound experiences as a "regular" person.

Neil Armstrong has refused countless interviews for decades, then finally authors a book about his life, and decides to come back into the public spotlight. But, for how long? Afterall, this most famous of American astronauts, is already in the twilight years of his retirement. Why "60 Minutes" producers would not want to fully exploit such a rare, personal interview opportunity to use the television media to get to know such a celebrated, historically significant personality, I'll never know.

Nonetheless, a "14 minutes" TV show about one of mankind's greatest off-world explorers is still worthwhile, (and who knows, perhaps that was all the time Mr. Armstrong would allow to be interviewed).

I would have given this TV segment (not the DVD obviously) 5 stars, if not for a repro hiccup on the DVD. Such a short subject program was still quite interesting, and I was able to get to know "the man" much better than before. There is still hope, that someday we'll get to see something far more substantial in the media - perhaps a retrospective of his life to parallel the book, "First Man", in a documentary film, to further share and rejoice in such an incredible life story!

If not, what a pity, since Neil Armstrong will probably go down as one of the most respected, (and humble), American aviators in modern history; and his famous tag line, "That's one small step for (a) man, . . . one giant step for Mankind", will be remembered for eons.

*** Addendum to my review: Sadly, Ed Bradley died about a year after this broadcast originally aired on "60 Minutes". He was only 65. How much longer before all the original Apollo astronauts - now mostly in their 70s - are gone too? Three of the 12 moonwalkers are already deceased; Apollo stronauts' Jim Irwin, Alan Shepard, and Pete Conrad.

All the more reason for more of those still living to come forward and share their life experiences and stories of traveling to and from the Moon. Interviews with these heroic men, both before and after their historic missions should be made available in the mass media for generations to come.

Reading about it in books written by some of the astronauts (and others) is all well and good, but still many people are more interested in their stories in more personal terms, in their own words and from spontaneous interviews, like contained in this "60 Minutes" special DVD.

This was only the first such mass media interview, with perhaps the most famous of the astronauts, Neil Armstrong. I only hope their will be many more to follow with Neil, and ALL his fellow Apollo astronauts, perhaps with all 3 members of crew, and reunions with the other Apollo crews, on the 35th and 40th upcoming anniversaries of their space missions.

If not, those too, will also become lost opportunities to the media and to all of us as treasured memories of the past, and the small steps to greatness for all mankind.

I live in the northeast USA. This DVD does not play on my home DVD player and it does not play in my computer's DVD drive.

I am returning it to Amazon.

I was so excited about the release of this dvd and was looking forward to viewing it. Unfortunately the copy I got wouldn't play on any dvd player and had picture but no sound when played on a computer. I had let the time lapse to send it back so ordered up (and paid for) a second copy a few weeks later. That too had the same fault and this time I send a note back to Amazon. They were great and immediately replaced it. Unfortunately the third dvd had exactly the same fault as well. Not Amazon's fault at all but just so frustrating as I would do anything just to get a copy that works.

Horrible experience... I want my money back.
It doens't work.... It is NOT a norman DVD.

It doesn't play on my mac computer OR a regular
DVD player... I'm pissed!!!

This is the second one II bought... same thing...

I want to return it and I want one that works....

The disc won't play in a standard DVD player. It will play in a computer DVD drive with Windows Media Player, but has no sound. Beyond that, it's only 14 minutes. Buy the book First Man, which is excellent, but don't waste your time with this DVD.