Just curious if anyone that watched 1968 notice how they kept changing from Black and white on Earth,to color getting to and orbiting the moon.
I was trying to turn on the "deep thoughts" button in my head but I couldn't give myself a really good reason for it. Does anyone know or think why they made the choice to do that?
I liked the use of black and white in that episode. 1968 was a very dark year for America, and it was probably the intent of the director and/or Tom Hanks to use black and white to to bring some grittiness to the episode to reflect the darkness of the time. I thought it worked nicely.
shareHi! Yes I have a theory for you. This is for 50 somethings I guess, and I am! I experienced and remember the 1960's in Black and White! Most of the iconic images of 1968 are photographic images in B&W - and these are seen again in the episode "1968", eg, the scene of Bobby Kennedy's shooting, the police trying to hold the line at the Grovesnor Square demonstration. Alternatively you have Black & White TV footage, eg, British TV reporter Julien Pettifer crouching to avoid being shot at in the streets of Saigon, or the disastrous riots at the Democratic convention. These events are etched into the psyche in Black & White and form the context for the tremendous Apollo 8 mission.
By stark contrast the astronauts on Apollo 8 (riding the incredible Saturn V rocket) were living the dream which had preoccupied Human Kind ever since we came down from the trees 2 million years ago. The movement and vibrancy of their experience is portrayed as colourful, "live" and real - inviting us to see this first human mission to the moon as the pivotal and most important event of the year (which, to me, it was). The "space" side of this episode bursts with life energy, risk taking and power accurately describing the human need to go out and explore. Meanwhile the "world" side seethes with human weakness and baseness, the lower aspects of the human condition, which are monochrome compared to the fabulous adventure going on in the sky above. This portrayal of Apollo 8 IN 1968 is simple but effective - making this episode one the best and most memorable of the series.
How does that sound!?
You know I had that thought in my head. I just didn't make it clear and accurate like you did! I watched it over and over again and your theory became clearer to me each time I watched it. Thanks regardless!
shareThe turning point of the episode happens, when the astronauts see the first 'Earthrise' over the moon. Having so much of the episode in black and white- plus, the color scenes as they approach the moon are largely monochromatic too (the moon is grey, the spacecraft has little color)- suddenly, the blue Earth appears over the colorless moonscape, to stunning visual effect, probably much like the real event. It was very good filmmaking.
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