Woman in the Moon
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| Woman in the Moon | |
|---|---|
 Frau im Mond |
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| Directed by | Fritz Lang |
| Written by | Fritz Lang Thea von Harbou story |
| Starring | Klaus Pohl Willy Fritsch Gustav von Wangenheim |
| Release date(s) | 1929 |
| Running time | 156 min. / 200 min. (2000 restoration) / Spain:104 min. / Spain:162 min. (DVD edition) / USA:95 min / West Germany:91 min (edited version) (1970) |
| Country | Germany (Weimar Republic) |
| Language | Silent film German intertitles |
Woman in the Moon (German Frau im Mond) is a science fiction silent film that premiered October 15, 1929. It is often considered to be one of the first "serious" science fiction films. It was written and directed by Fritz Lang, based on the novel Die Frau im Mond (1928, translated as The Woman to the Moon during 1930) by his then-wife and collaborator Thea von Harbou. It was released in the USA as By Rocket to the Moon, and in the UK as Woman in the Moon.
The basics of rocket travel were presented to a mass audience for the first time by this film, including the use of a multi-stage rocket. The moon rocket Friede was submerged in water before launch, which NASA did not do when it sent actual rockets to the moon, but large rockets are launched over water to prevent damage to the spacecraft from the sound generated by liftoff.[1] NASA did, however, have proposals for water-launched rockets (the Sea Dragon and Nova).
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[edit] Influence
This film is often cited as the first occurrence of the "countdown to zero" before a rocket launch.[2] The launch crew counts down the seconds from ten to zero and the rocket ship then blasts off into space.
Since rocket scientist Hermann Oberth worked as an advisor on this movie (he had originally intended to build a working rocket for use in the film; time and technology kept this from happening), it was popular among the rocket scientists in Wernher von Braun's circle at the Verein für Raumschiffahrt (VfR). The first successfully launched V-2 rocket at the rocket development facility in Peenemünde had the Frau im Mond logo painted on its base. Noted post-war science writer Willy Ley also served as a consultant on the film. Thomas Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow, which deals with the V2 rockets, refers to this along with several other classic German silent films.
[edit] Plot
The film is a melodrama with scientific speculation. Helius is an entrepreneur with an interest in space travel. He seeks out Professor Mannfeldt, a visionary who has written a treatise on the likelihood of finding gold on the moon, only to be ridiculed by his peers. Helius recognizes the value of Mannfeldt's work, but a gang of evil businessmen have also taken an interest in Mannfeldt's theories.
Meanwhile, Helius's assistant, Windegger, has announced his engagement to Helius's other assistant Friede. This is disconcerting to Helius, who secretly loves Friede, so he avoids their engagement party. He is mugged on the way home from his meeting with Mannfeldt by henchmen of the evil businessmen, commanded by an American named Turner. They steal the research which Professor Mannfeldt had entrusted to him and also burgle Helius's home, taking other valuable material. They then present him with an ultimatum: they know he is planning a voyage to the moon; either he includes them in the project or they will sabotage it and destroy his rocket. Reluctantly, Helius agrees to their terms.
The rocket team is assembled: Helius, Mannfeldt, Windegger, Friede and Turner, who represents the interests of the evil businessmen. After the rocket blasts off, they discover that Gustav, a young boy who has befriended Helius, is aboard as a stowaway with his collection of science fiction pulp magazines. During the journey, Windegger emerges as a coward and the feelings of Helius toward Friede become known to her, creating a romantic triangle.
Once they get to the far side of the moon, Mannfeldt and Turner prove Mannfeldt's theory that there is gold on the moon. They struggle in a cave and Mannfeldt falls to his death in a crevasse. Turner attempts to hijack the rocket and in the struggle he is shot and killed. Gunfire damages the oxygen tanks and they come to the grim realization that there is not enough oxygen for all to make the return trip. One person must remain on the moon. (In this film the moon has a breathable atmosphere on its far side, per the theories of Peter Andreas Hansen, who is mentioned near the beginning of the film.)
Helius and Windegger draw straws to see who must stay and Windegger loses. Seeing Windegger's anguish, Helius decides to drug him and take his place, letting Windegger return to earth with Friede. He makes Gustav his confidant and the new pilot for the ship. After the ship takes off for home, Helius discovers that Friede has decided to stay with him on the moon and they embrace passionately.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Launch Complexes 39-A and 39-B
- ^ "Spektrum der Wissenschaft" - DenkMal-Frage: "Was verdankt die Raumfahrt dem Stummfilm "Die Frau im Mond" (1929) von Fritz Lang?" http://www.wissenschaft-online.de/artikel/636420
