Reflections in Space

Two-thirds of a lifetime ago – 50 years ago, somehow! – I spent a couple of years as audio-visual librarian for the Tampa, Florida, public library, and among the many films I oversaw was a half-hour documentary that remained with me.

This film, made in the early days of the space age, though toward the end of the Apollo program, looks at the early impact of that venture in various arts, as seen by writers Arthur C. Clarke and William F. Buckley, a dancer (Edward Villella), a poet (Archibald MacLeish), various painters, including a very young Jamie Wyeth. Now, your first reaction may be, “Who cares? What does this have to do with me?” But if there’s anything more to do with us than consciousness, I can’t offhand think what it would be.

Today for some reason it occurred to me that maybe the film could be found on the net, via duckduckgo, and sure enough, courtesy of the Charlotte and Mecklenburg County (N.C.) public library system, here it is. The first couple of minutes are a little the worse for wear, and every so often it skips a word or two, but in general it is in good shape.

I include the link for those who may will find it of interest. A remarkable film, one I am glad to have had the chance to see again after so long a time.

https://archive.org/details/ReflectionsInSpace

 

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