Operação Avalanche

Seen at the Viennale 2016: It seems that Matt Johnson, an exaggerated enthusiastic filmmaker, had a lot of fun doing this movie. He was able to transfer his enthusiasm onto the movie and the movie was able to transfer it to the Viennese audience. There are a lot of meta levels in the making of this mock documentary. The movie content is based upon the crazy conspiracy theories surrounding the first moon-landing. The main level just shows a documentary that shows the tricks that had to be played that the whole world believed that the landing was real. One sub level is that Johnson interviewed the real NASA in tricky ways to get answers in the right direction, so he was able to include that footage into his movie. Another level is the story of the camera team that develops this story in the movie itself. Johnson is the director of the film crew in the movie and also the director of The Avalanche. Another story is about politics and the power of state to hide its secrets. Even footage of Stanley Kubrick could be used. Quite entertaining. But most impressing: the pictures showing the moon mission of Apollo itself. The result is a homage about this great decade of the US flying to the moon. The mock documentary is not faultless, but quite good entertainment. And also added is a low-budget car chase - a real highlight to see.

Operation Avalanche proposes that in 1967, a small group of young filmmaking CIA agents were responsible for 'faking' Apollo 11's landing on the moon by shooting it on a sort of makeshift movie set. In conclusion, it's not very good.

Do you believe we actually landed on the moon? Well, it doesn't really matter because either way this film is smart, funny, interesting and entertaining. Matt Johnson is a master, be sure to also watch his "The Dirties".

What would it take to convince Walter Cronkite, the public, and even NASA personnel Apollo 11 landed on the Moon ... when it didn't? Operation Avalanche earnestly explores the idea the 1969 Moon landing was faked. Was it real, or was it Memorex? Low budget movie, but worth watching late at night or on a rainy afternoon.

I can't understand how anyone can not like this. It's ridiculously well written, the acting is incredible and the way it shifts tone is so uncomfortable, in the best way. This is a thinking person's film. If you aren't prepared to fully imerse yourself in it then you aren't going to enjoy it.