Comments for She Should Have Gone to The Moon

Comment on Trailer & Stills by Kim Akass

Kim Akass — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 08:37:10 +0000

I rarely feel moved by a documentary in the way that I was moved watching ‘She should have gone to the Moon’. From the first haunting shots of the sand dunes and (who we soon find to be) Kubatta dressed in the space outfit worn by the women astronauts, the viewer is taken on a lyrical journey through the trials and tribulations of the female astronauts that never quite made it. There is an unhurried quality to the film, a rythmic and undulating telling of a narrative of false-starts and thwarted hopes.

For me the centrepiece of the film was the song. Resonant of Blue Velvet, the singer hauntingly halts the narrative in a Lynchian moment of contemplation. It allows the viewer time to think, to ponder on what has come before and what is yet to unfold.

That Kubatta never allows the story to become a bitter recollection of lost hopes is an achievement in itself. In fact the viewer is left with an overwhelmingly positive insight into a moment in space travel that could have changed the face of history rather than a lost opportunity (even though that is the story).

I am waiting impatiently for Kubatta’s next documentary. She deftly shakes traditional conventions and rearranges them into a lyrical peep into another’s world.

Comment on Trailer & Stills by Karen Plant

Karen Plant — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 16:53:50 +0000

A brilliant portrayal of the struggle and challenges of a female in the 1960′s. Jerry was ready and more than able to fly to the moon but due to the male chauvinist attitude of that time and general disregard, her chance was snatched away.

I liked the clever way that Ulrike used the white sand shots as a metaphor for the moon and how her and Jerry’s phone conversation were played during this time adding to the image. The documentary was entertaining, educational and inspiring. I was never aware of the N.A.S.A female space program in the 1960′s and how strong the women were and had to be to succeed. I shared the feeling of frustration for Jerry to have something so life changing and consuming to be retracted because of her sex.

I am glad that Jerry was there to witness the first female astronaut lift off into space. Although her chance was lost, I am sure that a part of her battle was won.

A clear and beautifully presented film, with wonderful imagery. Definitely a film to aspire to.

Comment on Trailer & Stills by Albert potrony

Albert potrony — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 12:02:33 +0000

I keep going back to She Should Have Gone to the Moon, as I keep showing it to friends who haven’t seen it on screen; I must have seen it about half a dozen times by now and each time I find it as engaging, thougtful and moving as the first time.
Through its very well crafted structure and the beautiful use of archive footage and ‘dream sequences’ – understated and breathtaking at the same time, the film never fails to take you onto a journey of discovery. I always feel that the narrator’s voice (the director’s) manages to infuse the narrative with a strange ‘quiet pathos’, bringing the story home while providing a measured counterbalance to Jerri’s re-telling of her story. Ulrike Kubatta manages the rare feat of creating a very personal, almost intimate, work while making it possible for Truhill to tell her story on her own terms.
As has been said in previous postings this is a gem. I look forward to Kubatta’s next project.

Comment on Trailer & Stills by Heather Mendick

Heather Mendick — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:46:44 +0000

This is a wonderful film of a fascinating story. Until a few months ago I had no idea that 50 years ago there was a group of women pilots tested by NASA in preparation for the US’s first ‘manned’ space flight. Jerri Truhill is inspiring and Ulrike gives her room to talk about the ways that she negotiated the sexism of her times – doing what was expected (marrying and pushing out two babies) before she pursued her ambition to fly planes; using her nickname, Jerri, in a work application rather than an identifiably female name; talking back to Lyndon Johnson when he suggested that she would ‘swoon’ in space. Ulrike’s film uses images to induce reflections on Jerri’s story. I hope many people get to see it.

Comment on Trailer & Stills by Clancy

Clancy — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 10:25:16 +0000

I saw this movie at a London Festival. It is very cinematic, with fine camera work and creative and quite spectacular use of locations, the dune location in particular.

The ongoing narrative arc is subverted in an original and moving way by having the documentarist interpret different parts of Jerri’s story in fantasy sequences. As well as the fantasy sequences, archive footage is seamlessly melded into the whole to create a high quality emotional journey.

Very much worth seeing on a big screen if you can.

Comment on Trailer & Stills by Nour El Sadat

Nour El Sadat — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 16:29:40 +0000

Amazing documentary. Loved EVERY single minute of it and wanted even more insight
on Jerri Truehill. What an inspiring story. I love it.

Comment on Trailer & Stills by Jason Uzu

Jason Uzu — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 19:01:08 +0000

‘She Should Have Gone to The Moon’ was engaging and beautifully structured. Ulrike has crafted a fine cinematic portrayal of Jerri Truhill’s story carefully, accurately and impressively. The film softly yet powerfully instils fresh insight on the women and the challenges they faced within post-war America. It also reminded me how the most inspiring people and their stories are often sadly lost or forgotten in the pages of history. As for documentaries; this is surely a polished gem amongst sand. I’m very much looking forward to her new film ‘Dream Soldier’!

Comment on Trailer & Stills by Barbara Sheppard

Barbara Sheppard — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 14:04:08 +0000

I was impressed by Jerri’s carefully moderated language about being dismissed and subsequently invisibilised by NASA. At one point she does retort that they were “male chauvinist pigs”, then immediately excuses them with “they were of their time”. This is probably true to some extent but there must have been some anger on those women pilot’s parts (they were a feisty lot), so why was the anger toned down/where did it go? Still trying hard not to offend?

The film brought to mind my own quite formative experience of when I was 11 and my brother was 7. My father was in the Royal Navy and I was thrilled by the ships and stories of voyaging all over the world.
Then one day he said “How would you like to go aboard my ship?” I shouted “Oh yes, yes, yes” and he said “No, not you – Bob” turning to my brother. “Women can’t go on ships, they bring bad luck”.

It was a bitter morning when I watched my younger brother climb onto the ship. The injustice has stayed with me ever since.

Then I saw this replicated a couple of years ago. I was on a small boat trip with my two grandchildren, a girl of 8 and a boy of 5. As we came into the port the man in charge said to my grandson “Here, would you like to steer the boat into the jetty?” and hoisted him onto his lap while my granddaughter looked away.

Has so much changed after all?

Comment on Trailer & Stills by Piers Storey

Piers Storey — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 11:13:37 +0000

Great film, beautifully made. I love the way the filmmaker is present all the way through, sometimes in a quite strange way. Why don’t we see films like this on TV? Mesmerising.

Comment on Trailer & Stills by Baltimore Women's Film Festival

Baltimore Women's Film Festival — Mon, 31 May 2010 16:31:22 +0000

This is art. It’s not “close to art” this is art in a pure form. The opening scenes with Ulrike Kubatta dressed in that white jumpsuit and helmet, walking on pristine white sand in the middle of what looked like scorching-hot, dry desert, that could have been anywhere in space was amazing. Absolutely beautiful. Also, when Jerri Truhill told that story about meeting President Johnson, I felt irritated by the story. But this is important for art. Art doesn’t mean anything unless it is provocative. I’m really glad I was able to see this film, because now I feel more confident about persuing my own interests as a woman, without guilt.