What if?
I always love those words as a premise for a good story.
Several years ago I discovered a website for a mockumentary called Man Conquers Space. The premise is, “What if the U.S. space program began years earlier and was based on the artwork of Chesley Bonestell, who inspired the actual space program.” If you’re a fan of science fiction then you’ve definitely seen paintings by Bonestell, whose designs set the look of sci-fi films and book covers for years to come. Ellie reader Neutrino reminded me to credit Colliers Magazine, which did a series of articles in the early 1950s that were the inspiration for the film, and featured art by Bonestell, as well as Fred Freeman and Rolf Klep.*
The creators of the mockumentary depict a space race based on their paintings and ideas. And it looks amazing. Or I imagine it would if it had been finished. As it stands, the film seems to have fizzled out quite some time ago (due to the loss of much of the footage on failed hard drives**). But what there is to be seen promises something spectacular, even if it’s never to be, just like the film’s premise. There are a couple of trailers for the film available for viewing, production stills, and a sample of the soundtrack. Go have a look!
*Edited to add this info.
**And this info.
