Challenger (1990 film)

Challenger is a 1990 American disaster drama television film based on the events surrounding the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986. Its production was somewhat controversial[10] as the families[11][12] of the astronauts generally objected to it.[13][14][15][16] A prologue states[17] that the film was "researched with the consultation of the National Aeronauts and Space Administration"[18] and partly filmed at NASA's Johnson Space Center[19][20] in Houston, Texas.

Challenger
DVD release cover
GenreDisaster
docudrama
Written byGeorge Englund
Directed byGlenn Jordan[1]
StarringKaren Allen
Barry Bostwick
Richard Jenkins
Joe Morton
Keone Young
Brian Kerwin
Julie Fulton
Kale Browne
Kristin Bond
Angela Bassett
ComposerDavid E. Kole
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducersGeorge Englund[2][3][4]
Courtney Pledger
Debbie Robins[5]
Production locationsHouston, Texas[6]
CinematographyNewton Thomas Sigel
EditorPaul Rubell
Running time135
Production companiesKing Phoenix Entertainment
The IndieProd Company
Release
Original networkABC[7][8]
Original release
  • February 25, 1990 (1990-02-25)
[9]

Plot

The film concentrates on the safety inspections and arguments surrounding the O-rings that ultimately were blamed for the explosion of Challenger. While doing this, it also aims to show the personal humanity of the seven crew members. Generally, the film supports the Space Shuttle program and the dedication of NASA personnel in general while criticizing NASA management.

After beginning on the eve of the launch, the rest of the film is told through flashback, beginning on July 19, 1985, when Christa McAuliffe was officially selected to be the first teacher to travel into space. The film ends just as the shuttle takes off on January 28, 1986, following a symbolic scene of each of the seven crew members and passengers reciting in their thoughts John Gillespie Magee Jr.'s poem "High Flight". U.S. President Ronald Reagan used part of "High Flight" in a speech written by Peggy Noonan on the night after the Challenger disaster[21] while eulogizing the fallen members of the crew.

Cast

Karen Allen[22][23][24][25] portrayed Christa McAuliffe,[26] Kristin Bond portrayed McAuliffe's daughter, Caroline, and Kale Browne portrayed McAuliffe's husband, Steven. Allen and Browne were married in real life.

Peter Boyle portrayed Roger Boisjoly,[27][28] the Thiokol[29] engineer most vocal[30] about the danger of launching at extremely low temperatures because of the risk that the O-ring seals in the shuttle's rocket boosters would fail at those temperatures.

The film also examines the personal lives of the other members[31] of the crew - Barry Bostwick[32] as Commander Dick Scobee, Brian Kerwin as Pilot Michael Smith,[33] Joe Morton as Dr. Ronald McNair, Keone Young[34] as Lt. Col. Ellison Onizuka, Richard Jenkins as Gregory B. Jarvis, Julie Fulton[35] as Dr. Judith Resnik - and their families[36] - Angela Bassett as Cheryl McNair, Elizabeth Kemp as Jane Smith, Jeanne Mori as Lorna Onizuka, Debbie Boily as Marcia Jarvis, Melinda Ann Austin as June Scobee, Melissa Chan as Janelle Onizuka, Gavin Luckett as Reggie McNair, Naoka Nakagawa as Darien Onizuka, Thomas Allen Jr. as Scott Smith - before they boarded Challenger.

Emmy award

At the 42nd Primetime Emmy Awards in September 1990, Challenger won Outstanding Sound Editing for a Miniseries or a Special.[37][38]

See also

References
  1. O'Connor, John J. (February 25, 1990). "TO VIEW; ARROGANCE IN THE NAME OF LIFTOFF?". The New York Times.
  2. Hill, Michael E. (February 25, 1990). "THE CHALLENGER DISASTER". The Washington Post.
  3. Suro, Robert (February 18, 1990). "TELEVISION; 'Challenger' Looks At the Human Side Of the Disaster". The New York Times.
  4. Walker, Joseph (February 25, 1990). "CHALLENGER: CONTROVERSY ENGULFS LATEST DOCUDRAMA". Deseret News.
  5. "Challenger". TVTango.com.
  6. "Challenger – Karen as astronaut and teacher, Christa McAuliffe, Houston, Texas 1989". homepage - Karen Allen - Actor/Director.
  7. Rosenberg, Howard (February 24, 1990). "'Challenger': The Wrong Story Got Filmed". Los Angeles Times.
  8. Kogan, Rich (February 23, 1990). "ABC'S 'CHALLENGER' IS ANOTHER DISASTER". Chicago Tribune.
  9. "February 25, 1990 - Sunday". TVTango.com.
  10. Dawson, Greg (February 25, 1990). "'CHALLENGER': PAINFUL BUT MOSTLY WELL-DONE". Orlando Sentinel.
  11. Dawson, Greg (February 24, 1990). "NETWORK, FAMILIES AT ODDS". Orlando Sentinel.
  12. Schlangenstein, Mary (February 23, 1990). "Wives angered by Challenger movie". UPI.
  13. "403. "Challenger" made for TV movie (February 25, 1990)". Sale into the 90s. January 2020.
  14. Jicha, Tom (February 25, 1990). "McAuliffe Family Criticizes Movie on Challenger Disaster With AM-Space Shuttle". AP News.
  15. O'Connor, John J. (February 25, 1990). "TO VIEW; ARROGANCE IN THE NAME OF LIFTOFF?". The New York Times.
  16. Jicha, Tom (February 25, 1990). "'CHALLENGER' MOVIE RATES THUMBS UP". South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
  17. Shales, Tom (February 25, 1990). "TV PREVIEW". The Washington Post.
  18. Stoneman, Donnell (February 24, 1990). "MOVIE TRIVIALIZES A NATIONAL TRAGEDY". Greensboro News & Record.
  19. Maines, Don (October 4, 2018). "Houston-bound Bostwick reflects on 'Rocky Horror' and 'Challenger' roles". Houston Chronicle.
  20. "CHALLENGER - FILM DETAILS". TCM.com.
  21. Reagan, Ronald; Noonan, Peggy (28 January 1986). "Address to the nation on the Challenger disaster". Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Foundation. Archived from the original on 27 December 2007. Retrieved 3 May 2008.
  22. "Karen Allen Lands 'Challenger' Role". Orlando Sentinel. June 29, 1989. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
  23. Carmack, Michael (February 25, 1990). "EMOTIONS SOAR FOR KAREN ALLEN IN 'CHALLENGER'". Chicago Tribune.
  24. Froelich, Janis D. (February 23, 1990). "CHALLENGER' IS TOO BOOSTERISH". Tampa Bay Times.
  25. Froelich, Janis D. (February 23, 1990). "'CHALLENGER' MOVIE RATES THUMBS UP". South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
  26. Suchoff, Rhiel, David, Mary (4 February 2016). The Seductions of Biography. p. 37. ISBN 9781134714421.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  27. Tucker, Ken (February 23, 1990). "Challenger". Entertainment Weekly.
  28. Armenakis, Achilles A. (September 3, 2002). "Boisjoly on Ethics". CiteSeerX 10.1.1.891.4916. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  29. Zurawik, David (February 2, 1990). "Docudramas Take Fiction's Liberties With Our History". Los Angeles Times.
  30. Pergament, Alan (February 23, 1990). "SUSPENSE IS A PROBLEM IN SHUTTLE DOCUDRAMA". Buffalo News.
  31. Owen, Rob (November 13, 2017). "Tuned In: Exploring the science behind 'Challenger'". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  32. Gross, Terry (February 19, 1990). ""Challenger" is More Responsible than Reprehensible, but Still Unnecessary". The Fresh Air Archive.
  33. King, Susan (February 25, 1990). "The Challenge of 'Challenger' : HOW ABC'S SUNDAY NIGHT MOVIE FINALLY GOT OFF THE GROUND". Los Angeles Times.
  34. Hassan, Mohamed (March 17, 2017). "After a 50-Year Career, Veteran Actor Keone Young Is an 'Outsider on the Inside'". NBC News.
  35. Townsend, Mary Ann (February 22, 1990). "'Challenger' looks behind scenes of space tragedy". The Observer. Virginia, Charlottesville. p. 20. Retrieved September 23, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  36. Zurawik, David (February 25, 1990). "Turning Tragedy Into Entertainment // 'Challenger' Invades Survivors' Private Grief". Tulsa World.
  37. "Emmys.com list of 1990 Nominees & Winners". Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  38. Oh, Sheryl (October 3, 2018). "Michelle Williams to Honor Christa McAuliffe's Life in 'The Challenger'". Film School Rjects.
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