Operation Avalanche Page #3

It literally

fell on our lap.

We could run

our own department

after something like this.

Is there

more information coming?

About what?

Well, the objectives

and the budget.

Why?

This doesn't seem

incomplete to you?

Incomplete? How?

What do you mean?

Well, I...

Okay...

You know what, don't...

Don't worry about this.

They obviously told us

exactly what they want

us to hear,

so our job

is to film a test,

and that's it.

Come on.

Does it... you don't

have an ethical problem

with this at all?

In what way?

In that this is lying.

You know what,

this is like one of

those good lies.

Like Santa claus

and the easter bunny.

A lot of kids get really

mad about those.

So we're shooting this

at 48 frames a second,

so you're going to

have to move like...

Like you're

being lifted up...

Okay? Like this...

This thing weighs about

100 pounds.

Well, just try it.

Try leaping a bit.

Like this.

Yeah, good.

Go! Action! Action!

More that way.

More towards me a bit.

Walk off that way.

Wait a minute.

Wait a minute.

Wait a minute.

Stop.

We should be

doing this at night.

Can, can the light

move a little bit

to the left?

I'm being devoured

and I'm cookin'.

No, that's too far.

That's too far.

Back over this way.

Back to your right.

It doesn't matter...

Stop! Stop!

Okay, now a bit

to your left.

How much does

the light drop off?

Are you not getting

destroyed by mosquitoes?

Okay, I am, but I'm trying

to get this right. Hold on.

What else

is in the frame?

Uh, I see some logs

in the background.

Yeah, I see it, too.

Okay, I'm getting it.

That's what you're...

Please, let's just roll.

It's fine, it's fine.

It's not a log,

it's a rock!

It's okay,

we'll frame it out.

I'm going to use it!

I'm going to put it

in the frame.

Are you ready?

And action!

Owen, jump in the air.

Holy sh*t.

It's open!

Hey.

You're just in time.

Have a seat. So...

The moon footage...

I won't say how it looks.

I just want you to

watch it, okay?

Turn the lights off.

So it may seem

a bit different.

I think you'll enjoy it.

This is the year

before we got recruited.

Wow.

Who is it?

Hello?

Director brackett,

this is a... uh, come on in.

Welcome.

It's great

to see you guys.

This is a surprise.

What the hell

is going on?

You're changing the

direction on this project

without my authorization?

Okay...

Shut up. I'm not finished.

Okay, now listen...

I'm shutting this operation...

Wait!

Bring it down. It's over.

You made this up?

Okay, yes.

I made up a mission.

But that's because I wanted

to make sure it would work

before I brought it to you.

I think

i may have solved

the moon problem.

Just... trust me.

Watch this.

Sorry.

Ignore this. Ignore this.

So that's just sand.

William's in the suit.

We shot it in slow motion.

You understand?

I'm saying we could

fake the moon landing,

and it wouldn't be hard.

All people want to see

is an image

on a television screen

and we can give them that.

The rocket will go up,

we'll send our

footage with them,

and the astronauts

will just beam it

back to earth.

No one is going to think

this is fake, because

how insane would that be?

And if we do it right,

this is the kind of thing

that sells itself.

Walter cronkite is going

to do half the work for us.

Let me try.

Give us a minute.

It's okay.

Hi.

Whoa!

Okay, just shoot

from down there, okay?

Owen?

Put... put your mic on.

No.

Put your mic on. Put your...

It'll take two seconds.

Put your mic on.

Come on.

It'll take two seconds.

I'm not doing this, okay?

Get the f*** off.

Cheer up!

We just got

a huge promotion,

come on!

Whoo!

Mr. boles, I guess we'll

be working together again.

Welcome to Texas.

Congratulations on having

brackett approve

this insane mission.

You guys are filming

this right now?

Yeah, we film everything.

It's a documentary.

It's a documentary film.

Okay, before we get started

on this, I know you're

technically my boss,

but I'm running

all this.

Yeah.

No, I'm here because

you have no idea

what you're doing.

So I'm in charge

and you don't run

a goddamn thing.

So no more f***ing around

behind our backs,

all right?

Wow, I heard

it's pretty shitty.

Hi.

How you doing?

Enjoying the

4th of July?

Yes, I'm in

a great mood.

This is a bit of a party

for me, too, because we

got a promotion.

Did you?

Yeah.

Somebody just

tell me what's wrong.

Is that...

That's the barbecue.

The barbecue what?

What happened at the barbecue?

What's going on?

Watch.

Right...

There. See that?

Yeah, two guys.

Yeah. Look at this.

So he's holding something,

we're thinking maybe super 8.

It could be

a 35mm still camera.

And do we know

who this is? Maybe they're

NASA guests.

Yeah, I don't know.

Tourists? Who knows, right?

It could be nothing.

It is nothing...

Who is it?

It's boles.

This looks like sh*t.

You have one guy

in a space suit,

prancing around

on the sand...

...with one rock.

Who do you think

this is gonna convince?

I...

It convinced brackett.

Well, now you have

to convince me.

What are you

talking about?

Nobody is going

to buy this.

I thought

you were advocating

for me to do this!

I was advocating

for operation northwoods.

I think

this idea's ridiculous.

Mike, do you

remember mentioning,

uh, test locations

that NASA was using

for photography?

Would you mind

showing me those pictures?

You mean

on camera, or...

If you don't mind.

I don't mind.

These are places

that look like the moon

on earth?

Exactly.

These are called

geology field trips.

So you're saying

that the rocks that

are on the moon

are the exact same

as the rocks on earth?

I'm not saying exact.

I'm saying...

But they're close?

They're close

enough that...

That...

Yeah, I mean...

So if you saw them,

you would think that, uh...

Oh, yeah, you can

get an igneous rock

from a volcano

here in America

and tell somebody

it's a moon rock

and they

wouldn't know.

Really?

Yeah.

- Hello.

- Is Owen home?

He's in

the garage.

You look great.

FBI!

Look at this!

The geologists have

places on earth

that already

look like the moon.

This is the barringer crater,

the Grand Canyon.

We shoot this test footage

and then compare it

with the real moon footage

that they're getting

from the missions.

I just

figured this out!

Yeah, I can't

go on this trip.

What?

What do you mean?

Why?

Because I... because I...

I need you.

If you don't

come with me I'm going

with boles, by myself.

What? Are you

still mad at me?

I'm sorry.

I didn't...

Owen!

One second!

I... you have

to forgive me for this.

Listen.

I can't go.

You're f***ing me.

You are...

You're f***ing me.

This is the big shot.

The ride without astronauts

of the giant saturn v

live rocket.

Project Apollo.

This is Apollo 4.

The test of our moon rocket

in flight for the first time.

It is the beginning,

the first of many steps,

which will someday

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