Man in Space was broadcast on Disneyland March 9, 1955 (USA). It went on to have a 1956 comic book, a classroom text in 1959, and a theatrical release in 1956 alongside Davy Crockett and the River Pirates.
It was also released overseas. (see this rare 1958 Japanese advertisement)
So this is about the 2nd life of the film as a classroom documentary. As the Space Race began in earnest it was re-released and marketed to educators as a way to teach children about their future. to go along with this film was this rare classroom guide. It probably was intended to accompany their 1959 classroom books.
"After man reaches other planets, is it conceivable that people of Earth will be drawn closer together?"
"How likely is it that present barriers between nations will tend to break down as contacts with other planets develop?"
"Full of people with thermonuclear bombs" Von Braun makes it sound like they were everywhere.
ReplyDeleteThis time period must have been just as scary for parents as our current day.
This all come out when I was still in elementary school so we didn't really get into the scientific details.
"Contact with other planets" was pretty optimistic. I do think that space exploration - the ISS for instance - does help us see beyond our borders.
Thanks for posting this interesting and historical document.