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Moon Rockets

Name: Moon Rockets
Director: Robert Carlisle
Released: 1947
Duration: 10 min

Representation Score

1.1/10

Minimal

1947

Approved

Director

Robert Carlisle

Runtime

10 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Moon Rockets is a technical documentary from Paramount’s 'Popular Science' series. Its main goal is to demonstrate scientific and domestic advancements rather than telling a character-driven story. Since the film focuses on inanimate objects like rockets and farm equipment, it does not engage with social hierarchies or identity politics. The production is centered around machines and tools, resulting in a lack of human representation across various identity categories. Ultimately, the film reflects the era’s standard of homogeneous, technical instruction, serving as a window into mid-century technological optimism but offering no meaningful social or cultural commentary.

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Category Breakdown

Does Moon Rockets have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not feature any LGBTQ+ characters or relationships. There are no critiques of the assumption that everyone is straight or cisgender.

How does Moon Rockets portray gender?

Limited

The content focuses solely on rocket mechanics and agricultural tools. There are no depictions of women or men taking control over the story or challenging traditional gender roles.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Moon Rockets?

Minimal

The film highlights industrial and scientific achievements. It does not include a diverse cast and instead emphasizes Western technological advancements.

How does Moon Rockets represent religion and culture?

Limited

The documentary emphasizes scientific empiricism and modern industrialism. It reinforces a mid-century Western perspective on progress without addressing broader societal issues.

Does Moon Rockets include disability representation?

Minimal

The film showcases mechanical demonstrations like ionosphere flights and hay-bailers. It does not depict any individuals with visible or invisible disabilities.

Present on Screen

Provides clear, instructional demonstrations of mid-century aerospace engineering and industrial tools.

Limited or Absent

Lacks any human characters or narrative depth to explore social identity.
Does not represent diverse perspectives, focusing exclusively on Western technological progress.
Offers no engagement with gender, race, or disability representation.

Official Synopsis

This short is one of Paramount's "Popular Science" series (number L6-5, or the fifth one of the 1946-47 production season) and begins by showing moon rockets, weighing 30 tons, a flight in the ionosphere, with mounted color cameras recording pictures hundreds of miles above the earth. Coming back to earth, it discourses on modern bathroom fixtures, and then demonstrates a one-man hay-bailer.

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