A Forgotten Launchpad of the Space Race Spirit
Directed by Richard Donner, in what would become his feature debut before rising to fame with The Omen, Superman (1978), and Lethal Weapon, X-15 (1961) is a sleek, underrated chronicle of man’s first supersonic steps beyond Earth’s atmosphere. Long overshadowed by flashier space epics, this pseudo-docudrama brings a grounded, technical authenticity to the story of the North American X-15, an experimental rocket plane that laid the groundwork for the U.S. space program. Featuring Charles Bronson in a rare pre-action-hero dramatic turn and Mary Tyler Moore in her first film role, X-15 captures both the silent heroism of test pilots and the quiet dread of their loved ones with a steely grace that feels ahead of its time.
Beyond its surprisingly introspective tone and historically rich content, X-15 is a time capsule of Cold War-era ambition, patriotism, and the barely restrained terror of technological progress. It bridges the emotional and scientific gaps between The Right Stuff and Apollo 13, yet it remains nearly forgotten in the popular canon. Preserving and revisiting X-15 isn’t just about nostalgia—it’s about recognizing the human cost of exploration, the cinema that dared to document it realistically, and the early talents of a director who would later define mainstream Hollywood. In an age of CGI space odysseys, X-15 reminds us of a time when men risked everything in fragile, fire-breathing machines—and when filmmakers still tried to tell that story with restraint and reverence.
Watch "X-15" (1961)
