CAPRICORN ONE. Emerged from the wave of conspiracy theories

Over forty years ago, we sent a man to the Moon. If Elon Musk’s vision is to be believed, it will take at least another dozen years before a human sets foot on the next celestial body — Mars. We belong to a generation torn between memories and dreams of new great conquests. And science fiction skillfully fills the time in between, like in Capricorn One.

Science fiction has this peculiar trait: just as it has taught us to dream, it has also taught us to doubt. The landing of the Apollo 11 mission on the silver globe in 1969 is, after all, not obvious to everyone. There are those who see it as a conspiracy designed to conceal an unpleasant truth — that Armstrong and his crew merely staged a performance, setting foot not on the Moon, but in a studio meticulously prepared for the deception. Never mind that all the accusations raised by conspiracy theorists have long been debunked by NASA. The bitter aftertaste of doubt remains.

At one time, these doubts were fueled — and at the same time popularized — by the film Capricorn One, which, conversely, tells the story of a faked mission to Mars. Directed by Peter Hyams, the film premiered in December 1977 — meaning it recently turned forty. To this day, it holds up thanks to its provocative and intriguing narrative concept, which provides ample fodder for conspiracy theorists. The film also defies easy categorization: at first glance, it resembles political fiction more than science fiction. Those who are less drawn to such philosophical musings may still find the cast enticing: the set brought together two of Barbra Streisand’s husbands (Elliott Gould and James Brolin), the infamous O.J. Simpson, and even a cameo by Telly Savalas. But let’s get to the point.

The titular Capricorn One is the name of a manned spacecraft intended to travel to Mars — the next step in humanity’s conquest of space. When the team of astronauts is already on board, awaiting launch, they are unexpectedly and at the last moment transported elsewhere. It turns out that the spacecraft’s life-support system is defective. Fearing humiliation and the loss of funding for future projects, NASA decides to send the empty spacecraft into space while relocating the astronauts to an abandoned military base. There, in a studio specially prepared for the purpose, they are coerced — under threat — into reenacting the Mars landing scene, as if in a first-rate film production.

The idea for the film came to Hyams back when he was working for CBS, covering — unsurprisingly — the Apollo missions. It took several years, however, before the script was brought to life. The turning point was the 1972 Watergate scandal, which taught audiences to view the world, and especially centers of power, with a touch more suspicion. Capricorn One emerged from the wave of conspiracy theories surrounding the Apollo program. Yet the film doesn’t criticize that mindset — quite the opposite. It exposes the mechanisms of manipulation. Hyams himself stoked these emotions, explaining that although the Moon landing was undoubtedly a momentous achievement, it lacked direct witnesses — the only verification comes from a camera. There will always be someone, then, ready to question what they see on screen.

More than forty years after its premiere, Hyams’s film remains strikingly relevant. The world has revealed its truly deceitful face more than once. Politics has become a means of preserving power, not a tool for improving society. The media frenzy has made people far more critical of the information they consume daily. More and more, we realize that every piece of news may have another, hidden meaning. Interestingly, during the making of Capricorn One, NASA showed no fear of the film’s open-minded audience. Although the agency serves as the film’s main villain, it actively cooperated in the production, providing technical assistance — including spacecraft mock-ups, sets, vehicles, and expert advice. As if to clear itself of suspicion, it left the ultimate interpretation to the viewer.

Today, however, Capricorn One should serve above all as a call to action — and that, I believe, is its central message. With real prospects of a manned mission to the Red Planet expected around 2030, we must do everything we can to ensure that Hyams’s dark vision never comes true — that humanity never has to pretend to be great.