OPERATION AVALANCHE

US, 2016, 94 minutes, Colour.
Matt Johnson, Owen Williams, Josh Bowles, Andrew Appelle.
Directed by Matt Johnson.

Operation Avalanche is an enjoyably jokey film, capitalising on American propensities for conspiracy theories.

The film was written and directed by Matt Johnson along with his friend, Owen Williams, the two responsible for the small-budget, satiric Canadian film on film-making, The Dirties.

The film takes back to the 1960s, with two very earnest young men completing their college degrees, going to work for the CIA. It is the post-Kennedy era. In fact, the film uses a great deal of actual footage on JFK, NASA, incorporating it neatly into the film. The film also capitalises on aspects of the documentary genre, with handheld camera and the suggestion that the action is caught immediately as it happens.

The two men decide to infiltrate NASA because of the possibility of there being a mole feeding information to the Russians. There is a paranoid atmosphere, even suggesting that Stanley Kubrick be investigated because of Dr Strangelove. And they learn of cinema techniques to use watching the filming of 2001: A Space Odyssey.

With Kennedys ambition of the United States reaching the moon, the two young men offer the possibilities for faking a moon landing (later the theme of the thriller Capricorn One) and there is a great detail of how they go about this, successes and failures, involvement of other persons.

There is also satire on those in charge, on potential moles, but getting very serious when the family of one of the partners is threatened. There is a final pursuit in the desert, a serious touch on the result of conspiracy shenanigans.

All in all, the film is very amusing, especially for outsiders who are critical of Americans and the preposterous background of faking a moon landing to save America’s reputation in case of failure.


1. An entertainment? A perspective on the US? The CIA, NASA, government? A jokey film?

2. Conspiracy theories, audience beliefs, the credibility?

3. The filmmakers, creative, writing, performing, Canadian background?

4. The usage of film footage, on JFK, from television, NASA? Incorporated into the film?

5. The documentary genre, the handheld camera, the footage, situations, the film stock, editing?

6. The introduction to the characters, Matt, Owen and Andy, background, Kennedys inspiration, recruited from college, the CIA?

7. At work, the CIA? The idea about the mole? Kennedy’s focus on the moon, the images of Soviet rivalry, 1969 as the target? To make a documentary? The appeal to the authorities? Disguised as filmmakers, searching at them all, travelling across the US to Huston?

8. The personalities, Matt, upfront, boisterous, full of ideas, out there, brash, breaking through? The contrast with and, collaborator, fitting in, following, his wife and family? Andy and his filming?

9. The CIA, the alleged investigation of Stanley Kubrick? The background Dr Strangelove? The making of 2001, the visit to the United Kingdom, Matt with Kubrick, learning about front projection?

10. The basic idea, the attempt about the moon landing, the gear, the spacesuit, choosing landscapes for moonscape’s? The experience, Owen, his leaps along the surface of the moon? Filming in the dark with lights? Showing the footage to the authorities?

11. The reaction of the authorities, persuasion, the plan, the targeted 1969, the phone call saying that they could not land in 69, the plan to insert the footage as authentic?

12. The supervisor, in charge, the reactions? Owen discovering there was no permission, his anger, hitting Matt?

13. The development of the project, going to the UK, two Kubrick and the filming of 2001? The moonscape’s, the Rock, seemingly authentic?

14. The issue of the mole, listening in on the phone, the suspect, his death?

15. 1969, going to the moon, the footage of Armstrong and Alden? The walk on the moon?

16. Matt upset, the authorities forbidding him, ransacking his house? Owen being hanged? Matt bearing the film, to commute up, Andy filming everything, the chase through the desert?

17. The continued pursuit?

18. The film as a clever piece of enjoyment on the part of the makers – but with more to offer about America, espionage, the CIA, NASA, conspiracies?