A friend of mine had the idea of a movie that takes place in the 1960's where the astronauts decide not to go to the moon and fake the moon landing, tricking even NASA in the process. She comes up with great ideas like this all the time, but I came up with an idea of my own, which I might actually write just for fun.
The year is 1968. Richard Nixon is just about to end his second term as President of the United States after defeating John F Kennedy in the 1960 election. Unfortunately, America never joined the space race and the USSR is rumored to be ready to send cosmonauts to the Moon. Nixon wants to leave a legacy behind, so he decides to get America to the Moon first. Of course, this is impossible, so he finds a quiet film student who has big dreams to fake it for him.
Fresh off his popular student film “Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB”, George Lucas only wants to make his small films. However, when the President of the United States asks him to live his science fiction dreams, he can’t help but agree to try to push special effects to the next level and help America save face.
That's the general idea. We could make Nixon jokes, Lucas jokes, and just mishaps as they try to fake out the whole world. The idea does remind me a little of Wag The Dog, but I don't recall much of that movie at all really.
This wouldn't be a crotch-kicking farce, but more of a straight comedy. I'd love to get some help, if even only to get these ideas out in the open.
Additional Thoughts:
WHY NOT KUBRICK? 2001 came out in April 1968. Either the movie starts before it comes out, or Nixon thinks that a college kid would keep a tighter lid on the project and be more likely to come under budget (2001 was $4.5 million over its $6 million budget)
ENDING: After the Americans finally get everything together and do the live broadcast, we cut to the Russian cosmonauts, sitting on a sound stage, cursing in Russian.
LIVE OR PRERECORDED: While it might be more fun to do all of it live, it doesn't make much sense, so it would probably be a prerecorded production they throw together and air over a few weeks.