Rocket liftoff footage?

Factual Questions
1

I was just watching some documentary that involved the 60’s and they had those very famous shots of a rocket(moon rocket? I’m not sure) taking off. The rocket shoots up, the metal tower thingy falls away–it cuts to what looks like a slow motion shot of the rocket going up. By the way, this is the footage that MTV used back in the day in their station id’s and stuff–if you’re not sure what I’m talking about.

What I’m wondering, is how did they get the shots if the the tower thingy (honestly, I used to know the name of that) falls away? What’s the camera attached to?

For the record, I am not one of those folks who think that the moon landings were faked. Nor do I believe, as a friend’s mother does, that the space shuttle is just a big plane that flies somewhere we can’t see.

Thanks,
dewpickedfrog

2

As you can see from this picture the gantry–the metal tower thingy–doesn’t fall away. So, the camera is attached to the gantry. (Naturally, there’s not some guy sitting on the gantry with a Nikon, 'cause he’d be toast–it’s an automatic camera.)

I believe Soviet/Russian gantries do fall away as you described–see this shot of a Soyuz liftoff.

3

It wasn’t slow motion, either. A Saturn V really did take about 10 seconds to clear the tower. The dramatic tension for viewers was almost unbearable.

4

Gantry! Thank you! It’s been driving me crazy.

And thank you both for the info!

5

Okay, then … follow-up question.

What is that that’s falling away? I’ve seen the image described or one blindingly similar to it, and I clearly remember seeing some tall structure appear to be falling out of the way of the rising rocket. The Rooskie option is a good one, but the rocket in the footage I think I’ve seen is almost certainly American.

6

Up until the moment of liftoff, there are number of hoses and cables connecting the rocket to the gantry; these provide electrical power, telemetry, oxidiser, etc. to the rocket prior to ignition. The bit that falls away is the supporting “bridge” for these items, which are disconnected remotely at ignition.

7

I’ll buy that. Thanks, El_Kabong!