It’s 1964 –
Just after finishing
black war comedy ‘Dr. Strange Love’, a super-genius film-maker Stanley Kubrick
becomes fascinated with the concept of possibility of extra-terrestrial life. He
begins searching for some equally Sci-Fi crazy and creative companion who can explore
the universe along with him. Finally, through the common acquaintance, he meets
another super genius Sci-Fi writer Arthur C. Clarke. Kubrick tells Clarke that
he wanted to make a movie depicting the
relation of human with universe, a work of art which sparks the emotions of
wonder, terror and affects directly on their subconscious. Kubrick picks
one of the short stories ‘Sentinel’ of Clarke. But to create a full-fledged 3
hour movie, they needed more study materials. Both spent almost 11 months just
to research new materials and to construct the story-plot. After almost 4 years
of penance along with novel development in parallel with the movie, in 1968, (To note, moon-landing occurred in 1969, a
year later) film gets released as 2001:
A space odyssey and creates permanent benchmark of Hollywood Sci-Fi and with
that, begins the modern stream of space Sci-Fi movies. Every watcher’s reaction
was falling into ‘O Jesus, I haven’t seen
anything like that before’. The film
is great and is now considered as bible for visual effects and space adventure
movies. It was such a huge milestone that, all the upcoming space Sci-Fi films
will be compared with the heights of 2001.
*****
Cut to 2013 –
There is huge advancement in technology,
life-style and of course human ambition. World is witnessing the phenomenal
impact of technology on Hollywood as well. In space epic genre, there has been
series of world-class masterpieces by the time now, ranging from legendry cult Star
wars to animation gem Wall-E, horrifying Alien to war-saga Independence Day, and
ingenious Planet of the apes to delightful Elysium. Steven Spielberg to George
Lucas, Ronald Emrich to our own Night Shyamalan kept making this genre richer.
But, the masterpiece of all masterpieces hadn’t come yet which can deliberately
take you to experience the agitating atoms of emotions, which uses 3D
technology genuinely and at its best, which allows you to experience the
silence that initially makes you at peace but later that solitude tests human
fragility in a brilliant manner. But now…
*****
…it is no longer true,
because another genius Mexican film-maker Alfonso Cuarón has already achieved the feet. After
several years researching the space science and related books, movies, and
qualifying them with professional advisors and scientists. Along with his son
Jonás, he first finishes the writing
and polishing of his stupendous screenplay. Then to cast for the main lead, the
search began and after several candidates like Angelina Jolie, Natalie Portman,
Marion Cottillard and finally they select talented beautiful actress, Sandra Bullock along with charismatic, George Clooney after the same role
turned down by Robert Downey Jr. The film is already under shower with applauds
from critics and audience. Some critics are already citing this movie as the
best space movie in the recent years or even this decade. Why? What is so
special this space Sci-Fi movie has, which other movies don’t? Special
effects!! Yes. Of course, with today’s technology, it’s far richer. Thrill? Yes.
With just two characters (actually only one, other is just like cameo) and that
also into space without any noise or external villainous interference, it’s
commendable job to hold audience for more than two hours and not just hold but
keep them well-engaged, connected. But above all, it’s a wonderful spiritual
experience, just like 2001. Less dialogues, more connective!! I confidently say
that, this is by far the only space Science fiction film which connects the
audience at emotional level. First space-visit, predictably random chaos of ‘space
debris’ (waste of destructed satellites moving in space orbit), Stranded protagonist,
fight for survival, loss of hope, death confrontation, divine survival idea, final
fight and redemption. This seemingly simple story is not about dialogues,
temperament but it’s all about experience. You will be speechless at certain
points because you may never have felt that terror, sorrow, faith and spirit so
nearly, so lively.
*****
Medical engineer Dr. Ryan Stone is on
her first space visit along with mission commander Matt Kowalski, who is on his
last trip. Their task is to service the Hubble telescope. At the final repair
stage, they get abort message from the control station quoting that debris of
destructed Russian satellite is coming towards them. Waste hits the space
shuttle severely and only both turn out to be the sole survivors. Later, Matt
also sacrifices to save Ryan but before that he fills her up with survival
plan. Now, how can she survive, get redemption in her first space visit? Here,
each character can be thought of as an alternate analogy. Ryan represents the
prime subject who is burdened by her past (death of her only child), who is trying
hard to run away from her past, her sadness. Matt represents the hope whose
flamboyance and cut-to-edge love for life, influences Ryan. Under highly
inadvertent circumstances when she is actually alone and when she realizes that
she’s is going to die just ‘today’, that also in alienated and boring space
where none will be around during her last moments, she discovers the power of spirit
and invaluable gift of life. Her return journey to earth begins with the moment
of self-realization, after knowing value of limited ‘Oxygen’ (Read: Breath of
life) after going through hard fight for it in space. She determines to move
back to earth by getting into dispatch capsule of the Chinese station which is
entering into earth atmosphere, de-orbited by debris attack. In one of the most
intense scenes when she starts ‘falling’ into earth atmosphere, now fearless,
strong and unattached with the final result, she thanks to God and Life, ‘’No matter what’s the outcome, Either way, it's going to be one hell of a ride!!”
The last landing scene is actually the first scene on earth in 2 hour movie. That’s
the genius part!! Just like Ryan, you have felt nostalgic just by witnessing beautiful
mother earth from the boring black-out space. So when capsule lands on the lake and she
starts drowning into water, she abandons the baggage (heavy space-suit) of grief and guilt and re-breathes freshness of new-life.
After reaching the lake-bank, she kisses mother earth and begins the ‘baby-walk’
(physical side-effect of zero-gravity)
towards her re-born life…
Above words won’t suffice because
words can never beat experience!! That initial long-shot of conversation between
astronaut team with adoring view of earth in background, that ‘predictably unpredictable’ (90 minutes,
the orbit completion time) chaos of space debris, and that tight 90 minutes survival
window before another ‘attack’ comes, that thrilling journey towards the
shuttle before O2 expires, that heart-melting scene of belt abandon, that sudden
confrontation of raw helplessness after realizing that burst of ridiculous
talks and flamboyant charm of Matt is no longer going to be around her which
was unknowingly filling hope and fighting spirit in her subconscious, that state
of hard certainty that she is gonna die today, that setback of abandoning all
hopes by reducing O2 supply to have less painful death, that intense nostalgic realization
of social importance when listening to dog barking on radio, that brilliant scene
where Ryan free-heartedly weeps but her tears don’t fall but float in space due
to zero-gravity, and finally the thrilling last ride towards her home just like
kid desperately wants to hide into mother’s lap, is all brilliant!!! But, the
last but not the least, this unparallel movie experience won’t be this rich
without Steven Price’s masterful music score. It is like the silent, third character
of the movie. You can’t filter-out the extremely appropriate musical score from
the film without compromising the rich quality of experience and
apprehensiveness. It’s a soulful under-current of the film. It was similarly
important in 2001: A Space Odyssey.
The best thing this movie
effectively conveys that very less number of other movies do is ‘whether there is space’s zero-gravity or free
fall in atmosphere, direction and gravity of human emotions always determines his
destiny!!!’
*****
DESSERT:
“The camera is a third astronaut, and that
astronaut is the audience. The audience is floating in space, following these
characters that are bonded by the loss of physics in zero gravity, floating and
rolling and spinning. The idea is to immerse the audience so that your
emotional experience is projected onto the screen in a primal way.”
-
Alfonso Cuarón [Director, Gravity]
- Harshil
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