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Figure 1 Gravity (2013)
Film Review-‐ Gravity Hannah Milliner
Gravity was released in 2013 directed by Alfonso Cuaron. It’s a character versus environment film where Dr Ryan Stone has to try to survive while finding a way to get back to earth after debris destroyed their shuttle. The film starts off with three characters a medical engineer Dr Ryan Stone, An astronaut Matt Kowalski and Flight engineer Shariff on a space walk. Shariff is killed when the debris comes hurtling towards them, leaving Matt and Ryan to fend for themselves. During the panic of the debris Ryan is knocked away from the others and is out of control. Khairy suggests that this may be because the audience are informed that Ryan is not in control of her life and her spinning out of control away from the others is a visual way of showing how little control she has of her life. “She floats uncontrollably because she is not in control of her life. Kowalski on the other hand is complete control..…Kowalski saves her life again through detachment… but by teaching her that sometimes it’s ok to let go, both literally and metaphorically. “You have to learn to let go,” he says.” (Khairy, 2013) What Khairy might be trying to say that throughout the film Dr Ryan is challenged by her fears and is forced to overcome them in order to survive. Khairy mentions a scene where Matt is forced to detach himself from Ryan because he is stopping her from getting to the airlock, and so releases his latch and lets himself drift off into space, forcing Ryan to learn to move on and make the most of a situation, which the audience is able to relate to, making Ryans story a little more emotionally relatable. A large piece of symbolism in the film is the use of the shuttles and space stations being a symbolic mother. Donald talks about how a ship enables a character to live, therefore acting as a mother. “The first and most elemental of relationships between characters and their ships is that of mother-‐child. A mother gives life to her young, sustains them, Nurtures them, and acts as an anchor, and safe haven for her children” (Donald, 1993: 124) This is a huge part of the film as the characters are constantly trying to get to safe and stable environment, it’s a place of protection. This idea becomes even clearer when Ryan is in the ISS, she removes her suit and curls up into the foetal position (Fig.2), suggesting she is currently feeling safe. The secure feeling doesn’t seem to last long as she is constantly encountering potentially fatal events. Throughout the film the characters are constantly seen attached to the shuttles and space stations by a chord, possibly symbolizing an umbilical chord.
Figure 2 Mother ship (2013)
Ryan’s part in Gravity is mostly being the typical Hollywood woman, relying on a man to get her to safety, whenever danger arose. Morgenstern talks about how she was given a masculine name and yet acts like a typical damsel in distress. “Even with the curious choice of giving her a man's name, the screenwriters gave her the personality of a typical, stereotyped, Hollywood woman” (Morgenstern, 2013) This is true to a point because while the option is there she does allow other people to save her from danger however once she is on her own she becomes a lot more empowered and independent. By the end of the film her strength and independence is strengthened further by the camera angles used in the last scene, the camera is placed low so she appears big, and stable. And the close up of her foot/ leg when she takes her first step signifies strength, independence and could be seen as a metaphorical step towards her new life. The camera angles in the film allow the audience to become emotionally attached to characters. A lot of the camera angles involve being close to Ryans head, allowing the audience to see what she’s seeing. One significant scene is when the camera rotates and moves into Ryans helmet putting the audience in the same position, but as the camera passes through the helmet the sound design changes, the Breathing becomes heavier, a strong heartbeat can be heard, almost trying to immerse the audience into the situation.
Bibliography R. Donald (1993) Beyond the Stars: Locales in American Popular Film http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=sSPILzc9rkcC&oi=fnd&pg=PA207&dq=%22alien+1979%22+design&ots=Z6p2v2x7xO&sig=lqJ-‐1ZlH4wPgWMwMM3i7UcclASM#v=onepage&q=alien&f=false (Accessed on 8/4/14) W, Khairy (2013) Gravity. http://cinephilefix.wordpress.com/2013/11/02/film-‐analysis-‐gravity/ (Accessed on 8/4/14) M. Morgenstern (2013) Gravity Review. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-‐morgenstern/gravity-‐review-‐in-‐space-‐n_b_4086012.html (Accessed on 8/4/14) Illustrations Fig.1 Gravity (2013) From Gravity. Directed by Alfonso Cuaron [Film Poster] UK: Esperanto Filmoj http://www.impawards.com/2013/posters/gravity_xlg.jpg (Accessed on 8/4/14) Fig. 2 Mother ship (2013) From Gravity. Directed by Alfonso Cuaron [Film Still] UK: Esperanto Filmoj http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-‐IBestIu9Hyk/UxAQm8mRF1I/AAAAAAAAArQ/k_sze9IhFZI/s1600/gravity-‐2k-‐hd-‐trailer-‐stills-‐movie-‐bullock-‐cuaron-‐clooney-‐271.png (Accessed on 8/4/14)
