Maybe it's because everyone's just so used to Nolan's canny implementation of practical effects; maybe the practical effects are just particularly seamless in Interstellar. Whatever the reason, there wasn't enough appreciation for the blend of model work, scale mock-ups and real environments used in Nolan's latest, even if the CGI'd combo of the wormhole and Gargantua deservedly got much of the praise. Taking a page out of 2001: A Space Odyssey's book, Interstellar uses old-school techniques where possible to give effects work a more realistic look. Old school like 3D printed and hand-sculpted "maxatures", which is what the crew named the 25-feet and up models of the The Ranger, Endurance and Lander spacecraft. Included in filming were 46-feet and 50-feet 'miniatures' of The Ranger and Lander craft, big enough for cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema to mount IMAX cameras on. Nolan also avoided green screens, by having his actors perform in front of digital projectors, with the completed effects played behind them. It's easily some of the best practical effects work done of late.
Lover of film, writer of words, pretentious beyond belief. Thinks Scorsese and Kubrick are the kings of cinema, but PT Anderson and David Fincher are the dashing young princes. Follow Brogan on twitter if you can take shameless self-promotion: @BroganMorris1
