While Alfonso Cuaróns masterpiece of a film Gravity showed us all how to make a near-perfect film properly utilizing CGI, the movie owes a huge debt to another masterpiece in the form of Stanley Kubricks classic 2001: A Space Odyssey. More than thirty years after its initial release and the film still looks better than most films today. How is this possible?! The film came out in 1968 for flipping sakes! The original Planet of the Apes came out the same year and doesnt even come close to standing the test of time effects-wise. The film tells the story of an astronaut crew who crash-land on a strange planet in the distant future. The realness of the spaceship came courtesy of a 30-ton rotating ferris wheel set built a British aircraft company at a cost of $750,000. Using centripetal force to imitate the effects of zero gravity, the set rotated at a speed of three miles per hour. The actors would stand at the bottom and walk in place, while the set rotated around them. The film is filled with clever and innovative uses of vintage special effects. A true visual work of genius. Do you prefer CGI or old-school special effects? Sound off in the comments section below.
Jesse Gumbarge is editor and chief blogger at JarvisCity.com - He loves old-school horror films and starting pointless debates. You can reach out at: JesseGumbarge@JarvisCity.com
