Gravity Panel [Comic-Con 2013]
Being a huge fan of Alfonso Cuarón’s work (such as Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Children of Men), I’m pretty stoked for Gravity. Sure, it’s not a blockbuster like other sci-fi space movies out there, but the intimacy of the cast coupled with the vastness of space make it seem like a good premise. We’ll see come October. However, until then, Gravity made a quick appearance in Hall H with Alfonso Cuarón, David Heyman, and Sandra Bullock presenting a fabulous new clip.
Before we get going, it’s worth reiterating what Cuarón said about trailers. They are a marketing tool, so they don’t necessarily (and rarely actually) portray the movie correctly. That’s not to say the teaser was misleading, but it made quick cuts to make it more exciting. However, fans of Cuarón should know he masterfully uses long takes.
This is where the exclusive clip came in. It basically shows the accident the teaser highlights, but it does it in real time with one take. Both George Clooney and Sandra Bullock are on a space-walk when they get an emergency evacuation call and are forced to make it inside quickly because debris is flying at them. What’s worse is that they are about to lose communication. It is frantic and really thrilling. Of all the clips I’ve seen this year at Comic-Con, it definitely steals the show.
As for the panel, Bullock was at Comic-Con for the first time in her career. She had a lot to say about the filming process, both lauding Cuarón and poking fun at him. This film has been in production for a long time (over four years) because of technology. It’s nice to hear they didn’t rush the film into theaters. As Cuarón says: the easy way isn’t always the fun way.
As for jokes, she called him the “evil puppeteer” because a lot of the film was shot in a controlled environment and Bullock was confined to a spacesuit. Heyman even says he is a pain in the ass. But, I think everyone seems happy with the product, and I can attest to the footage they showed. It’s that good.
Finally, I found some of Bullock’s personality to be fun. She talked a lot about overcoming fears – both of confined space and heights – to create a great film. She conceded that films with so few actors (it’s basically only her and Clooney) put more pressure on their performances. However, she didn’t even think of it while making the movie.
If there is a movie that might fly under the radar this year, it could be Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity. The space thriller certainly took its time to make it to theaters, but make sure you check it out October 4.
Studio: Warner Brothers
Director: Alfonso Cuarón
Starring: Sandra Bullock, George Clooney
Release Date: October 4
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