James Cameron is a director fairly well versed in the world of cinematic space. Aliens and Avatar transported audiences beyond our stars and opened up entire universes, and both are considered by many to be two of the best space films to ever come out of Hollywood. Those credits in mind, its significant that Cameron would call one of the most anticipated films of the upcoming fall season, "the best space film ever done."
Variety caught up with the filmmaker after the debut of Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity debut at the Venice Film Festival last week, and when asked for his thoughts about the film the Titanic director gave it the highest praise we've heard thus far (which is significant given that the film received universal acclaim after its premiere). “I was stunned, absolutely floored,” Cameron said, mentioning that he had the chance to see the film four weeks prior to the showing at Venice. "“I think it’s the best space photography ever done, I think it’s the best space film ever done, and it’s the movie I’ve been hungry to see for an awful long time.”
Not only does Cameron know a thing or two about space films, he is also all about cutting-edge movie making technology, and Gravity is chock full of that. In order to make the film the way he wanted to make it it - which, of course, would include many of his long, flowing single take shots - Cuaron needed to experiment with all kinds of new techniques and riggings. Cameron has also pushed these kinds of limits for his entire career, making movies like The Abyss and Terminator 2: Judgement Day in addition to Avatar and Aliens, so it's not really a surprise that he would take a particular shine towards Cuaron's latest work.
The big question, though, is whether or not audiences and history will agree with Cameron's opinion. After all, the genre of "space films" includes Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, a movie that is considered one of the greatest achievements in film history - even beyond its sci-fi label. As of now it's hard to say, as only audiences at the Venice and Telluride Film Festivals have actually seen the thing. That will change soon, as the movie will soon show at the Toronto International Film Festival and then open in theaters nationwide on October 4th.
In the film, Sandra Bullock and George Clooney star as astronauts who are fixing a satellite in space when disaster strikes. A field of space debris knocks them into space, and they must work together to try and survive. Watch the harrowing trailer below:
