Gravity (Blu-ray, 2013)

4.54.5 out of 5 stars

16 product ratings

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9 reviews

by tinmantoys17 Apr, 2018

Artistic and Technical Tour de Force

Characters, acting, story, 3D are all excellent in Gravity but my review is going to center on the sound design of this film and some of the camera work. Clichés become clichés because film makers assume the audience needs them to enjoy or even understand an element in a film.

The sound design in Gravity is stunning in concept and execution. Every space opera you’ve seen has external shots of the space vehicle passing by, engines thrumming away, the deeper the bass the better. Or the sizzling laser blasts and explosions in outer space.

Of course reality is the quite the opposite. Without concentrated gasses in space, such as oxygen, there can be no sound waves transmitted. So the space ship pass by would be in dead silence.

In Gravity there is constant and engaging sound in every scene such as radio communications, music etc. What is so stunning about the sound design is you hear sound as the characters would hear sound, from inside their helmets and space suits.

Radio communications, rapid breathing, dull bangs or even explosions are all heard from the character's point of view. The external sounds such as banging or explosions are muffled and only heard when the character is in contact with the object that is making the sound. So the sound travels through the metal of the object and then through the oxygen in her suit. Otherwise there is no sound. All this heightens the sense of claustrophobia of being inside a space suit while at the same time spinning out of control untethered in space totally isolated. Quite a feat!

Another aspect that is outstanding is the use of camera. In the same scene the heroine is spinning wildly, head over heels. The camera is looking at her as she spins over and over. She is doing somersaults in space, untethered from any ship. The camera then moves slowly towards her until camera seems to become attached to her body, now the audience is spinning over and over with her in her panic. The earth flashes by over and over as her perspective changes. The camera goes even tighter and it enters into her helmet past the face shield into a close up of her terrorized face. When the camera penetrates her face shield, we see and hear her panicked and rapid breathing.

Then inside the helmet, the camera turns to see what she is seeing, the earth spinning up and over her as she tumbles wildly, the view partially obscured by the fog from her breath on the face shield. This shot is quite the tour de force, the audience enters into her terror. This all heightens the drama as you hear the character's rapid breathing or suffocating when the air begins to run out.

Quite the outing for director Alfonso Cuarón. who won an Oscar for direction on this 2013 release. The film garnered 7 Oscars including Best Director, Best Original Score, Best Cinematography and Best Visual Effects.Read full review

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by liochem4221 Dec, 2021

3D version is a must-have of Gravity

We first bought this on DVD about 2 years ago and really like the exciting content. Then we found that we can get this in 3D Blu-ray. Everything works on 3D Blu-ray exactly how it should we're very pleased and good and happy customers.Read full review

Verified purchase: Yes • Condition: pre-owned • Sold by: unbroken8

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by rrpitt16 Feb, 2023