When “Moon” was released last year, it got a little bit of acclaim. After seeing it at the Cinevegas Film Festival having left too early to see it in Sundance, its achievement is clear. The aspect of making a film, whose effects are this interesting in their harking to “2001″ as well as the singular performance of Sam Rockwell, is quite telling. It works well on repeat viewings which very few movies can claim today overall. Beyond the basic technical where alot of the material was done in camera, the progression here is very organic. The aspect of the very little CG there is, you almost do not integrate or relate in a normal way because it fits into the film. The “poor man’s motion control” as indicated in the first production crew commentary talks about certain problems and reflections but honestly the way the piece is framed and prepped, it is very hard to see these flaws unless they are pointed out. There is a sense of dread and the mythic here which is also enhanced by Clint Mansell’s haunting score which is perhaps his best since “Reqieum For A Dream”. Rockwell, playing different iterations of himself, is exceptional in what may be his best performance yet. He has a penchant for old school science fiction considering his role in “Hitchhiker’s Guide” which is also a vastly underrated film.
“Moon”, over the years considering how effective director Duncan Jones is, will come to be a cult classic. The production design alone despite its inherent homage to “2001″ creates a specific emotional drama in the human tone whereas the former was about the dangers of technology. Here, the attending computer, Gerty, maintains its programming while adhering to its initiative of protecting its charge in the character of Sam, whatever version he may be. In terms of the commentary, the first one using aspects of the production team is a little more light in terms of talking about the gestation of certain shots and the relative claustrophobia of what was necessary to capture it. The elements on Duncan’s voice being repitched to be the comm signal computer is necessary but the discussions never delve into any of the deeper themes. The second commentary with Jones and his producer is a little more specific in terms of its approach of certain ideas. The aspect of playing against type and against identity is obviously a very specific point but beyond the aspect of homages to “Silent Running” and “Outland”, the explanations and references are a little vague.
“The Making Of Moon” is much more intrinsic detailing Duncan initial foray into the idea of the science fiction plus the inherent difficulties in doing the split screen on a limited budget. Rockwell talks about the ideas but more puts to the point the aspect of being aware of yourself too much. The visual effects featurette is a little bit more specific in that it shows how much of the robots and backgrounds were actually CG. This realization makes the obvious effects outside that much more interesting. One of the coolest things was Cinesite’s ability to do a full HDRI scan of the set which is no small feat and use it to track exact lighting for all elements inside across the board. The BD includes Jones’ short film “Whistle” which has a different setting but alot of the same emotional aspects as “Moon”. It follows a man who kills people via satellite for the government. He is good at his job and does it to a tee. The problem becomes the danger to his family and his apparent disconnection from them. The film is not as moody as “Moon”. However the technical elements, even shooting on what it appears to be digital, still shows an inherent control. “The Making Of Moon” is more reflective in saying what the idea of the film was than the actual making of it. One gets to see the truthness of the sets within the perspective. The balance between stunts and the like is reflected in the reluctance of the main actor to speak about the paradox of playing identity.
By reflection the special effects featurette shows the level of intention that Cinesite had. The aspect of them that really stands out is the use of practicals. What you think is CGI like the landscape is mostly practicals except for adding particles to maintain the actual psychics of space while Gerty (the computer) inside which you would have thought was practical is CGI. For a 5 million dollar movie that is pretty neat. The trailer plays to the isolation but the film delivers much more which again is a pretty neat effect. In terms of additional trailers, “Close Encounters” always brings a smile to your face. “Moon” holds up very well upon repeat viewing which speaks very well for its stamina in the years to come as well as the continued evolution of its director Duncan Jones. Out of 5, I give it a 3 1/2.
Tags: BD, inside reel, Moon, review, Sony Pictures Classics, tim wassberg
