The second of James Cameron’s IMAX films that have to do with
underwater exploration, “Aliens of the Deep” was not only shot and
exhibited in the IMAX format, but was the first to be done in 3-D.
Though the DVD does not capture nor reflect the 3-D format in any way
and really diminishes the overall effect of IMAX (unless you have an
eight-story television), the clarity of the transfer is absolutely
breathtaking. It almost creates the illusion that the television screen
is actually a window onto the world captured in the film. While it is
that, in a sense, the crispness and clarity is such that it feels as
though we are live observers of the action.
In “Aliens of the Deep,” filmmaker Cameron and others team with NASA
scientists to explore the deep dark places of the ocean, where no
sunlight can reach and therefore where only specialized forms of life
exist. Enclosed in traditional deep-sea submersibles and other
bell-shaped watercraft with 320-degree views, the team members spend
most of their time around the mid-oceanic ridges. These ridges are the
places where new crust is constantly being formed and where, due to the
extremes of heat, cold and the presence of toxic chemicals, the
possibility of life is small. However, we find that life does exist in
these places where previously we thought no organisms could survive.
These hardy and unusual life forms excite the NASA researchers, most of
whom are studying planetary exploration. The idea is that if there is
life in areas of the Earth where we previously thought there couldn’t
be, it opens up the possibility of different forms of life on other
planets, especially planets and moons where ice and water are
prevalent, such as on the Jovian moon Europa. The film blends footage
from the dives and snippets of life aboard the research vessel with
computer-generated mockups of possible space programs to study Europa
and other moons.
While the science and sheer mystery of the subject matter make this an
interesting film, the lack of dynamic organisms might throw some
viewers who are expecting to see a plethora of unusual marine life. It
is important to remember that IMAX films, though usually well-made
documentaries, are mostly effective in their use of the format as
spectacle. Due to the precarious nature of deep water dives, research
and filming, there is little dynamism to the film in terms of action,
movement or structure. When we do see unusual forms of life, they are
fantastic, but then we go back to shots of the explorers inside their
submersibles. One of the things I always find fascinating about IMAX
films is imagining how they were able to capture the footage, owing to
the large and cumbersome nature of the IMAX camera. That is especially
true here, as the danger inherent in deep sea exploration is great.
The only special feature on the DVD is the extended version of the
film. While it does provide some additional interesting information,
there are segments where it seems to drag. After all, though the film
does well as a documentary, the main attraction of it is the visual
element. Documentary information and plot points are given less
attention, since when we’re in the theatre watching an IMAX film, we’re
so overwhelmed with the visuals that we tend to ignore the lack of a
true plot. Though we don’t have the large format here to the extent
that we would in the theatre, the clarity of the picture is nothing
short of phenomenal. Why is that? Let’s take a refresher course on the
IMAX format.
The IMAX format is essentially 70mm film stock that is turned on its
side, thus gaining the largest amount of area possible for the light to
strike after passing through the lens of the camera. What this does is
allow more of the emulsion on the film to be struck. The more grains of
emulsion that make up the image, the greater the image clarity and
depth of field. Most motion picture cameras feed the film from top to
bottom through the gate and past the lens. The IMAX camera feeds from
side to side, enabling a greater area of the film to be exposed. When
you begin the filming process with this amount of clarity (and cost,
$1000 for a minute of film), you already have a head start on image
clarity. When transferred to a digital medium, which is what DVDs are,
the clarity is not diminished in any way and this is what “Aliens of
the Deep” provides: remarkable clarity for a DVD. In fact, the image
quality rivals that of Superbit DVDs, which limit the encoding area on
the DVD to the sound and picture only, so no space is used for menus or
special features, which take away from disc space that could be used
for audio and image quality. In addition, this is a pristine transfer,
with nary a speck or blemish.
“Aliens of the Deep” was the first IMAX film to be shot and projected
in a new 3-D technology, and while that is not replicated in any way on
the DVD, there is no loss of image quality whatsoever from the original
footage. At times, because the water is often so still and free from
animal or plant organisms, the submersibles seem to be floating in
space, which helps add to the feeling that it could be exploring other
worlds.
IMAX films cannot transfer their scope and awe-inspiring visuals to the
small screen in any way that gives the theatrical experience justice.
However, IMAX films like “Aliens of the Deep” do still capture
fascinating aspects of our world with a technical crispness that almost
rivals reality. While I cannot highly recommend this film for its
overall documentary purposes, I can encourage everyone to see it for
the spectacular images it captures.
more details
sound format:
English 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound
aspect ratio(s):
1.78:1 Enhanced for 16x9 televisions
special features:
Extended Version of the Film; French and Spanish Subtitles
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