“Gravity” Not As Far Fetched As You Might Think

The George Clooney, Sandra Bullock space thriller "Gravity" cleaned up, as expected, at the box office this weekend and has many people who saw it wondering how close to reality it was. Apparently very close, according to Mental Floss. Here are some facts concerning "Gravity" that may surprise you.

Its premise isn’t far-fetched--In 2007, China took out one of its own defunct weather satellites, sending a cloud of shrapnel “hurtling at nearly 16,000 mph along the main thoroughfare used by orbiting spacecraft.

It took 4.5 years to make--Director Alfonso Cua­rón and company created the entire film as animation first, working with sound effects, music, and lighting. Once they began shooting, we were constrained by the limitations of that programming.” The animation process lasted almost 2.5 years before they even began shooting with the actors.

Sandra Bullock Got Advice From the International Space Station--Bullock said that Dr. Cady Coleman called her from the ISS to impart some advice. “I was able to literally ask someone who’s experiencing the things that I was trying to physically learn about how the body works, and what you do, and what I need to re-teach my body to do, physically, that cannot happen on earth.

Astronauts have given Gravity their seals of approval--Astronaut Buzz Aldrin said, "I was so extravagantly impressed by the portrayal of the reality of zero gravity. I was happy to see someone moving around the spacecraft the way George Clooney was. I think the simulation of the dynamics was remarkable.”

(Mental Floss)

When I saw the trailer I didn't think it was my kind of movie but my wife insists we go so at least I'll get to see for myself what audiences and critics are raving about.