L5: First City in Space

(1996)

Directed by Toni Myers & Allan Kroeker

Written by Toni Myers

Cast: Martha Henry, Rachel Walker, Colin Fox, Dennis Akayama

Special Effects

(a.k.a "Special Effects Can Happen," 1996)

Directed by Benn Burtt

Written by Susanna Simpson and Ben Burtt and Tom Friedman

Narrator: John Lithgow

IMAX IN SPACE

Two sci-fi shorts fill up the biggest screens in town.

Reviewed by Steve Biodrowski

IMAX is just about the most impressive film format in existence, providing an enormous screen filled with an image of stunning resolution and clarity. With only one flaw, that of the occasional strobing of swift movement, it really is like looking through a window at reality. But finding something to fill this colossal frame is vital, and two Imax short subjects, do so with extensive visual effects: one a documentary, the other a sort of pseudo-documentary.

SPECIAL EFFECTS provides a basic look for the uninitiated at the titular topic – such a sure-fire subject for Imax that the result cannot help being thoroughly entertaining. Not only do we go behind the scenes of INDEPENDENCE DAY, JUMANJI, and others, we also get the exciting stop-motion climax of KING KONG (1933) recreated for the large-screen format in color, plus a look at the retooling of STAR WARS.

Unfortunately, this last element turns out to be the film’s downfall as a documentary. Director Ben Burtt, who won an Oscar for the sound design of George Lucas’ film, goes out of his way to extol its virtues, even sighting it as a landmark in the development of visual effects -- which it surely is. However, Burtt’s documentary condenses the history of effects up to that point into a brief montage of mostly unidentified films – about the only person named is George Melies – and, worst of all, never even mentions 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY! (Was Burtt afraid the light of his mentor’s achievement would burn less bright if held up beside this still technically superior effort?) For all its amazing entertainment value, this film is nowhere near as informative as an episode of Discovery Channel’s MOVIE MAGIC, which examines effects films without acting like a glorified trailer.

Oh well, content (or lack of it) is a criticism often leveled at Imax films, but the imagery often overwhelms this deficiency. This is certainly true of L5: FIRST CITY IN SPACE – and more so than usual, because of the added benefit of 3-D. The film is basically a presentation of the titular city, as related by Chieko (Rachel Walker), one of the first generation born and raised there. With computer graphics, schematics, and narration, L5 is more science speculation than fiction – a documentary of what could be rather than what has been – with a small plot element thrown in when the city needs to harness a comet as a source of water. Chieko’s father is sent on this dangerous voyage, while she waits back aboard the station, hoping for his safe return. Some decent suspense is actually worked up here, although the child’s-eye point-of-view keeps us from seeing most of the mission, and the easy happy ending undermines what could have been much more powerful.

The intention behind the film clearly is to present a feasible vision of what the future might bring, not a fanciful adventure. To a large extent, the film succeeds at creating an amazing and believable self-contained city in space, although upon reflection you realize that most of its vast expanse is suggested through charts and graphs rather than actual sets populated with actors – you get a relatively small glimpse of the alleged city (one critic, not without justification, dubbed the film “mall in space”) and have to imagine the rest for yourself. But these shortcomings are not enough to ruin the trip to L5: CITY IN SPACE. The astounding special effects, realized in the best 3-D ever seen, convey a true sense of wonder that makes this vision of the future seem like a genuine possibility.

Text Copyright 1996 Steve Biodrowski