back to article NASA close to approving first sci-fi flick shot in space

The first science fiction film shot in orbit could be coming to terrestrial viewers, now that NASA has confirmed it's almost ready to give approval for the project. Apogee of Fear was shot by space tourist Richard Garriott during his 2008 sojourn on the International Space Station (ISS). Garriott shot the basic footage for the …

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  1. Suburban Inmate

    "And, yes, Garriott's Lunokhod 2 is still on the moon" Hope he's declared it off the road to the DVLA!

    I look forward to this film, though I hope I'll be rewarded with more than just novelty value. Needless to say I have not and will not watch the leaked copy. If you can even call it a copy.

  2. BigUglyDean
    Meh

    Oh, NASA. Given that you can use every tiny chunk of good will good PR you can find these days, I'm surprised y'all weren't wetting your pants with joy over this film.

    It's a hard sell at the moment. The US has a general feeling of, "Okay, great, we've got the ISS, we had the Shuttle project, we aren't going to Mars any time soon... Um, can you guys see to it that a few potholes be patched now?" (Funding the Afghanistan quagmire is pricey enough.)

    1. Colin Miller

      Hmm...

      > we (NASA) aren't going to Mars any time soon...

      Mars Exploration Rover-B Opportunity is currently on Sol 2813 of its 90-Sol mission, preparing to hibernate the long Martian winter. 2001 Mars Odyssey is in the 10th of its 14-year mission, orbiting Mars. The Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity) is enroute, due to arrive on August 6th, 2012, for a 686-day mission, but its RTG PSU should last for 14 years.

      True, there are no planned /human/ missions to Mars, but humans are squidgy and easily damaged, need more resources than robots, and are about 10x more expensive in missions.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Is there something

    They wanted to edit out of the film?

    What's really going on up there!

    1. GitMeMyShootinIrons
      Paris Hilton

      Gratuitous sex scene?

      Paris - she'd be up for it...

  4. Mikel
    Childcatcher

    Oh, my

    I said at the time that for the budget of Avatar they could've shot it on location off planet, and it was only a matter of time before they did so. Cameron's got an eye for integrity views, and an open budget, so why not?

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    .... and the award for best picture goes to....

    "...An audience's-heads-in-frame bootleg can be seen here.."

    Jeebus! —Where the hell did they find that audience of retards? Gales of laughter all round, at something that combines the comedy genius of Charlie Chaplin at his most tedious, with acting ability seldom seen in a movie where everyone keeps their clothes on.

  6. Gary F

    I understand NASA's POV

    With such poor production and acting is it no wonder NASA's initial reaction was to not allow it to be released? Such mockery will set the manned Mars mission back another 20 years! ;-)

    1. Mike Flugennock
      Alien

      re: I understand NASA's POV

      "With such poor production and acting is it no wonder NASA's initial reaction was to not allow it to be released? Such mockery will set the manned Mars mission back another 20 years!"

      Granted, the movie linked below was shot half a century or so ago, with professional actors, on sets and sound stages on Earth, but, still... could you say the acting and production are any better in:

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itxqtFjT40w

      ...than in Richard Garriott's epic? Check out the scenes where they first step onto the lunar surface. The lights and light riggings are clearly visible in the "sky" towards the top of the shot. This is indeed a movie which just doesn't give a shit.

  7. Ian Stephenson

    doubletake...

    When I first read the title, flick wasn't the word I saw....

    1. Local Group
      Joke

      flick wasn't the word I saw....

      You probably still had G-spots on your mind when you read the title.

  8. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
    Thumb Up

    Will there be...

    ....finally a realistic depiction of an "accident in an airlock"? Last one was in that Kubrick film with the IBM computer that went nuts, IIRC.

  9. This post has been deleted by its author

  10. Mike Flugennock
    Coffee/keyboard

    So, I gave in to curiosity...

    ...and am watching the audience bootleg of the Garriott film.

    Between the silhouetted audience's heads in the shot and the wisecracks and laughter, it almost seemed as if I were watching the Mystery Science Theater 3000 version.

    WHOOOAAAA WE'VE GOT MOVIE SIIIGGGGNNNNNNN...!

  11. Red Bren
    Paris Hilton

    They could probably fund a manned mission to Mars

    Using the profits from a grumble flick in space.

  12. John Savard

    On The Other Hand

    A film with actual scenes shot in weightlessness won a Hugo award several years ago... but it wasn't shot in outer space - the scenes in question were shot aboard an airplane flown in the manner of the "Vomit Comet" instead.

    Given the genre of the film, it was definitely a foregone conclusion that approval from organizations such as NASA would not be forthcoming. The movie was "The Uranus Project" - a hardcore porn film.

    1. Mike Flugennock

      Another film with scenes shot in zero-g...?

      "A film with actual scenes shot in weightlessness won a Hugo award several years ago... but it wasn't shot in outer space - the scenes in question were shot aboard an airplane flown in the manner of the "Vomit Comet" instead..."

      That wouldn't be "Apollo 13", would it? I know it's technically historical drama and not sci-fi, but I do remember about how the scenes aboard the CM and LM were shot in sets built to fit aboard the Vomit Comet, and all the takes were shot in the short spaces at the top of the arc.

  13. Steven Roper
    Thumb Up

    And again, Arthur C. Clarke was a prophet

    I recall reading his book "Islands in the sky", in which a boy wins an all-expenses paid trip the "Inner Station" - an equivalent of the ISS - and during his stay, meets a film crew involved in making the first movie shot in space. So for the third time in my life I live to see something mentioned in a ACC sci-fi novel! (the first two being the years 2001 and 2010.)

  14. b166er

    While you're waiting for this film, occupy yourselves by watching the rather good 'Love' produced by Angels & Airwaves and directed by William Eubank.

  15. mark 63 Silver badge

    NASA are just no fun these days!

    So the movies already been shot , and nasa are just beiong bitchy about letting it be released?

    This a couple weeks after they're all on that guy's back about his 40yr old notebook?

    I think they need a new PR departmant

  16. Luc Le Blanc

    The ISS is already nothing but a movie set

    Isn't shooting films the only thing that gets done in the ISS? Garriott's short should be a change from watching astronauts gobble floating popcorn.

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