“Apollo 13” A beloved story of perseverance and overcoming a hopeless situation in outer space.

Zero-gravity photography realized with Spielberg's advice

And there was another point that Howard was particular about. That was the "zero gravity scenes" that are inserted throughout the film. Should the actors be suspended using classic wires? Or was there some way to shoot underwater? Howard, who was troubled by this, consulted his friend Steven Spielberg.

The two exchanged opinions on various possibilities, and Spielberg started by saying, "I don't know if it's possible, but..." and mentioned a technique called "The Vomit Comet" used by NASA. This is a special training exercise using a Boeing KC-135. After taking off from the ground, the aircraft rises sharply in a parabolic arc, and when it reaches the target altitude, it then plummets. At this time, the whole body floats up in the air, creating a weightless state for just 20 seconds. If this was used effectively, it might be possible to shoot the ideal scene. Howard decided to take a chance on this possibility, and thanks to the persistent negotiations of the staff, he succeeded in obtaining the cooperation of NASA.

"Apollo 13" (c)Photofest / Getty Images

Of course, the number of seconds that can be captured on camera in just one try is limited. The production staff firmly secured the art set inside the KC-135. With the actors and film crew on board, they repeated the flight over and over again, roughly calculating that they experienced zero gravity more than 600 times. So the zero gravity scenes in this film are real. Well, strictly speaking, the scenes that show close-ups of only the faces and bodies were apparently shot on a set on the ground while the bodies were swaying back and forth, but all the scenes in which the whole body is clearly visible were shot using the KC-135.

If you watch the film with this in mind, you'll understand how much care and dedication went into creating it in pursuit of the utmost realism, and your heart will be warmed by the indomitable passion of the filmmakers.

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