[Movie] The Aeronauts: A True Story of Adventuring Beyond Common Sense (Director Tom Harper)

I wrote this article in Japanese and translated it into English using ChatGPT. I also used ChatGPT to create the English article title. I did my best to correct any translation mistakes, but please let me know if you find any errors. By the way, I did not use ChatGPT when writing the Japanese article. The entire article was written from scratch by me, Saikawa Goto.

Introduction

Movies and books covered in this article

I will write an article about this movie/book

Three takeaways from this article

The film became an incredible visual spectacle through amazing filming techniques, the actors’ efforts, and the complete replication of the setting.

Self-introduction article

Please refer to the self-introduction article above to learn about the person writing this article. Be sure to check out the Kindle book linked below as well.

The quotes used in this article are based on notes taken at the movie theater from movies in Japanese and are not direct quotes from the foreign language original movies, even if they exist.

The History of Weather Forecasting Began with “Balloons” and “Adventurers”?! The Movie “The Aeronauts” Depicts Those Who Overturned Common Sense

However, the world cannot be changed by bystanders. Only those who live with a constant choice can change.

It’s a really cool story. I never imagined there could be such an “adventure tale” about the “weather forecast” that we rely on so heavily in our daily lives.

The characters depicted in the movie “The Aeronauts” reached a height of 11,277 meters by riding in a balloon without oxygen tanks. This is still the record for the highest altitude reached without oxygen tanks. The altitude at which jumbo jets fly is over 10,000 meters. This means that humans have experienced the world in which jumbo jets fly, without the aid of technology.

Paved the way for the first scientific weather forecast.

It’s an exciting true story of how this almost reckless challenge paved the way for the future.

At a Time When it was Ridiculed that “Predicting the Weather” was Impossible, There was a Scientist Who Opened Up History with His Keen Insight

The stage is set in the 1860s, over 160 years ago. At that time, almost everyone, including scientists, thought like this:

Do you really believe you can predict when it will rain?

We will never understand this feeling no longer. We now live in a world where we can predict the weather quite accurately, even several days in advance, not just tomorrow’s weather. Of course, it is still just a “prediction,” and it can be wrong. However, we live in a time when it is possible to accurately predict the weather, especially in the near future.

However, at that time, “weather forecasting” was treated as no more than “fortune-telling.” James Glaisher, who “called himself a meteorologist,” strongly advocated for “focusing on weather research” at the Royal Society of London, but he was met with ridicule:

You don’t even understand much about frogs, how can you research weather!

and his proposal ended up being a laughingstock. Believing in the power of science, he argued:

Isn’t it the responsibility of scientists to find order in chaos?

However, he was ridiculed by scientists who seemed to say, “Weather forecasting is a foolish thing.”

At the beginning of the movie, just as James is about to board the balloon, he jokes,

I have been laughed at my whole life. I wish just today would have been an exception.

This scene helps us understand just how much he has been ridiculed.

We live in a world where technology has transformed society, so even seemingly outrageous predictions about the future are somewhat believable. However, people in earlier times would never have believed things like “a bunch of people flying in a lump of iron” or “being able to talk to people far away using a small metal box and getting all kinds of information.” The same goes for weather forecasts. In a time when such things were thought to be impossible, they must have seemed like nothing less than magic.

“Science” has always been fighting against common sense. Science has achieved what everyone thought was impossible, or what no one even imagined. That’s why it’s natural for scientists who make a new era to be misunderstood by people who live in the same era. Both the “blue light emitting diode” and the “invisibility cloak” were considered “theoretically impossible”, but human imagination and effort made the impossible possible. Humanity will continue to achieve various “impossibilities” from now on.

That’s why it could be okay to say that “we can’t change the times unless it’s something that most people oppose.” What James accomplished is exactly that kind of thing.

This is not an opportunity, it is an obligation. Not everyone has the opportunity to change the world. You have been assigned this obligation.

For those who have an idea that can change the world and are pushing towards its realization, their actions are a “duty”. It may be an extreme view, but it could certainly be true, as without those people, the future of society may not change. It is a “mission” for the sake of humanity, and the way of life for the chosen ones.

In any case, I want to live without getting in the way of such people and if they are near me, I also want to support them quietly.

Content Introduction

On a certain day in 1862, the two of them finally prepared everything and welcomed the long-awaited day. They were aiming for the sky on a hot air balloon.

The scientist and adventurer who were enthusiastic about it were James Glaisher, who was trying to predict the weather and brought various measuring instruments onto the balloon to collect all kinds of data in the sky, and Amelia Wren, a balloon pilot who was once known as a “balloon couple” with her husband. But more than that, the two of them had a clear goal in mind.

To reach an altitude that no man or woman has ever reached before.

At the time, the highest record for a balloon was 7,000 meters set by a Frenchman. They were determined to break this record.

Their challenge was treated as a kind of event. While James, who was not good at socializing, was the opposite, Amelia was a born entertainer who excited the audience, saying,

Ready to be amazed?

Today, history is being made. You will be a part of it,

with the premise of updating the record.

James, who is determined to “rewrite the rules of the sky,” and Amelia, who is determined to show her abilities as an excellent balloonist. Both have lived lives where they are always forced to fly low, in the face of the difficulties that life brings. However, they remain positive, knowing that

at least the sky is open.

Leaving behind the oppressive ground, they find hope in the sky…

Impression

It was a great movie. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much, but the story was good and the visuals were amazing.

A Tremendous Filming Location that Pursued Reality.

It’s no surprise that the visuals are so powerful. The official website says,

The filming was done in the air as much as possible. The scene where Amelia climbs on the outside of the balloon, which is the most dangerous scene, was also filmed in the air.

It wasn’t at an altitude of 10,000 meters, of course, but isn’t it still surprising that it was filmed at a height of 900 meters above ground? The world’s tallest building in Dubai is 828 meters tall, so it’s higher than that. It can be said that filming in such a place is beyond normal.

The actors’ efforts go beyond just acting. The actors who play the two main characters received training to experience the low oxygen levels at high altitudes. Additionally, during scenes where the balloon freezes at high altitude, cooling boxes were set up around the balloon to make the actors’ breath visible. The shivering and blue lips were not achieved through makeup, but rather by dipping their hands in ice water between takes to pursue realism.

Amelia performs many acrobatic actions in the film, but they were not performed by a stunt double, rather the actress herself after weeks of training with a professional aerial acrobat. They actually filmed while floating 600 meters in the air.

I didn’t know this information while watching the movie, but the pursuit of realism definitely came through on the screen. The visuals were stunning. The story based on historical events and the relationship between James and Amelia were great, but above all, I was overwhelmed by the visuals. To be honest, just experiencing the incredible visuals alone is enough to make this movie worth watching.

I was impressed by the attention to detail that can’t be seen just by watching the film. For this movie, they actually created a “fully functional replica of a gas balloon from the 19th century” just for the filming and flew it for the shoot. Although there have been many movies featuring balloons, they were all “hot air balloons made to look like gas balloons”. This film was the first in the world to spend a large amount of money to create a replica of a gas balloon. The website also includes comments from the cinematographer who worked on the film, who said,

As a cinematographer, I’ve come across a film that feels like a gift from the gods.

With this much dedication, it’s no wonder it’s a good movie. It can be said that it’s a very challenging movie that took on every element without compromise.

Attracted to Amelia’s Way of Life

As someone who is interested in science, my initial interest was definitely directed towards James. As mentioned at the beginning, he is the person who took the great step of “predicting the weather” that everyone thought was impossible, and his struggles are very interesting. James’ belief and passion for science is definitely one of the appealing elements of this movie.

However, when the film is taken as a whole, it can be said that the attraction to Amelia is still strong.

Although it is not clearly depicted in the movie, she was probably born and raised in a wealthy and privileged family. I feel that way from the atmosphere of the clothes her sister wears and the mansion that is her home. And at that time, I think it was probably an era when it was strongly demanded that “children of a good family should have a good marriage”.

However, Amelia chooses to live in a way that goes against the atmosphere of that era.

Amelia, who is obsessed with hot air balloons, is being told by her younger sister,

Listen to your inner insecurities a little.

She tries to stop Amelia from riding the balloon in such a way, or make statements to the effect of “I’m wishing for your happiness.” However, Amelia does not listen at all and says,

So I’m supposed to get married and give my all to a man?

She just wants to test her own abilities anyway.

There were some scenes that represented the era. Amelia walked on the Royal Society’s premises to meet James and was criticized by a man passing by for being a woman in a scene. He had an attitude that suggested “Women shouldn’t be involved in science.” Despite living in such an obvious male-dominated society, Amelia’s brave and cool figure fighting without fear is very impressive.

However, she’s not just a strong woman.

My sister wanted to know why I wanted to fly again.
I wanted to confirm my knowledge, what he taught me, and what I had lost.
Everything had meaning.

Amelia is riding a hot air balloon while carrying a very large object. The following line will also convey her determination and resolve:

Never bear the responsibility of someone’s death. A single failure can make it impossible to forgive oneself.

As a female hot air balloonist, and as a human being, how does she live? In an era with too many difficulties for Amelia, her determination to keep moving forward is truly striking. It is a work that such human drama is also worth watching.

Conclusion

James is also a very cool guy. When he returned to the ground, he declared in his speech at the Royal Society,

This success is due to a little donation, a little cooperation, and the extraordinary courage of Ms. Amelia.

I was impressed by his attitude of properly promoting the achievements of women in this era.