"The Long Way Home - Making 'The Martin," is an exceptional film in a number of ways. It's a documentary and a full-length film of 80 minutes. And, while it includes the usual interviews of members of the cast and others, with film clips, those are much more mature and professional than usual. Then, the production people give greater insights, with video and photos of the sets and shooting locations, and with interviews of various specialty experts who helped build the sets.
On top of this, it includes scenes of the locations shooting and stage sets at the Korda Filmpark in Budapest, Hungary, where the 21,900-square foot studio has the largest stage in the world. The documentary transports the audience to Jordan for some of the wider outdoor scenes on Mars. Various technical experts provide info for which the film doesn't even provide credits. Indeed, it would have to run several minutes longer just to mention all of the expertise in science, stage, sets, space data and equipment. Roger Holden was the HAB greensman, for instance, and he explains that they used more than 4,000 tons of different material to create the red Martian surface - the dirt of the planet, in the Budapest studio.
The filmmakers were able to visit NASA and get advice and input from space experts. They examined a Hab mockup used by NASA in training for future planetary stations. And, they designed the equipment, including space suits and gear, based on actual NASA equipment.
While "The Martian" clearly is sci-fi, that's only because habitation on distant planets is something that hasn't as yet happened. But it is in the long-range plans of NASA, and the design work and training. From that standpoint, and the steps to make the equipment as real as possible, this is a science adventure and drama - more than sci-fi.
This is a wonderful look at all the complexities and details and efforts that went into making "The Martian" as realistic a film as possible. Kudos to the folks who made this documentary. It's interesting and never boring. And, it is educational about space, space travel, survival and ingenuity that is needed, and for which the astronauts are trained, for space flight.
Most people should find this documentary interesting. Especially those interested in how such movies are made, those who enjoy sci-fi, and those who are interested in the future of space travel.
Matt Damon, who plays the lead in "The Martian" explained the effect of many things happening, one after another, in the movie itself. "When thins are really happening, practically around you, no acting is required. You just are the character in that situation, and, and (it fades out).
