What struck me deeply while watching Gravity was Cuarón’s masterful use of long takes. The opening scene of the film lasts 17 minutes, which is a relatively rare occurrence. This take opens with a view of earth from space, and serves to establish setting and characters. However, it also places viewers directly into the shoes of the astronauts, as the camera drifts smoothly, similar to the way the astronauts float due to their lack of gravity. During this take, debris from a satellite flies towards them, putting them in massive danger. If this scene was not a single take, this conflict would not have the same sense of tension and drama. The single take conveys a sense of realism, and the idea that everything can be going smoothly and then quickly and drastically change. Having a cut here would snap the viewer out of this sense of realism, making this scene less suspenseful and gut-wrenching. When Stone becomes detached, the camera tracks her movement while she is spinning. There is a defined contrast between the initial close-up of her terrified face versus when the camera stays in position and Stone drifts off into the distance. This contrast portrays the vastness of space: As Stone floats away, we are oriented through the picture of Stone becoming a tiny figure.
Something else that struck me about this film is Cuarón’s pacing. A pattern of calm followed by an intense action sequence occurs throughout the film. The pacing of the film also aligns with Stone’s development as a character. When Stone is untethered, her breathing grows fast and heavy, and the film seems to move at a fast pace in this moment. When Stone is reflecting on her daughter, it is relatively calm and slow-paced to mirror her intense and sad feelings. In the final scene, when Stone is laying on the sand, the pacing slows down reflecting her survival and growth.
This same idea applies to Kowalski. He is like a mentor to Stone at times, and the pacing is very steady when Kowalski is providing advice and support to Stone. However, when Kowalski decides to sacrifice himself so that Stone can survive, it grows more fast-paced and intense. When Stone is left without a mentor, suspense builds and she must learn to navigate this challenge on her own.
