I’ve never seen that before!

Do you remember the opening scene of Robert Altman’s The Player? That impressive tracking shot which lasted a full 8 minutes and 5 seconds made cinematic history as it wound its way through a studio backlot.

Fast-forward to Joe Wright’s Atonement or Alfonso Cuaron’s Children of Men but now featuring a tracking shot during an action sequence. That seemed pretty revolutionary. The one-camera tracking shot was taken to the next level and all of a sudden, we as the audience imagine ourselves in danger along side the poor schlub-of-a-camera man who captured these shots on film. Well, that kind of danger pales in comparison to what I saw tonight.

The tracking shot to which I am referring is in McG’s Terminator Salvation, which opens this week in a theatre near you. This one-camera, hand-held tracking shot is, in a word, spectacular. Imagine explosives going off all around a satellite dish farm and a helicopter taking off flown by John Connor (played by Christian Bale). Got it? Okay now here’s the fun part.

The shot is taken with the camera guy perilously holding on for dear life on the outside of this helicopter as the helicopter takes flight. Within moments, the helicopter is shot down, and the camera guy maneuvers his way into the cockpit and keeps Connor in frame the entire time. Meanwhile, having been clipped, the helicopter spins around out of control, flips over and crash-lands upside down. Connor is still in frame but clearly he’s now on the ceiling. The camera guy flips around and does a 180 degree turn on the y-axis as well so that everything in the frame is now face up as the two men struggle to make their way out of the helicopter. At the end of this scene, I was left wondering, “How’d they do that?”

Congratulations “Mc” (I’d like to a buy a vowel) “G” on making cinematic history.  

Post script: Someone asked me after all was said and done with this post, "Would you recommend seeing the movie?" If my opinion counts for anything, then yes, absolutely, and for the following reasons: (a) it'll keep me gainfully employed in a job I enjoy; (b) my friend re-wrote major sections of the movie; and (c) it's a fantastic movie that will have you on the edge of your seat until the closing credits roll.

Punchlines 

Ah yes... the warmth of the stage lights, the velvety feel of the curtains, the smell of grease paint... that can only mean one thing... 

The master bathroom has been properly set for me to have a bowel movement. Hold your applause please.