"I’m Trying To Comprehend What I Just Watched": Cult Classic Sean Connery 1981 Sci-Movie Leaves VFX Artists Stunned

Summary Outland's stunning special effects pushed boundaries and were way ahead of their time in 1981.

The production relied heavily on physical constructs, precise lighting, and camera work to create immersive environments on screen.

Outland utilized optical compositing techniques to layer elements seamlessly, integrating live-action footage with background plates.

A cult classic sci-fi film from 1981, Outland, leaves VFX artists stunned, with one of them saying "I’m trying to comprehend what I just watched." Written and directed by Peter Hyams, the sci-fi thriller follows a federal marshal stationed at a mining colony on Jupiter's moon Io, where he uncovers evidence of corruption and as he attempts to expose those involved, he faces threats on his life from those determined to silence him. Sean Connery leads the cast alongside Peter Boyle, Frances Sternhagen, James B. Sikking, and Kika Markham.

During the latest episode of Corridor Crew's "VFX Artists React" series, host Wren Weichman reacted to Outland and was stunned by its special effects. Watch the portion of the video below:

While Weichman was stunned by its special effects, saying "I’m trying to comprehend what I just watched," Outland's VFX supervisor William Mesa appeared as a guest and explained how they created the stunning special effects. Check out a few of the relevant quotes below:

Weichman: I'm trying to comprehend what I just watched. There's people there in the distance on some sort of space station-type thing, and then it pans over, we see more, "I'm like okay, that's a pretty cool tracking shot," and then there's people coming down the foreground suddenly out of nowhere... Those people below the crane and on the space station, that was done previously on a shot and now that's a plate that you're then separately projecting as a whole finished thing onto another screen that's already pre-combined. Mesa: Yes, that's pre-combined and then we had the set. We did a lot of shots like this in the movie. It was all to make the movie huge, to make it look big... That's all on the side screen except for the ladder we had on stage. Pretty much all this imagery is all on the side screen. We can mat things on top of the actors. A lot of times it's just tape. It's something more like a black masking tape because you are projecting an image on top of the black tape because the screen puts back about 80% of what it receives. It can't show up or can't perceive onto the camera because it's so dark.

Why Outland's Special Effects Are So Stunning

They Were Way Ahead Of Their Time

Outland's special effects are so stunning today considering the technological constraints of the early 1980s. In turn, the production relied heavily on practical effects, including meticulously crafting models and miniatures. These physical constructs were highly detailed and lit well enough to create realistic and immersive environments on screen, particularly the space station setting. These detailed miniatures were especially used for the exterior shots of the space station and other spacecraft, which were filmed using motion-control cameras that created the effect of their smooth and precise movement onscreen.

Related 10 Great Cult Sci-Fi Movies From The 1980s You Need To See Many great cult sci-fi movies slipped under the radar in the 1980s, but several of them hold up today and are still worth checking out.

In addition to miniatures, the production design on Outland was highly detailed, which helped contribute to the creation of a believable industrial and futuristic environment. The use of cinematography also complemented the practical sets with careful lighting and camera angles that enhanced the sense of space and depth. This was before the advent of modern digital effects, so Outland utilized optical compositing techniques to combine multiple elements into a single shot. This method involved layering different filmed elements together, sometimes including masking tape, which required precision and skill to achieve seamless results.

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Outland used all the technology available at the time to push the boundaries of special effects. This also included techniques such as front projection and blue screen to integrate live-action footage with background plates. Overall, Outland could only have been made by prioritizing practical effects, combined with the innovative use of the latest technology available, which is why its special effects still look so stunning today, and way ahead of their time.

Source: Corridor Crew