Science Fact or Cinematic Fiction

Science Fact or Cinematic Fiction

When creating a film, there is plenty of creative freedom involved such as toying with the laws of physics. Using film is one of the few mediums where you can be capable of illustrating cinematic fiction to create a more entertaining film. The laws of physics in fiction may not be how it is applied in real life. Although it may not be scientific fact, defying the laws of physics can provide a different effect to a film in a positive way like giving it a sort of comedic effect. Or it may be applied in a negative way in which it's highly noticeable and seem ridiculous. It is one method of making a movie more exciting because it shows experiences we cannot expect of in the real world. According to Newton's Law of Inertia, an object moves with constant, uniform motion until acted on by an unbalanced force. This is one of the few principles that's incorrectly illustrated in scenes in animated films such as The Simpsons Movie, The Triplets of Belleville, and Treasure Planet. These three films find ways to incorrectly portray Newton's principle, but do so in order to make the world in the film more entertaining.

The Simpsons Movie is a feature length film adaptation of the American animated television sitcom of the same name and noticeably displays principles in the incorrect way. It's a movie in the comedy genre and based on a comedy series. There are many instances where it may have done to add in to the humor. For example, when Milhouse is punched by Nelson, he doesn't fall backwards. The punch being the force that moves Milhouse fails to move him from his spot. Instead, Milhouse immediately drops on his knees from the impact and never changes position.

Another similar example can be seen in the film such as Homer running smack dab into a tree branch. Despite the force exerted on the tree branch, the tree branch remains stiff. Also, the scene with Homer riding on the wrecking ball was very noticeably unrealistic. The ball somehow manages to swing side to side repeatedly, slamming Homer into a stationary rock and building. As a strong force slams into the rock and building, neither of the objects move. They both continue to remain stationary and remain unscathed even after being slammed into multiple times. Neither the rock and building are exerting force on the wrecking ball to cause it to move side to side for a long period of time.

In another adventure film, The Triplets of Belleville, the law of inertia being defied is most evident in the final chase sequence. Much of the film is unique and has multiple scenes scattered throughout that seem to deny the principles of physics, but aren't as recognizable as the climax. Two parts in the climax do not properly follow the law of inertia. While a car is speeding after the cyclists, a mother and a stroller are crossing the road. The mother stops in shock, directly in front of the car. Miraculously, the stroller manages to stop the car and sends it flying throughout the sky. Coming from a vehicle, a large amount of force would have been placed onto a baby's stroller. Yet the stroller and the baby managed to escape unharmed.

A similar occurrence happens at the end of the chase. As Souza sticks out her shoe, she "trips" a car and sends it flying. The shoe only wiggles slightly as though very little force was used when it looked as if the car was zooming towards her at high speed.

In a more serious film that takes place in a more fantastical setting, Disney's Treasure Planet has a world filled with obvious cinematic fiction. But one aspect that we'll be focusing on is the fictional board called a solar surfer, which could be likened to a skateboard. Or it can be compared to a surfboard riding the waves. Except this skateboard is capable of flying throughout the skies. How it's capable of soaring through the air and performing tricks like a skateboard is not explained. However, when the surfer comes to a halt, it can be compared to a moving bus coming to a halt. When a moving bus comes to a stop, you continue moving forward unless you have something to grab a hold of. Even when the bus comes to a slow stop, it's hard to not be able to stumble forward. Whenever the solar surfer slows down to come to a stop, the main character, Jim Hawkins, manages to stay with his feet firmly planted and be completely safe aboard the surfer. He isn't sent flying off and there's no recoil whenever he comes to a halt. It's unexplained how he's even able to come to a stop or slow down without having anything to hold on or planting his foot on the ground like you would with an ordinary skateboard. It's a mystery on how it exactly works in Treasure Planet's world, but still entertaining to watch the flight scenes.

Despite not following scientific facts, filmmakers use film as a medium to disobey the law of inertia to create a more exciting world within their film. In films that involve quite a bit of comedy, such as The Simpsons movie and The Triplets of Belleville, seeing things that happen that don't normally happen in the real world can be ridiculous and may get a laugh out from the audience. And although Treasure Planet is not a film of the comedy genre, we already know the solar surfer disobeys physics, but it provides entertainment by showing us something we can't do. Although the laws of physics are incorrectly portrayed in the film medium, it doesn't detract from the entertainment.