Innerspace
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- This article is about the movie Innerspace. See for the game by SDI.
Plot synopsis
Jack Putter (Martin Short) is a hypochondriac who begins to hear voices in his head. He later discovers the reason: A top-secret miniaturization experiment has gone wrong. Hotshot pilot Lt. Tuck Pendleton (Dennis Quaid) has been placed into a submarine and miniaturized to microscopic size; he has been accidentally injected into Jack's "inner space."The movie has won praise for its impressive special effects because of improvements in effects technology are more sophisticated than those in Fantastic Voyage which the film spoofs.
Kraken II Submersible Pod
The main vessel used in the miniaturization experiment. Piloted by Tuck Pendelton. The pod has a number of features designed around the mission objectives (never specifically mentioned onscreen, it is assumed exploration and research), these include:
- A laser scalpel, primarily used for cutting through soft tissue. It was also later employed as a weapon.
- A claw, which can be fitted with an optical sensor or an audio sensor. Both were used by Tuck to see Jack's point of view and provide two-way communication.
- A Harpoon Gun with attached cable.
- An onboard computer system built for exploration and is able to adjust to the surrounding environment. The computer is also able to issue status reports, proximity warnings and vital signs of the host.
Other Vessels
The craft utilised by Victor Scrimshaw and piloted by Mr Igoe was also miniaturized and injected into Jack to locate and disable the Pod and extract it. Never named onscreen, not much is known about its systems except for it has two articulated arms with a claw on one and a gun-like device on the other. (Assumed to be a Laser Scalpel)
It eventually found the pod, but was disabled after Tuck jammed one of the pod's arms into a thrust port. Mr Igoe abandoned it using an ejection system, and attempted to crack the pod windows with a drill on his exosuit.
Trivia
- The computers in the lab display Apple II assembly language listing from the ROM monitor.
- The filmmakers used two different shopping malls for the scene where the doctor injects Tuck into Jack's rear. The opening scenes where the doctor runs in and heads for the elevator were shot in the Northridge Mall in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles (also the epicenter of the '94 quake). The scene where he reaches the top and rams the syringe into Jack was filmed on the top floor of the Sherman Oaks Galleria, another mall several miles away.
- After Scrimshaw and Canker are shrunk 50%, there are a few scenes where they are seen with full-size actors. These shots were actually filmed using forced perspective. For the car scene, the rear of the car is actually twice as large as a normal car rear, and was about 20 feet away. During the scene half size hands and double-size heads were used. Using this method, the film-makers didn't have to worry about compositing two separate shots in post production, so the shots could be completed quicker. Even in the final scene with the suitcase, the case was twice as large, but the hand that closes it was real, closer to the camera in sync with the closing. (It took about 20 takes before it was perfect.)
- During the Cowboy/Putter changeover, Robert Picardo had to do quite a bit of work. After Putter has been changed, we see Lydia asking how he got into the room etc... The first time Robert goes off screen he's actually rushing behind camera, tearing off his breakaway clothes and getting into the bath. A make-up assistant is behind a fake wall at the head of the bath, having just changed the Putter Wig to the Cowboy one. Before the Scrimshaw meeting, Picardo's voice was over-dubbed with Short's. During the meeting, Picardo used his own voice (with a Short-esque lilt) as the film-makers didn't think Short 'trying' the Cowboys voice would be convincing enough to make the scene work.
- An intentional or accidental homage is paid to an earlier sci-fi film, The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957). In that earlier film, William Schallert plays the part of Dr. Bramson, a family physician who examines the protagonist, Scott Carey. In Innerspace, Schallert plays Dr. Greenbush, the physician who examines Jack Putter.
- This was the first film commercially released in Dolby Stereo "Spectral Recording" (SR). SR is a vastly improved noise reduction system which replaced Dolby's original "A-type" noise reduction used for decades in all professional analog recording mediums (including all previous Dolby Stereo movies).
- The Pod Computer voice was provided by Neil Ross, who's noted for many voice-over roles including (more recently) that of Colonel Volgin in the video game: Metal Gear Solid 3.
Goofs
- Tuck should not have been able to see Jack's entire eyeball from the eye socket.
- When Jack turns away from the mirror the picture in Tuck's pod should have turned with Jack's head, instead it stayed looking at Jack in the mirror.
- State of Tuck's decorations after being beaten up in the kitchen.
- The Pod Monitor shows Jack's POV fighting over the steering wheel (with Scrimshaw), however Jack is lying on his back in Pete's car at the time.
External links
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