The giant IMAX movie screen at the St. Louis Science Center is perfect for the mind-boggling expanses of outer space, which makes its new feature, "Hubble," a glorious experience. The 45-minute film opens today, and while the tense experiences of repair work cut into the time I would prefer be devoted to astronomical glories, it's probably considered necessary when NASA uses it in an attempt to convince Congress not to abandon the space program.
Leonardo DiCaprio narrates, and some of the facts and statistics are amazing, but everything else pales when the camera focuses on Saturn, or familiar constellations, or just the vastness of what's out there. Is there anything? All answers are equally speculative.
Almost as impressive, from a cinematic viewpoint, is the takeoff of the rocket. The impressive camera work makes the hair stand up on the back of one's neck as the giant cylinder rises from its stand and leaps into the sky, trailed by a wake of flame. Toni Myers, producer-director and one of the writers, worked on the earlier films on Hubble, some 15 years ago, and the difference is fascinating, largely in the development of more sensitive equipment. What then brought a reaction of "Wow," has added several exclamation marks.
Anyone who ever has looked up at a night sky and been staggered by the view will now find so much more. I wish "Hubble" were twice as long, with all the extra time devoted to simply looking at the stars and being told more about what I was seeing.
"IMAX Hubble," opens today at the St. Louis Science Center
–Joe