Say the words “Cloud Atlas” to a film fan, and you’re likely to get one of two reactions. One might be a look of disgust, as they think about how much they hate this big, messy, weird movie. The other is a look of pure joy, as that person thinks about how much they loved and connected with the same big, messy, weird movie. There’s not much in between, and what follows is for people in that second camp. People like me.
A few weeks back, Shout Studios released a brand new 4K collectors’ edition of Cloud Atlas, and io9 was provided a copy. It includes a brand new restoration of the film, a new sound mix, and all the bells and whistles. But it also has something quite special and different. A two-plus-hour documentary about the making and impact of the film, which, if you love Cloud Atlas as much as I do, will help you fall in love with it all over again.
It’s called “What Is An Ocean… Reconnecting the Cast and Crew of Cloud Atlas,” and it features interviews with basically every single major actor or production head involved with the movie. (The one glaring omission is Halle Berry, but we’ll get to that in a second.) The whole thing is hosted by an actor named Jon Donahue, who most of us wouldn’t immediately recognize but has a pretty important job. He’s Tom Hanks’ longtime stand-in. So he was there, on set, every day filming Cloud Atlas, and got to know everyone involved. Out of all of Hanks’ work, Donahue calls Cloud Atlas the most incredible experience he’s ever had on a film, which is why he was chosen to host this documentary.
And so we watch as Donahue interviews everyone you’d hope for. That means writers and directors Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski, and Tom Tykwer. It means original author David Mitchell. It means actors Tom Hanks, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, Doona Bae, Keith David, James D’Arcy, David Gyasi, Susan Sarandon, and Hugh Grant. We get producers, directors of photography, editors, costume designers, make-up artists, and so much more.
The result is not just a filmmaking masterclass but an enduring, deep-seated feeling of adoration. As everyone involved talks to Donahue about their experiences, either changing how actors look or figuring out how to make the film work as one complete story, there’s almost infinite passion and reverence for the end result. Everyone being interviewed has only the most heartwarming and fascinating stories to tell about the film, and it makes you appreciate what was achieved even more.
We learn how the Wachowskis and Tykwer got their hands on the material and worked together to adapt it. We hear about how the film was basically shot in tandem between the three of them simultaneously in multiple locations. Lana explains that if author David Mitchell didn’t like their script, they would have canceled the whole project. Tom Hanks and his daughter, E.A., talk about how he didn’t quite get it at first but slowly came around to it. All the actors talk about playing multiple characters that cross lines of gender and race. (Yes, the “yellowface” the film was criticized for is addressed in this.) We learn which locations were real, which were sets, how far the pirate ship in the film had to sail to get there, and on and on.
One of the most interesting bits, we learn, came once production was over. The directors and editor put the footage together as it was laid out in the script, and they describe the result as “devastating.” They hated it. It didn’t work. And that’s when they put the whole movie up on a wall and started to find similarities and themes, resulting in the semi-manic, but ultimately rewarding, film we see today. A cadence that Mitchell says is maybe even more impactful and beautiful than his original intentions.
The downside to all of this is that, as mentioned, Halle Berry isn’t involved, which feels odd. Obviously, though, she’s spoken of with nothing but love and respect, especially in terms of one story where she literally broke her foot while filming. She was worried she was going to be replaced, and the studio actually considered it, but the Wachowskis and Tykwer never faltered. They all worked together to find ways for her to film the movie anyway, earning even more respect and love from everyone involved.
Another issue worth noting is that most of the documentary was created over Zoom. It’s got a very 2020 vibe, even though we don’t think it was filmed in 2020. At first, you kind of hoped that a film paying homage to something so grand and epic would be equally grand and epic, but, clearly, this was the most economical way to make the documentary and have everyone participate. (Think of the travel budget!) And when you look at it that way, I’d rather have everyone involved appear in the documentary and not better-looking footage of fewer people.
Plus, the documentary digs so deep and has such passion for this film that after a few minutes, you don’t just forget about the camera footage; you embrace it. It becomes fun and almost fitting to see all the actors and artists in their own environments. It makes everything that much more personal, which is perfect for this movie.
So, yes, if you are a fan of Cloud Atlas, you should pick up the new 4K, but not just because it’s a new 4K. This documentary makes the whole thing worth it all on its own. You can learn more about it here.
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