MUMBAI: What is fact and what is fiction? In Hollywood it is often difficult to tell the diference.
Now the National Geographic Channel (NGC) is set to unveil the realism behind stunts and special effects in Hollywood films with a new show Science of Hollywood. Can what is shown on the silver screen actually happen in real life?
The show kicks off on 27 November at 9 pm.
Appropriately enough the first episode looks at car chases. How realistic were the car chases in flicks such as The Bourne Identity, Bullit and The French Connection? Can the vehicles in the films really burn rubber and do hairpin turns?
In the episode Disasters At Sea the show examines whether the oceanic disasters depicted in the big gorssing film of al time Titanic, The Perfect Storm and The Poseidon Adventure true to life or was there a tidal wave of Hollywood fiction at play?
Fans of 007 should check out Spy Gadgets. From Bond to Bourne, the world of espionage has fascinated cinemagoers for decades. But how many of the gadgets are actually used in real life?
CGI and interviews with top scientists and filmmakers combine to separate fact and fiction within Hollywood's most famous depictions of scientific phenomena and historical fact.Bond's Aston Martin and Knight Rider's KITT were high-tech for their time, but Minority Report gave us a very different look at the future of cars. Was the director of that film Steven Spielberg realistic about his vision of the future?
Next month the channel takes a look inside special events with what it calls Inside Series. This kicks of on 18 December 2006 at 10 pm. Speaking to indiantelevision.com on this NGC VP marketing Rajesh Sheshadri says, "This takes viewers inside special events and the logistics that go into making them possible. The first episode is called Inside - Rolling Stones In Rio.
" This is is one of the biggest concerts in history with an iconic band. 1.5 million people attended the free concert. Viewers will see what takes place behind the scenes to transform salt and sand into a high-tech light and sound extravaganza. 200 tons of equipment were used to build a seven story stage, and keep over a million screaming fans safe."
The show will also go inside the Fifa Club Championship Toyota Cup. For clubs around the globe the crowning of the Fifa Club World Champions is the ultimate event. Teams from six continents battle for the title in the great soccer cathedrals of Japan. 1,500 media will be accredited and over 45,000 fans will cram into each stadium.
The show goes behind the scenes to see what it takes to put on such an international spectacle. A spidercam will give soccer viewers at home a new perspective on the game. Viewers will follow the story of a team of referees as they encounter their moment of truth, the announcement of the selected referees for the final match.
Another episode is called Inside - Hong Kong's Big Bang. Seven million revelers take to the streets of Hong Kong to join one of the biggest parties in the world.
How do you throw the party of the century? At the close of each lunar year, the streets of Hong Kong fill with tourists hungry to be entertained by some of the best party-planners in the world. But this is no ordinary year.. Over a half million tourists are expected to join the seven million Hong Kong residents to celebrate the Year of the Dog. Entertainers come from all over the world, 1,000 boats crowd Victoria Harbor and hundreds of highly-trained police officers will oversee the masses to make sure the celebration goes off without a hitch.
Viewers will find out what goes on in the control rooms, on the floating powder kegs, and beyond the stage doors of Hong Kong's most anticipated day. As tourists, organisers, and partygoers converge upon Hong Kong, Inside captures the technology and toil of the Chinese New Year celebrations.
