All in all, though, she admits to being "sanguine" about the changes. "So picking a location like Wolverhampton was vital for their safety.". The pair then walked to the railway station only to find there were no trains. While The Aeronauts manages to get the spirit of ballooning of the 1800s, it gets many facts wrong. But have things otherwise got a bit too Mary Poppins? But it was apparent as soon as casting news broke that pilot Coxwell had effectively blown away. All rights reserved. Are we experiencing the deepest Recession? It's based on the story of a gas balloon adventure in which scientist James Glaisher and pilot Henry Coxwell took to the skies to further knowledge of meteorology - and in doing so, literally reached new heights, setting a record as they soared. At the time, different theories prevailed over how and why rain formed. As does its then-record breaking achievement of reaching 37,000ft. The altitude record would, of course, go on to be beaten. These first balloon trips changed all that. "Based on" is always a phrase to suggest there may be poetic licence, although Glaisher - played by Redmayne - remains in the movie about the 1862 feat. Vote Now! Harper soon realized that perhaps Glaisher's story could be combined with those of some of the other balloon flights in the book to create a compelling amalgamation of stories. "The reason the journey began in Wolverhampton was that they were also concerned that if they had begun in London and gone off course, they could have landed in the river and drowned. VideoArctic Circle teens call for help to save their homes, Philippines artificial beach 'bad for environment' VideoPhilippines artificial beach 'bad for environment', 'A year of rising and fading hopes' in Beirut. Others are less so. So let’s find out some trivia and facts about the new film! It's based on a real-life ascent, but how accurate is it - and does it matter? All in all, though, she admits to being "sanguine" about the changes. A fictional character played by Felicity Jones takes his place as Glaisher's basket partner, and in that sense, history, at least on the silver screen, is rewritten. This page has up-to-date information on The Aeronauts as we continuously monitor the news. the world's first true replica of an 1800s gas balloon, the real flight with Glaisher and Coxwell. A fictional character played by Felicity Jones takes his place as Glaisher's basket partner, and in that sense, history, at least on the silver screen, is rewritten. Call it artistic license. That was because they traversed the thin air without the aid of bottled oxygen. Stellan Skarsgård Trivia: 15 fun facts about the director! The Aeronauts: Facts about fiction in Eddie Redmayne's new film. ", .css-gw44ni-IconContainer{display:inline-block;height:1em;width:1em;vertical-align:-0.125em;margin-right:0.25em;}play.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link{color:inherit;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{color:#696969;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:focus,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:focus{color:#B80000;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link::after,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited::after{content:'';position:absolute;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;z-index:2;}Felicity Jones on her role in The Aeronauts, Toronto 2019: Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones reunite for The Aeronauts, Felicity Jones and Eddie Redmayne fly high at London Film Festival, Victorian Strangeness: The great balloon riot of 1864, Missing West Bromwich teenager Chantel Ward vanished on way to shop, Much-loved mum, 54, collapsed with stomach pain and died next day from untreated gallstones, Show apartment opens at former Stourbridge police station development, Home Secretary offers to meet pub bombings families over public inquiry call, Migrant found dead after bid to cross Channel – French prosecutor, Information about BBC links to other news sites, Italy tightens rules after Covid cases surge. "James Glaisher was a meticulous scientist, [but] he spent the entire time taking measurements and he didn’t really say very much." If, that is, an acutely historical account was ever the film's purpose. November 2, 2019 admin Entertainment 0. Early balloon flights were difficult to pull off and dangerous. “We were lost in an opaque ocean of ivory and alabaster,” the balloon travelers Wilfrid de Fonvielle and Gaston Tissandier recalled in 1868 upon returning from one of their voyages. But the adventure was not without risk. Others are less so. Cookie Policy And perhaps while not as romantic as the movie synopsis of "an unlikely pair finding their place in the world" at "the very edge of existence", things were nevertheless dicey. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. That said, she does not have too much problem with narrative flights of fancy. "[Glashier and Coxwell's] accomplishments are monumental and while we never intended to create a documentary, we are thankful to them as well as all the other ground-breakers of that time for their bravery and unshakable need for answers," said director Tom Harper. Henry Coxwell was a balloon pilot who looked nothing like Felicity Jones, The Mammoth takes off from Stafford Road gasworks, A street name in Wolverhampton recalls the record-breaking journey, All in all, though, she admits to being "sanguine" about the changes. A new film tells the story of a record-breaking balloon flight. It's based on a real-life ascent, but how accurate is it - and does it matter? VideoThe story of the blaze that destroyed Moria camp, Arctic Circle teens call for help to save their homes. Before the invention of the balloon, the atmosphere was like a blank slate on which fantasies and fears were projected. It's free! "To replace Mr Coxwell, who was a balloon expert, with an attractive widow character, I can understand why they've done it.". Philosophers speculated that the skies went on forever, while there were medieval tales of birds that were so large they could whisk human passengers into the clouds. In 1871 he published Travels in the Air, a collection of reports from his experiments. The film is influenced by multiple true stories, so the accuracy of The Aeronauts depends on which character you're looking at, as one is real and one is fictional. The novelist Charles Dickens, horrified by balloon ascents, wrote that these “dangerous exhibitions” were no different from public hangings. Get the best of Smithsonian magazine by email. To scientists like Flammarion, the study of the atmosphere was the era’s key scientific challenge. It was reported in The Times of 11 September 1862 as a leading article. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The Aeronauts is a new biographical adventure film. The altitude record would, of course, go on to be beaten. If, that is, an acutely historical account was ever the film's purpose. Over time, aeronauts became more skilled, the technology improved and trips became safe enough to bring along passengers – provided they could afford the trip. That was because they traversed the thin air without the aid of bottled oxygen. The True History of the Aeronauts Who Transformed Our View of the World Above For early balloonists like James Glaisher, the sky was uncharted—and dangerous—territory