How come astronauts in sci fi movies wear unrealistic space suits that WOULD NOT

[dan]

protect them from space? Gattaca, The Fifth Element, the new Star Trek film

Films such as these with fictional space agencies all have their astronauts wear some type of space suit, but they're not bulky as NASA's.

They look more like school uniforms! In "Things To Come", they're nothing more than Ancient Roman robes!

Realistic space suits would be bulky and heavy, like NASA's, to protect astronauts from UV, and other space elements.

Why do movies have unrealistic space suits? And do you think we'll have less need for bulky space suits in the future and just go into space with casual clothing, like in these films?

 

[Prometheus]

This is done for those ignorant people who feed off science fantasy... Hey.. they have to make a fun movie, right?

 

[rowlfe]

You have answered your own question, it's because the LOOK GOOD... Why use something realistic when you don't have to? Not all movies do this. Alien, for example, had suits quite similar to what NASA uses today. So did the movie, "2001 - A Space Odyssey". It all depends on the budget...

 

[Justin]

What tim said... sci fi

 

[aladdinwa]

Because the real ones are bulky and hard to move around in, and they hide the astronauts faces. Those things don't make for a good movie.
.

 

[masybab02]

Most people who watch the movies like to see the figure of the actors who are wearing the suits. Most of these people already know what space suits look like, so, there is no need to show that in the movie. Some movies on space do have very bulky suits, but, as long as the suit looks shiny, and some type of mask for breathing and maybe a helmet most people are happy with the rest of the picture being shown.
Another reason for not having bulky space suits is, the actions that the actors do will be harder to see.

 

[Tim]

It's called Sci Fi for a reason Danny Boy.

 

[GeorgePatton]

Several reasons I'd say. Real suits are bulky, which means even a fake one would be expensive, heavy, and really hot to wear. That would suck if you were on set for hours doing multiple takes. Also many of these shows/movies take place in the future. It's not unreasonable to assume that they may be able to make suits less bulky given the more advanced technology. Star Trek is set a couple hundred years in the future. Even 100 years ago if you told somebody there was a fabric that could stop bullets they'd say you were crazy. But today every police officer in the country wears a bullet resistant vest made out of kevlar fabric.

 

[bestonnet_00]

Mechanical Counterpressure suits look even sleeker yet they'd provide good protection against vacuum (they do have their problems, but they should still be possible to get to work).

UV doesn't take much to block (and the bulky backpack the NASA astronauts wear carries life support equipment, it's not unreasonable that they'd have miniaturised it in the future).

 

[DonutTim]

They must put on a show for the audience. Many times they have lights inside the helmet that lights up their face. Actually, this would cause them not to see very well. It is to show the face to the audience.
Those space unrealistic suits cost a lot less. Also, they want suits that don't distract from the actors and plot.

Nearly all space shows have the spacecraft with wings and they make turns just as do airplanes.
.

 

[thorn]

In short, aesthetics. A bulky suit like the real space suits does not look as good as the ones they make for the movies. Movie Maker's nowadays concentrate more on the aesthetics of the movie than the story. That is where we get unrealistic space suits, half baked plot lines, and movies that are rather just a two hour distraction than a actual story which movie's are supposed to be. But in the future it may be possible to have less bulky space suits, technology is improving everyday.