Author Topic: The Rocketeer appreciation thread (Read 3805 times)

Ichirou · « **on:** August 06, 2007, 11:11:40 PM »

I've loved The Rocketeer since I first saw it in theaters way back in 1991. Based on the comic book of the same name (itself a homage to old sci-fi serials like Bulletman, '30s mob movies, Bettie Page, et al), the movie was unlike any action film I'd ever seen before. Though I didn't realize it back then, the film is, in many ways, a love letter to the golden age of Hollywood, with a script that's informed by the atmosphere, the culture, and even the urban legends that arose from that period.

I've never actually had the chance to read the comic book (which is long out of print and near impossible to get without paying ridiculously high prices), but the movie is incredibly fun, and The Rocketeer costume itself is incredibly faithful to the comic book design (in fact, it's an exact reproduction and looks amazing - you can't even say that about the costumes in any other superhero movies):

Just imagine this in live action (I can't seem to find any good shots of the suit online,

).

Anyway, when I first watched the movie, I just saw it as a cool action movie with a unique period setting. It was only in later viewings that I saw all the references: the Howard Hughes appearance (played by Terry O'Quinn, who's now probably most famous for his role on Lost), '30s mob movies, monster movies, swashbuckling movies, the Errol Flynn pastiche played by Timothy Dalton (whose motivations in the film owe a lot to an urban legend about Flynn that floated around in Hollywood after World War II), even a touch of film noir.

The cast itself is impeccable. Aside from Dalton, the movie stars Jennifer Connelly as the love interest (this is the movie where I got a crush on her), Billy Campbell as pilot Cliff Secord (the Rocketeer himself), Alan Arkin, and even Paul Sorvino as a mob boss.

What annoys me is that, as much as I love the movie, the DVD has an awful transfer and is generally just a shoddy mess, and it seems like we're never going to get an upgrade or a special edition or anything, because this film is so overlooked. It's a true cult classic, and pure fun filmmaking. And way better than most other attempts at this genre *cough*SkyCaptain*cough*.

I want a Rocketeer special edition DVD. :'(

MrAngryFace · « **Reply #1 on:** August 06, 2007, 11:12:49 PM »

Great movie. Sky Captain was more like Sky Running Away Guy

Ichirou · « **Reply #2 on:** August 06, 2007, 11:21:43 PM »

This is a movie that pretty much no one I know has ever seen, for some reason. It's a shame, because it's really such a fun flick. I love how it captures the time period. Disney originally planned a sequel, which would have been awesome. There's a scene in the movie where Secord sees a stolen Nazi propaganda film strip that shows hundreds of Nazi rocketeers invading America. Can you imagine a sequel where that would actually have happened? The Rocketeer fighting it out against hundreds of flying Nazis? That would have ROCKED.

Ichirou · « **Reply #3 on:** August 06, 2007, 11:25:14 PM »

I was looking for pictures of The Rocketeer and came across this:

http://www.mwctoys.com/REVIEW_090806b.htm

Ridiculously wacky jappy...I guess the film was a hit over here, unlike the US?

DJ_Tet · « **Reply #4 on:** August 06, 2007, 11:36:02 PM »

Never saw the movie but I jerked off to the previews countless times. It was the beginning of my extremely healthy Jennifer Connelly infatuation. Luckily, I quickly found out she was in The Hot Spot and that was in heavy rotation on Cinemax. So I didn't have to wonder what she looked like topless for too long

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Unfortunately that was also the first girl I remember who had two different sized breasts, it was unnerving coming from the airbrushed world of Playboy. Ah well, we'll always have Career Opportunities

[close]

Van Cruncheon · « **Reply #5 on:** August 06, 2007, 11:37:13 PM »

mmmm, jennifer connelly. i need to find this movie!

Ichirou · « **Reply #6 on:** August 06, 2007, 11:38:58 PM »

She plays a film ingenue in this, she wears this gorgeous dress for most of the film, while she's being seduced by the dastardly Timothy Dalton. Also, this is back when she looked healthy instead of super-skinny like she does nowadays.

JENNIFER CONNELLY!!!!

DJ_Tet · « **Reply #7 on:** August 06, 2007, 11:40:37 PM »

Quote from: Professor Prole on August 06, 2007, 11:37:13 PM

mmmm, young, curvaceous, bend her over and go to town jennifer connelly. i need to find this movie!

fixed

edit: Yes, that dress is to die for. Second only to the tight white t-shirt she sported during Career Opportunities.

edit 2: Yep, here's a good shot of the dress. Isn't it spectacular?

Ichirou · « **Reply #8 on:** August 06, 2007, 11:51:34 PM »

Could you rehost the image? I think it might be blocked at work.

Howard Alan Treesong · « **Reply #9 on:** August 06, 2007, 11:53:33 PM »

DJ_Tet · « **Reply #10 on:** August 06, 2007, 11:54:14 PM »

rehosted, might have been blocked from the site. OA got me lazy and stealing people's bandwidth, usually I'm better than that..

Ichirou · « **Reply #11 on:** August 06, 2007, 11:54:32 PM »

Hahaha, Rocketeer lego figure. That's so cute!

The Rocketeer's helmet is so awesome and retro.

EDIT: I guess the helmet is supposed to be art deco inspired.

I love the care they went to, to reproduce it EXACTLY for the movie. The movie itself might not be well-known, but the character's design and outfit are simple and iconic.

Himu · « **Reply #12 on:** August 07, 2007, 12:06:15 AM »

Quote from: Ichirou on August 06, 2007, 11:21:43 PM

This is a movie that pretty much no one I know has ever seen, for some reason. It's a shame, because it's really such a fun flick. I love how it captures the time period. Disney originally planned a sequel, which would have been awesome. There's a scene in the movie where Secord sees a stolen Nazi propaganda film strip that shows hundreds of Nazi rocketeers invading America. Can you imagine a sequel where that would actually have happened? The Rocketeer fighting it out against hundreds of flying Nazis? That would have ROCKED.

I saw it when it came out and was a huge fan of it.

Ichirou · « **Reply #13 on:** August 07, 2007, 12:09:05 AM »

And that is why I love you.

Yeti · « **Reply #14 on:** August 07, 2007, 12:56:25 AM »

The Rocketeer has always been one of my favorite movies, I was lucky enough to find a (albeit barebones) DVD of it while working at Disney World. Also awesome was that the ride I worked at had several flight themed songs playing in the line, and the Rocketeer theme was one of them. I heard it multiple times every day and never grew tired of it.

Here's the song I'm talking about. I hope this works, I've never used rapidshit to upload before.
http://rapidshare.com/files/47436347/10_-_Rocketeer_to_the_Rescue_-_End_Title.mp3.html

Plus Terry O'Quinn is in it

Ichirou · « **Reply #15 on:** August 07, 2007, 12:59:40 AM »

I need to d/l that when I get home (I'm at work now), so I hope it stays up till then. The Rocketeer had great music!

And yeah, Terry O'Quinn.

I had trouble watching The Aviator at first because Terry O'Quinn IS Howard Hughes, as far as I'm concerned. He owned that role. I love that scene where Secord escapes from Hughes' airplane hangar by gliding using a model of the as-yet-unbuilt Spruce Goose and Hughes is like "By God, it WILL fly!" So many cool references to the time period.

brawndolicious · « **Reply #16 on:** August 07, 2007, 01:00:09 AM »

I remember watching it when I was a kid, I still have a VHS of it. The only thing I really remember is when they pan down to Jennifer Connelly's rack but I remember the movie being good.

Yeti · « **Reply #17 on:** August 07, 2007, 01:04:42 AM »

Best diner/nazi resistance hideout ever

I have the whole Rocketeer soundtrack, it was difficult to find. The track I uploaded is the song that is really worth it though, the awesomeness starts around 1:50

Ichirou · « **Reply #18 on:** August 07, 2007, 01:07:36 AM »

Special edition DVD, please, Disney!!!! :'(

Oblivion · « **Reply #19 on:** August 07, 2007, 01:09:17 AM »

I remember that episode of Talespin where Baloo was a rocketeer.

Ichirou · « **Reply #20 on:** August 07, 2007, 01:12:30 AM »

I think the film would've been a bigger hit if they'd gone a bit harder with the action sequences featuring The Rocketeer. Having him fight other rocketmen in mid-air would have been awesome. Like a mid-air dogfight without airplanes.

brawndolicious · « **Reply #21 on:** August 07, 2007, 01:17:21 AM »

that's pretty gay.

I remember the videogame being pretty good, I still have it.

Ichirou · « **Reply #22 on:** August 07, 2007, 01:18:07 AM »

I rented and played through NES one, but I never played the SNES one which is a totally different game and supposedly much better.

brawndolicious · « **Reply #23 on:** August 07, 2007, 01:21:22 AM »

it's still pretty awesome. you had no passcodes for the later levels though so you have to play it from the beginning...I never beat it but it just got better and better later in the game.

Ichirou · « **Reply #24 on:** August 07, 2007, 01:22:03 AM »

I should find the SNES one on emu or something. I need my Rocketeer fix!

brawndolicious · « **Reply #25 on:** August 07, 2007, 01:31:01 AM »

be warned, I haven't played it in about 5 years. some parts of it are worse then flash games.

The Fake Shemp · « **Reply #26 on:** August 07, 2007, 03:01:55 AM »

I loved the Rocketeer. I saw it in theaters about maybe three or four times, but I used to watch the old black and white serials way before that. I had an posable Rocketeer action figure and everything.

Yeti · « **Reply #27 on:** August 07, 2007, 04:04:53 AM »

I think I used to have a Rocketeer action figure too, don't know what happened to it though.

brawndolicious · « **Reply #28 on:** August 07, 2007, 04:12:49 AM »

I thought about getting one but by then the cool batman ones came out and if you got a rocketman you were gay.

Howard Alan Treesong · « **Reply #29 on:** August 07, 2007, 04:36:54 AM »

Quote from: Ichirou on August 07, 2007, 01:12:30 AM

I think the film would've been a bigger hit if they'd gone a bit harder with the action sequences featuring The Rocketeer. Having him fight other rocketmen in mid-air would have been awesome. Like a mid-air dogfight without airplanes.

not possible in 1992

BUT IRON MAN WILL DELIVER

The Fake Shemp · « **Reply #30 on:** August 07, 2007, 05:02:35 AM »

I doubt it.

From the looks of it, he will be battling Jeff Bridges in bulky, prototype Iron Monger gear. Lots of metal on metal action, but I highly doubt there will be much in the way of aerial fireworks.

TVC15 · « **Reply #31 on:** August 07, 2007, 05:06:30 AM »

Quote from: Willco on August 07, 2007, 03:01:55 AM

I loved the Rocketeer. I saw it in theaters about maybe three or four times, but I used to watch the old black and white serials way before that. I had an posable Rocketeer action figure and everything.

There were no serials. Rocketeer was a modern creation from the 70s.

The Fake Shemp · « **Reply #32 on:** August 07, 2007, 05:07:37 AM »

There were a bunch of black and white serials that the Rocketeer blatantly ripped off. I forget what it was called, though. It was basically the Rocketeer, though.

TVC15 · « **Reply #33 on:** August 07, 2007, 05:08:58 AM »

Argh, wait, that sounds familiar. My bad. I didn't mean to call you a liar. At least this time, liar.

The Fake Shemp · « **Reply #34 on:** August 07, 2007, 05:33:24 AM »

40s special effects > all

Ichirou · « **Reply #35 on:** August 07, 2007, 06:59:26 AM »

I believe the serial character that Rocketeer ripped off was called Bulletman, or some such.

EDIT: My bad, it's actually Rocketman.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_of_the_Rocket_Men

HyperZoneWasAwesome · « **Reply #36 on:** August 07, 2007, 07:05:30 AM »

I wish to join this appreciation thread, and to congratulate everyone here on their good taste.

This has gotta be Disney's best live-action adventure film ever, right? I can't even think of anything that comes close (certainly not Johnny Depp and shitty friends).

Ichirou · « **Reply #37 on:** August 07, 2007, 07:52:08 AM »

Quote from: Willco on August 07, 2007, 05:02:35 AM

I doubt it.

From the looks of it, he will be battling Jeff Bridges in bulky, prototype Iron Monger gear. Lots of metal on metal action, but I highly doubt there will be much in the way of aerial fireworks.

From the Comic Con footage, it sounds like he'll at least be fighting two state-of-the-art military jets, so that will be cool. The Rocketeer character looks so much more awesome than Iron Man, though.

And yeah, The Rocketeer is so much better than any other live-action adventure movie Disney has ever done, it's not even funny. Way better than all three Pirates films. I mean, c'mon, Keira Knightley Vs. Jennifer Connelly? NO CONTEST.

Solo · « **Reply #38 on:** August 07, 2007, 08:00:38 AM »

Saw this a buttload of times as a kid. Sadly, I havent seen in in probably 10-12 years now.

Ichirou · « **Reply #39 on:** August 07, 2007, 08:07:14 AM »

Don't blame you, the current DVD is not just barebones, the image quality is mediocre, and I remember this being a NICE-looking film when it first came out. I hope they re-release it on Blu-Ray or something with a few extra features.

EDIT: I also haven't seen it in about years (I haven't bought the DVD 'cuz of the low quality), but I saw it a bunch of times in the nineties, so much so that scenes from it are burned in my mind. I even bought the novelization which was written by comic book writer Peter David.

Solo · « **Reply #40 on:** August 07, 2007, 08:22:17 AM »

Come to think of it, I dont think I have even SEEN the Rocketeer DVD in any store. Ive never sought it out, so perhaps I just overlooked it, but I cant recall ever seeing it anywhere.

Yeti · « **Reply #41 on:** August 07, 2007, 12:13:10 PM »

The Rocketeer also had Timothy Dalton in it, of Hot Fuzz and James Bond fame, as the secret Nazi spy.

News:

Author Topic: The Rocketeer appreciation thread (Read 3805 times)