Feature Friday: The Rocketeer
I've always wanted to fly. When I was a kid, I used to safety-pin beach towels around my neck and jump out of the tallest trees I could climb. (Was also pushed out of my treehouse at one point, but that's another story) I gave the 'rents gray hairs by running along rooftops with John Williams' Superman theme blasting loudly from my bedroom window.
As I grew older, that passion turned into an interest in aviation. I spent hours pouring over library and text books on every kind of aircraft I could get my hands on. I took trips to Shreveport's Barksdale AFB, where I could study up close such planes as the F-14 Tomcat and (my favorite) the SR-71 Blackbird. I also grew to love the style and elegance of the vintage pre-WWII planes I found in my research.
During high school, I briefly joined the Civil Air Patrol with the intention of joining the Air Force upon graduation. I had dreams of attending the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. This dream was short lived, though, when I discovered that my bad ears put me on the blacklist of ever becoming a pilot. If I were to fly anything for Uncle Sam, it would be a desk.
However, it was during my short stint in CAP that I saw a movie that gave my love of flight a shot in the arm. (And no, it wasn't Top Gun. That was 6th grade, and only made we want to do 2000 crunches a day and play volleyball. That, and feel weird about having to see Tom Cruise in his Tidy-Whities.) No, this film was based on the work of Dave Stevens, one of my favorite artists at the time. The graphic novel was full of action, adventure, mobsters, Nazis, and wantabe actresses. Oh, and a portable jetpack that could carry you into the sky without that cumbersome plane around you to hinder the experience.
Title: The Rocketeer
Year: 1991
Director: Joe Johnston
Staring: Bill Campbell, Jennifer Connelly, Alan Arkin, Timothy Dalton, Paul Sorvino, Terry O'Quinn
Ah, 1930's Los Angeles. Clean air, beautiful countryside vistas, and Brother Justin on the radio. Also? Mobsters being chased by the fed's, each firing tommy-guns at the other. It seems that an experimental "object" has been stolen from Hughes Air, and Uncle Sam wants it back.
The theives are chased into an old airfield hanger used by barnstormers Cliff Secord (Campbell) and A. 'Peevy' Peabody (Arkin). During the firefight, Secord's plane is damaged and crashes. In the confusion, the theives switch the "object" for a vacuum cleaner in the hanger, and crash the car into a fuel truck. The feds assume the "object" is destroyed.
Once the dust settles, Cliff and Peevy find themselves without a plane for the Nationals . They discover the "object," and learn that it's really a rocket pack that can be worn on your back. In debt to airfield owner Otis Bigelow for the fuel truck, Cliff wants to try to use the rocket to earn some cash.
Meanwhile, Cliff's girl, Jenny (Connelly), is desperately trying to break into the acting business. She's enamored by the Errol Flynn-esque Neville Sinclair (Dalton), and dreams of being in a scene with him. Sinclair has another agenda, however, as we learn that he is the one who hired the theives to steal the rocket. Theives under the leadership of mob boss Eddie Valentine (Sorvino).
Over the course of the movie, bumbling mechanics are rescued in mid-air, mobster thugs are broken in half, quiet homes are shot up by the feds, girlfriends are kidnapped, Nazis are vanquished, and heroes are made. Add in everyone's favorite eccentric billionaire, Howard Hughes (O'Quinn), and you've got the makings of a great popcorn movie.
This is just a fun movie, no matter how you spin it. It has the feel of the old serials from which the characters are based (not to mention, the inspiration of a certain flannel-clad uber-director). The effects still hold up today, and the performances are sprinkled with a touch of innocence reminiscent of Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Bill Campbell has fun with Cliff Secord. Not a Hollywood A-List actor, Campbel brings a sense of the everyman to his role. His reactions are natural and help you ride along side of him, experiencing everything as he does. Just a fun role.
I've spoken of Jennifer Connelly before, and nothing has changed. This was her first movie since her break-out role in Career Opportunities, and she doesn't disappoint. The Rocketeer was filmed over 15 years ago, and neither her acting nor her beauty have faltered since then. If anything, she's gotten better. On both counts.
Alan Arkin was born to play parts like this. His Peevy is the scatterbrained mechanic with touches of pure genius and a loveable demeanor. Arkin could have played this in his sleep, but didn't. He brings to Peevy an aloofness and spirit that grounds the character. You see the relationship of mentor he has to Cliff, and the bond between the two really shine through on screen.
I'd forgotten just how dashing Timothy Dalton could be. I supposed my judgment was clouded by his being horribly miscast as Bond in The Living Daylights and License to Kill (though Mark would disagree with me there). And there's really no excuse for Prince Barin. But, I watched The Rocketeer again last weekend and was truly amazed at how well Dalton played the part. He just looked so natural with a saber in his hand. And charming. Wow, it wasn't hard for Connelly to act attracted to the man. Dalton has fun with the part and does a good turn as the man with a secret.
And seeing John Locke on screen is just a treat. Even with hair, Terry O'Quinn brings with him a sense of importance and authority. And while he may not have had Leo's OCD, this was one Howard Hughes I could believe in.
All in all a fun movie with a little something for everyone. Go watch it this weekend and enjoy a snapshot of Hollywood in the golden days of yesteryear.
-Jos
"It's never safe to be nostalgic about something until you're absolutely certain there's no chance of its coming back." ~Bill Vaughn
As I grew older, that passion turned into an interest in aviation. I spent hours pouring over library and text books on every kind of aircraft I could get my hands on. I took trips to Shreveport's Barksdale AFB, where I could study up close such planes as the F-14 Tomcat and (my favorite) the SR-71 Blackbird. I also grew to love the style and elegance of the vintage pre-WWII planes I found in my research.
During high school, I briefly joined the Civil Air Patrol with the intention of joining the Air Force upon graduation. I had dreams of attending the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. This dream was short lived, though, when I discovered that my bad ears put me on the blacklist of ever becoming a pilot. If I were to fly anything for Uncle Sam, it would be a desk.
However, it was during my short stint in CAP that I saw a movie that gave my love of flight a shot in the arm. (And no, it wasn't Top Gun. That was 6th grade, and only made we want to do 2000 crunches a day and play volleyball. That, and feel weird about having to see Tom Cruise in his Tidy-Whities.) No, this film was based on the work of Dave Stevens, one of my favorite artists at the time. The graphic novel was full of action, adventure, mobsters, Nazis, and wantabe actresses. Oh, and a portable jetpack that could carry you into the sky without that cumbersome plane around you to hinder the experience.
Title: The Rocketeer
Year: 1991
Director: Joe Johnston
Staring: Bill Campbell, Jennifer Connelly, Alan Arkin, Timothy Dalton, Paul Sorvino, Terry O'Quinn
Ah, 1930's Los Angeles. Clean air, beautiful countryside vistas, and Brother Justin on the radio. Also? Mobsters being chased by the fed's, each firing tommy-guns at the other. It seems that an experimental "object" has been stolen from Hughes Air, and Uncle Sam wants it back.
The theives are chased into an old airfield hanger used by barnstormers Cliff Secord (Campbell) and A. 'Peevy' Peabody (Arkin). During the firefight, Secord's plane is damaged and crashes. In the confusion, the theives switch the "object" for a vacuum cleaner in the hanger, and crash the car into a fuel truck. The feds assume the "object" is destroyed.
Once the dust settles, Cliff and Peevy find themselves without a plane for the Nationals . They discover the "object," and learn that it's really a rocket pack that can be worn on your back. In debt to airfield owner Otis Bigelow for the fuel truck, Cliff wants to try to use the rocket to earn some cash.
Meanwhile, Cliff's girl, Jenny (Connelly), is desperately trying to break into the acting business. She's enamored by the Errol Flynn-esque Neville Sinclair (Dalton), and dreams of being in a scene with him. Sinclair has another agenda, however, as we learn that he is the one who hired the theives to steal the rocket. Theives under the leadership of mob boss Eddie Valentine (Sorvino).
Over the course of the movie, bumbling mechanics are rescued in mid-air, mobster thugs are broken in half, quiet homes are shot up by the feds, girlfriends are kidnapped, Nazis are vanquished, and heroes are made. Add in everyone's favorite eccentric billionaire, Howard Hughes (O'Quinn), and you've got the makings of a great popcorn movie.
This is just a fun movie, no matter how you spin it. It has the feel of the old serials from which the characters are based (not to mention, the inspiration of a certain flannel-clad uber-director). The effects still hold up today, and the performances are sprinkled with a touch of innocence reminiscent of Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Bill Campbell has fun with Cliff Secord. Not a Hollywood A-List actor, Campbel brings a sense of the everyman to his role. His reactions are natural and help you ride along side of him, experiencing everything as he does. Just a fun role.
I've spoken of Jennifer Connelly before, and nothing has changed. This was her first movie since her break-out role in Career Opportunities, and she doesn't disappoint. The Rocketeer was filmed over 15 years ago, and neither her acting nor her beauty have faltered since then. If anything, she's gotten better. On both counts.
Alan Arkin was born to play parts like this. His Peevy is the scatterbrained mechanic with touches of pure genius and a loveable demeanor. Arkin could have played this in his sleep, but didn't. He brings to Peevy an aloofness and spirit that grounds the character. You see the relationship of mentor he has to Cliff, and the bond between the two really shine through on screen.
I'd forgotten just how dashing Timothy Dalton could be. I supposed my judgment was clouded by his being horribly miscast as Bond in The Living Daylights and License to Kill (though Mark would disagree with me there). And there's really no excuse for Prince Barin. But, I watched The Rocketeer again last weekend and was truly amazed at how well Dalton played the part. He just looked so natural with a saber in his hand. And charming. Wow, it wasn't hard for Connelly to act attracted to the man. Dalton has fun with the part and does a good turn as the man with a secret.
And seeing John Locke on screen is just a treat. Even with hair, Terry O'Quinn brings with him a sense of importance and authority. And while he may not have had Leo's OCD, this was one Howard Hughes I could believe in.
All in all a fun movie with a little something for everyone. Go watch it this weekend and enjoy a snapshot of Hollywood in the golden days of yesteryear.
-Jos
"It's never safe to be nostalgic about something until you're absolutely certain there's no chance of its coming back." ~Bill Vaughn
posted by Josh at
9:52 AM
1 Comments:
maybe you should mention that the rooftop was really really high, remember the old Victorian-turn-of the-century (last century)was built with a crawl space of more than 4 feet, two stories of 12 to 14 foot ceilings, a full 8 to 10 foot attic and then you have the roof top that you did your high wire/ superman tricks from...no this 1/2 of the rents didn't get gray hair she got permanent heart damage from sheer terror...and of course a side note of "what about the time"... you thought you could Spiderman down the side of the same house with makeshift velcro gloves..don't you still have trouble with those ankles?????
blondie
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Anonymous, At
8:54 AM
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