Sky Captain and The World of Tomorrow

[MrBern]

jarjar paltrow

I like the movie but Paltrow sucked the life out of her scenes. She has the charisma of a wet sponge.

MAybe someone could digitally redact her

 

[Gatsby84]

It very well could fade away after a while and who knows, in 10 years or so someone could make a remake of it that might be better in some aspects than the original... but as far as this movie goes: I really liked it, though I, too, was not enthralled with Ms. Paltrow's acting.
Allen

 

[RyFranzese24]

I agree with Gatsby. I loved it, but Paltrow didn't really match the feel of the movie. I still loved it. Good adventure, cool cinematography, and nice visual style. Reminds me of "The Lost World" and "Flash Gordon." Pulpy

 

[Gilbey]

Here is another Sci Fi retro 30's that I have in my collection. Wonderfully "vintage-enhanced" for the silver screen!
See it again for the first time.

In 1939, an intrepid reporter in New York City makes a connection between the story she's covering-- of famous scientists suddenly disappearing around the world, and a recent attack on the city by giant robots. Determined to find the solution to these happenings, she seeks the help of her ex-boyfriend, the captain of a mercenary legion of pilots. The two are investigating the case when the robots attack the city again, though in a stroke of luck, Sky Captain's right hand man is able to locate their source. They then set off on an adventure in search of the evil mastermind behind these schemes, who is bent on creating a utopia and destroying the current world.

 

[Starius]

I just picked up Sky Captain from a Walmart bargain bin for 5 bucks.

I remember enjoying the movie quite a bit, but I love the old classic serials The Phantom Empire and Undersea Kingdom. Either way, not a bad purchase for 5 bucks.

 

[dhermann1]

My biggest objection to that movie was the absurd helicopter aircraft carriers in the sky. They should have been dirigibles! It would have been much cooler. And to have dozens of them up there! Talk about bankrupting the British Empire! But I must say, also, that looking back, I have to agree with the verdict on Paltrow. But I still loved it.

 

[J. M. Stovall]

It's funny that this thread was revived, I have been listening to the soundtrack again this week.

And everyone knows that this is science fiction/fantasy right? We all know that P-40s don't swim and carriers don't fly. Those are not really valid critiques. Paltrow sucking, that is valid.

This movie is really a Diesel Punk epic, it breaks none of those rules (as few as there are).

 

[Earp]

One of my favorite movies despite the average plot. Every frame of this movie is like a painting. It perfectly captured the look and feeling of a 1930's or 1940's science fiction, "Amazing Stories" magazine cover kind of look. I watch it just for the nostalgic, art deco, serials of my youth, beauty of it. (I was an art major in college. Kerry Conran captured the look and feel of a genre.)

I wish they would make a sequel with a better story and a different lead actress. Reminded me of a bigger budget version of the old serials I love so much like "Undersea Kingdom", "The Phantom Empire", the Flash Gordon Serials with Buster Crabb, and the Max Fleischer "Superman" cartoons. Big fun for a big kid.

 

[dhermann1]

Well, the thing that bugged me about the P-40 splashing into the drink was that I could believe it of the plane dove to just above the water, flattened out for a moment to dissipate the momentum, THEN dipped into the water and retracted it wings. It was the impact that made too ridiculous for me. I suppose it's a subjective issue where we suspend our disbelief. For a movie like this, it should be at the door.

 

[The Wolf]

The only problem I had with it was refering twice to World War One in 1939. I would rather they said the Great War or at least the World War.

Sincerely,
The Wolf

 

[Jerekson]

Ah, I remember watching this in the theatre...

Like many others here, I only saw it that one time.

It was a fun movie. It was one of those kind of films where everything is unrealistic and impossible...but it's not stupid enough that you walk away. Something just keeps you watching it.

Kind of like the 1980's Superman movies...

Now I'm wanting to watch it again

 

[Fletch]

Not much acting going on outside of the villians, and that mostly of the "over-" variety.

New York in "1940" looked like a video game, with obvious computer generated newspapers.

"Polly Perkins"? C'mon. This ain't Dick Tracy.

 

[jake_fink]

Not much acting going on outside of the villians, and that mostly of the "over-" variety.

New York in "1940" looked like a video game, with obvious computer generated newspapers.

"Polly Perkins"? C'mon. This ain't Dick Tracy.

Villains? There were villains in Sky Captain? Wasn't the whole thing just a shaggy dog story with an out-take of Laurence Olivier "acting" at the end as the "villain"?

 

[Absinthe_1900]

Well, the thing that bugged me about the P-40 splashing into the drink was that I could believe it of the plane dove to just above the water, flattened out for a moment to dissipate the momentum, THEN dipped into the water and retracted it wings. It was the impact that made too ridiculous for me. I suppose it's a subjective issue where we suspend our disbelief. For a movie like this, it should be at the door.

I would have preferred they used a fantasy design along the lines of the Crimson Skies type fantasy aircraft, Or the old Bill Barnes series, rather than a P-40. (Personally I'm tired of shark mouthed P-40's)


http://home.att.net/~dannysoar5/temp.htm

 

[John in Covina]

Cool Ray gun, that was just perfect and the robot with octopus tentical arms was great.

 

[Starius]

Cool Ray gun, that was just perfect and the robot with octopus tentical arms was great.

Yeah, that whole aspect of the film was very Max Fleischer Superman-esque.

Video: Superman - The Mechanical Monsters

 

[Senator Jack]

Finally sat through (sort of) this rather unwatchable flick. Thought the most intersting thing about it was this:

This actress was shot during a robbery after she taunted the gunman with 'What are you going to do, shoot us?'

I had to rewind Sky Captain when I heard Polly Perkins say, 'What are you going to do, shoot me?'

The girl thought she was smart by imitating a character. What a dope. Now dead. Interesting footnote to the picture. I googled the quote, but no one else seems to have put the two together.

REgards,

Senator Jack

 

[Dr Doran]

If I find it cheap I'll pick it up just to have it in my retro-future collection. I liked the visuals when I saw it but neither the story nor the acting grabbed me. I usually like Jude Law -- loved him in Gattaca (speaking of retro-future!) and in Talented Mr. Ripley and he almost made A.I. endurable. In my ever, ever, ever so humble opinion.

 

[zeus36]

I watched the flick in the theaters around three or four times (I have alot of free time) and bought the DVD last month for $4.99 at a used record shop in Santa Barbara.

I hope they produce some similar films in the 30's/40's SCI FI vein.

CGI seems to be picking up. Sin City and The 300 come to mind.

 

[Edward]

The only problem I had with it was refering twice to World War One in 1939. I would rather they said the Great War or at least the World War.

Sincerely,
The Wolf

When did the 'World War Two' terminology start to be used? By 1940, it was in full swing (remember, the US was somewhat late to the party.... ), but I don't know when exactly it came to be known as WW2. If fairly early, is it plausible that SC (wasn't the character English? It's been three years since I last watched it) might have referred to it as WW2 if Brits typically did by 1940, which might logically lead to the WW1 nomenclature. It does seem a little out of place, though.