Sky Captain and The World of Tomorrow

[Dixon Cannon]

Hey, I loved that flick! Did you notice the B-24 Liberators at the airport scene?

-dixon cannon

 

[Edward]

I remember reading somewhere a suggestion that Sky Captain's goggles were out of place, supposedly as he wouldn't have needed them in a closed fighter-cockpit (as opposed to an open plane). But weren't they issued to all WW2 RAF pilots? Surely (whether the guys on the ground.... er... so to speak favoured them or not) in times of warfare, or even on a peacetime budget, the military wouldn't issue something that was totally superfluous? So they must have had some purpose in such a plane?

I wish there had been sequel to this, I'd love to have heard more of Sky Captain's history, particularly his having flown with the AVG in China.

 

[Edward]

Oh... .and I loved his jacket. In a roundabout way, evne though I am now very aware of all the significant differences, it was that jacket that brought me round to the Irvin (havin been put of for years by the 'poodle' appearance of the repros I'd seen at the time). I know it was actually a one-off by, if memory serves, Stella MaCartney, though (again, if memory serves) I think an Aero Bootlegger with a sheepskin lining and facings on the lapels would be very close. And would actually be a very nice jacket in and of itself.....

 

[Silver Dollar]

This is weird. I just watched this DVD last night. I know for a fact that there were tons of historical errors, uniform errors and other such things but I really dug the heck out of it.

On another thread where this movie was just recently mentioned, John of Covina brought up a very interesting point. A lot of people didn't like the movie and for what reason I didn't know before I read his post. When I mentioned that you have to watch this movie like you were a kid, he pointed out that many people couldn't relate to the movie because they were too young to have any connection with it. He mentioned, and I agree with him whole heartedly that the movie had the strong feeling of the old Max Fleischer Superman cartoon series, the Flash Gordon series, the Adventures of Superman series and even a series similar to the Rocketeer. I watched all of those series when I was a kid in the 50's and was glued to the TV set when they were on. Many people never had this opportunity, were given it with this movie. The problem is that they had no reference point to see the similarities to the old series and that's where the movie failed for many people. Also, back then, kids didn't care about historic errors. The good guys wiped up the bad guys and the world was safe for truth and justice. :eusa_clap

 

[John in Covina]

One of the things that does give it latitude as to historical errors is the fact that it is 'Alternate History' so things like the zeppelin being the Hindenburg III and the actual use of the Empire State Building as the docking point are a tease of sorts.

There was the concept of the ESB being used as a zepplein blimp docking point but the winds and updrafts made it not feasable.

 

[Dixon Cannon]

I remember reading somewhere a suggestion that Sky Captain's goggles were out of place, supposedly as he wouldn't have needed them in a closed fighter-cockpit (as opposed to an open plane). But weren't they issued to all WW2 RAF pilots? Surely (whether the guys on the ground.... er... so to speak favoured them or not) in times of warfare, or even on a peacetime budget, the military wouldn't issue something that was totally superfluous? So they must have had some purpose in such a plane?

I wish there had been sequel to this, I'd love to have heard more of Sky Captain's history, particularly his having flown with the AVG in China.

Edward, not that this flick was anything but pure fantasy, but in combat a pilot would pull on his goggles to protect his eyes for flying debris, glass splinters and oil and fuel leaks. All else be wounded, a pilot's eyes are his most important asset. No doubt the Captain learned that in China with the AVG!! lol

-dixon cannon

 

[Doctor Strange]

Re what Silver Dollar said...

Those of us who saw the old Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers, Commando Cody, etc., serials on TV as kids (not to mention Kurosawa's samurai films, Ford's westerns, loads of B pictures, etc.) also have a VERY different relationship to Star Wars than the people who first encountered it as kids. That it's a synthesis of all kinds of older story forms is totally lost on most younger people: to them, Star Wars is seemingly the origin point of all modern fantasy filmmaking, and George Lucas is moviemaking's greatest genius... (Don't get me wrong: he is a genius - but in a limited way, as a synthesizer of old tropes in new ways, not as a creator.)

So I got a lot more enjoyment out of Sky Captain than my kids did. To me, whatever its weaknesses as a movie, it did a great job of nostalgizing its sources. To them, it was just a weird, lame retro fantasy film that made no lasting impression.

 

[JimWagner]

I remember reading somewhere a suggestion that Sky Captain's goggles were out of place, supposedly as he wouldn't have needed them in a closed fighter-cockpit (as opposed to an open plane). But weren't they issued to all WW2 RAF pilots? Surely (whether the guys on the ground.... er... so to speak favoured them or not) in times of warfare, or even on a peacetime budget, the military wouldn't issue something that was totally superfluous? So they must have had some purpose in such a plane?

I believe they had those goggles because if they had to bail out they had to manually open the canopy and jump. No ejector seats yet. It's also eye protection if the canopy shatters, like from taking gun fire or getting hit by pieces of the plane you just shot down.

Modern jet fighter helmets have an integral visor so separate goggles aren't needed.

 

[Silver Dollar]

The goggle question brings up another neat historical fact. When the US services that check out downed Japanese planes were assessing the crashes, they figures out that the Japanese had bad eyesight and always wore glasses because they found evidence of broken glass lenses in each of the crash sites. This led them to believe that the Japanese were blind, inferior pilots. This couldn't have been further from the truth. What they thought were thick corrective glasses were the broken glass lenses from their safety goggles. Their eyesight was good and they were pretty darn good pilots. We're all well aware what kind of damage they were able to inflict.

 

[LocktownDog]

Funny how important safety is on suicide missions.

 

[John in Covina]

It's hits what counts, not misses.
Anything that makes delivery to the target is a plus.

 

[Silver Dollar]

Funny how important safety is on suicide missions.

Yeah, it really does seem ironic. I wonder if the Kamikaze pilots ever used goggles.

 

[Wally_Hood]

I really like this movie a lot and enjoy it for what it is, a comic book that moves.

True, the First World War was called the Great War or the World War, not WWI in as if in anticipation of another war coming soon.

And if I am not mistaken, Sky Captain was said to have flown with the Flying Tigers, but if it's 1939 he couldn't have, because the AVG operated from 1940-1941.

 

[Silver Dollar]

You're close Wally. The AVG members were recruited in mid 1941, trained from then until they had their first mission on 23 Dec 1941. They were actually operational after the Japanese hit Pearl Harbor. They were disbanded in July 1942 when the US started their own operations first with the China Air Task Force of the 10th AF and then with the 14th AF. The Chinese Air Force just didn't need them anymore since the US was fully involved. It would be however a possibility for Sky Captain to have flown for the Chinese Air Force sans Flying tigers in 1939 since China was at war with Japan then. Before the AVG, a number of pilots from a number of different countries flew for the Chinese.

 

[Atomic Age]

I can't remember....when were giant robots introduced? Was that 40 or 41? I'm not sure about the underwater p40 either....

Hmmmmmmmm


Doug

 

[Aristaeus]

The goggle question brings up another neat historical fact. When the US services that check out downed Japanese planes were assessing the crashes, they figures out that the Japanese had bad eyesight and always wore glasses because they found evidence of broken glass lenses in each of the crash sites. This led them to believe that the Japanese were blind, inferior pilots. This couldn't have been further from the truth. What they thought were thick corrective glasses were the broken glass lenses from their safety goggles. Their eyesight was good and they were pretty darn good pilots. We're all well aware what kind of damage they were able to inflict.

What in the world are you talking about?lol

 

[Aristaeus]

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.

That's probably because Americans didn't like the last one you had invited us too, and felt it was a little soon to have another one.

 

[Edward]

That's probably because Americans didn't like the last one you had invited us too, and felt it was a little soon to have another one.

Hey, as I recall you showed up even later the first time around....

Edward, not that this flick was anything but pure fantasy, but in combat a pilot would pull on his goggles to protect his eyes for flying debris, glass splinters and oil and fuel leaks. All else be wounded, a pilot's eyes are his most important asset. No don't the Captain learned that in China with the AVG!! lol

-dixon cannon

I believe they had those goggles because if they had to bail out they had to manually open the canopy and jump. No ejector seats yet. It's also eye protection if the canopy shatters, like from taking gun fire or getting hit by pieces of the plane you just shot down.

Modern jet fighter helmets have an integral visor so separate goggles aren't needed.

Ah! Makes sense, thanks guys

 

[Fletch]

And if I am not mistaken, Sky Captain was said to have flown with the Flying Tigers, but if it's 1939 he couldn't have, because the AVG operated from 1940-1941.

There was obviously some fiddling with the dialog to put in historical references that could reach the average domestic moviegoer. That's not easy to do about 1939, but a little easier with 1941.

As for the British gear - it's just a lot easier to get repros of than the US stuff.

 

[Mahagonny Bill]

I can't remember....when were giant robots introduced? Was that 40 or 41? I'm not sure about the underwater p40 either....

Hmmmmmmmm


Doug

The robots were introduced in '41

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Thankfully Superman was able to stop them in time.

The P40 Submersible was invented in '44 by Doc Savage, but it wasn't ready for production until after the war.