Creating a new world in ‘Sky Captain’(WARNING:It STINKS)

Associated Press ^ | Associated Press

[BenLurkin]

“Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow” is full of visions of the dark, soaring New York cityscape, dogfights in the sky and the majestic Himalayan mountains. But what was the movie set like for the actors? A whole lotta blue. That’s because “Sky Captain,” despite its grandiose appearance, was filmed entirely against a blue screen with digital effects filled in. Though real actors star in it, almost everything else is fake. Think “Roger Rabbit” in reverse. While computer generated imagery has for years been a large presence in movies, “Sky Captain” is the first major motion picture made entirely digitally with living, breathing actors. Only what they touch is tangible. The movie, opening nationwide Friday, is set in a late 1930s New York beset by hundred-foot tall robots. Soon reporter Polly Perkins (Gwyneth Paltrow) along with ex-beau Sky Captain (Jude Law) set off on a journey to stop a mad scientist’s plot to destroy the world.

[Ichneumon]

The one thing I did get an unintended giggle out of in the film was when, more than once, the characters referred to "World War One" -- in 1939, before World War Two. Needless to say, no one called that war by a number until the second one had come along. Until then, it was just either "The Great War", or "The World War".

I think it was intentional, though, so as not to confuse the modern audience, even if it was an anachronism within the film.

[Nowhere Man]

Not so much alternate history as alternate reality. But that can have an appeal as well.

As for the P-40, you may enjoy seeing it turn into a submarine.

True, who knows how things would have developed if history was a little different or a lot different. I know one of the worlds in "GURPS: Alternate Earths" (GURPS = General Unified (or Universal)Role Playing System - a role playing game (RPG)) has a world that resembles "Sky Captain" where Nikola Tesla succeeded in "broadcast power" and a lot of people have "flying machines." It is called "Gernsback World" because of the Art Deco and the general layout of the world resembles the world Hugo Gernsback novels were set in.

[Nowhere Man]

Do you read Harry Turtledove??

Yeah, I have read "Guns of the South" and "The Two Georges." One interesting thing in "Georges...." is the detective found a book in the pro American Revolution cell (the American Revolution failed but there has been a resurgence in the 1990's) that had a book where a free United States had to help save Britain and Europe from a brutal German dictator in a terrible war. The detective thought it was pure fantasy, the German States were still broken up in their history. I'd like to read his "World at War" series.

[Phsstpok]

If you like the serials then you probably also like the pulps from the 20s and 30s. Have you ever read any of the Edgar Rice Burrough's John Carter of Mars series? Well, Harry Knowles is involved in the production of a movie version of one, A Princess Of Mars and dribbles out bits and pieces as they progress on his web site, Ain't It Cool News.

Robert Rodriguez (Spy Kids, From Dusk Till Dawn, Desperado) was going to direct, but bailed for another project. Now Kerry Conran, the director of Sky Captain, has picked up the directors duties. He obviously understands and loves the genre and his special effects techniques (which I understand he had a huge hand in developing) lend themselves perfectly to a movie like this.

A bit of Homer Simpson: Ummmmmm, Deja Thoris

[xkaydet65]

Be interested to see that. Haven't read Burroughs since college. Also read some Sax Rohmer Fu Man Chu back then. You know bin Laden always has reminded me a lot of Rohmer's Fu Man Chu.

[Tijeras_Slim]

I want to see this... when I was a kid I read all the DOc Savage books available (1-about 84) and love that retro-sci-fi stuff.

[Mr. K]

They could film 2 hours of Angelina Jolie sitting on a couch and I would go see it.

[weegee]

1930s style with zepplins and airplanes? I don't think it replace this film as a classic:

[weegee]

The one thing I did get an unintended giggle out of in the film was when, more than once, the characters referred to "World War One" -- in 1939, before World War Two. Needless to say, no one called that war by a number until the second one had come along. Until then, it was just either "The Great War", or "The World War".

Maybe the screenwriter wrote the SeeBS forged memos.

[Fedora]

Burroughs and Rohmer are two of the most entertaining writers I've read. No one could combine sf/fantasy and action like Burroughs, with the possible exception of Robert E. Howard. A few years ago I was actually thinking of writing a screenplay adaptation of John Carter but I didn't follow through on it; I'm glad to see someone else is picking it up. I'd love to see someone redo the Fu Manchu series, too--the old Boris Karloff and Christopher Lee movie adaptations were fun. I guess there was a radio adaptation, too:

Horror Radio Program MP3 Archive CDs: The Shadow of Fu Manchu

[BenLurkin]

Yes, this is my review of the film.

It is as "objective" as any movie review can be.

I thought it stunk (for the reasons stated).

You disagree, I understand.

[BenLurkin]

A film version of "A Princess of Mars" is a GREAT idea!

Here's hoping it is cast appropriately and gets a decent treatment.

[BenLurkin]

You'll like this movie. Jolie gets to strut.

[jrherreid]

Notice that the bad guy was Laurence Olivier? They used footage from an old movie that he was in.

[monkey]

Why do they use a blue screen (as opposed to some other color)?

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

There was another movie that featured the "futuristic world of 1980" that was made in 1929. It was set in New Work City and people flew around in autogyros (like helicopters) although the future world seemed to be dominated by beaurcrats. I believe the story was about a man who was frozen in 1930 and woke up to the new world 50 years later.

The movie ( sci-fi musical!) was "Just Imagine", starring Swedish dialect comic El Brendle. I've seen it a couple of times - very cool visually, but El Brendle will have you wishing for Dr. Kevorkian to end your suffering.

Yes, I really do need to get a life!

[Richard Kimball]

Here's another story on his early attempts to create the movie. Pretty interesting stuff.

[BenLurkin]

Great link. Thanks!

The technical aspect IS impressive and the film was itself was quite attractive stylistically.

[BenLurkin]

Post #37 has an excellent link on the topic.

[Junior]

My wife and I caught the "World War I" anachronism, too. Another anachronism, and I chalk this up to an oversight on the part of the "set" designers was the lack of transoms above the doors. Back before the widespread use of air conditioning, just about all buildings had high ceilings and transoms.