Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow

serutan writes "Tuesday night I attended a sneak preview of Kerry Conran's groundbreaking film, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow , courtesy of the Science Fiction Museum in Seattle. I was completely blown away. Below is my brief review of the movie and the event. No spoilers, if you have seen any of the clips available on the web." Read on for the rest.

Set in a mythic version of the late 1930s, this movie is a stunning tribute to classic sci-fi serials, comics and pulp magazines of that era. Starting with a reporter investigating the disappearances of top scientists, the story quickly becomes a nearly constant barrage of giant robots, aeroships, submarine planes, ray guns and retro technology on a grand scale. The plot, which hurtles across maps of the world Indiana Jones style, definitely take a back seat to the effects. The character interactions are all predictable. But all of that is consistent with the genre, and for me it didn't get in the way of enjoying the hell out of this movie.

What sets this film apart from others is that every scene was shot against a blue screen. Except for some hand props and the actors themselves, the whole thing was computer generated. We've certainly seen plenty of CG, going all the way back to "The Last Starfighter" in the 80s, but I've never seen anything done so stylishly or so well. Perhaps the hazy, murky look is perfectly suited to both the 1930s atmosphere and the current state of the art of CG. It works.

The packed screening was followed by a Q&A with director Conran, who turned out to be an impressively low-key, likable guy. He started working on the film about 10 years ago with a blue screen in his living room, wondering whether he could create an entire movie in his Mac. The first 6 minutes took him 2 years. Initially he made an animated version, which actors later used as a guide as they mimed their way through the live version. When Paramount got involved they insisted on big-name actors, so the theatrical release is actually version 3. Hopefully all three will make it onto the eventual DVD. Conran mentioned that for his next project he wants to tackle Edgar Rice Burroughs' epic John Carter series.

The presenter, a filmmaking friend of Conran's, closed the screening with a joke about Pete Townshend meeting Eric Clapton in a London bar and commiserating about some new kid named Hendrix, "who's gonna kick our asses." He imagined that Spielberg and Lucas might soon be having a similar conversation somewhere in California. I have to agree that it seems like a distinct possibility.

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Thanks to serutan for this review!

First intirely blue screen movie was..

[MrPrefect]

called The Immortal you can find it on the net, pretty wierd but shot intirely infront of a blue screen

check this out

[Anonymous Coward]

... if you like the look of this movie also look at Sin City [imdb.com], directed by RR (Desperado, Spy Kids fame). It is also filmed all against a green screen like Sky Captain. Initial screenings have people drooling. Sky Captain looks good, but I think Sin City will own all when it comes to the style... go RR!

Re:Can't wait to see this!

[bpland]

The clip has been up on apple.com for almost 3 months. Have a look if you want

http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/skycaptain andtheworldoftomorrow/ [apple.com]

View the trailers

[nemski]

If you haven't seen the commercials or trailers, take a look here . . . http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/skycaptain andtheworldoftomorrow/ [apple.com]

Wired Magazine Article

[Standmic]

Wired ran an article about Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow [wired.com] several months ago.

Re:Crimson Skies

[kisrael]

I doubt it's an aborted Crimson Skies license, knowing what we do about the movie's background.

I think it's just a captivating idea...WW2 plans always seems to be one of the "coolest" eras, not quite as primitive and "knights of the air" as WWI, but not so electronic and jet powered as Korea and beyond. Making a retrofuture of it might just be a natural fit.

Crimson Skies actually played a lot like Wing Commander and Wing Commander 2...a LOT of gameplay parallels. And WC was indeed modeled on WW2 type stuff as well, so it all fits together.

They finished it? Finally!

[Animats]

This was supposed to ship last June. Originally, Conran was trying to do the whole job with his own people in Canoga Park. The project was in deep trouble by last winter, and they were frantically outsourcing work to the usual effects houses (ILM, Pixel Liberation Front (hi!), Ring of Fire, etc.) ILM makes about half of their money bailing out productions in trouble.

(Incidentally, this is why working with Hollywood is such a pain. Either you're in development hell, and there's no money, or you're in production, and and there's no time.)

"Sky Captain" does look a bit too much like Crimson Skies. Microsoft has a line of Crimson Skies pulp fiction novels. [crimsonskiesuniverse.com] that seem designed to be movies. Dreamworks optioned movie rights for Crimson Skies back in 2001, but didn't use the option.

Re:check this out

[Anonymous Coward]

she was in the James Cameron TV show Dark Angel. She's pretty hot but I doubt she's ever done anything nude, which is why there are so many fakes of her.

The cast for the movie is incredible. There aren't many people NOT in this movie...

and she's not really "staring" in it in the conventional way. Sin City is a collection of stories based off of Frank Miller's comic books. She stars in one of the segments, if I understand correctly.

Re:The coolest part of this movie is...

[Lord_Dweomer]

Thank you for pointing it out, I was about to until I read your post.

Although I had originally been under the impression that he took pictures of the actors, and added them to the movie that way. Oh well, still just as cool.

If you ever want to see a cool CG anime done ENTIRELY by one man and voiced by himself and his wife, check out Hoshi No Koe (Voice of the Stars), and he recently did another one but I forget the name.

Tom Strong, modern and postmodern.

[Scrameustache]

I'm a tremendous fan of pulp era Science Fiction

Then you should rather enjoy the adventures ofTom Strong [leguy.de], from America's Best Comics. Very good pulp.

I have a strong feeling that this movie is based more on the modern steampunk and Sons of Ether (a la White Wolf's Mage) genre. A modern retake on an era

There is a vocabulary used to discuss and analyse art, and by extension science fiction, that uses the words "modern" and "postmodern" that you might or might not be aware of.
I don't want to go into a lenghty explanation of the differences, but basically, postmodern sci-fi is darker and recycles elements of past stories.

Yes, "modern" means "contemporary", but art gave it another meaning:

modern artistic or literary philosophy and practice; especially : a self-conscious break with the past and a search for new forms of expression

And by opposition:

Main Entry: postmodern

Pronunciation: "pOs(t)-'mä-d&rn, ÷-'mä-d(&-)r&n
Function: adjective
: of, relating to, or being any of several movements (as in art, architecture, or literature) that are reactions against the philosophy and practices of modern movements and are typically marked by revival of traditional elements and techniques

The fun with sky captain is that it looks like its got the retro modern feel to it: A sense of adventure and wonder, as opposed to the post modern weariness (post as in after that era of "modernism" ... using the word "modern" to refer to the past can be confusing, I know).

So Sky Captain and Tom Strong are both postmodern, but they seek to reanimate the feel of their inspiration's modern attitude (the "gee whiz" feeling of the newness of things that are now retro to us).

see for yourself

[circletimessquare]

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2004/09/02/arts/2 0040905_TOPC_SLIDESHOW_1.html [nytimes.com]

1. SKETCHING IT OUT

As in traditional filmmaking, hand-drawn storyboards are used to guide the composition of a shot. This one was created in April 2002 as production began at a warehouse studio in Van Nuys, Calif. Look out, Polly, there's one behind you!

2. FLESHING IT OUT
The next step was this computer-animated version of the storyboard, called an animatic. Animatics serve as a rough draft for the animators, but they're also useful to the actors. With no set or robotic invaders to orient her, Gwyneth Paltrow could get a sense of the scene from the animatic.

3. GET ME PALTROW
Ms. Paltrow, costumed in Polly's slouchy hat and girl-reporter coat, acted the scene in front of a blue screen. The colored points of light behind her are "trackers," used to position her within the frame. She and the other actors were shot on high-definition digital film.

4. GET ME BUILDINGS
The animators combined photographs of actual New York City structures with computer-generated elements to create the streetscape, leaving space for the robot legs. The marquee features a little in-joke: "Wuthering Heights," another Olivier film -- one he made while alive.

5. GET ME ROBOT
The giant robots, inspired by both the Bauhaus aesthetic and early D.C. Comics, typify the movie's retro look. First the drawings were embellished with color, shadowing and other detail. Then a finishing process known as rendering gave them their photographic realism.

6. NEARLY THERE
The animators combined Ms. Paltrow and the computer elements in a composited black-and-white frame. Although the film is in color, it was initially conceived for black-and-white, and this step allowed the animators to approach the frame as a composition of light and shadow.

7. PUTTING IT TOGETHER
Drawing from the color in the live-action and animated components, the animators tinted the sequence, using a process similar to the one used to colorize old movies. Each scene in the film was given a distinct palette. For this, the filmmakers chose a muted, almost monochromatic scheme, to evoke the dark urban mood.

Re:the Sci-Fi museum

[ObligatoryUserName]

Strange, I just visted last weekend and was a little disappointed. The spherical video displays were cool, and some of the original cg work was passable (though, it seemed somewhat inappropriate since it looked lower-quality than the movies being represented). However clever some of the looping videos (including a big screen display of numerious famous ficitonal starships all passing within close proximity to each other)these aren't really good reasons to go to a museum-- all those things could have just as well been presented online.

The real reason to visit a museum for the artifacts, and on this level they sometimes impressed and sometimes were lacking. A number of items were not authentic props- there were replica lightsabers, a replica R2-D2, a reproduced Terminator - and these sometimes made the displays seem a little incomplete. On the other hand, they have lots of Star Trek originals: Patrick Stewart's Borg accessories, a couple dozen phazors, tricorders, Captain Kirk's chair. They had a lot of scripts and original manuscripts, as well as model spaceships... Actually, my disappointment might just be bitterness at the gift shop lingering - I just wanted something with a logo on it, and everything was wildly overpriced, I think the cheapest pen was $10... oh yeah, that and the wording on the back of the ticket rubbed me the wrong way, I believe it starts "This ticket is a revokable license..." - I shit you not.

Meh, I'd still go again, but if you're planning a trip, keep your expectations in check. I'm sure that as the years go on it will only improve.

As a more on-topic aside, the Sky Captain movie reminds me of my friend's comic that he's been working on for the past year or so. It's more of a traditional pulp thing, but what I've seen [that he hasn't posted yet] seems pretty cool (he just finally put up the first installment recently - I believe he'll be updating weekly): Captain Spectre and the Lightning Legion [captainspectre.com].

Re:How about a plot too?

[dinsdale3]

The Matrix and Spiderman were the the only two decent movies in recent times that have had good CG and a decent plot.

Lord of the Rings?

Angelina

[serutan]

The commercials overemphasize her role. She is actually only in it for about 15 minutes. Don't let it drive you away.

Princess of Mars, A (2006)

[kulakovich]

Princess of Mars, A (2006) [imdb.com]

Announced, and in production as of March 2004, my friends!

And to start the rumors flying like a Sky Captain, I heard they are looking at Rena Sofer.

kulakovich

Re:Quick Question

[cpt kangarooski]

Yes, that's how Jules Verne wrote him.

At one point in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Nemo declares himself to be a native of India, who has lost his family and his homeland.

He shows up again in The Mysterious Island, and although there are inconsistancies between the two books, we get a lot more information about him:

Captain Nemo was an Indian, the Prince Dakkar, son of a rajah of the then independent territory of Bundelkund. His father sent him, when ten years of age, to Europe, in order that he might receive an education in all respects complete, and in the hopes that by his talents and knowledge he might one day take a leading part in raising his long degraded and heathen country to a level with the nations of Europe.

From the age of ten years to that of thirty Prince Dakkar, endowed by Nature with her richest gifts of intellect, accumulated knowledge of every kind, and in science, literature, and art his researches were extensive and profound.

He traveled over the whole of Europe. His rank and fortune caused him to be everywhere sought after; but the pleasures of the world had for him no attractions. Though young and possessed of every personal advantage, he was ever grave--somber even--devoured by an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, and cherishing in the recesses of his heart the hope that he might become a great and powerful ruler of a free and enlightened people.

Still, for long the love of science triumphed over all other feelings. He became an artist deeply impressed by the marvels of art, a philosopher to whom no one of the higher sciences was unknown, a statesman versed in the policy of European courts. To the eyes of those who observed him superficially he might have passed for one of those cosmopolitans, curious of knowledge, but disdaining action; one of those opulent travelers, haughty and cynical, who move incessantly from place to place, and are of no country.

The history of Captain Nemo has, in fact, been published under the title of "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea." Here, therefore, will apply the observation already made as to the adventures of Ayrton with regard to the discrepancy of dates. Readers should therefore refer to the note already published on this point.

This artist, this philosopher, this man was, however, still cherishing the hope instilled into him from his earliest days.

Prince Dakkar returned to Bundelkund in the year 1849. He married a noble Indian lady, who was imbued with an ambition not less ardent than that by which he was inspired. Two children were born to them, whom they tenderly loved. But domestic happiness did not prevent him from seeking to carry out the object at which he aimed. He waited an opportunity. At length, as he vainly fancied, it presented itself.

Instigated by princes equally ambitious and less sagacious and more unscrupulous than he was, the people of India were persuaded that they might successfully rise against their English rulers, who had brought them out of a state of anarchy and constant warfare and misery, and had established peace and prosperity in their country. Their ignorance and gross superstition made them the facile tools of their designing chiefs.

In 1857 the great sepoy revolt broke out. Prince Dakkar, under the belief that he should thereby have the opportunity of attaining the object of his long-cherished ambition, was easily drawn into it. He forthwith devoted his talents and wealth to the service of this cause. He aided it in person; he fought in the front ranks; he risked his life equally with the humblest of the wretched and misguided fanatics; he was ten times wounded in twenty engagements, seeking death but finding it not, but at length the sanguinary rebels were utterly defeated, and the atrocious mutiny was brought to an end.

Never before had the British power in India been exposed to such danger, and if, as they had hoped, the sepoys had received assistance from without, the influence and su

Re:Where's Katz?

[kgp]

Looks like he's writing about dogs now (wasn't he always? rimshot). He's obviously on a roll he's onto his second book:

• A Dog Year: Twelve Months, Four Dogs, and Me [amazon.com]
• The Dogs of Bedlam Farm : An Adventure with Sixteen Sheep, Three Dogs, Two Donkeys, and Me [amazon.com]

You can read an interview [workingdogweb.com] with John.

Perhaps dealing with real dogs is easier than dealing with the Dogs of Slashdot.

Re:My Impressions from the Commercials

[kimota]

If you haven't seen "The Rocketeer," it may be as close to the pulps as you can hope for (well, there's always "Raiders of the Lost Ark"). Relatively non-campy in a way that "The Shadow" "Doc Savage," and "The Phantom" weren't (although the Phantom was played fairly straight, too, IIRC). If you *have* seen it, see it again--I can guarantee that it's been too long since you've gazed upon the beauteous Jennifer Connelly!

--Kimota, who is almost as excited about seeing "Sky Captain" as he was at 13, when seeing trailers for Raiders....

Give me a break!

[objekt]

The source material in Sky Captain is mostly old movie serials from over 50 years ago, NOT SOME STUPID VIDEO GAME OR DISNEY CARTOON FROM THE LAST TEN YEARS!

Now if you were talking about the Fleischer Brothers' Superman Cartoon, MECHANICAL MONSTERS, from the '40s, then you'd be onto something.

Re:THEFT!

[objekt]

It's not true that this is now the main theme.
From the FAQ on imdb http://imdb.com/title/tt0346156/board/nest/1150995 3?d=11510088#11510088
1) Why is the STARGATE theme in the teaser trailer? Why did they steal the music from Stargate? Will this movie have an original soundtrack?

Because the trailer editor thought it envoked the right mood, and the Paramount marketing people didn't say, no and it wasn't too expensive to license. Its been used in other trailers, and there are Star Gate Freaks all over the internet freaking out on this for some reason.

The score is one of the last parts of a film to be developed. A teaser trailer usually has to be released well before the composer has been able to do much work, if any.

Music from Stargate has been used in the following trailers:

Dragonheart (1995) - Theatrical Trailer
Independence Day (1996) - Theatrical Trailer
Jumanji (1995) - Theatrical Trailer
Lost in Space (1998) - Theatrical Trailer
The Man in the Iron Mask (1998) - Theatrical Trailer
Mighty Joe Young (1998) - Theatrical Trailer
The Mummy (1999) - Theatrical Trailer
Volcano (1997) - Theatrical Trailer
Warriors of Virtue (1997) - Theatrical Trailer
Waterworld (1995) - Theatrical Trailer
Mission to Mars (2000) - TV Trailer
Titan A.E. (2000) - TV Trailer
Dungeons & Dragons (2000) - Theatrical Trailer
Deep Rising (1998) - TV Trailer
The Time Machine (2002) - Theatrical Trailer
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002) - TV Trailer
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004) - Teaser Trailer

The music is from the original Stargate movie, and was adapted for Stargate SG-1.
It also features music from "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within". (It's the music from Aki's dream sequence)

They did not "steal" this music. It's called "licensing"
The second trailer doesn't use the Stargate music.

Yes, the movie will use original music composed by Ed Shearmur.
It's getting rave reviews, and will be released Sept 7, 2004.
You can listen to it here
RealPlayer format: http://demand1.stream.aol.com/ramgen/aol/us/aolmus ic/artists/sony/various/skycaptainsoundtrack/vario us_skycaptainsoundtrack_lp.rm
or
http://mp.aol.c om/audio.main.adp?mxid=1153566

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It may interest you to know that the Stargate movie "stole" the music for its own trailer :)

from http://www.soundtrack.net/trailers/?cid=S&id=5 91

Stargate (1994)
"Rhythm of the Heat" - Peter Gabriel
Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) - Wojciech Kilar

Angelina's small part, preview showing

[adpowers]

Exactly. From the few trailers for the movie I have seen, and the prominent placing they gave her name in the opening credits, I figured she would have a much larger part. The director mentioned she was only on the set filming for three days... hardly a major role.

BTW, I went to the same preview showing you did (which was fun (and no previews!)). I had read about this movie a while ago (can no longer find the article online) and I thought it was an awesome premise and it was neat how the guy started it on his computer in his apartment before being picked up by the big boys. This is one of the few movies I actually looked forward to seeing and kept an eye on.

One more thing to note, in one comment, someone mentioned that the studio demanded they bet bigger actors for the movie. I think the director said it was the other way around. They showed it to Jude Law, who got Paltrow involved, and then the studios took note. At least, that is what I thought he said.

Andrew

PS: Damn the Cinerama for no longer offering free refills on popcorn!