Growing up a Disney fan we rarely missed any of their films but back in 1991 we skipped their live-action releases “White Fang,” “Shipwrecked,” and “Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken.” And then I suspect thanks in part to the Disney Channel behind-the-scenes look “The Rocketeer – Excitement in the Air” where lead actor Billy Campbell showed off its special effects and took a brief look at a variety of single person flight vehicles we were very excited about the summertime comic-book hero film, The Rocketeer.
Watching Disney’s The Rocketeer this week I couldn’t believe how much of the cast were not only familiar faces but actors I’ve really enjoyed in other roles of the past 20 years since the film’s theatrical release. I’m still having a tough time wrapping my head around the fact the film’s brash young pilot Cliff Secord was portrayed by Billy Campbell whose portrayal as The 4400’s misguided Messiah figure on USA Network pulled me in to give AMC’s The Killing a try where he portrayed a confounding role as a troubled businessman entering the political arena. And Howard Hughes (who has little screen time and mostly for plot exposition purposes) is played by Terry O’Quinn best known to me as the compelling figure Locke from ABC’s Lost. While stumbling on The Office’s Melora Hardin as the South Seas Club singer was a real treat, I would’ve loved to hear even more of her rendition of “Begin the Beguine.” By the way, am I the only one who wishes you could find a South Seas Club in Walt Disney World’s Dolphin hotel. The Club’s decor of oversized seashells, large tropical vegetation, and giant Dolphin sculpltures, (although they are mammals, not the fish like the hotel) would be a great fit.
And it’s hard not to talk about The Rocketeer without a special mention of the hero’s main theme by James Horner. As a frequent Epcot guest the melody now evokes images of the Fountain of Nations water jets spraying high above Future World but it was fun to hear it again in its orginal context, a reflection of the adventurous spirit of Cliff Secord, a stunt pilot who steps up the plate when circumstances present him the opportunity to be a hero.
Watching the film it was hard to believe it’s been 20 years since Disney first brought comic book hero, The Rocketeer to the big screen. The film’s opening aerial stunts and our hero’s finale struggle to escape an exploding zeppelin are still heart-pounding. Check out this EW interview where Billy Campbell talks briefly of his experiences creating these exciting sequences. I still wish we could’ve seen Cliff Secord and Peevy having more fun with the rocket pack before the trouble starts and the villainous sidekick Lothar continues to feel out of place, just too comic book stylized compared to the rest of the cast and boy did he scare me when I was younger. And I still get a bit lost in the jumble of characters chasing Secord and the jetpack. But I adore Jenny the stunning beauty who is never truly a “damsel in distress” and it’s such fun to watch her involvement with Neville Sinclair evolve over the course of the film. And I think it would be a blast to sit for awhile at Bulldog Cafe.
Overall The Rocketeer is simply a good comic book hero movie, a popcorn film where a guy loves a girl and will defy anyone even the FBI to keep her safe.
Among my favorite moments from The Rocketeer
— Jenny’s line “I finally played a scene with Neville Sinclair.” and then defiantly re-zipping the side of her gown.
— A bit of corporate synergy?? Cliff Secord uses a model of the Spruce Goose to escape. The gigantic plane continues to glide after he releases it, causing Howard Hughes to exclaim, “That SOB will fly” At the time of the film’s release the Walt Disney Company was the operator of the Spruce Goose and Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA.
— Mobster Eddie Valentine (Paul Sorvino) isn’t pleased to discover he’s been working to recover the jetpack for a Nazi spy, “I may not make an honest buck but I’m 100% American.”
— Having recently moved from our long time home in Southern California to a small rural town in Texas, the film’s climactic sequence at Griffith Observatory was a welcome reminder of home.
Review copy was provided. The opinions expressed here are my own. The Rocketeer – Bluray Edition features state-of-the-art digital restoration and enhanced high definition sound. In stores now.