# Semi-obligatory "Sky Captain" Thread
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [September 14, 2004, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434 "2004-09-14T15:56:03Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2004, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/1 "2004-09-14T15:56:03Z")
The retro sci-fi film _Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow_, with Jude Law and (the fetching but frequently annoying) Gwyneth Paltrow is due out this week. Apparently, the film takes place in an alternate 1930’s world filled with alien robots, art deco skyscrapers, sky pirates in snazzy propeller-powered fighters, and airborne Zeppelin battleships. The buzz seems to be that this is going to one of the most spectacular effects films of all time. I can’t vouch for that until I’ve seen the thing, but upon viewing one of the promos the other night, it looks visually to be a combination of _Metropolis_ and one of my favorite games, [_Crimson Skies_](http://www.microsoft.com/games/crimsonskies/).
I plan to see it this weekend. I’m excited. Yours comments welcome.
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### Author:  [@Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightwatch_Trailer)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2004, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/2 "2004-09-14T16:08:34Z")
This is about the only movie I’ve been excited about this year. Hopefully I’ll have time to see it soon after it’s released. Jude Law is one of my favorite actors, and the whole vibe of the movie, judging from the previews, looks original enough to be worth a ticket. SKY CAPTAIN!
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### Author:  [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2004, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/3 "2004-09-14T16:23:41Z")
The visual style most reminds me of the wonderful Max Fleischer Superman animated shorts from the 40s, particularly [these](http://www.scifilm.org/tv/superman/superman-bulleteers.html) [episodes](http://www.scifilm.org/tv/superman/superman-mechmonsters.html).
I also saw an extended sequence at the local ComicCon, and thought it was terrific.
Can’t wait.
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### Author:  [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2004, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/4 "2004-09-14T17:27:51Z")
I’m very much looking forward to this one. And next week is “Shaun of the Dead” (assuming it’s playing near here). It’s a good month for movies.
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### Author:  [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2004, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/5 "2004-09-14T17:41:38Z")
This movie looks quite interesting, and such, I’m going to be very pissed if it turned out to suck. I love the whole neo-retro(as well as neo-victorian/neo-gothic) sub-genre and this looks like it could be a shining example of it.
I thought those flying robots looked familar, **Archiveguy**.
_Wants to live in an alternate Future where Zepplins rule the skies_
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### Author:  [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2004, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/6 "2004-09-14T17:50:52Z")
Angelina Jolie in a fascist uniform is at least a quarter of the movie’s appeal to me and that doesn’t speak well of my expectations, I think.
I’ll most likely wait until it hits the second-run theatres to bother watching it… it just doesn’t looke worth the $10 but considering its scope and scale, I would imagine that it needs to be seen on a theatre screen to get its full effect
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### Author:  [@Kilt-wearin\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilt-wearin_man)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2004, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/7 "2004-09-14T17:51:31Z")
Yes, I’m practically foaming at the mouth with anticipation…
The best way I’ve been able to describe it to those who are thus far oblivious is “It’s set in 1939, but it’s 1939 as Jules Verne might have imagined it and the plot is straight out of the old adventure serials from the '30s. It has a mad scientist sending giant robots to attack New York, and a secret Flying Legion is the only defense!”
Man, it’s gonna be cool…and so many people just aren’t going to “get” it.
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### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2004, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/8 "2004-09-14T18:01:20Z")
> [@Aesiron](#):
>
> Angelina Jolie in a fascist uniform is at least a quarter of the movie’s appeal to me and that doesn’t speak well of my expectations, I think.
Biiiiig deal.
You think _everybody_ in uniform looks like a Fascist.
You think the _postman_ looks like a Fascist.
You think the _waitresses_ at the International House Of Pancakes look like Fascists.
I’d guess you’d think that the carhops at Sonic looked like Fascists.
Except the carhops at Sonic use rollerskates.
**Aesiron** –Fascists _don’t wear_ rollerskates.
😉😛😃
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### Author:  [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2004, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/9 "2004-09-14T18:15:52Z")
There was a old thread, but couldn’t find it (didn’t go back far enough?)
I’m looking forward to it. I was looking forward to it when it was going to be a summer movie. It is definietly a different movie with a distinct visual style (but was Tron and Dick Tracy). I think KWM’s point is valid. How you feel about the movie is going to depend on if you “get” it. From this review [http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=18352](http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=18352)
> [@](#):
>
> Frankly, there will be some people who just won’t get SKY CAPTAIN. The retro look will turn them off, and the movie’s total lack of pretension and cynicism may throw them
Rotten Tomatoes is currently at 86% (6 fresh, 1 rotten). Also, Ebert likes it (a lot), Roeper didn’t (but Roeper was one of very few reviewers who didn’t like LOTR:FOTR so I don’t pay much attention to him)
Brian
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### Author:  [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2004, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/10 "2004-09-14T18:23:58Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#):
>
> Biiiiig deal.
>
> You think _everybody_ in uniform looks like a Fascist.
> You think the _postman_ looks like a Fascist.
> You think the _waitresses_ at the International House Of Pancakes look like Fascists.
>
> I’d guess you’d think that the carhops at Sonic looked like Fascists.
> Except the carhops at Sonic use rollerskates.
>
> **Aesiron** –Fascists _don’t wear_ rollerskates.
> 😉😛😃
Uh, what? I can’t say I get the reference(s?).
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### Author:  [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2004, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/11 "2004-09-14T18:35:15Z")
When I first saw a trailer for this movie, I thought to myself,
“Sweet, it’s like Crimson Skies, the movie!”
Although I think I’d like an actual Crimson Skies movie better. Maybe if this is successful, we will see a revival of this genre. I really do love the 1930’s-esque sci-fi, where it’s high-tech low-tech (Zeplins? Prop places? COOL! I wish we had stuff like that now!)
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### Author:  [@BraheSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BraheSilver)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2004, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/12 "2004-09-14T18:58:17Z")
I loved Crimson Skies for the PC. I never played the XBox version, which came out a few years later and is not the same game. I have a liking for 30s-era skiffy serials, all art deco robots and buzzing airplanes. The Rocketeer did that to me too, and I was younger then.
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### Author:  [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2004, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/13 "2004-09-14T19:45:47Z")
> [@HPL](#):
>
> _Wants to live in an alternate Future where Zepplins rule the skies_
Ooh! Oooh! Me, too! Me, too!
Well, the ads on TV look great. I sure hope I haven’t gotten my expectations up too high as a result …
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### Author:  [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2004, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/14 "2004-09-14T20:06:18Z")
Regardless of my personal feelings regarding this movie’s watchability (I’m interested, but not overly so), I have felt from the beginning that all the elements are in place to make this the bomb of the year: strange title, unfamiliar story territory, and lack of blockbuster stars (sorry, I do like Law, Paltrow and Jolie very much, but none of them can ‘open’ a movie on name recognition alone, I think). If this movie was a stock, I’d sell it short.
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### Author:  [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2004, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/15 "2004-09-14T21:45:32Z")
I don’t go to movies. I think almost all movies suck. After seeing the trailer for this, I knew it would suck, but it generated enough interest to think to myself, “If I went to movies, I might go see this one”.
But I won’t and I’m sure it will suck. I just have a soft spot for the Curtiss P-40.
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### Author:  [@TitoBenito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TitoBenito)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2004, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/16 "2004-09-14T21:58:28Z")
> [@Rufus Xavier](#):
>
> If this movie was a stock, I’d sell it short.
It is at [www.hsx.com](http://www.hsx.com).
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### Author:  [@Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightwatch_Trailer)
#### Post date: [September 15, 2004, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/17 "2004-09-15T03:07:23Z")
[Here’s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=258835&highlight=captain+jude) the old thread. I notice my posts in each were almost exactly the same. :o
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### Author:  [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)
#### Post date: [September 15, 2004, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/18 "2004-09-15T03:55:07Z")
Aw, crap, didn’t see that one. Shoulda searched first, I guess.
Oh,well, this is the…post-release thread, or least it will be by Friday. Yeah, that’s the ticket.
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### Author:  [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)
#### Post date: [September 15, 2004, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/19 "2004-09-15T12:02:50Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#):
>
> Apparently, the film takes place in an alternate 1930’s world filled with alien robots, art deco skyscrapers, sky pirates in snazzy propeller-powered fighters, and airborne Zeppelin battleships. …it looks visually to be a combination of _Metropolis_ and…_Crimson Skies_.
So, basically it’s _Tailspin_ …with Robots!
…and without the furry appeal…
So it’s win-win for me!
😃
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### Author:  [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)
#### Post date: [September 15, 2004, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/20 "2004-09-15T13:14:47Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#):
>
> **Aesiron** –Fascists _don’t wear_ rollerskates.
> 😉😛😃
Also
Charlie don’t surf!
Anyway,
I’ve seen the film.
But since I work for the company that is releasing it I’m not going to review it befor it opens because I don’t want to use the board to promote the film.
Anyway, I would recomend seeing King Kong\* again as it is heavily referenced in Sky Captian.
\*As far as I’m concerned there is only one version of King Kong and it’s in black and white.
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