# Semi-obligatory "Sky Captain" Thread **URL:** \ **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:** 6
**Author:** ![burundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@burundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burundi)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/101 "2004-09-21T15:08:42Z")
Oh, wow! I _love_ this movie. I haven’t had so much fun in a theater in a long time. Beautifully, beautifully done. I thought Gwyneth was fine, but really how could a person pick a plucky girl-reporter over a bad-ass who can command amphibious squadrons?! And she can use a jet-pack! Be still my heart! > [@](#): > > Originally posted by **Johnny Angel** > _This is not a twenty-first century movie set in 1939, it’s a 1939 movie made with 21st century technology…somewhere out there is a fanboy who has been waiting 70 years for somebody to get it right, and with Sky Captain, somebody finally has._ Very astute point. I happen to know that fanboy; he’s my dad. I’m going to take him to see it the first chance I get. I predict that _Sky Captain_ will start off slowly at the box office, but gain momentum as word of mouth spreads, like _Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon_. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/102 "2004-09-21T20:30:58Z")
It was #1 at the box office over the weekend. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/103 "2004-09-21T20:49:24Z")
> [@burundi](#): > > I predict that _Sky Captain_ will start off slowly at the box office, but gain momentum as word of mouth spreads, like _Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon_. CTHD grossed $128 million back in 2000-01, with an opening gross of $8.6 million (693 theaters). It’s widest release was 2,027 theaters. Compare that to SCatWOT’s opening weekend of $15.8 million in 3,170 theaters. That leaves extremely little room for “word of mouth” - the word’s already out there. It won’t crack $90 million. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/104 "2004-09-21T20:51:39Z")
> [@burundi](#): > > amphibious squadrons?! And she can use a jet-pack! Be still my heart! There are Jet(Rocket?) Packs in this movie? I am so there! ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/105 "2004-09-22T01:26:32Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > CTHD grossed $128 million back in 2000-01, with an opening gross of $8.6 million (693 theaters). It’s widest release was 2,027 theaters. > > Compare that to SCatWOT’s opening weekend of $15.8 million in 3,170 theaters. That leaves extremely little room for “word of mouth” - the word’s already out there. It won’t crack $90 million. There’s a huge difference between word of mouth and advertising. Everybody knows an advertiser is praising the film for money, the same generally is not true of your friends and acquaintances. ---
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/106 "2004-09-22T03:59:55Z")
I liked the ray gun a lot. Though I was able to notice a TON of continuity errors, such as When Skycaptain’s base is getting attacked and he is dogfighting the flying machines, his P-40 gets shot up and catches fire. He puts it in ‘underwater mode’ and dives to avoid the flying machines and put out the fire. When he comes back to the surface, not only is the fire out (duh!) but the _bullet holes and scorch marks_ are completely gone! and When Jude Law and Anglena Jolie are getting in their planes to assault Totenkopf’s island, a scene involving Jolie closing her canopy is repeated. I don’t know if this was deliberate or not, but it seemed really obvious that the recycled the shot of her closing the canopy. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/107 "2004-09-22T14:03:34Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#): > > There’s a huge difference between word of mouth and advertising. Everybody knows an advertiser is praising the film for money, the same generally is not true of your friends and acquaintances. It may have time to pick up steam in mid-October, but with Ladder 49, Shark Tale, and Taxi coming out in the next three weeks, it could sink fairly quickly. I predict it will. A $15.8 million opening is extremely small change. Hero’s been out for 4 weeks, and it only pulled in $2.8 million. I think a similar fate is in store for Sky Captain. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/108 "2004-09-22T15:47:28Z")
What I’m curious about: How did they get permission to use the footage of the villain? From his estate? Public domain? ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/109 "2004-09-22T15:52:48Z")
> [@well he's back](#): > > What I’m curious about: How did they get permission to use the footage of the villain? From his estate? Public domain? Well, in the credits, they thank his estate… ---
**Author:** ![Papermache\_Prince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@Papermache\_Prince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Papermache_Prince)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/110 "2004-09-22T15:55:14Z")
If this paragraph from [Animation World Magazine](http://mag.awn.com/index.php?article_no=2221&page=2) is correct, that’s what they did. > [@](#): > > Filmmakers obtained permission from the Olivier estate to use the deceased actor’s likeness in the film. The digital artists used old footage of the actor, whose voice is provided by a yet-to-be-announced actor, to insert him into Sky Captain as a hologram. Just as the [estate of Fred Astaire](http://www.fredastaire.net/biography/postscript.htm) granted permission for his dance with the Dirt Devil vacuum in 1997. ---
**Author:** ![cbawlmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cbawlmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbawlmer)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/111 "2004-09-22T16:55:37Z")
The voice sounded \*\*very \*\* much like Anthony Hopkins’ impression of Olivier, which he also provided for the scenes they reinserted into \*Spartacus \* when they restored in sometime in the last decade. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/112 "2004-09-22T21:27:32Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > It may have time to pick up steam in mid-October, but with Ladder 49, Shark Tale, and Taxi coming out in the next three weeks, it could sink fairly quickly. I predict it will. A $15.8 million opening is extremely small change. Hero’s been out for 4 weeks, and it only pulled in $2.8 million. I think a similar fate is in store for Sky Captain. Just to note: That $2.8 million is for weekend #4. Hero pulled in $18 million the first weekend and is up to $46,565,000. With a lower start, despite being in 1000 more theaters, Sky Captain will be fortunate to pull in that much. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/113 "2004-09-23T01:50:40Z")
Most of the movie seemed to have been filmed in some kind of overexposed, slightly-out-of-focus-O-vision, perhaps to give it a fantasy-like feel. The scenes with closeups of Polly (Gywneth) in them were particularly obvious examples of this. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/114 "2004-09-23T01:53:05Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > I like Gwyneth a lot in some things things (Shakespeare in Love, The Royal Tenenbaums, even Shallow Hal). “Even” Shallow Hal? **_"EVEN"_ Shallow Hal?!?!!!** [_Shallow Hal_ was the greatest movie of this millennium!!](http://home.netcom.com/~rogermw/ShallowHal.html) ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/115 "2004-09-23T02:12:31Z")
So anyone else catch the _Planet of the Apes_ homage? Really enjoyed the movie, BTW. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2004, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/116 "2004-09-26T21:40:37Z")
Saw it last night and loooooooooved it. Sat there the whole time with a big dopey grin on my face. Other than that, got nothing to add that hasn’t been said already. Actually, I think the big dopey grin comment has been made already … 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2004, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/117 "2004-09-26T21:50:35Z")
Hey, twin **twickster** , my sister and I will be seeing it on Wednesday. Would you believe, when I called her about it four days ago she had never heard of it? I guess what my sister said about working too many hours is true. My brother in law filled her in on it and she was intrigued, hence the girls night out Wednesday. So it’s not just fanboys, but old ladies like us that can enjoy a flim like this, huh? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2004, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/118 "2004-09-26T22:20:16Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > My sister and I will be seeing it on Wednesday…So it’s not just fanboys, but old ladies like us that can enjoy a flim like this, huh? Your **other** sister, you mean? 😉 Yeah, definitely – my take on it is, if it seems like something you’d enjoy, you probably will. Go ahead a buy the BIG tub of popcorn… And grok on the groovy visuals and the yumminess of Jude Law. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2004, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/119 "2004-09-26T23:13:52Z")
I just got back from seeing it. Damn, that was sweet. It makes me want to rush out and join the Royal Navy(and I’m not even British). Or I would if they really had jet packs and flying aircraft carriers. Nice homages everywhere, but I missed the “Planet of the Apes one”. Polly annoyed me somewhat, due to her being alternativly master of the obvious and having a death wish in persuit of her art. Polly, there’s no reason to get yourself killed whil taking pictures of the Giant Maruading Robots. Everyone can see them and you can be damn sure every paper in town is going to have roughly the same photos and story tomorrow morning. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2004, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434/120 "2004-09-26T23:30:07Z")
From [boxofficemojo.com](http://boxofficemojo.com). Second weekend estimated gross, $6,735,000, down 56.8%. It’s over. Total gross of $40 million or less. Catwoman territory. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-obligatory-sky-captain-thread/264434.md?page=7)