Home Video Exclusives

[JohnIan101]

Past Tense


[An earlier version of this PT was originally posted on September 15th, 2011 on JoBlo's "DVD, Blu-Ray & Home Theater Discussion" forum.]

This week we battle giant robots and villainy in "Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow"...



The motion picture opened on September 17th, 2004. It was made with a budget of $40,000,000 (estimated) and grossed over $37 million during its U.S. theatrical run; counting foreign receipts it made $$57,958,696. The film opened at number one, the following week it dropped to number two.

The feature opened against "Resident Evil: Apocalypse", "Napoleon Dynamite", "The Princess Diaries 2" and "Without A Paddle".

This was case only, no slipcover issued, nor insert (booklet/chapter listing/advertisement).

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Best Buy had an exclusive promotional DVD; heralding the yet to be release (theatrical) feature.

This was the second time the store had this type of promo; somewhat common now. The first was for "Hellboy" in March of 2004 (should note, that was the first by ANY store).

It came in a printed cardboard sleeve. The run time is 13:17 minutes, not including the game (computer based; Mac & PC), "The Flying Legion Air Combat Challenge". Also came with behind-the-scenes making-of promo along with the film's teaser and trailer.

It was made available on September 5th, 2004 with any media purchase. Do recall getting this without having to purchase, free. Some times it pays to just ask.

The flap of the cardboard sleeve is a $5.00 off coupon (expired December 24th, 2004) for "Paycheck" (2003), "The Talented Mr. Ripley" (1999), "Laura Croft: Tomb Raider" (2001), "Laura Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle Of Life" (2003), "Escape From L.A." (1996), "Mission: Impossible" (1996), "Mission: Impossible 2" (2000), "The Sum Of All Fears" (2002), "Ghost In The Darkness" (1996) and "The Saint" (1997) DVDs.



On street, January 25th, 2005; Best Buy offered two free music downloads from Napster. It sold for $16.99. Fifty copies per store had the offer.

Did not buy it here.

I should - so many may not know.

There was a time when Best Buy had a series of computer kiosks lined up in two rows just for music downloads. You could buy your MP3s from them - using Napster (then was legal). And they would burn your music on CD-Rs for you to take home.

That is so... nonsensical. But they did AND failed. This was next to their DVD/CDs isles.

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Wal-Mart had their own on that date; a bonus disc. This sold for $14.97. The DVD came in a CD envelope inside the case; single featurette, "Anatomy Of A Virtual Scene" and three trailers for the movie.

Unlike so many later store exclusives, this was available for both Widescreen and Full Screen editions (later bonuses in the mid '00 - only accompanied Full Screen). The run time is 12:40 minutes.

Bought my copy here; have since moved my collection into a three disc case with the Best Buy sleeve inside.

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Rant.

Did I stand on the shore and watched you as you drowned?

- Assemblage 23

Boy, so many folks dislike it. So hard to suspend disbelief? A lack of imagination?

Would give a synopsis, but I'm not. Go see it.

Anyhow, saw this at my local theater.

The story is decent, enjoyed it - part of my library. One of the complaints at the time is the lack of motivation of the villain. Why is Dr. Totenkopf doing this?

Look, they're making a big deal out of nothing.

The bad guy's reason is quite James Bond-ish. Such in the company of Hugo Drax (Michael Lonsdale from "Moonraker" [1979]) or Karl Stromberg (Curd Jürgens from "The Spy Who Loved Me" [1977]) who came to the same conclusion, whether you choose to agree is your prerogative.

The world is heading towards oblivion with our unabated march; stripping the world apart and destroying nature around us. Totenkopf was trying to push a reset button with the human race taken out of the picture. Allowing the animals to reclaim the planet; his modern/retro Noah's Ark rocket.

Let me take a step back, I need to address this. Frack!

This bugs me - lack of perspective. The film is a throwback, the old sci-fi stories found in pulps of the 1920s and '30s. From the pages of magazines such as "Weird Tales", "Amazing Stories", "Fantastic Adventures" and "Astounding Science-Fiction" to name a few. And an homage to serials of the time.

These were called pulps since they were published on the cheapest pulp paper.

I suppose there are audiences who can not sit though old films or old looking movies.



The machines and robots shown, while wildly unpractical were well established on the artwork in those mags. Long tentacle armed automatons doing impossible things, such as walking.

This was the norm in that era, the stuff of diabolical ingenuity, sci-fi continuity.

And it should be treated as such, accepted. But I kept reading; viewers who were so hung up on physicality. 'Planes don't have flapping wings!' 'Sky Captain's P-40, the canopy didn't look watertight.' *deep sigh* Why is your scope so damn limited?

Another moan; how the screen was out of focus, which was done deliberately, surreal effect. I recall a comment from another message board who said it looked like a long feminine hygiene commercial. *shakes head*

Did not fit their motion picture visual pallet - sad.



Of all the bitching, this one is legitimate. Should not have happened - a false promise.

I am of talking about Commander Francesca "Franky" Cook, played by Angelina Jolie. In all the advertising and trailers it showcased her involvement.

One major problem - her character is a bit role, a step above cameo.

All and all, Jolie has roughly three and a half minutes of screen time out of a 107 minutes feature. Bad Paramount, bad Paramount. *hits with rolled up newspaper*



I do have a problem; it's not with the CGI, nor cast (which is a big thing, I usually HATE Gwyneth Paltrow). There appears to be a missing subplot that is so casually mentioned - Dex Dearborn (Giovanni Ribisi) escape on Totenkopf's island.

He gets kidnapped by one of the machines - taken to the remote isle. Our heroes Sky "Joe" (Jude Law) and reporter, sometime girlfriend, Polly Perkins (Paltrow) travel to the secret local to rescue and stop the doctor (a CGI, Sir Laurence Olivier; actor who died fifteen years earlier).

Joe gets into a life threatening situation and is saved by an escaped Dex with two of the missing scientists. Huh? How did they escape? Not explained. But it is mentioned that other kidnapped scientists didn't make it.

What happened???

Fine.



Another grievance, beyond the soft focus was how fake everything looked. You mean it looks like an old timey comic book? The film was shot in a blue screen with effect added later. In this case, it works. "Sky Captain" is NOT real life nor a portrait of it. Why is that hard to grasp?

The director, Kerry Conran wanted this to be a black and white movie. But his request was nixed, same with presenting the film as such on DVD. The only time (as far as I can recall) that happened was for "The Mist" (2007), director Frank Darabont got his request. The special edition DVD set has the movie as he intended in black and white as a bonus.

*deep sigh* Then there is group of folks who believe that Joe and Dex have a gay relationship going.

WTF!?!

With all the negativity its no wonder why it bombed. So bad, not even a porno parody.

Am I the only one who noticed a large similarity between film's score by Edward Shearmur and the Brain May's soundtrack to the 1986 low budget, Indiana Jones rip-off, "Sky Pirates"? The main theme in particular. By the way, that plane stunt by Tom Cruise for "Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation" (2015); "Sky Pirates" did it first.

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Easter Egg.

Hidden on the disc is a short; "Secret Behind The Scenes Look At The Animation Department".

Special Features -> More -> highlight "The Original Six Minute Short", press left; highlight "Extra" - ENTER.

And there you go. Another PT comes is done. Come back here on September 17th, 2015 for a live action cartoon filled with foul language and tons violence. Quite sway.

One last thing. How many noticed the 'King Kong" (1933) references?

1) When the giant robots attack New York; as Sky Captain is fighting them - in the background Kong is climbing up the Empire State building, a blink and miss it moment.

2) The underwater battle with the robot sentry. As they dodge the torpedoes, there's a quick shot of a sunken ship and huge cage on its deck... opened, metal stretched. The name of the ship is "The Venture".

3) The log scene where Joe and Polly get across.

See you back here on September 17th, 2015 for a dose of poison!