THE ROCKETEER is based on the eponymous comic book set in the late 1930s, following Cliff Secord, a stunt pilot who becomes the unwitting owner of a rocket pack built by Howard Hughes. Though the film was not a huge hit when it released in 1991, its become a cult classic that is rumored for a remake in 2018.
According to comic book author Dave Stevens, they began to pitch the film version in 1986, but no on studio was interested: “This was 1986, long before Batman or Dick Tracy or anything similar. In those days, no studio was interested at all in an expensive comic book movie. We got there about three years too early for our own good!”
The film’s aesthetic is an interesting juxtaposition between high concept special effects and lush period detail to create the atmosphere of the 1930s. Director Joe Johnston had previously won an Oscar for his work on INDIANA JONE: RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, and this film has similar blend of old Hollywood glamour and early 90s action sequences.
Though Johnston was ready for a sequel (the film was originally conceived as a trilogy), that didn’t come to fruition. However, this film might benefit from being a one-off gem that truly captures the imagination and evokes nostalgia for earlier times.
— Diana Martinez, Film Streams Education Director
