"The Rocketeer" is one of those hidden gem classics that never really got the recognition or audience that it deserved. Even though it earned a $20,000,000 profit (as in PROFIT, after subtracting the budget...not just total ticket sales), it fell far short of the blockbuster that Disney had hoped it would be. Sequels were cancelled, and the studio quickly lost interest in the movie that it had once fervently supported.
After a few poor quality transfer VHS and DVD releases, Disney has finally polished off a high-def Blu-ray release that is worthy of this highly enjoyable film, starring the ageless Billy Campbell...
the hissable Timothy Dalton...
...and the sweetly romantic duo of Jennifer Connelly & Billy Campbell. The Blu-ray transfer is absolutely pristine, capturing all of the gorgeous period colors and details that make "The Rocketeer" so evocative of the late 1930's.
On the flip side, this 20th Anniversary Edition is baffling...the only extra is a theatrical trailer. Are you kidding me?
Sadly, this is probably the last hurrah for this film on home video. I doubt that fans will ever be able to expect much else to be done to celebrate this little gem.
See more Daveland Rocketeer photos at my main website.
The Rockawho?! I do love this movie - saw it fairly recently (not Blu-Ray though) and still thought it was great. It is tantalizing to imagine what the sequels might have been like. I also love the "Los Angeles in the 1940's" backdrop of the film!
ReplyDeleteI have a great memory of this movie: Before the movie came out, my friend and I had gone to Disneyland. It turns out that Bill Campbell & Jennifer Connelly were there filming for a Disney special. I was lucky enough to meet them and Bill Campbell was so nice and gave us autographs. I promptly went to see the movie after it came out. Great movie!
ReplyDeleteHey Dave,
ReplyDeleteI LOVE THIS FILM!
I remember seeing it at the El Capitan in 1991!
It was the the perfect film to reopened the theater!
The pre show was simple and just what it needed... it didn't try to outshine the film it just added to the experience of the great movie house!Check out the pre show from 1991... I found it on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=121KwiDMvIo
thanks for sharing this!