The Rocketeer

Howdy do. Today I thought we would hit the way back machine to an adventure with a costumed do-gooder that hides his identity to protect his loved ones, battle the mob and Nazis. No time for love, Dr. Jones. So strap on your pack, grab your helmet and pack a decent 1911. This is The Rocketeer.

I'm just borrowing Commander Cody's gear.

Based on the series created by Dave Stevens (artist for Tarzan Graphic Novels, Storyboards for Super Friends and The Godzilla Power Hour) giving this down on his luck pilot that discovers a rocket pack and proceeds to fight crime and Nazis. Disney bought the rights to this particular 1930s style Pulp Comic in 1985 where it stayed into development until 1991.

Cliff Secord (Bill Campbell of Dynasty, Once and Again, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Menno's Mind, Enough and The 4400) a happy-go-lucky pilot whose pockets are thread bared is trying to woo his aspiring actress girlfriend Jenny (Jennifer Connelly of Phenomena, Labyrinth,Of Love and Shadows, Mulholland Falls) while the FBI are chasing after some Nazi saboteurs making their way with a package, a rocket pack they sneak on the airfield Cliff and his mechanic buddy Peavy (Alan Arkin of Wait Until Dark, Catch-22, The In-Laws, Glengarry Glen Ross, Little Miss Sunshine and Argo)work on.

Peavy and Cliff have dumped all their savings into a plane that crashes and now forced to do a flying circus routine for their penny pinching boss. A buddy of theirs gets behind the stick to assure Cliff doesn't get fired for being out all night testing the rocket pack, but he starts having issues. Peavy and Cliff ready Cliff to go after their buddy.

Terry O' Quinn may go Stepfather on ya, Cliff.

With what appears to be a publicity stunt gets the attention of the mob, the FBI and the Nazis seeing the rocket pack in action. Who is this Rocketeer?

Jenny is all moon eyed over the number three box office actor Neville Sinclair (Timothy Dalton of The Three Princes, The Voyeur, The Executioner, Agatha and Chanel Solitaire) who seems to be more than he appears. Moving behind the shadows, he too expresses an interest in the rocket pack.

With the mob, the G-Men and Goosesteppers on Cliff's heels, he has to come to the conclusion is he doing the right thing? Can he continue as the Rocketeer? How much is getting hurled at him?

With a PG-13 rating, apparently there was a lukewarm vibe from critics due to the lack of explanation that this is based on a spybuster series. Not enough publicity for it in my opinion so the potential to sequels was dropped. Again this was a 35 million budget and yet made 47 million in the box office. So it would appear that a 12 million profit was something to sneer at in 1991.

Mr. Flynn, you've had enough to drink!

A few anachronisms with firearms, the German Walther P38 while created in 1938 didn't really go into production until 1940. The MP40 Submachine Gun also designed in 1938 but not widely used until 1941.

Just some mild nitpicking there. This has heart, explosions, love, action, gunfights and fist fights. Most kids should have enjoyed this with their parents. But what do I know? No kids.

Honesty Jake, where's your Dalton love? Tsk tsk.

Obscure Superhero Week: Condorman

Hey folks, welcome back to Obscure Superheroes Week and I have to be honest, this next title kind of left me perplexed to why I am watching it. Now you know me and I have been up to my waist in some extremely dull, boring or otherwise stupid films ranging from all genre so you can imagine when I saw this title at the request of Rotten Ramblin' On co-host Shawn, I was baffled to why I "need to see it." Then I noticed the author/ Sci-fi novelist that wrote it and it changed my opinion. Robert Sheckley (Escape from Hell Island, The 7^h Victim, The Millions Game, Immortality Inc and Mindswap) became films of Escape from Hell Island, The 10^th Victim, Das Millionspiel, Freejack and Mindswap. With a dark sense of views of the 1950s to a ominous take on the future, Sheckely's books have always entertained me. So let's give this a go. This is Condorman.

William Katt, eat yer heart out!

Straight from Buena Vista distribution (Walt Disney Pictures) opens with a cartoon character rotoscoped (animation technique tracing over footage frame by frame creating action as realistic as possible) into a live-action film surveying Rome. A orchestral intro and chorus singing Condorman and having Goofy sound effects added. Oh yes, this will be dignity and grace.  Possibly a comedy/action hybrid. Woody Wilkins (Michael Crawford of Two Left Feet, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Jokers, How I Won the War, Hello, Dolly! And Once Upon a Forest) works as Condorman's writer and comic book artist thriving to be his own creation attempts to make a flying suit plummets off the Eiffel Tower and into the River Seine while between issues. Cause a writer/penciler has all the free time in the world...with the knocking out 45 pages then penciling each frame,caption and blocking each scene. Yeah I know a bit about the comic art aspect and frankly you would only give cover art from me if I went into the biz.

The Femme Fatale...rowr.

His buddy Harry (James Hampton of F-Troop, The China Syndrome, The Cat from Outer Space, Hangar 18, Teen Wolf, Teen Wolf Too, Sling Blade and Fire from Below) photographer, file clerk for the CIA and best buddy tries to talk Woody off his creative ledge on maybe not do everything your character would do for real...because it is inherently dangerous, stupid and likely to get him killed but Woody is eccentric (ready for the wacko basket) and sees the world in relation to films, TV and comics. You know, passionate nerd. Harry gets an assignment from his boss Russ Devlin (Dana Elcar of Dark Shadows, Guiding Light, Fireball Forward, The Bravos, Ironside, The Sting, 2010: The Year We Make Contact and MacGyver) who needs a civilian courier to exchange documents with a Russian asset at the height of the Cold War and return. Yup, so naturally give it to the goofball comic artist. Good call. Right up there with giving a bulldog a live frag grenade to chew on.

CHEWING THE SCENE!?!  HOW DARE YOU, SIR!?!

Woody is nervous but excited as he gets jumped by agents but manages to beat them off (Sixties term for knock down, you pervs. You disgust me.) and impresses the lovely, curvaceous Natalia (Barbara Carrera of The Island of Dr. Moreau, Centennial, I, the Jury, Lone Wolf McQuade, Never Say Never Again, Dallas, Point of Impact, Night of the Archer and Love Is All There Is) who plans to defect with the help of Woody, she must return to her KGB handler Krokov (Sir Olilver Reed of Dirty Weekend, The Three Musketeers, Ten Little Indians, The New Spartans, Lion of the Desert, Castaway and Gladiator) a shouty, scene chewing, bear of a man wanting to know more of this Condorman, does he work with the CIA and what his overall objectives are. Possibly his name, quest and favorite color. Woody is conned into moving with Natalia's defection and as "Condorman" Woody makes the CIA crack open their piggy bank for a suit, offensive weapons, maybe a couple of vehicles... hell might as well have a lair too.  Hmm the Aviary? The Roost??  Will Woody Wax...philosophically??? Will Natalia Defect??? Will Oliver Reed play the hell out of his role??

It's campy, slapstick and wholesome, all the while having car chases, gunfights, boat chases and some decent choreographed fights. Purest in true 1980s comedy down to prat falls, observational gags and a nutty guy doing well with the girl in a PG film and knocking off at a hour and 30 minutes, you have to hail a lot of these stunts and practical effects. Shot in Monaco, Paris and Switzerland, this is where the Disney money comes into play and didn't take the course of two years *cough Speilberg and composer Henry Mancini (Peter Gunn, Breakfast at Tiffany's, The Pink Panther, Hatari!, Remington Steele and Newhart) taking out all the stops, this flick is another post Richard Donner Superman feel giving it fun for all ages. I may actually have to thank Shawn for this recommendation...maybe.

BIIIiiIIIIIiIIIIIIRDMAN!!!!