How SKY CAPTAIN Saw Hollywood's Future -- And Got Left Behind

[AndyDursin]

I went looking for information on the guys who made SKY CAPTAIN & THE WORLD OF TOMORROW, particularly as I've warmed to it over the years and plan on showing it to Theo.

I found this wonderful, 2015 long article that was in the Telegraph -- it's a fascinating, and also heartbreaking, look at guys who truly did not work in, or understand, the Hollywood system, and who were entirely disposed of after the film opened. They made a movie that was a landmark for cinema, saw them get flown out to Skywalker Ranch for a meeting with Lucas, Zemeckis, etc., presaged all of today's modern moviemaking with green screen shooting, laid the groundwork for countless Hollywood studio products that followed, but did it in more of a handcrafted, low-budget way that was meant to show "anyone could make a movie" (SKY CAPTAIN's own budget spiraled out of control for reasons its creators did not understand as they did not see the budget trickle down to their actual work).

The film ended up underperforming and the director, literally, has never been heard from again



This article dives into all of it -- and while it's depressing from the obvious angle of the filmmaker who made it, it's even sadder that his entire intention of showing how technology could be used as a tool for filmmakers to be able to run with their imaginations with low budgets went nowhere.

All the computers in the world haven't brought budgets down -- they've kept them sky high and not learned a thing from the technology, relied on it too often and not raised the artistry along with it.

SKY CAPTAIN isn't a classic but I've grown to like the film. I like the matte-painting like use of the green screen and its Art Deco approach, the spirit of the movie, even Ed Shearmur's score -- it's a shame they were never able to make another film. The closest they came was working on JOHN CARTER at Paramount before it went into turnaround and ended up being made as a disaster at Disney several years later. Here's their presentation reel --

[BobaMike]

Great article- I remember reading it back when it came out, but you're right, ever more so today did that film predict the future of film.

I saw Sky Captain opening day in the theater- I really enjoyed it. It hit all my buttons- 1930's adventure, art deco design, cool SFX, a nice score, actors who seem to be enjoying themselves, and a plot that I can't really predict what will be shown next.

Unfortunately, there are few people who enjoy those kinds of movies, hence they are almost always a failure- see The Phantom, The Shadow, The Rocketeer, etc.

[Eric Paddon]

I saw it too at the time and thought it was a nice film. I loved some of the inside homages to other projects I could spot at various instances and it nicely evoked 30s Art Deco comic book adventure without seeming over the top.

[Paul MacLean]

Great article.

Seems to me Conran was a victim of opportunists, and naive about the Hollywood system -- but perhaps also not proactive enough.

I don't know how he can retain his sanity working lower-level duties on other peoples' pictures. Had I made a feature I'd at least be trying to get work directing TV, or ads, or at least music videos. If nothing else he could get a good job teaching directing and film production -- especially considering Sky Captain was an influential game-changer.

I also think it is awful that so many of those people who seized upon Conran's ideas and "wined and dined" him have not tried to help him, considering how much a debt they owe to his work.

But the sad reality is the entertainment business has a different set of rules -- and even "nice people" in the business can be opportunistic and step on other people, because "that's showbiz".

[AndyDursin]

Shout releasing a much-needed 4K this May:

https://www.amazon.com/Sky-Captain-and- ... s_li_ss_tl

[Monterey Jack]

Great article- I remember reading it back when it came out, but you're right, ever more so today did that film predict the future of film.

It's sadly ironic that, at the time (early-mid 2000s), movies like Sky Captain, Sin City and the Star Wars Prequels were viewed as tech-head novelties, but now you see three dozen movies like this every single year, movies shot largely or entirely inside of a Georgia warehouse. At least those early experiments had a bold stylization to them that made them interesting to watch, whereas the greenscreen-fests of today are done because the filmmakers are too cheap and lazy to go film something outside.