film american period superhero film produced directed starring film based character created comic book artist writer set los_angeles california tells story stunt pilot cliff discovers rocket powered jet pack enables fly aircraft heroic deeds soon attract attention fbi hunting missing jet pack nazi development started far stevens sold film rights considered directing signed creative differences disney caused film development hell studio intended change trademark helmet design disney ceo wanted straight nasa type helmet convinced studio convince disney let cast unknown actor lead role filming lasted september january visual effects sequences created designed supervised animation director film released june received generally favorable reviews critics plans sequels abandoned film failed perform box office new efforts remake new announcements plot los_angeles gang steal rocket pack escape find airfield hide rocket pack ending auto airplane accident escaping police hot pursuit stunt pilot totaled accident airplane mechanic later find rocket pack hidden plane cockpit known actor hired valentine gang steal rocket pack sends monstrous tiny ron question injured driver tells rocket pack airfield cliff aspiring actress girlfriend bit latest film set cliff attempting tell rocket pack invites dinner afterward local air cliff uses rocket pack newly designed face hiding helmet rescue friend plane having seen press audience valentine media sensation sends home find rocket pack fbi arrives cliff escape steals detailed drawn later airfield cliff trapped valentine learn date actor involvement hunt rocket pack patrons bullet rocket fuel tank temporarily patches cliff home discovers nazi secret agent knocks later detained forced leave message cliff bring rocket pack exchange life arrested fbi taken cliff hides rocket pack hughes reveals rocket pack prototype similar nazi scientists unsuccessful developing asks interest rocket pack hughes shows propaganda film depicting flying soldiers invading united_states nazi flag white_house hughes demands return rocket pack cliff explains needs rescue escapes inadvertently leaving clue headed cliff flies rendezvous demands cliff rocket pack cliff actor nazi spy valentine turns weapon summons heavily armed hidden observatory nazi rigid appears overhead evacuate fbi agents suddenly announce presence having secretly surrounded area join forces battle nazis escape dragging aboard cliff flies boards ensuing showdown accidentally sets bridge fire gun takes rocket pack save saying miss hollywood proves ironic statement cliff removed makeshift patch tank leaking fuel catches fire fire follows trail rocket pack fuel tank catches fire causing death near sign resulting explosion destroys land sign flames explodes cliff rescued moment hughes flying hughes later presents cliff brand new bee air fresh pack hughes leaves returns rocket pack found home decides modifications build better cast appearing main roles screen credits identified production development comic book writer artist created immediately viewed character ideal protagonist film adaptation purchased film rights stevens far original concept rights reverted stevens stevens gave writers free option rights stevens liked ideas heartfelt tributes 1930s right dialogue atmosphere people approach characters paul saw pre war stevens began consider making low budget film shot black white funded independent investors plan film complete homage serial films use cast largely associated character actors year trio approached direct write eventually dropped low budget idea dear kept comic book basic plot intact include hollywood setting climactic battle nazi cliff girlfriend avoid comparisons stevens original inspiration changing betty profession nude model hollywood extra change film family friendly dear proceeded transform climax submarine stevens dear began pitch major film studios turned long batman similar stevens explained days studio interested expensive comic book movie got years early good eventually accepted believed film potential appeal merchandising set released studio label stevens dear signed contract permit trilogy films disney studio chairman switched film release according stevens immediately betty adult went right tried property sell toys wanted end day initially disney executives wanted set film contemporary times concern period piece appeal large audience argued success trilogy proved enjoy adventure film set 1930s studio finally agreed submitted seven page film treatment disney studio script endless series revisions years disney fired times explained disney felt needed different approach script meant bringing scripts thrown brought found studio constant screenplay frustrating process executives like previously dialogue months later scenes thrown years ago point said significant revisions script years cliff romance believable avoid cliché aspects stereotype distress numerous project delays forced dear drop director fan comic book immediately offered services director found disney owned film rights quickly hired pre production started major rewrite disney finally characterization inspired movie star image popularized unauthorized fabricated biography actor asserted things nazi spy film like movie star known work roles secretly nazi spy biography refuted late 1980s image closet nazi remained current process writing writing script real life characterization casting casting lead role struggle filmmakers disney executive studio staff writers audition actors considered role proved unavailable auditioned disney favorite choice commented came close getting lead turned role filmmakers forced continue search decision cast cliff caused mixed emotions disney executives director creator believed campbell perfect role disney wanted list actor eventually convinced disney campbell familiar comic book got quickly read addition books aviation prepared listening 1940s period music actor fear flying overcame help film aerial coordinator ensure safety campbell doubled flying sequences conventional aircraft ultimately scale model devised rocket pack scenes female lead cliff girlfriend considered eventually cast working relationship eventually led romantic found technique method acting helped screen chemistry sidekick hoped play bridges turned cast offered accepted role lastly written mind turned went paul remaining cast members included quinn agent creator cameo german test pilot killed nazis version rocket explodes takeoff sequence filming principal photography lasted september january filming took place november film ended going days schedule weather mechanical problems creator allied director production manager effort heavily involved production process possible try secure artistic control disney disney particular enthusiastic stevens involvement set day night stevens reflected pre production till post production initially fight prove benefit film ego original production budget set million rose million happened disney impressed realized bigger movie anticipating explained approved got completely control abandoned world war runway santa maria california airport set scene fictional additional scenes shot air circus scene extras vintage aircraft employed aerial coordinator remarked interview makes unique having kind planes hadn flown years including standard bee model sequence cliff rescues adapted shot shot stevens comic book design stevens gave film production designer art directors entire reference library pertaining time period including building photos drawings uniforms air circus staff contacts locating vintage aircraft stevens remembers literally took reference built sets disney originally intended change trademark helmet design completely president wanted straight nasa type helmet director threatened quit production disney relented creating number prototype designs ultimately rejected filmmakers stevens asked week produce good helmet design proceeded work sculptor knew cast film main stunt man head ideas help sketches produced helmet filmmakers agreed looked appropriate angles respects identical helmet design stevens comics series designed inspired prosthetic makeup designs character portrayed visual effects visual effects designed created framed founder serving supervisor director previously worked art director model maker film directing career took insistence realistic flying led cliff model filmed stop motion animation coupled manipulated hand motion create motion effects advantage air circus sequence combination live action stop motion animation employed attack nazi filmed near flags magic mountain amusement park california months pick ups remaining visual effects footage took place headquarters hamilton air force base constructed scale model photographed paintings resembled los_angeles purposes explosion special effect cost soundtrack music composed conducted soundtrack received positive reviews mentioned film stronger elements soundtrack released features nearly hour music tracks score vocal tracks performed actress singer songs arranged billy collaborated times past release marketing promote disney tie endorsements mars extensive product line followed computer games toys posters trading cards patches buttons shirts children clothing licensed coincide film opening studio spent million advertising television special documentary titled excitement air broadcast june month young adult novelization written published similar novelization younger readers published premiere seat june premiere place years restoration project disney working home media released home video market laserdisc vhs beta formats earned additional million movie soundtrack compiled produced released audio cassette variants released region dvd august special features included later dvd release laserdisc included original theatrical trailer blu ray disc released december 20th anniversary edition reception box office released united_states june earning million opening weekend theaters film opened prince thieves dying young eventually grossed million box office making disappointment outside canada film released attempt attract teenage audience reach north_america disney tag seen turned people assumed film children addition original poster changed failed draw attention cast including current james_bond new poster designed feature prominently film failed britain grossing million weeks screens new campaign designed british promotional campaign film way theaters stylized movie poster critical response film received mixed average reviews critics based reviews collected rotten_tomatoes critics enjoyed average score roger_ebert enjoyed film noting film 1930s 1950s cited visual effects state art described direct rockets flash gordon ones hidden inside pulled wires mountains wrote film captures look innocence saturday takes time going fun villain patterned rolling_stone_magazine gave positive review best films summer kind movie magic don anymore continued kind bullying disbelief internet reviewer commented perfect excellent example adapt comic book screen new_york_times gave mixed review called adventure saga attractive stars elaborate nice production values needs personality believed setting story filmmakers interested production design visual effects instead storyline inspiration finally feels flat writing washington_post felt film concerned family chicago reader believed editing storyline balanced felt ripped elements future cited casting decision character actors practical thing good explained increasingly mechanical creator acknowledged satisfied film highly praised direction overall spirit sweetness series intact stevens remembers lost good character stuff editing time tone trying project comic pages thought joe casting choices excellent credit joe fill cast bunch beverly_hills type kids stevens found good looking guy happens cliff cast based good looks came audition nailed shut accolades nominated hugo award best dramatic presentation saturn award best science fiction film lost categories judgment day costume designer won saturn award best costumes best supporting actress supervisor best special effects received nominations sequels beginning process making creator envisioned entry trilogy disney particular hoped film carry vein similar franchise campbell contracted sequels campbell film disappointing box office performance plans sequel halted july unfortunately movie didn money disney hoped campbell reflected january interview mtv_news coupled relationship director studio contributed considering calls sequel remain films genre movie built cult following united_states japan major toy manufacturer issued versions action figures replica helmets based film original comics demand movie memorabilia continues ready audience addition work film led hired years later direct period superhero film captain america disney reported developing remake saw series creator talked directing film announcements
The Rocketeer (film)