How The Rocketeer Took Elements From Real History

In which we ask the biggest question everybody always asks about The Rocketeer. You know the one.

The Rocketeer. Maybe you’ve seen it. Maybe you haven’t. If you’re of a particular generation, particularly of an age that had their brains absolutely melted by Tim Burton’s Batman movie in 1989 (which we have an episode on the way about), then The Rocketeer was one of a slate of summer movies that hoped to replicate the runaway success of Batman. For some folks, it sure did. For others…notably the general ticket buying public, it fell a little short.

But The Rocketeer is a truly wonderful movie that has accumulated a deserved cult following over the years. Its central concept is simple enough: stunt pilot Cliff Secord accidentally stumbles on to a prototype rocket pack being developed for possible military use. The only problem is that Nazi spies want to get their hands on it. All poor Cliff wants to do is impress his girlfriend. Adventure (and hijinx) ensue on schedule.

Full of spectacular practical effects flight sequences, The Rocketeer, like the Indiana Jones or Star Wars franchises before it, is a wonderful homage to the movie serials of the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. Part of its appeal is the simplicity of that “solo flight via jetpack” concept, and it’s one that has a fair amount of basis in real history and science! So join us as we take a deeper look at The Rocketeer to determine if Cliff, well…you know!

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SUGGESTED VIEWING 

Folks, if you haven’t seen The Rocketeer, do yourself a favor. It’s available on Disney+ and it’s a delightful, nostalgic, family-friendly, action-packed romp that is a little similar in tone to the Indiana Jones franchise. No sequels or big franchises here, but that’s part of the charm.

However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t cool Rocketeer-adjacent stuff for you to check out! Joe Johnston is an underrated director and we’d humbly recommend Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (hmmm…a potential future Does it Fly? episode, perhaps?), Jumanji, The Wolfman (a terrific horror movie that’s due for re-evaluation), and Captain America: The First Avenger.

But for those looking to dig even deeper, the Rocketeer concept was inspired by the movie serials of the 1930s, ‘40s, and early ‘50s, specifically Republic Pictures’ excellent King of the Rocket Men (1949), Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe (1952), and Zombies of the Stratosphere (1953). Movie serials might be tough for modern audiences to digest, but all three of these feature terrific stunts and outstanding wire and model work to simulate flight, and it’s very clear how they influenced the creation of the Rocketeer character and the style of the movie. 

FURTHER READING 

Do you want to delve a little deeper into the facts, concepts, and stories Hakeem and Tamara referenced in today’s episode? Of course you do! 

Hero of Alexandria

While this also sounds like a movie title, it isn’t. Check out a breakdown of his accomplishments, some of which were years, even centuries, ahead of their time.

Rocket Concepts in 1861?!?

Hakeem is referring to the work of Reverend William Leitch, who wrote an essay called A Journey Through Space which correctly predicted a number of spaceflight principles. Again, we’re talking about 1861. You can read that essay in full here.

The Bell Rocket Belt

100 years after Reverend Leitch, someone did actually build a working prototype of something called a Rocket Belt. Lots more info on that, as well as some remarkable photographs, can be found here. The Nazis had been working on a concept during World War II, as well.

Newton’s Laws of Motion

You ain’t flying without adhering to these rules, which are thankfully broken down in easy-to-understand language right here.

Erroll Flynn Did a Lot of Things, But Not THAT

Adventure movie leading man Erroll Flynn lived, well, let’s just say he lived an interesting life. But one thing he wasn’t? A Nazi spy. We suspect that urban legend began with a particular biographer, and some details on that are here.

The Practical Effects of The Rocketeer

The interview Tamara references with Rocketeer’s VFX artist Tom St. Amand can be found here, and it’s every bit as fascinating as she says!

WANT MORE FROM DOES IT FLY?

Want more retro adventures with a Does it Fly? twist? We dove into an infamous scene from the Indiana Jones movies here.

Transformers One is nowl in theaters, and you might be surprised at the scientific discussion we had around it!

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