Blog Archives

An Epic Return for the Rocket Man

While this inquisitive thought was born from almost complete randomness, it does actually make logical sense. Bear with me.

Remember, “The Rocketeer” from 1991?

First of all, could a remake or sequel work after all these years? Second, if so, what if Christopher Nolan directed and wrote it with his team of A-list writers and producers?

This could be his team’s chance to tell the story of a hero as opposed to a deeply conflicted anti-hero. The hero, Cliff Secord, would still have internal dilemmas, but he would fit more with a traditional hero within the Nolan-world of cinema.

“Man of Steel” and “Gravity” took flying in cinema to new some new heights this year with memorable sequences, like when Superman puts his fist to the ground seconds before he blasts up into the sky. Watching him burst through the clouds was an utterly fantastic sight. The realism was sublime. The sequences between these two films alone beg the question of what would “The Rocketeer” look like in this “epic age” of film making?

Christopher Nolan is currently making a film about space travel called, “Interstellar.” Is it too far a stretch to transition from this scenario to filming a man with a flying rocket?

Part of what makes this daydreaming idea so intriguing is knowing how successful the original movie was more than two decades ago, before IMAX and 3D became virtually mainstream tools in the movie industry. Imagine sitting in a movie theater surrounded by a pulsating soundtrack scored by Hans Zimmer that tracks Cliff Secord flying in the biggest aerial playground ever conceived with a powerfully engaging back story, enemies of “Dark Knight”-caliber and perfectly injected, mind-blowing plot twists.

The possibilities…

Christopher Nolan has proven his directorial and storytelling forte and magic for re-imagining a popular franchise with his new, modern take on Batman and Gotham City. He then helped Zack Snyder produce, “Man of Steel.” Both the Batman trilogy and the first of at least a two movie franchise for Superman achieved surreal success at the box office worldwide.

Back on September 5th, Entertainment Weekly’s Grady Smith reported the soaring success of, “Man of Steel,” with a global box office that exceeded $650 million.

Of course, “The Dark Knight” trilogy easily surpassed the billion dollar mark in the global box office.

Simply crazy success.

Again, this is merely a random vision. The reality of this Nolan-Rocketeer partnership happening may be just as impossible as a man flying through the skies with a personalized golden rocket pack…

Still, when listening to songs from the “Dark Knight” and “Man of Steel” soundtracks and then listening to the soundtrack from “The Rocketeer” by James Horner, it’s almost impossible not to dream about the surreal treatment given to Cliff Secord by Hans Zimmer and Christopher Nolan/Syncopy Inc.

Watching a potentially epic partnership on an IMAX screen in a movie theater. Well, I don’t know about you, but that’s already got my attention.

If a sequel or remake to, “The Rocketeer” ever does happen, then hopefully movie theaters will be fully stocked for selling gum.

Beemans anyone?

Happy Monday!

I was recently talked into moving furniture from the first floor to the dreaded second floor of a house. While the house was not located in New York City, the stairway was surprisingly narrow. Actually, the stairway became narrow when helping to carry up a large dresser, an adult-sized mattress and the head board for a bed frame.

One single word came to mind when this was occurring. Just one word.

I’m thinking you can guess what that word was…

I wish you luck in your pivot to the workweek…pivot!

Have a Great Week and Remember Your Sketch!

5 Kinds of Crazy

It would literally be crazy not to watch Robin Williams on prime time television.

No joke.

“The Crazy Ones” provides its crazy lead actor with a fantastic 4-person ensemble of unique, slightly less crazy supporting actors and actresses that continues to build a comedic rapport worthy of a weekly Thursday night visit at 9:00 p.m. on CBS. Not only that, but the show also (shhhh, in a whisper voice) has heart.

Last night’s installment featured the collision of two worlds that are usually not meant to interact with one another: Professional Life and Past High School Awkwardness (George Costanza would have gone berserk!). When announcing her father’s competitors for the “Creative of the Year” award in advertising, Sydney Roberts noticed a familiar name on the list: Josh Hayes. Josh Hayes. This is the name of her high school crush “that got away.”

At a cocktail party devised specifically by and for Sydney to flirt with Josh Hayes with an outfit that instantaneously reminded us male viewers why we fell in love with her during her “Buffy” days, Sydney the advertising partner was reduced to a giddy, fawning schoolgirl.

It was cute.

Despite a fairytale-like kiss and a 7-hour “Bones” marathon with David Boreanaz (a nice “Buffy” shout out), the romance ended as quickly because of betrayal, deceit and a self-promoting blimp in the Chicago skyline.

After all was said and done, the five advertising dreamers sat lonely, yet reassuringly at the Aragon bar. Void of the glory of victory and the promise of a lifelong love affair, the Roberts’ looked at their beverages as being half-full. And that’s precisely when the pulse of the show really started to pick up speed.

In his relentless charm offensive, whether it’s professional, personal or both, Zach took Sydney’s hand and lured her to the dance floor with the musical help of Andrew and weather girl power of Lauren for what can only be described as odd, sweet and, well, just perfect. As her Dad assured her, the man in Sydney’s romantic snow globe is still out there, waiting to dance with her as snow flakes fall gently from the Heavens. Sydney should consider her latest setback as a bad pitch. Luckily, in advertising, there is always another pitch to be made.

Perhaps the real reason why the show is called, “The Crazy Ones” is because it’s not afraid to couple the borderline inappropriate stream of consciousness humor (though it always feels fine when Robin Williams says it, doesn’t it?) with genuine concern for the well-being of its characters. Impressively, all of this is accomplished while maintaining sharp, witty and clever dialogue.

During a time when network television is constantly pushing boundaries of what it considers suitable for audiences, it’s refreshing to immerse oneself into a story that enjoys dancing on the edge with a comedy legend and television star that recognize the necessity for the combination of humor and warm, endearing moments.

A random joke is funny, but it’s only memorable if the person or people telling the joke make us care after it’s said and done.

Kind of crazy, right?

P.S. Always remember to stay tuned for the bloopers…classic Robin Williams!

Happy Halloween!

There are too many quintessential scary/Halloween movies to try to squeeze into watching today. From “Beetlejuice” to “Dracula” to “The Lost Boys” to “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” to “Psycho” to “Rear Window” to “Vampires” to “The Ring” to “The Exorcist” to “The Addams Family” to “Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles” to “Young Frankenstein” to “The Shining” to “Hocus Pocus” to “Halloween” and all its subsequent sequels.

And that’s just to name a few.

All of the films listed above have validity on this day of Trick-or-Treat: October 31st/All Hallows’ Eve. Last year’s post was dedicated to the Disney staple, “Hocus Pocus.” A truly great, fun movie. This year, the focus will be on the complete opposite end of the scary spectrum.

It’s the classic Halloween movie. Literally.

Have a Fun and Scary Halloween!!