When will we see the Rocketeer on BluRay?

[GeneralFROSTY]

Has anyone heard of any plans for Disney to release the Rocketeer on bluray? If and when they do, I really hope they decide to remaster the film.
I just watched Total Recall on BluRay and it looks like they did nothing to remaster the film and even though its High Def, it looks like grainy garbage.

 

[dualedge]

I figure they've gotta release it eventually. It's doubtful they'll do anything special with it though which is a shame. I know it's been broadcast in HD so I don't know if that means it's already been remastered or what...

 

[EvilRocketeer]

This was brought up recently in an interview with joe johnson

"AICN talks to Joe Johnston about The Wolfman, and about halfway through the article they briefly discuss The Rocketeer. "

"If you don't want to read the whole thing, here's the pertinent section:
Harry: One of the things my readers are desperate to know is when we are going to get an astonishing BluRay version of THE ROCKETEER and I thought about the question before I came and it's so sad that Dave Stevens is now gone, because that's a film that I just dearly love."

Joe Johnston: I do too. Something happened on that film where like all of those big movies, it sort of took on a life of it's own and got a little bit out of control and there were two sequences in there that were sort of, in a way, the heart of the story and we got to a point where the studio said "You cant…" Disney always does draw a pretty firm line at this stuff, they said "We are not going to pay for this."

 

[Hedjii72]

I wonder what those two sequences were?

 

[dualedge]

I wonder what those two sequences were?

Off the top of my head - it's been a while since I read the details and maybe Mike, remembers more clearly... I believe one of them had something to do with Cliff rescuing a woman that was getting mugged. There was another scene that I think was connected to the mugging that involved Cliff landing at some red carpet premiere at the Chinese Theater in Hollywood. I dunno - something like that. I think it was to fit in right before Cliff arrives at the South Seas Club to try and get Jenny away from Neville Sinclair.

I probably have some details wrong but that was at least one of the scenes if not both.

It's such a freaking shame that Dave never did a commentary for the film. I'd really have liked to have heard his thoughts about a lot of things in the movie.

 

[The Stig]

Wait, were these sequences filmed?

 

[EvilRocketeer]

I know some scenes were filmed, but not included in the film. However, I believe the Grauman's Chinese Theater was not filmed due to Disney not wanting to pay for the sequence.

the Grauman's chinese theater scene:

It says, " On his way to the south seas club, the rocketeer rescues a falling man and drops in safely into a crowd at the worlds famous chinese theater. then he executes a loop and lands proudly, feet spread, hands at the side. it's cliff's best landing yet...except that his feet are planted firmly in wet cement! as the gleaming hero takes to the air once again, some-one writes his name in the cement square, and the movie actors nod in agreement, a new star is born".

Also, if you buy the Topps Movie cards, you can see some deleted scenes. There are scenes of that little girl pretending to be the rocketeer.

 

[dualedge]

Wait, were these sequences filmed?

I think they were just in the script and storyboarded except for what Mike just mentioned. If Bob were around he might remember but I don't think he gets on the forum all that often anymore.

It's been a long time since I pulled out my copy of the script. I'll have to dig it out again and take a look. The little girl with the pail on her head would have been great to see in the movie.

 

[Treadwell]

The little girl pretending to be the Rocketeer is in the film, outside the cafe at the end.

 

[EvilRocketeer]

The little girl pretending to be the Rocketeer is in the film, outside the cafe at the end.

Yes, but her sequence was a lot longer than what the filmed showed.

I was hoping the documentery included some deleted scenes, but it didnt show much. The part 1 and Part 3 showed more rocketeer sequences than part 2


Well, here is the Excitement in the Air Documentery on the Rocketeer and Flying. I think this is the closest you will get for extras. Enjoy!!!!!

Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0wLRxCS_zI

Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IrXhxS34L0

Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piMxIIImqqA

 

[Kris]

I hope to see Mary Poppins on Blu-ray first. :$

 

[dualedge]

The little girl pretending to be the Rocketeer is in the film, outside the cafe at the end.

Yeah, there was something else about her or the scene that I vaguely remember from somewhere... I need to rewatch that Excitement in the Air when I get the time, maybe that's what I'm remembering or maybe something from the comic book adaptation.

 

[CTF]

I hope to see Mary Poppins on Blu-ray first. :$

Not before I get Lawrence, sorry!

 

[dualedge]

I'm sure there are films and fans that have gotten shafted but you guys I have no sympathy for :lol

Mary Poppins has had at least a regular dvd released, a 40th Anniversary Edition released and a 45th Anniversary Special Edition released. Lawrence of Arabia has had at least four editions including a 2 disc collectors edition and a superbit edition.

Rocketeer fans have had nothing but a single bare bones dvd and are stuck with it being owned by a company that thinks of it as the red-headed stepchild of their library.

So if you want the sympathy of Rocketeer fans, find something that maybe hasn't had 3 or 4 releases with nice extras yet.

 

[EvilRocketeer]

I second that!

It is sad. I know Dave Stevens and a friend worked on a Dvd Special Edition Package for the Rocketeer's tenth anniversary and Dvd Release, but Disney snub them. Hopefully, Disney still has a copy of it. Maybe they will come to their senses for the 20th anniversary.

I guess we can only dream.

 

[Hedjii72]

I know Dave Stevens and a friend worked on a Dvd Special Edition Package for the Rocketeer's tenth anniversary

Including a commentary?


Really is sad. They don't know what they've got there.

 

[dualedge]

Unfortunately for us fans, what they've got is a movie that'll never produce as much profit as a bunch of straight to DVD Tinkerbell movies. It's a sad, sad truth... :unsure

 

[Zebardee]

Given that Disney has done nothing with the "Rocketeer" since they released the film. Who owns the film rights? Has it reverted back too the owner or is it still in Disney hands?

 

[dualedge]

I don't know. We were discussing that in another thread. As far as I know Disney still has all the film rights. I'm assuming Dave retained rights for publishing comics but of course, he passed on a while back. I have absolutely no clue if he left whatever rights he may have kept to any family or friends after his death.

 

[GeneralFROSTY]

It's such a shame
If I remember correctly, it was Prince of Thieves that stole some of Rocketeer's box office thunder.
Had the Rocketeer not gone up against such competition during its original release, we may have seen a sequel or two.
If there ever is a special edition releaese of the Rocketeer, I hope they use the poster art for the box. The Rocketeer movie poster is one of my favorate movie poster designs of all time - and I display mine proudly in my home.