October Sky (1999)

Director:

Joe Johnston

Writers (WGA):

Homer H. Hickam Jr. (book)
Lewis Colick (screenplay)

Release Date:

19 February 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Family

Tagline:

Sometimes one dream is enough to light up the whole sky.

Plot:

The true story of Homer Hickam, a coal miner's son who was inspired by the first Sputnik launch to take up rocketry against his father's wishes.

Plot Keywords:

Rocket | Science | Teacher | Mining | Sputnik

Awards:

3 wins & 11 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Mon. Jan. 11

2:30 PM

AMC

Cast

Jake Gyllenhaal	...	Homer Hickam
Chris Cooper	...	John Hickam
Laura Dern	...	Miss Riley
Chris Owen	...	Quentin
William Lee Scott	...	Roy Lee
Chad Lindberg	...	O'Dell
Natalie Canerday	...	Elsie Hickam
Scott Miles	...	Jim Hickam
Randy Stripling	...	Leon Bolden
Chris Ellis	...	Principal Turner
Elya Baskin	...	Ike Bykovsky
Courtney Cole-Fendley	...	Dorothy Platt (as Courtney Fendley)
David Dwyer	...	Jake Mosby
Terry Loughlin	...	Mr. Dantzler
Kailie Hollister	...	Valentine Carmina (as Kaili Hollister)

Also Known As:

Rocket Boys (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for language, brief teen sensuality and alcohol use, and for some thematic elements.

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Finland:K-3 (2004) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Canada:14A | France:U | Germany:6 | Hong Kong:II | Mexico:A | New Zealand:PG | Norway:7 | Portugal:M/12 (video premiere) | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Sweden:7 (re-rating) | Sweden:Btl (original rating) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:PG | USA:PG | Finland:K-10 (2000)

Filming Locations:

Fountain City Elementary School - 2910 Montbelle Drive, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Chris Ellis, who plays Principal Turner, also played Deke Slayton in Apollo 13 (1995) and appeared in the mini-series _"From the Earth to the Moon" (1998) (mini)_.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the last launch sequence where Homer Hickam Sr. launches the "Miss Riley" Homer Hickam Jr. activates the launch box by flipping a switch on the box with one hand. In the next shot, it is apparent that he used his other hand to flip the switch.

Quotes:

Quentin: What do you want to know about rockets?
Homer: Everything.

Movie Connections:

Featured in My Big Break (2009)

Soundtrack:

Red & Black

Takes One Back To A Childhood In The '50s

This is a fine drama and a nice change of pace from today's more hectic and loud films. It is another solid based-on-a-true store, which still means much of it could be made up for dramatic purposes. Frankly, I don't know but I liked the story.

The story is about a young man back in the Fifties who gets interested in rocketry and wants to enter that field instead of working in the coal mines as everyone else, including his father, does in this West Virginia town. The big problem is the conflict it causes between the boy and his father, which I think was overdone. I would like to have a little less tension between the two.

The young man, still a boy, is played by Jake Gyllenhaal, one of his first staring assignments, I think. He's likable, as are his school buddies in here. It's nice to see nice kids in a modern-day film. The two other key actors in the movie are Chris Cooper (the dad) and Laura Dern (the kid's teacher who encourages him all the time.)

The cinematography is decent the 1950s soundtrack is fun to hear. Once again: I wish there more of these kind of films made today.