Very recently, I happened to watch this flick based on real life 'Rocket Boys' after one of my friends recommended it to me. A bunch of teenagers from a small town of 50s America chase their dream of building a Rocket in this movie.
Overall, I liked the movie.
What I really enjoyed in this movie is some real good symbolism and metaphors used to convey the emotions, feelings and intensity of people, their state of mind and the situation they are in.
This is my take on a few such metaphorical frames in October Sky.
The beginning of movie itself amazed me. A radio commentary and news on launching of Sputnik opens the flick for us, and the very first frame which follows this commentary is rolling of the elevator ropes. One news about launch of Sputnik - and we have brains and minds of people rolling in to thoughts of how they could achieve a similar feat. The chain of events begin, starts rolling. Man, I loved this movie, within few seconds after it began!!
As the movie proceeds, we see the mother of our chief protagonist Homer, who is busy painting a pleasant happy picture in her home - a constant endevor to have that well-knit, happy family around her.
And one fine evening, somebody fires a bullet through the kitchen window. It starts a trifle in her house. This ends up only by her son leaving the house, after he has exchanged some harsh words with his father. A small bullet makes hole in the happy picture she is busy painting all these days. She is shown watching that bullet hole for a moment, as her family breaks apart. This picture which she is painting, the bullet hole frame, and looks on her face is another symbolism which I liked.
In their pursuit of rocket making, Homer and his friends get in to trouble when local cops put them behind bars, holding them responsible for a fire in the neighbourhood.
When they are bailed out, they are forced to give up their dream; and face adversities of their families.
In the club that night, Homer finds the girl he infactuated for, with his football champ brother.
Just when he is beginning to break down, another girl from his school approaches him, consoles him, appreciates his rocket making attempts.
That night, sitting in her car with her, he asks 'U remember the movie - Frankenstein meets the Wolfman'?
Bingo ..what a way to express his state of mind!! you start with a dream of making a miracle come true and end up making a monster [similar to Frankenstein], who defames you and strip you off everything you hold dear.. the looks Homer and his girl exchange after this question are just perfect!! I liked this metaphor of Frankenstein as well.
The elevator of coal mine provides us with two more excellent metaphorical frames.
Homer's father turns him down and enters the elevator. As the scene proceeds, the elevator doors are shown to be shutting down. This particular frame so swiftly symbolizes how Homer's father is closing his mind towards Homer.
And then the ultimate frame. Homer's father is injured and so Homer takes up the mining job, giving up his rocket making dream.
As he enters the mine the first evening, he looks up. Through the top mesh, we can see Sputnik travelling in October sky and Homer gradually moving away from it. That frame and its symbolism is just amazing!!
All-in-all, If you are looking for some inspirational flick or may be just some good movie on a lazy evening, I would definitely recommend that you give a try to October Sky.
Overall, I liked the movie.
What I really enjoyed in this movie is some real good symbolism and metaphors used to convey the emotions, feelings and intensity of people, their state of mind and the situation they are in.
This is my take on a few such metaphorical frames in October Sky.
The beginning of movie itself amazed me. A radio commentary and news on launching of Sputnik opens the flick for us, and the very first frame which follows this commentary is rolling of the elevator ropes. One news about launch of Sputnik - and we have brains and minds of people rolling in to thoughts of how they could achieve a similar feat. The chain of events begin, starts rolling. Man, I loved this movie, within few seconds after it began!!
As the movie proceeds, we see the mother of our chief protagonist Homer, who is busy painting a pleasant happy picture in her home - a constant endevor to have that well-knit, happy family around her.
And one fine evening, somebody fires a bullet through the kitchen window. It starts a trifle in her house. This ends up only by her son leaving the house, after he has exchanged some harsh words with his father. A small bullet makes hole in the happy picture she is busy painting all these days. She is shown watching that bullet hole for a moment, as her family breaks apart. This picture which she is painting, the bullet hole frame, and looks on her face is another symbolism which I liked.
In their pursuit of rocket making, Homer and his friends get in to trouble when local cops put them behind bars, holding them responsible for a fire in the neighbourhood.
When they are bailed out, they are forced to give up their dream; and face adversities of their families.
In the club that night, Homer finds the girl he infactuated for, with his football champ brother.
Just when he is beginning to break down, another girl from his school approaches him, consoles him, appreciates his rocket making attempts.
That night, sitting in her car with her, he asks 'U remember the movie - Frankenstein meets the Wolfman'?
Bingo ..what a way to express his state of mind!! you start with a dream of making a miracle come true and end up making a monster [similar to Frankenstein], who defames you and strip you off everything you hold dear.. the looks Homer and his girl exchange after this question are just perfect!! I liked this metaphor of Frankenstein as well.
The elevator of coal mine provides us with two more excellent metaphorical frames.
Homer's father turns him down and enters the elevator. As the scene proceeds, the elevator doors are shown to be shutting down. This particular frame so swiftly symbolizes how Homer's father is closing his mind towards Homer.
And then the ultimate frame. Homer's father is injured and so Homer takes up the mining job, giving up his rocket making dream.
As he enters the mine the first evening, he looks up. Through the top mesh, we can see Sputnik travelling in October sky and Homer gradually moving away from it. That frame and its symbolism is just amazing!!
All-in-all, If you are looking for some inspirational flick or may be just some good movie on a lazy evening, I would definitely recommend that you give a try to October Sky.
