By Roddenberry Entertainment
Putting your favorite sci-fi and pop culture to the test! Join hosts Hakeem Oluseyi (How The Universe Works, NASA's Unexplained Files, Baking Impossible) and Tamara Krinsky (Scirens, Marvel's Red C
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The podcast currently has 32 episodes available.
Arguably the single most celebrated science fiction novel of the 21st Century, Frank Herbert’s Dune has long been a cultural phenomenon. Partly as a countercultural symbol thanks in part to some of its more mind-expanding themes, but mostly as a towering work of science fiction, with Herbert applying an almost textbook flavor to the original novel’s many appendices to explore the ecology of this fictional world. A key piece of this involves answering the question of how human life as we know it could survive on a world that has virtually no moisture, let alone running water. Which brings us to the topic of this week’s episode: the stillsuit.
A stillsuit is worn by natives of Arrakis to preserve and recycle their own body’s precious moisture, allowing them to last for longer periods in the open desert. When worn properly, it’s a head to toe covering that recaptures everything from the moisture in your breath to basic perspiration to, um, other bodily functions, stores it in pockets, and allows you to drink it as necessary. It’s a little gross, sure, but it’s also an iconic piece of brainy sci-fi tech that seems like it would have solid grounding in the real world.
But does it? You’ll have to listen to the latest episode of Does it Fly? right here or check it out on our YouTube page to see what we found!
SUGGESTED VIEWING
We’ll make this easy on you: to get the gist of what we’re talking about this week, all you really need is Denis Villeneuve’s two incredible sci-fi epics Dune (2021) and Dune: Part Two (2024). These are two of the best sci-fi movies of the last 25 years and they’re as close to a perfect adaptation of Herbert’s original novel as you’re going to get.
You might also have some nostalgia for David Lynch’s somewhat bizarre 1984 Dune movie, which boasts a killer Toto score, some stunning visuals and production design, and Sting in pointy underwear. Otherwise, though…stick to the Villeneuve version.
And if you want a look at roads not taken for the franchise, the documentary Jodorowsky’s Dune, about an absolutely bonkers Dune movie that almost got made in the 1970s is as mind-expanding in its own way as Herbert’s original book. Highly recommended.
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!
There are many, many books in the Dune series, as the series was continued long after original author Frank Herbert’s death. But really, the first book is essential classic sci-fi and you can’t go wrong with it. Its immediate two sequels, Dune Messiah and Children of Dune are also terrific and thought-provoking. After that, things get really weird (but no less awesome) with God Emperor of Dune, Heretics of Dune, and Chapterhouse: Dune.
In short, read the first one no matter what. Read the entire first trilogy if you’re digging it. And if you really want to get into the craziness, do all six. Skip everything else!
How You Lose Water
Start with a baseline understanding of the function and percentage of water in your body. Not because we think this is something everyone is going to have to worry about as climate change continues to worsen and ravage us all or anything like that. No, certainly not. It’s just good to know, right? RIGHT?!?
Metamaterials
The study of metamaterials is pretty vast, their potential applications are limitless, and their very existence is so cool that maybe it’s best to try and point you to a resource that has a broad range of examples. Check ‘em out.
Classifiers
Honestly, classifiers sound a little cooler and fancier than they actually are, but it IS helpful to think of stillsuits in those terms to some degree.
Spacesuits
On the other hand, spacesuits are actually cooler and fancier than you already think they are, and no less an authority than NASA has you covered on their workings and the different types here.
WANT MORE FROM DOES IT FLY?
Check out our episode on Netflix’s The Witcher right here!
Believe it or not, the original Star Wars was also influenced by Dune, and we covered the most iconic piece of tech from the franchise here.
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Stay in the loop! Follow DoesItFly? on YouTube and TikTok and let us know what you think!
And don’t forget to follow Roddenberry Entertainment:
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For Advertising Inquiries: [email protected]
Check out the official Does it Fly? playlist, too!
Wicked gives us the secret origin of the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz. We dive a little deeper into what makes her so unique.
Wicked is shaping up to be one of the biggest cinematic hits of the holiday season this year, following on from its wild success first as a bestselling novel and then as an even more successful Broadway musical. Is there the equivalent of an EGOT for adapted properties? Because if so, Wicked just needs a video game or something to qualify.
At the heart of Wicked, however, is the sympathetic origin story of the formerly nameless Wicked Witch of the West from the classic Wizard of Oz story. Given both a name and a significant backstory in Wicked, we learn that her trademark green skin wasn’t the manifestation of some inner character flaw, but rather a somewhat magical mishap brought about by her mother consuming a potion while pregnant with the future villainess. We admit that delving into the realm of pure magic on Does it Fly? has occasionally proven difficult, but in the case of Elphaba, there’s something to the question of just how green a person can get, and the possible causes.
Watch the latest episode of Does it Fly? right here or check it out on our YouTube page to learn more.
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!
Book Learnin’
Wicked is first based on Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, which also spawned the sequels Son of a Witch, A Lion Among Men, and Out of Oz.
Of course, all of this goes back to L. Frank Baum’s original children’s novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. But did you know that book had a whopping thirteen sequels? Oz mythology is vast!
The Evolution of Skin Color in Humans
Melanin is what gives everyone their skin color, and understanding how and why various skin tones evolved is the foundation of our discussion about the (potential) science of green skin. Read more here.
Don’t Turn Green!
As a quick PSA, here’s a guide to how you can keep any copper oxide in jewelry from giving your skin that (lovely?) Oz-like green tint.
When People Actually Turned Green
Hypochromic anemia, or chlorosis, was a condition that did indeed leave some folks with green-ish skin. We usually try to do a little better than just Wikipedia links in these notes, but because chlorosis isn’t really an issue these days, there’s not a ton of contemporary writing about it. So start with this Wikipedia entry, and if you want to dig deeper there are two scientific journal articles you can try to access here and here. There will be a quiz next week! (not really)
Thalidomide
Since the origin of the Wicked Witch’s green skin begins with her mom drinking a potion, an example Hakeem cites in this episode is the tragedy surrounding use of Thalidomide during the mid-20th century, in which expectant mothers took a drug that was supposed to help with morning sickness and instead caused severe physical issues with their babies. A full history can be found here, but please beware of disturbing imagery.
SUGGESTED VIEWING
Oz-related screen adaptations are pretty much too numerous to list, and too varied in quality to really get into in the space we have here. But here are the ones we recommend…
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
MGM’s 1939 musical classic is rightfully the most inescapable, culturally dominant version of the Oz mythos ever put on screen. It’s also the most beloved. Almost impossible to imagine anyone reading this isn’t aware of it in some capacity.
The Wiz (1978)
Sydney Lumet and Joel Schumacher’s screen adaptation of the stage play which updated the Oz story for a more modern audience features a cast that includes no less than Diana Ross as Dorothy Gale, Richard Pryor (!) as the Wiz, and the legendary Lena Horne as Glinda, the Good Witch of the North.
Return to Oz (1985)
Long before taking the lead role in The Craft, Fairuza Balk took her turn as Dorothy Gale in a movie that, while essentially a sequel to the 1939 film, is actually more frightening and disturbing than The Craft! Absolutely worth your time.
Wicked Part I (2024)
Director Jon M. Chu’s anticipated adaptation of the book and Broadway musical boasts an absurdly all-star cast including Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Ariana Grande as Galinda, Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard of Oz, Michelle Yeoh, Peter Dinklage, and more!
WANT MORE FROM DOES IT FLY?
For some darker fantasy realm stuff, check out our episode on Netflix’s The Witcher right here!
FOLLOW US!
Stay in the loop! Follow DoesItFly? on YouTube and TikTok and let us know what you think!
And don’t forget to follow Roddenberry Entertainment:
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For Advertising Inquiries: [email protected]
Check out the official Does it Fly? playlist, too!
“Toss a coin to your Witcher…”
Netflix’s The Witcher series, adapted from the popular series of books by Andrzej Sapkowski and the critically acclaimed video games, is full of striking visuals and unique takes on traditional fantasy and sword/sworcery concepts. As embodied by Henry Cavill, the series protagonist, Geralt of Rivia, is a distinctive, stoic action hero. Cavill, of course, is no stranger to playing superhumans, but playing a Witcher is a little different than playing a Kryptonian. Most notably, a Witcher’s powers aren’t naturally born with them, but rather brought out by intense physical, magical, and even chemical means.
One of the most iconic visuals in the Netflix series is when Geralt’s pupils fully dilate, giving his eyes an unsettling, all-black appearance. This is to symbolize the change brought about by one of the Witcher’s potions, which enhance his already considerable abilities, a key one being the ability to see in the dark.
Sure, The Witcher is fully in the realm of fantasy, full of ideas that would never make it in the scientific world. But considering the remarkable structure and function of the eye, and the broad spectrum of vision that exists throughout the animal kingdom, the idea of adapting and expanding our existing senses doesn’t seem so far-fetched. So we’re tackling night vision in the world of The Witcher this episode, and you might be surprised by what we found.
You can also check this episode out on our YouTube page!
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!
How Eyes Work
Before we can get into the really fun stuff, it helps to just have a little bit of an understanding of how the human eye is structured and why it works the way it does. This is the most detailed explanation we found that also still makes sense for a layperson.
Night Vision
To start, let’s take a look at the upper limit of human night vision capabilities. We’re honestly pretty unspectacular compared to the rest of the animal kingdom, but it’s good to get a baseline of where our eyes are at in this area. The other thing to consider is how electronic night vision works, because this will give us a better understanding of how light behaves and how it’s perceived. But then take a look at the biology of animals with superior night vision and think about how this might map on to the human eye. It’s a long shot, but it helps support the idea as explored in The Witcher.
Averted Vision
“Our dark sensitivity is way greater than most people realize.”
The technique Hakeem describes to see more faintly lit objects is explained in considerable detail here.
Henry Cavill’s Witcher Transformation
“I know there’ve been a lot of questions about cat’s eyes and all sorts online. For me, his eyes had to look like normal human eyes unless he’s staring into direct sunlight, where he has the ability to contract his pupils into a cat’s eye so he can gain an advantage against an opponent in direct sunlight. I wanted it to look slightly terrifying, but also a little enthralling at the same time.
Read the full interview with Henry Cavill here!
SUGGESTED VIEWING
For some of the points specifically discussed in this episode, check out The Witcher season 1 episode 1 “The End’s Beginning”, season 1 episode 3 “Betrayer Moon”, and season 1 episode 8 “Much More.” Obviously, we suggest you watch all three seasons, because the show is excellent. But you should also check out the prequel anime, The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, which details the rigorous and painful transformation process it takes to create a Witcher!
WANT MORE FROM DOES IT FLY?
From fantasy fantasy to space fantasy, have you checked out our episode on Star Wars’ lightsabers yet? Do it now!
Just as unsettling as The Witcher (but in an entirely different way) are the trauma demons from the Smile horror movie series, which we unpacked here.
FOLLOW US!
Stay in the loop! Follow DoesItFly? on YouTube and TikTok and let us know what you think!
And don’t forget to follow Roddenberry Entertainment:
Instagram: @RoddenberryOfficial
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Twitter: @Roddenberry
For Advertising Inquiries: [email protected]
Check out the official Does it Fly? playlist, too
“Switch me on.”
When you think about it, the original Ghostbusters movie captivated a generation in a way that we usually reserve for franchises like Star Wars. Who would have thought that a big budget semi-horror comedy featuring a bunch of Saturday Night Live alums would become the kind of pop culture phenomenon that is still releasing films 40 years later, not to mention a parade of animated series, collectibles, video games, and more? And yet, that’s exactly what happened!
And perhaps a key part of that appeal was the central piece of equipment that the Ghostbusters outfitted themselves with: the proton pack. Essentially an “unlicensed nuclear accelerator” that they wear on their backs that allows them to “herd” ghosts into the equally fantastic traps (something that will perhaps be the focus of a future episode of Does it Fly?), the proton pack is as striking a visual as Star Wars’ lightsaber or Star Trek’s transporter. It’s far from the only reason Ghostbusters has endured, but the millions of children of the 1980s who turned their school backpacks into ghost-fighting machines can’t be wrong!
At the heart of Ghostbusters is the fact that our heroes are all scientists, despite their shared interest in the paranormal. In a way, that’s not too different from the dynamic of our brilliant hosts, who spend this special, spooky episode of Does it Fly? debating both the science and story logic of this beloved device.
You can also watch the latest episode of Does it Fly? on our YouTube page.
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!
Protons
You can’t wrap your head around a proton pack without first understanding the proton itself, which is simply a positively charged particle in the nucleus of an atom. Wait, did we say “simply?” No, these aren’t that simple at all (note how Hakeem says in this episode that “the word particle can mean different things in different contexts”). Find out why right here.
Particle Accelerators
According to Hakeem, the proton pack is essentially a particle accelerator. Let the International Atomic Energy Agency explain them to you far better than we can. But the key here is the concept of the cyclotron, first developed by Ernest Lawrence, and which even existed in a surprisingly portable form (pending energy use necessity, of course).
Beta Decay
We admit, this one is tough to follow on its own. Fortunately, there are visual references that help us follow along.
Let’s just let Hakeem explain how it all ties together:
“The Ghostbusters use positrons to power their cyclotron which accelerates their protons so they can use them to capture ghosts.” (phew)
The Real Inspiration for Ghostbusters
Tamara brings up how Dan Aykroyd was inspired to pursue the Ghostbusters concept by an academic article from The Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research (which is absolutely real). We are pretty sure that the actual article in question can be read right here!
SUGGESTED VIEWING
It’s almost unthinkable that anyone who has clicked on this episode hasn’t seen the original Ghostbusters, which is truly a generational, all-time great movie. There’s an entire franchise worth exploring beyond it, though. Here’s a quick guide to watching them all in the appropriate order.
Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters II (1989)
The two movies that make up the bedrock of Ghostbusters canon. The first, is, of course, self-explanatory. Its sequel was seen as something of a disappointment upon release, but in the years since it’s seen a critical re-evaluation from the general public. The first movie belongs to a unique category of high-concept genre comedies of the 1980s, which even had this not spawned a series of movies, a toy line, an animated series, and countless collectibles would have made it pretty unique. Others that played with the formula established here include Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure and Beetlejuice (which we did an entire episode on that you can watch right here).
Ghostbusters: Answer the Call (2016)
Unfairly maligned upon release for reasons we need not get into here, Paul Feig’s complete reboot of the franchise (it’s set in a parallel universe from the first films) is better than you’ve heard. However
Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)
These are essentially the belated Ghostbusters III and IV. As is the case with Ghostbusters sequels, your mileage may vary.
For those of you who really want to dig deeper, though, you’d be surprised at just how cool (and even scary!) The Real Ghostbusters cartoon from the 1980s was. In particular, if you’re looking for some spooky seasonal viewing, allow us to suggest the first season episode “When Halloween Was Forever” which feels like a genuine Ghostbusters movie condensed down to less than 30 minutes.
WANT MORE FROM DOES IT FLY?
This isn’t our first spooky rodeo, as we recently took a look at Beetlejuice to try and scientifically prove that demonic possession is a thing!
Have you seen our awesome exclusive interview with the showrunner of Netflix’s Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft yet? Watch it here!
FOLLOW US!
Stay in the loop! Follow DoesItFly? on YouTube and TikTok and let us know what you think!
And don’t forget to follow Roddenberry Entertainment:
Instagram: @RoddenberryOfficial
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Twitter: @Roddenberry
For Advertising Inquiries: [email protected]
Check out the official Does it Fly? playlist, too!
2022’s Smile was a Halloween box office and critical surprise hit. It’s perhaps the best example of a major studio taking elements from the kind of “elevated” horror that’s been perfected by indie studios like A24 and transferring it to a massive, wide release. Actually, now that we think about it, maybe we shouldn’t use the word “transfer” when talking about Smile considering the subject matter.
But this week’s Does it Fly? is all about the central, horrific concept behind Smile: the transference of terrifying hallucinations, antisocial, destructive, and even suicidal behaviors from person to person. And while there’s essentially an entity at the heart of the trouble in Smile, you might be surprised at the personal and unconventional directions that this week’s discussion takes Hakeem and Tamara. Watch the latest episode of Does it Fly? right here or check it out on our YouTube page to learn more. And, as always, beware of spoilers if you haven’t already seen the film!
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Stay in the loop! Follow DoesItFly? on YouTube and TikTok and let us know what you think!
And don’t forget to follow Roddenberry Entertainment:
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For Advertising Inquiries: [email protected]
Check out the official Does it Fly? playlist, too!
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft fills in the gaps of the iconic character’s history, and we went behind the scenes to figure out just how they did it.
It’s time for another special Does it Fly? episode! Every now and then the DiF team gets to go behind-the-scenes on an exciting new movie or TV series and talk to the folks who make the concept fly.
This time around, our amazing co-host, Tamara Krinsky, speaks with Tasha Huo, showrunner and executive producer of Netflix’s brand new anime, Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft. And while the character of Lara Croft is an iconic name in adventure, she’s had something of a checkered history on screen (some of which we covered in a recent episode). But all of that changes with this new series, which fleshes out Lara’s backstory and fills in the blanks of the stories told in the games in lushly animated fashion. Did we mention that it features the brilliant Hayley Atwell voicing Lara?
Join us for all the exciting details on Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft!
This episode of Does it Fly? is presented by Netflix, the exclusive home of Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft, starring Hayley Atwell, Allen Maldonado, Earl Baylon, Richard Armitage, and Zoe Boyle. Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft is now streaming only on Netflix.
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And don’t forget to follow Roddenberry Entertainment:
Instagram: @RoddenberryOfficial
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Twitter: @Roddenberry
For Advertising Inquiries: [email protected]
This episode of Does it Fly? is presented by Netflix, the exclusive home of Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft, starring Hayley Atwell, Allen Maldonado, Earl Baylon, Richard Armitage, and Zoe Boyle. Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft is now streaming only on Netflix.
2001’s Lara Croft: Tomb Raider movie is perhaps best remembered for the near-perfect casting of Angelina Jolie as the iconic video game character. And if you think it might seem an odd fit for an episode of Does it Fly? we would like to point out a few things that will correct the record on that front. For while this may not be the most well-loved action movie of its generation, it has all the elements that get us excited to talk about a project.
Well, one element that contains multitudes, we should say. This movie’s “MacGuffin” has it all! It’s made from meteorites, which help grant it some strange and otherworldly powers. It only reveals its true power during the confluence of specific astronomical events such as planetary alignments or solar eclipses. It can be used to control time itself, and as you know, we love trying to wrap our heads around time travel story and science logic on this show (see our Doctor Who and Back to the Future and Terminator episodes for examples).
What will Hakeem and Tamara find on this adventure and bring back for us to learn?
FOLLOW US!
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And don’t forget to follow Roddenberry Entertainment:
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For Advertising Inquiries: [email protected]
If you’re of a particular age, the summer of 1989 holds special meaning for you. Specifically, you were almost certainly completely obsessed with Tim Burton’s Batman starring Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson. The film redefined superhero movies for a generation, was a relentless blockbuster at the box office, and kicked off a wave of Batmania that left no merchandising stone unturned well beyond that fateful summer.
But at the heart of that film is Nicholson’s stunning Joker performance. And one of the elements that makes it so memorable is how it marked the first time that the Joker was depicted in live action as a brilliant, but murderous chemist, just as he was in his very first comics appearance back in 1940. Joker spends the second half of the movie holding Gotham City hostage via “Smilex” a deadly nerve toxin that leaves its victims with a hideous post-mortem grin on their faces.
These kinds of weaponized poisons are nothing new in the real world, but it’s the specific combination of effects that Smilex creates that make it so notable. We’re taking a look at the real world parallels, including some disturbingly high profile terrorist attacks that would have made the Joker proud. In the process, we also examine just how this movie’s approach to live action superheroics (and supervillainy) changed everything on the big screen.
Watch the latest episode of Does it Fly? right here or check it out on our YouTube page!
SUGGESTED VIEWING
Of course, you must watch Batman (1989). But here’s a friendly reminder that we also covered one of Tim Burton’s other great films, the original Beetlejuice, on an episode of Does it Fly? recently, and you should absolutely check it out right here.
And while the rules of the Joker toxin as we discuss them in this episode apply specifically to this particular Batman movie it’s been around in other media, too. Notably, a generally less lethal version made a few appearances on the classic Batman: The Animated Series, which is always worth a watch, especially now that gorgeous remastered versions are available on HBO Max. A few to consider that might scratch your Smilex-induced itch…
“The Last Laugh” (S1E15)
It’s primarily laughing gas here, but you know what it’s supposed to be.
“Almost Got ‘Im” (S1E35)
A case can be made that this is the best episode of the series, even though the Joker and his attendant poison only feature in one segment of it.
“The Laughing Fish” (S1E46)
Based on several classic issues of the comics (more on one of them down below) this is probably the closest you’ll get to the lethality of the original toxin in animated form.
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!
VX Nerve Agent
We’re bringing this up here in part because of the extraordinarily well-documented (and almost Joker-esque) assassination of Kim Jong-Nam in 2017. The murder was carried out using VX, a nerve agent and banned chemical weapon that is considered one of the most deadly and fast-acting out there. Let the CDC fill you in, because trust us, you want no part of this stuff.
The Animal Kingdom and Joker Venom
“There is no venomous animal on the planet that could do [everything the Joker Venom does]. Having said that, there are components of different animal venoms in the animal kingdom that could, in combination. My understanding of the Joker is that he’s quite a smart chemist, so it would be possible to extract the components from those venoms and put them all together.”
More on this subject from Professor Jamie Seymour can be found here.
Now, about that “recipe” (do not do this)...
You’d want a little venom from the box jellyfish, known as one of the deadliest marine animals. A pinch of cone snail venom. And perhaps a dash of the blue-ringed octopus’ fatal defense mechanism.
2001 Anthrax Mailings
A somewhat Joker-esque crime that terrorized an entire nation involved the mailings of lab grown anthrax to high profile politicians and journalists in the autumn of 2001. No less than the FBI itself has a wealth of resources on this incredibly bizarre case.
The Source Material
For those who want to dive a little deeper into the comics, there are two key stories to consider. Note that the idea of Joker injecting victims with a toxin that causes them to die smiling was introduced in his very first appearance, way back in Batman #1 (1940).
But for much of the character’s criminal career after that he was comparatively harmless…that is, until 1973’s Batman #251 which brought back the idea of the Joker as a murderer with a penchant for unique chemistry, in a brilliant tale called “The Joker’s Five-Way Revenge” by the legendary creative team of Dennis O’Neil and Neal Adams. This story, along with “The Laughing Fish” and “The Sign of the Joker” from Detective Comics #475-476 by Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers also formed the basis of the similarly named Batman: The Animated Series episode above. Since then, well…it’s been around a lot, but these are the two real historical keys for those who can’t get enough!
WANT MORE FROM DOES IT FLY?
Shortly after the success of Batman, Disney tried to replicate it with The Rocketeer. We took a look at that movie’s iconic jetpack technology here.
We also took a look at another rich guy superhero when we unpacked the science and story logic behind Iron Man’s arc reactor, which you can watch here!
FOLLOW US!
Stay in the loop! Follow DoesItFly? on YouTube and TikTok and let us know what you think!
And don’t forget to follow Roddenberry Entertainment:
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For Advertising Inquiries: [email protected]
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!
Watch the latest episode of Does it Fly? right here or check it out on our YouTube page!
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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How do you solve an engineering problem like the Transformers? This might be one of the most iconic franchises of the 1980s, but it might also be as scientifically implausible as say, the Power Sword from another beloved ‘80s property, Masters of the Universe. Or…is it? After all, there’s already technology out there that can autonomously transform and combine, so is it really that much of a leap to think that an autonomous robot might also be able to disguise itself as a self-driving car? The answer might surprise you!
You know what else might surprise you? Hakeem’s apparent phobia of getting squished by giant robots. If a scientist is this worried about something like that, maybe we should be, too! Dive into these concepts and questions as well as the most reasonable, thoughtful unpacking of Transformers basic story logic you’ll ever find.
Roll out! No, wait, stay right here to watch or check it out on our YouTube page!
SUGGESTED VIEWING
The Transformers franchise is vast. And we do mean vast. Multiple animated series spanning dozens of seasons and hundreds upon hundreds of episodes plus almost a dozen movies both animated and live action. Oh, and then there are the hundreds of comic books, with at least three distinct continuities. And that doesn’t even take into account the lore and character info that was included with the toys themselves. But don’t worry, flight cadets, we’re making this easy on you.
For this episode, Hakeem and Tamara dealt with the following pieces of the franchise to really focus their discussion. They are…
The Transformers S1 Episodes 1-3 “More Than Meets the Eye”
The first three episodes of the original Transformers animated series pretty much tells you what you need to know about the Autobots and Decepticons and gives you a reasonable understanding of how they function. This is the cartoon that really started it all, and features the most iconic, recognizable versions of the characters.
The Transformers: The Movie (1986)
The first animated big screen Transformers adventure serves as a bridge between seasons one and two of the animated series and also scarred a generation of elementary school age Gen-X-ers. But it enriches the lore of the franchise and also gives a sense of what “death” is like for these characters, so we figured it makes sense as a bookend to those first three episodes.
Transformers (2007)
Michael Bay’s first live action Transformers movie serves as a fresh start for the franchise, features its own take on the lore, and was instrumental in helping our hosts wrap their heads around the physics and engineering of transformation. It kicked off a massive blockbuster franchise which…you can mostly avoid. However, if you want to go a little further in your viewing, 2011’s Transformers: Dark of the Moon is worth your time for some truly mind-blowing visuals, and 2018’s soft reboot Bumblebee is one of the best pieces of Transformers media out there. There’s also a brand new animated prequel, Transformers One, in theaters now, but we hadn’t seen that at the time this episode was being produced.
Unfortunately, we don’t have the footage of Hakeem in the “vomit comet” for you to watch.
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!
Self-Assembling Modular Robots
They might not look like much, but these self-assembling modular robot cubes might be a precursor to Transformer-like technology in the real world down the line. While Hakeem isn’t fully on board with the Transformers as we know them in pop culture, he sees the potential in these little weirdos.
Multi-Modal Mobility Morphobot (M4)
OK, so…THIS one might be a little bit more in line with what you expect from the Transformers. For those of you who want a more in-depth look at what makes this one tick, you can read the scientific paper here. But really, it needs to be seen to be believed!
Liquid Robots
One way to get around the engineering problem that comes with the sheer scale of the Transformers is by making them REALLY small. Or in this case, liquid. Once again, the article might not fully do the concept justice so here’s a video for you!
Transformers Vol. 1
While there have been many iterations of Transformers comics through the years, the newest series from Image Comics “Energon Universe” by Daniel Warren Johnson is exceptional…and an Eisner winner!
Want to follow in Hakeem’s footsteps and ride the um…zero gravity aircraft? Good luck!
WANT MORE FROM DOES IT FLY?
…and speaking of robots…check out our discussion of the rules governing the Terminator franchise.
Was Hakeem any kinder, scientifically speaking, to the concept of Iron Man armor? Only one way to find out!
FOLLOW US!
Stay in the loop! Follow DoesItFly? on YouTube and TikTok and let us know what you think!
And don’t forget to follow Roddenberry Entertainment:
Instagram: @RoddenberryOfficial
Facebook: Roddenberry
Twitter: @Roddenberry
For Advertising Inquiries: [email protected]
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