5 Reasons Sky Captain & The World Of Tomorrow Should Not Be Forgotten

4. Stylish Movie Inspired By The Past

Conran's simple idea had transformed into a fully-fledged movie, and the production called on over 100 artists and designers to expand upon the concept which had been created on a Mac in Conran's living room. The art and design of Sky Captain is notable, and is clearly influenced by a cinematic style of the 1930s and 40s. More specifically, Sky Captain is a film noir. The noir genre has its roots in the 40s, with a visual style focused on a low-key black and white texture, whilst narratives draw upon crime and melodrama. In Sky Captain, it is possible to see a noir style in the shadowy and dark setting of New York, whilst the central protagonist of journalist Perkins attempts to solve a mysterious crime. The rich tone produced by film noir makes for engaging viewing, as it is a genre rarely seen in modern cinema. Noir is not the only influence visible in Sky Captain, however. The film clearly draws upon the classic science fiction of the 1930s also, with a direct influence emerging from the 1939 World's Fair in New York. The theme of the 39 World's Fair was the 'World of Tomorrow', and this is represented in the fictional architecture and engineering of Sky Captain. Conran explains that "obviously the title refers to the World Expo and the spirit of that was looking at the future with a sense of optimism and a sense of the whimsical, something that we've lost a lot in our fantasies... what this film attempts to do is to take that enthusiasm and innocence and celebrate it." The celebration of the whimsical delivers interesting science fiction concepts to Sky Captain; gadget-toting classic fighter planes, floating air bases and ray-guns all notable examples. The most prominent feature of the film are the huge antagonistic robots which terrorise the city, these creations are acknowledged as being an homage to the 1941 Superman animated short, The Mechanical Monsters.