Moviegoers who like films based on true events will love the story, theme, and cinematography of October Sky. Being an older movie, October Sky has the classic look of being created on film stock. This movie is a motivational masterpiece that many people will enjoy watching for years to come.
Released in 1999, the movie revolves around 17-year-old Homer Hickam. Homer’s father, John Hickam, wants Homer to follow in his footsteps and become a coal miner, but Homer has other ideas. With the help of his friends and teacher, he aspires to achieve his dreams. The story of October Sky takes place just at the beginning of the space race when the Soviet Union launches the first satellite, the Sputnik, on October 4, 1957. This inspires Homer to learn more about rocketry.
This movie tells a story that inspires many children who think they cannot achieve their dreams. When the person Homer looks up to most in life, his dad, doesn’t believe in him, Homer wants to prove him wrong. The coal-centered town, Coalwood, West Virginia, was a place where many men were bound to become coal miners. Homer wants to escape his fate and do something different with his life, which becomes more and more difficult for him, but he still perseveres. This is a lesson very applicable to many young men and women. Homer teaches them to never give up because he not only achieves his goal through perseverance, but he also survives the experience, believing he can accomplish anything he puts his mind to.
This story isn’t completely fictional. October Sky is based on a true story and adapted from the memoir Rocket Boys written by Homer Hickam Jr. The real-life Homer Hickam is a former NASA engineer who trained the first Japanese astronauts. He is also a Vietnam War veteran as well as an author. Homer is now 82 years old and has been retired from NASA since the age of 55. After his retirement, he pursued his writing career and has now written over 24 books.
Many things are needed for a movie to go well. However, one of the most important roles in the making of a movie is the director. October Sky is directed by Joe Johnston. A very prominent director, he has made movies that you have probably heard of, such as Jumanji, Captain America, and various Jurassic Park and Star Wars sequels.
The story is very important to a movie of course, but without the cinematography, it wouldn’t be a movie. The cinematographer for October Sky, Fred Murphy, perfectly captures the new ideas and amazement with rocketry the boys have and contrasts these elements with how they view the coal mine. The boys view rocketry as a source of hope to escape their town to a better future. This contrasts with the coal mine because it is old, depleted, dark, and a death trap. The coal mine is also a source of dread for the boys because it symbolizes the fate of all the men in Coalwood to become coal miners and nothing more for the rest of their lives.
