It’s been 30 years since art deco adventure “The Rocketeer” graced the silver screen, but the 1991 Disney film has been growing in the fandom world, and the action-packed movie has a strong Central Coast connection with such film locations as the Santa Maria Airport. The film stars Jennifer Connelly, Alan Arkin and Billy Campbell.
The Santa Maria Museum of Flight has partnered with Central Coast Film Society (CCFS) to celebrate the movie’s 30th anniversary with dinner and showing of the film, Saturday, Nov. 13. The event will raise funds for the museum, for the CCFS student film competitions, as well as local veteran group Band of Brothers. Doors open at 5 p.m. for tours and dinner, with the film starting at 7 p.m.
Tickets for the screening are $40 and include a museum tour, screening, a tri-tip dinner and a drink ticket sponsored in part by Michelob Ultra and McClain Cellars. To buy tickets, visit https://www.centralcoastfilmsociety.org/events.html.
“‘The Rocketeer’ left a big impact on the Central Coast when it filmed here,” said Daniel Lahr, CCFS executive director. “Many locals were recruited to be extras for the air show sequence, and several sets and props remained including the hangar set which now houses the Santa Maria Museum of Flight.”
Set in Los Angeles in 1938, “The Rocketeer” tells the story of a rocket pack designed by Howard Hughes being stolen from his factory by members of mobster Eddie Valentine’s gang, who are pursued by FBI agents to an airfield, where they are caught.
Stunt pilot Cliff Secord (Campbell) discovers the jet pack that enables him to fly with the help of mechanic A. “Peevy” Peabody (Arkin), according to a Disney synopsis of the film. Cliff’s heroic deeds attract the attention of Hughes and the FBI, as well as Nazi operatives, who kidnap Cliff’s actress girlfriend Jenny Blake (Connelly) in exchange for the rocket.
“The museum has kept the spirit of the movie alive by restoring and maintaining the original painted sign on the building from the movie. The movie itself pays homage to the fun, comic book serial stories of the 1930s and 40s,” Lahr said.
The Museum of Flight at G. Allan Hancock Airfield, reopened earlier this year after refurbishing several of its displays. It made improvements to the hangar building, which houses several of its educational displays. The building also houses displays of local aviation interest, along with additional props from the movie.
“The set piece hangar from the movie ‘The Rocketeer’ has been a central display space, and a core attraction of the Santa Maria Museum of Flight since the movie was filmed. The most important museum displays are housed in the Disney hangar structure, and it continues to be a huge draw amongst fans of the movie, who often pose for pictures in front of the iconic ‘Bigelow Aeronautical Corp’ sign,” said Museum of Flight Board member Richard Persons.
Band of Brothers was chosen by the museum and CCFS to receive a portion of the ticket sales as it is a local nonprofit dedicated to helping homeless veterans, as well as supporting veteran-owned businesses. Visit www.echovets.org for more about their initiatives.
Docent led tours are available, and special tours or private events can be arranged by calling the museum, 805-922-8758.
The Central Coast Film Society also is looking for participants from the filming of “The Rocketeer” who would be interested in sharing their story or photographs from the film set to be included in a prelude to the screening of the film.
Filming of people involved will be Saturday, Oct. 23, at the Santa Maria Museum of Flight. Email info@centralcoastfilmsociety.org for more information.