October Sky

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October Sky
Directed by Joe Johnston
Produced by Larry J. Franco
Charles Gordon
Marc Sternberg (EXEC),
Tina S. Dowling (EXEC)
Written by Homer Hickam (book) and Lewis Colick (screenplay)
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal
Chris Cooper
Laura Dern
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date(s) 1999

October Sky is a 1999 film produced by Charles Gordon, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper and Laura Dern. It is based on the true story of Homer Hickam, a coal miner's son who was inspired by the first Sputnik launch to take up rocketry against his father's wishes.

Contents

[edit] Title

"October Sky" is an anagram of "Rocket Boys", the title of the book on which the movie is based. It is also used in a period radio broadcast describing Sputnik as it crossed the "October sky". Homer Hickam stated that in research done by Universal Pictures, women over 30 would not go to see a movie titled "Rocket Boys",[1] so Universal Pictures changed the title to be more inviting to a wider audience. The book was later re-released with the name October Sky in order to capitalize on interest in the movie.

[edit] Filming

Set in the state of West Virginia (War, West Virginia and Big Creek High School) the film was actually shot at Petros, Oliver Springs, Oak Ridge, Harriman, and Knoxville, Tennessee. The coal mine used in the film was an actual coal mine located in Petros which had long since closed. The steam locomotive (Southern Railway 4501) used in the film was a loan from the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum.

[edit] Cast

Actor Role
Jake Gyllenhaal Homer Hickam
Chris Cooper John Hickam
Laura Dern Miss Frieda Riley
Chris Owen Quentin Wilson
William Lee Scott Roy Lee Cooke
Chad Lindberg Sherman O'Dell
Natalie Canerday Elsie Hickam
Randy Stripling Leon Bolden
Chris Ellis Principal Turner
Elya Baskin Ike Bykovsky
O. Winston Link Railroad engineer

[edit] Awards

The film was nominated for 11 awards, of which it won three, including the 2000 Critics Choice Award for Best Family Film. Jake Gyllenhaal was nominated 1999 for the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Award for best comedy.

[edit] Reception

The film was very well received with a 93% approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Homer Hickam official Web site - October Sky/Rocket Boys, The Keeper's Son

[edit] External links