October Sky
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| October Sky | |
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 October Sky DVD |
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| Directed by | Joe Johnston |
| Produced by | Charles Gordon, Marc Sternberg (EXEC), Peter Cramer (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 |
| Running time | 108 min |
| Language | English |
| Budget | US$20 million (est.) |
| IMDb profile | |
October Sky is a 1999 movie based on the book Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam. The book was later re-released with the name October Sky in order to capitalize on interest in the movie. Interestingly, "October Sky" is an anagram of "Rocket Boys," although whether this is intentional or not is unclear.
The book is based on Hickam's real childhood; however Lewis Colick, who was responsible for adapting the story to the screen, took creative license in his final draft.
The story deals with four friends struggling to find their place in the world while being smothered by the overwhelming presence of the coal mine in their town, Coalwood. Another major theme is Homer's ongoing desire for his father's approval.
The film stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper, Laura Dern, Chris Owen, William Lee Scott, Chad Lindberg, and Natalie Canerday. Noted photographer O. Winston Link has a cameo as a railroad engineer.
Set in the state of West Virginia, 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.
The film is complemented with a musical score by Mark Isham.
