Fred Z. Randall is a geeky spacecraft designer who gets the chance to make his dream come true and travel to Mars.Fred Z. Randall is a geeky spacecraft designer who gets the chance to make his dream come true and travel to Mars.Fred Z. Randall is a geeky spacecraft designer who gets the chance to make his dream come true and travel to Mars.
Bill Jenkins
- Mission Controller
- (as William Arthur Jenkins)
Featured reviews
This movie was very funny. A lot of the humor was very spontaneous and original. I love how he gets everyone to sing "He's got the whole world in his hands" and how he passes the time in the isolation chamber by conducting his own puppet show. Leonard Maltin definitely missed the boat by giving this film a bomb rating; considering that he called this film and Judd Nelson's "From the Hip" a bomb while giving two stars to "Senior Trip", Maltin has given me sufficient reason to take his reviews with a grain of salt.
The first time I saw this movie I couldn't stop laughing. I happened to see it again a couple nights ago, and it was the same, only it seemed even funnier. I just ordered it from Amazon, I've got to have this movie available when I need a good laugh. I can understand why some people don't like it, you have to be 10 years old at heart to get it. What I don't understand is why I haven't seen more of Harlen Williams, he was a riot in this movie.
It's low-budget, but superbly written and perfectly acted by Harland Willams. From the way he cocks his head at random points, to the greatest impersonations ever, "Commander, are you sure we're heading for Earth it looks an awful lot like the sun..." "Ah, Magoo, You've, Done it again Sir!" and some really great lines "Why don't you just say 'thanks for the cool coin, Bud. It really means a lot to me.'" "Oh sure, thanks for the cool coin Bud it really means- what was the rest?" "Now the French! Pour do, ze de Chanele Number 5!"
This is probably one of, if not the, most overlooked movies of all time. About a thousand times more laughs than recent comedies (Goldmember, Master of Disguise, Mr. Deeds.)
The only real problem was the trailors, which included little funny aside from the (ONE, mind you) fart joke. This made it seem kiddy, but was necessary to not spoil the funny.
Ignore this IMDB rating, and go see this, dare I say? Masterpiece film.
This is probably one of, if not the, most overlooked movies of all time. About a thousand times more laughs than recent comedies (Goldmember, Master of Disguise, Mr. Deeds.)
The only real problem was the trailors, which included little funny aside from the (ONE, mind you) fart joke. This made it seem kiddy, but was necessary to not spoil the funny.
Ignore this IMDB rating, and go see this, dare I say? Masterpiece film.
This is the best slapstick comedy made since Stan and Ollie stopped making films. It is hilarious. Harland Williams is the star, and the source of most, if not all, the humor. The comedy really starts during training, and then continues for the duration of the film. I give it 5 stars just for comedy alone!
I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard during a movie. Harland Williams is a genius. "C'mon all you Chinese....." Who comes up with this stuff??? I got the feeling that the directors and writers just told Williams to work around the script and improvise whatever he wanted? Some of this stuff is so off the wall, you wonder just how much was scripted. And this is not your typical Jerry Lewis slapstick. Williams has a great deal of pure talent. Anyway watch it and just enjoy the wonderful absurdity that is Rocket Man.
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaFor the surface of Mars, the filmmakers shot in Moab, Utah, where they found giant cliffs, red rocks, a lack of vegetation, and the overall scale of what could be a distant planet.
- GoofsWhen Fred arrives at work in his car there's not enough space to leave via either door so he goes out of the sun roof. Yet he's somehow able to remove one of the wheels which he wouldn't have been able to get any access to.
- Quotes
William Overbeck: How'd you like to be the first guy to die on Mars.
Fred Randall: Well sorry Mr. First to Show Inappropriate Anger on Mars.
- Crazy creditsAfter all the credits, we see the ultimate fate of the substitute flag.
- Alternate versionsTo get the PG rating in the UK 42 seconds were cut to remove a scene in which a child climbs into a washing machine and goes for a spin within it.
- ConnectionsEdited into The Land Before Time X: The Great Longneck Migration (2003)
- SoundtracksThe Martians Are Cowboys
Written and Produced by Andrew Dorfman
Performed by Rob Laufer and Andrew Dorfman (as Andy Dorfman)
- How long is RocketMan?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $16,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $15,448,043
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $4,472,937
- Oct 12, 1997
- Gross worldwide
- $15,448,043
- Runtime1 hour 35 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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