Wikipedia

Iron Sky

For other uses, seeIron Sky (disambiguation).

Iron Skyis a 2012comic-science-fictionaction filmdirected byTimo Vuorensolaand written byJohanna Sinisaloand Michael Kalesniko.[4][5][6]It tells the story of a group ofGerman Naziswho, having been defeated in 1945,fled to the Moon,where they built a space fleet to return in 2018 and conquer Earth.Iron Skyis one of themost expensive Finnish films.

Iron Sky
Theatrical release poster
Directed byTimo Vuorensola
Screenplay by
  • Michael Kalesniko
  • Ryan Healey
  • Timo Vuorensola
Story by
Produced by
  • Tero Kaukomaa
  • Oliver Damian
  • Mitchell Welsh
  • Cathy Overett
  • Sam Horton
  • James Wenban
  • Matt Pohl
  • Mark Overett
  • Samuli Torssonen
Starring
CinematographyMika Orasmaa
Edited bySuresh Ayyar
Music byLaibach
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release dates
  • 11 February 2012(2012-02-11)(Berlinale)
  • 4 April 2012(2012-04-04)(Finland)
  • 5 April 2012(2012-04-05)(Germany)
  • 10 May 2012(2012-05-10)(Australia)
Running time
93 minutes[1]
CountriesFinland
Germany
Australia
LanguagesEnglish[1]
German[1]
Budget€7.5 million[2]
Box officeUS$8.1 million[3]

Iron Skycomes from the creators ofStar Wreck: In the Pirkinningand was produced by Tero Kaukomaa ofBlind Spot Picturesand Energia Productions, co-produced by New Holland Pictures and 27 Films, and co-financed by numerousindividual supporters;Samuli Torssonenwas responsible for the computer-generated imagery. It was theatrically released throughout Europe in April 2012.[5]Adirector's cutof the film with 20 additional minutes was released on DVD and Blu-ray on 11 March 2014.[7]The film received negative reviews, focusing on the film's execution and dated humor.

A video-game adaptation titledIron Sky: Invasionwas released in October 2012. A sequel, titledIron Sky: The Coming Race,wascrowdfundedthroughIndiegogoand released in January 2019,[8]to a more hostile critical reception and abox office bomb,leading to the bankruptcy of two production companies involved in the sequel's production:Blind Spot Pictures,andIron Sky Universe.

Plot

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In 2018, an American crewed mission lands on theMoon.The lander carries two astronauts, one of them anAfrican-Americanmale model, James Washington, specifically chosen to aid theU.S. Presidentin her re-election (various "Black to the Moon" word-play posters are seen in the film, extolling the new Moon landing).

Upon landing on thefar side of the Moon,they encounter the descendants of Nazis who escaped to the Moon in 1945 (self-styled the "Fourth Reich"in dialogue). Washington is taken captive after the other astronaut is killed. Nazi scientist Doktor Richter examines Washington and obtains hissmartphone,which he later recognizes as having more computing power than the 1940s-style computers of the Fourth Reich, enabling its use as a control unit to complete their giant space battleshipGötterdämmerung.

When Richter strives to demonstrate hisWunderwaffeto the currentFührer,Wolfgang Kortzfleisch, the phone's battery is quickly exhausted. Nazi commander Klaus Adler, chosen for genetic reasons to mate with Earth specialist Renate Richter (Doktor Richter's daughter), embarks in aflying saucerto collect more such computers on Earth. He takes with him Washington, who has been "Aryanized"by Doktor Richter using an"albinizing"drug.

Upon landing inNew York City,they discover that Renate has stowed away with them. They abandon Washington after he connects them with the President's campaign adviser, Vivian Wagner. Adler and Renate energize the President's re-election campaign usingNazi-style rhetoric.Renate is unaware of Adler's ambition to replace Kortzfleisch and rule the world. After three months, Kortzfleisch lands on Earth and confronts Adler, but is killed by Adler and Vivian. Adler declares himself the new Führer before returning to orbit in Kortzfleisch's flying saucer, deserting Vivian but taking hertablet computer.

Concurrently, Renate is persuaded by the homeless Washington that Adler intends global genocide. Shortly afterwards, the Moon Nazis launch a mass attack on the Earth with a fleet of giantZeppelin-like spacecraft called Siegfrieds which tow asteroids as missiles and launch countless flying saucers atNew York City,where they destroy theStatue of Libertyand blitz the city. TheU.S. Air Forceengage the flying saucers with some success.

TheUnited Nationsassembles to discuss the Moon Nazi threat. The President appoints Vivian as commander of the secretlymilitarisedspacecraft USSGeorge W. Bush,which carries nuclear anddirected-energyweapons, only to discover that most of the other nations (except Finland) have also secretly armed their spacecraft. They dispatch them against the Nazi fleet and wipe out the Siegfrieds.

Adler arrives in Kortzfleisch's flying saucer with the tablet computer to activate theGötterdämmerung.Renate and Washington travel in Adler's flying saucer to theGötterdämmerung,where Washington goes to disable the engines while Renate seeks out Adler. Meanwhile, the international space fleet damage the Nazis' Moon base and approach theGötterdämmerungwhich dwarfs them all. Commanding theGötterdämmerung,Adler destroys parts of the Moon to expose Earth to his line-of-fire. During the battle, Washington disconnects Vivian's tablet from the control panel of theGötterdämmerung,while Renate kills Adler before he can fire at Earth. Renate and Washington separately escape as theGötterdämmerungcrashes into the Moon.

The U.S. president congratulates Vivian from the UN session; whereupon Vivian discloses the presence of large tanks ofhelium-3on the Moon, of which the President immediately assumes sole claim on grounds that its possession ensures a millennium-long supply of energy. This enrages the other UN members, who engage in a brawl, while the international fleet turn on each other.

At the damaged Moon base, Renate reunites with Washington, who has reverted his pigmentation back to normal. They kiss before a confused group of Nazi survivors, whom Renate assures, "have a lotta work cut out for [them]". The final moments of the film show the Earth apparently during aninternational nuclear war.At the very end of the credits, the planetMarsis revealed with anartificial satellitein orbit.

Cast

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Production

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Production began in early 2006, and the production team took theirteaser trailerof the film to the2008 Cannes Film Festival,seeking co-financiers.[10]The team signed a co-production agreement with Oliver Damian's 27 Films Productions.[11][12]Iron Skyis one of a new wave of productions, includingArtemis Eternal,The Cosmonaut,A Swarm of Angels,andRiP!: A Remix Manifesto,produced in collaboration with an on-line community of film enthusiasts, creatingparticipatory cinema.AtWreck-a-Movie,a collaborative film-making web site, the producers invited everyone interested to contribute ideas and resources to the project.[13][14][15]

On 11 February 2009, it was announced that the film would star German actressJulia Dietze,[16]while the Slovenianindustrial musicgroupLaibachwould be recording the soundtrack.[17]Appropriately enough for a film about Nazism, the orchestral soundtrack incorporatesleitmotifsfrom the operatic cycleDer Ring des Nibelungenand other operas byRichard Wagner,a composer whose music was favoured by the Nazi leaders. The national anthem of the Nazis from the Moon ( "Kameraden, wir kehren Heim!" ) has the tune of "Die Wacht am Rhein".During the2010 Cannes Film Festival,Iron Skysigned a co-production agreement with the Australian production company New Holland Pictures, which brought Cathy Overett and Mark Overett as co-producers of the film.[18]

Iron Skywas video-recorded inRed camera format.[19]Cinematography began in November 2010 inFrankfurtforlocation shooting,and after that in January 2011 inAustraliaforstudio shooting.[2]Settings in Frankfurt wereWeseler Werft(Weseler Shipyard) andTaunusstrasse[de](English:Taunus Street).[20]On 6 February 2011, the cinematography ofIron Skyconcluded; it then entered a ten-week post-production process.[21]

Release

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Iron Skypremiered on 11 February 2012 at the62nd Berlin International Film Festival,in the Panorama Special section.[22]It was released in Finland on 4 April and in Germany on 5 April, running in major cinemas.[23]

In the UK, there was some controversy regarding the decision of the distributor, Revolver Entertainment, to release the film for only one day, causing the film makers to issue a public condemnation of their UK distributor, and accusing Revolver of misleading them.[24]Following high demand from the film's online fanbase, Revolver revised its decision andIron Sky's UK cinema release was extended.[25]

Reception

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Critical reception ofIron Skyin the United States was negative. OnRotten Tomatoes,the film has a 41% approval rating, based on 44 reviews, with an average rating of 4.5/10.[26]

William Goss ofFilmgave the film a D+, saying that it "feels more and more like a lostAustin Powerssequel that already feels exceedingly dated in its humor. "[27]Jeff Shannon ofThe Seattle Timesgave the film two out of four stars, describing it as "great idea, lousy execution".[28]Leslie Felperin ofVarietydescribedIron Skyas being "...neither good enough to rep a proper breakout hit nor bad enough that it might attain cult status; it’s just kind of lame".[29]

Accolades

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The film wonBest Visual Effectsat the2nd AACTA Awards.[30]

Spin-offs

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Comic

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On 5 October 2011, Blind Spot released a digital comicprequelto the film, titledIron Sky: Bad Moon Rising,written by the writer ofAlan Wake,Mikko Rautalahti, and fully illustrated by comic artistGerry Kissell,creator ofIDW Publishing'sCode Word: Geronimo.[31]IDW Publishing printed these comics in a softcover graphic novel collection in March 2013.[32]

Video game

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On 19 August 2012,TopWare InteractiveannouncedIron Sky: Invasion,an official video game adaptation and expansion of the film, to be developed byReality Pump Studios.The game was described as an advancedspace flight simulator game,with elements of thestrategyandRPGgenres.[33]

Board game

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In 2012, Revision Games publishedIron Sky: The Board Game,a board game based on the film designed by Juha Salmijärvi. It is a strategy board game, where two opposing teams The Reich and The UWC struggle for domination over three continents of Earth. Each player is in charge of one continent and cooperation within each team is mandatory for success.[34]

Sequel

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Main article:Iron Sky: The Coming Race

On 20 May 2012, Kaukomaa announced that there are plans for a prequel and asequelbut refused to disclose details.[35]In May 2013, Vuorensola announced thatIron Skywill have a sequel titledIron Sky: The Coming Race.He also mentioned that unlike the first film, this installment will be completelyfunded by fansviaIndiegogo,with an estimated budget of US$15 million. A promo video was to be shot for the2014 Cannes Film Festivaland the final draft of the script was scheduled to be published by the end of 2014. Filming was expected to begin in 2015.[36]In July 2013, Vuorensola revealedCroatiaas one of the proposed shooting locations.[37]In February 2014,Dalan Mussonsigned in to write the screenplay. The Finnish Film Foundation and Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg have come on board to finance the US$13 million project.[38]Ultimately, this schedule was not maintained. In 2017, a January 2018 release date was announced. That date was missed, as was an August 2018 release. The movie was ultimately released in March 2019.

Bankruptcy

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In the wake of the sequel's release and it'scopyright dispute,Blind Spot Pictures, the main production company forIron Sky,declared bankruptcy on 17 September 2019.[39][40]Iron Sky Universe, another production company involved in creating the franchise for a would-be third film ofThe Coming Race's sequel, also filed for bankruptcy on 12 October 2020 by Ilmarinen Mutual Pension Insurance Company.[41] Timo Vuorensola himself confirmed the Iron Sky Universe's bankruptcy, saying "The production company of Iron Sky, called Iron Sky Universe, one which I jointly set up with Tero, is going under."[42]

See also

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References

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  1. ^abc"IRON SKY(15) ".Revolver Entertainment.British Board of Film Classification.14 May 2012.Retrieved2 May2014.
  2. ^ab"Invest in Iron Sky: Iron Sky:: Official Movie Site".Iron Sky. Archived fromthe originalon 4 October 2010.Retrieved4 April2011.
  3. ^"Iron Sky".Box Office Mojo.Retrieved15 October2012.
  4. ^io9Archived8 August 2015 at theWayback Machine,by Charlie Jane Anders (7 May 2008), "Nazi Moonbase Launches Stealth Attack". Retrieved 1 May 2009.
  5. ^ab"Iron Sky info site".Ironsky.net. Archived fromthe originalon 14 January 2009.Retrieved22 October2012.
  6. ^Ritman, Alex (19 May 2023)."Cannes: 'Iron Sky' Director Timo Vuorensola Prepping Darkly Comic Action Thriller 'Killtown' (Exclusive)".The Hollywood Reporter.Retrieved19 May2023.
  7. ^"Iron Sky (2012) Blu-ray comparison".DVDCompare.Retrieved19 April2017.
  8. ^"Iron Sky: The Coming Race".Indiegogo.Retrieved9 May2017.
  9. ^"Die finnische Filmparodie" Iron Sky "erzählt von durchgeknallten Nazis auf dem Mond".Der Spiegel.2 April 2012.
  10. ^Nordisk Film & TV FondArchived13 January 2009 at theWayback Machine,5 September 2008, "Finland's Iron Sky Falls on Cannes". Retrieved 1 May 2009.
  11. ^"Blind Spot looks to Nazis in space".The Hollywood Reporter.21 May 2008.
  12. ^geekytyrantArchived30 July 2012 atarchive.today,"Iron Skywas picked up at Cannes ". Retrieved 1 May 2009.
  13. ^Lance Weiler (18 June 2008)."5 questions for Timo Vuorensola".The Workbook Project.Archived fromthe originalon 26 May 2009.Retrieved1 May2009.
  14. ^newteeveeArchived12 January 2009 at theWayback Machine,by Chris Albrecht (12 May 2008), "Iron Sky Opens Up the Filmmaking Process". Retrieved 1 May 2009.
  15. ^slashdot.org,"News for Nerds: Iron Sky Trailer". Retrieved 1 July 2009.
  16. ^Meza, Ed (11 February 2009)."Julia Dietze to star in 'Iron Sky'".Variety.Retrieved19 March2009.
  17. ^Mark Kermode Interviews Timo Vuorensola at Cannes,16 May 2010, "Mark Kermode Interviews Timo Vuorensola at Cannes". Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  18. ^"New Holland joins Iron Sky team".Screen Daily.17 May 2010.Retrieved4 April2011.
  19. ^"Blackstar Halo – Energia's first Red camera vfx shots".Blog.starwreck. 5 January 2010. Archived fromthe originalon 25 January 2010.Retrieved22 October2012.
  20. ^Patrick Abele, hr-onlineArchived4 September 2012 atarchive.today,Aus Hessen wird Hollywood - Weltraum-Nazis erobern Frankfurt 9 February 2012.
  21. ^Iron Sky Shoot, The Final Day.Archived18 February 2011 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 18 February 2011.
  22. ^Staff writer (9 February 2012)."Iron Sky premieres in the Panorama Special section of the Berlinale".ses.fi.Finnish Film Foundation.Archived fromthe originalon 9 September 2012.Retrieved10 February2012.
  23. ^Iron Sky in CinemaxxArchived6 April 2012 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 5 April 2012.
  24. ^"team does not approve the UK release strategy: Iron Sky:: Official Movie Site".Iron Sky. 16 May 2012. Archived fromthe originalon 24 May 2012.Retrieved24 May2012.
  25. ^"'Iron Sky' granted extended UK cinema run: Digital Spy ".Digital Spy.23 May 2012.Retrieved31 May2012.
  26. ^"Iron Sky (2012)".Rotten Tomatoes.Retrieved12 November2022.
  27. ^Goss, William (21 March 2012)."SXSW Review:Iron Sky".Film.Retrieved13 November2012.
  28. ^Shannon, Jeff (23 August 2012)."Iron Sky:Out-of-this-world Nazi plot lands in chaos ".The Seattle Times.Retrieved13 November2012.
  29. ^Leslie Felperin (12 February 2012)Review: "Iron Sky",Variety,accessed 4 April 2013.
  30. ^Jensen, Jorn Rossing (29 January 2013)."Small Finnish VFX studio wins Australian Oscar forIron Sky".Cineuropa.Retrieved6 November2013.
  31. ^"Comic Is Out – Pay What You Like Or Read It For Free: Iron Sky:: Official Movie Site".Iron Sky. 7 October 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 31 August 2012.Retrieved22 October2012.
  32. ^"IRON SKY coming from IDW".5 December 2012.
  33. ^"Video Game Based on 'Iron Sky' in the Works".The Hollywood Reporter.20 August 2012.Retrieved20 August2012.
  34. ^"Iron Sky: The Board Game".Revision Games.Retrieved6 November2013.
  35. ^Blind Spot plans prequel and sequel to Iron Sky20 May 2012. Geoffrey Macnab. ScreenDaily
  36. ^"Iron Sky The Coming Race".Indiegogo.Retrieved20 May2013.
  37. ^Vuorensola, Timo; Karinen, Kalle (photographer) (2 July 2013).Director's Update - From the Center of the Earth!(Web video). Croatia: Energia Productions. Event occurs at 01:50. Archived fromthe originalon 19 February 2014.Retrieved8 July2013.
  38. ^Keslassy, Elsa (5 February 2014)."Berlin: Dalan Musson to Write Sequel to 'Iron Sky' (EXCLUSIVE)".Variety.Retrieved6 February2014.
  39. ^"Blind Spot Pictures Bankrupt (in Finnish)".3 May 2024.
  40. ^"News reports Blind Spot Pictures Bankrupt (in Finnish)".30 December 2019.
  41. ^Minna Rinta-Tassi (13 October 2020)."Iron Sky -elokuvien tuotantoyhtiö on haettu konkurssiin –" Velkasumma on niin iso, ettei sitä takataskusta revitä "(in Finnish)".Yle Uutiset.
  42. ^Timo Vuorensola (19 October 2020)."A filmmaker Timo Vuorensola's journal".vuorensola.
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