Joe Johnston
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Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
influenced Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Jumanji (1995)
Visuals Themes
To have a character offhandedly refer to other Nazis looking for occult relics in the desert is appropriate and fun; Johnston did effects on “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” To steal a major scene from that film for an ending, though, isn’t an homage; it’s like showing your hostess how much you liked her party by pilfering a teaspoon.
With its World War II setting and devilish German villains, Captain America immediately brings to mind Raiders of the Lost Ark and director Joe Johnston's earlier effort The Rocketeer.
Between the old-fashioned, gung-ho score by Alan Silvestri and the loving attention to WWII period detail, Captain America at times recalls (without ever being as good as) Steven Spielberg's wartime adventure yarn Raiders of the Lost Ark .
Most of the big moments from the trailer are actually part of a brief montage in the film, but there is a nice aerial attack sequence which pays homage to Raiders of the Lost Ark (additionally there’s an all-too-obvious Wilhelm Scream in the film) and a few nice smaller moments that keep the blood flowing.
“Captain America: The First Avenger” is a high-spirited, gee-whiz adventure in the tradition of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and the matinee serials that inspired it.
Director Joe Johnston may have used Raiders of the Lost Ark as a template in regards to keeping a 40’s serial feel about the film, but he avoided anything that could be considered a ripoff or a tired cliches.
In some respects, Tomorrowland is reminiscent of another Disney movie, 1991's The Rocketeer, in that it has a retro-futuristic vibe that won't be for every taste, but which provides enormous entertainment for those who can get into it.
When young Frank (Thomas Robinson) is zooming around Tomorrowland in his homemade jetpack, there are shades of The Rocketeer, a sense of wide-eyed wonderment not seen much since Steven Spielberg's 1980s heyday, and even the "kids are smart, adults are dumb" theme of E.T. and The Goonies.
There are many nods to Saturday family adventures like The Rocketeer , and quite a few to the bicycle-riding kids of ET .
Frank's hologram guard dog is cooler than his jetpack, which looked a lot sweeter in 1991's "The Rocketeer."
As praise goes, Tomorrowland has moments of retro-tinged visual splendor that suggest a more technically advanced version of some of Joe Johnston’s films, particularly The Rocketeer , that eternally underappreciated Disney effort.
But director Bird (“The Incredibles,” “Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol”) is such a master of momentum, and has such a way with gadgetry that the film’s two-plus hours whiz by, with elements of “The Terminator,” “Hugo,” “The Rocketeer” “The Wizard of Oz” and countless other films flashing past.
An American Werewolf in London (1981)
Directed by John Landis
influenced The Wolfman (2010)
Visuals Themes
Werewolf transformation effects are right out of Rick Baker's own seminal "An American Werewolf in London" The propulsive score by Danny Elfman owes much to Wojciech Kilar's for "Francis Ford Coppola's Dracula."
While that was handled with finesse in John Landis’ terrific 1981 cult movie, “An American Werewolf in London,” here the two collide and then collapse in their strained effort to come together.
Director Joe Johnston wants this movie to be the bridge between the restrained, atmosphere-soaked Universal horror classic and the grotesque likes of An American Werewolf in London and The Howling.
Thus, the special effects are both cutting edge in their digital depiction of the physical transformation from man to beast and gloriously old-fashioned in Rick Baker’s make-up effects that unashamedly evoke Jack Pierce’s work in the 1941 original (Baker was an inspired choice since he won the first-ever Oscar for make-up effects with his work on John Landis’s 1981 horror-comedy An American Werewolf in London).
As for Lawrence's initial transformationa centerpiece of any respectable lycanthropic yarnit leaves one merely aloof by the choice to go with CGI that doesn't come close to approaching the realism, ingenuity and fright of makeup artist Rick Baker's masterful practical effects in 1981's "The Howling" and 1982's "An American Werewolf in London."
Special-effects veteran Rick Baker—whose werewolf experience stretches back to The Howling and An American Werewolf In London—has designed a beast worthy of awe and wonder, but his wolf-man has more personality than The Wolfman.
The Goosebumps screenplay by Darren Lemke (Shrek Forever After, Jack the Giant Slayer) – with Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski (Ed Wood, Agent Cody Banks) credited for the screen story – borrows story and character elements from many a previous film, especially 1990s kid adventure movies like Hocus Pocus and Jumanji.
Rather than adapting any of Stine's individual stories, the filmmakers opt for a greatest hits approach, ensuring appearances from a host of fan favourites in a plot that recalls 1995's similarly effects-led children's adventure Jumanji .
For everyone else, though, "Goosebumps" promises to be something of a slog, benefitting from a fun tone reminiscent of "Jumanji" -- particularly early on -- but one that quickly devolves into a frantic but lazily plotted chase movie.
Similar to Chris Van Allsburg’s Jumanji, the ghoulish creations step into our cynical world (via palpable FX), leaving the town of Madison in the hands of three bewildered teens and one snotty writer, who are all tasked to trap them back into fiction.
Besides, this is like the greatest cinematic offspring Jumanji and Gremlins ever begat.
Wonder Woman (2017)
Directed by Patty Jenkins
influenced by Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Visuals Plot
But I’d argue that Wonder Woman’s time period is a pretty clever stealth weapon to explore some of the movies more progressive themes (more on that in a sec), not to mention the fact that it gives the film a retro-cool charge reminiscent of Joe Johnston’s Captain America: The First Avenger.
“Wonder Woman” evokes not only the spirit of Richard Donner’s “Superman,” but also Joe Johnston’s “Captain America: The First Avenger,” while still being its own thing.
The movie is a derivative hash of comic book picture plot points and origin story touchstones — half “Captain America: The First Avenger,” half “Thor.”
And it does so by looking to the past, taking inspiration from the likes of Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger .
There are moments in Wonder Woman that recall Captain America: The First Avenger a little too closely for comfort.
Wonder Woman’s shift to the first World War feels like an attempt to create some distance from the unavoidable Captain America: The First Avenger comparisons evoked by the plunking of another superhero into period battle, finding comic book–worthy foes hiding amidst the historical ones.
But Rick Baker's werewolf design - a combination of his own "American Werewolf in London" morphing and Roy Ashton's makeup for Oliver Reed in "The Curse of the Werewolf" - is quite wonderful.
The End of Oak Street (2026)
Directed by David Robert Mitchell
influenced by Jumanji (1995)
Themes Plot
…this is Spielberg crossed with something like "Jumanji."
If you are a fan of Jurassic Park, Jumanji and Back to the Future and you are missing that era of cinema, then this movie might be right up your Oak Street.
…even if its high-concept premise is in service of what is essentially just Jumanji: Dinosaur Edition…
…and a bad Jumanji clone at worst…
Jurassic World Rebirth (2025)
Directed by Gareth Edwards
influenced by Jurassic Park III (2001)
Plot
Is it the “random rich family in peril” story from the eminently forgettable Jurassic Park III?
…with ideas borrowed from “The Lost World: Jurassic Park,” “Jurassic Park III,” and “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,”…
…you have a pretty good idea what happens next if you’ve seen any Jurassic movie…
…the marooned family subplot is less impactful than the marooned family in Jurassic Park III.
…the plastic jungle of Jurassic Park III…
Spielberg returned to direct the sequel “The Lost World” but not the third film, “Jurassic Park III”.
Star Wars (1977)
Directed by George Lucas
influenced Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Visuals
His hordes of robotic super-troopers recall both Star Wars and Universal Soldier.
The film's director, Joe Johnston, began his career as a Star Wars designer, going on to work on the Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park series.
Visual chicanery comes into play with Hugo Weaving, whose Red Skull looks like something out of the Star Wars cantina.
Comparisons to the Star Wars and Indiana Jones sagas are inevitable given both the serial-style nature of Captain America as well as some of the content (namely a motorcycle chase that echoes the speeder bike pursuit from Return of the Jedi, and a climactic scene that recalls the face-melting finale of Raiders of the Lost Ark); however, in borrowing from the best, director Johnston and company turn out an adventure that also stands shoulder to shoulder beside them.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
Directed by David Yates
influenced by Jumanji (1995)
Plot
That sort of gives the flick a "Jumanji" feel (at least in terms of critters running amok), but Rowling has other plot workings and themes in mind.
But Yates and his collaborators seem enamored of their “Jumanji”-on-acid zoo exhibit in a way that is easier to admire than to share.
Reminding often of 1995's "Jumanji" (minus the board game), "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" hedges its bets on the rampaging computer-generated beasts of the title and their silliness/adorability factor.
The film fares better when it charges into magical Jumanji mode, characters chasing beasts rather than running away.
Night Train to Munich (1940)
Directed by Carol Reed
influenced Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Visuals
The action sequences recall everything from Carol Reed 's "Night Train to Munich," in scenes involving derring-do in the Alps, to Alfred Hitchcock 's "Foreign Correspondent," as in the climactic air battle pitting America Himself against the Red Skull high over the Atlantic.
Superman (1978)
Directed by Richard Donner
influenced Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Music Themes
Alan Silvestri’s music reminded me of John Williams’ soaring score for the 1978 “Superman,” while director Johnston’s frequent collaborator Shelly Johnson’s cinematography captured nicely the period design work by big budget production designer Rick Heinricks.
At first, it seems as though the latest such entry in the current superhero cycle, "Captain America: The First Avenger" has just such a secret ingredient in its cheerfully old-fashioned approach in regards to both its World War II-era setting and the kind of wholeheartedly innocent and uncynical take on the material not seen in this kind of film since the original "Superman" way back in 1978.
Foreign Correspondent (1940)
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
influenced Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Visuals
The action sequences recall everything from Carol Reed 's "Night Train to Munich," in scenes involving derring-do in the Alps, to Alfred Hitchcock 's "Foreign Correspondent," as in the climactic air battle pitting America Himself against the Red Skull high over the Atlantic.
Joe Johnston’s aw-shucks homage to adventure serials and American can-do, The Rocketeer , invoked the mafia-Navy story a quarter century ago.
Although drawn primarily from George Waggner’s The Wolf Man (1941), which begat Lon Chaney Jr.’s career as a monster star par excellence (he would go on to play virtually every monster in the Universal catalog over the next decade), it also draws background from the oft-forgotten Werewolf of London (1936), which helped establish the on-screen lore of lycanthropy.
Curt Siodmak’s screenplay for the original 1941 The Wolfman is credited as the source for this Victorian-era retelling (there are elements also taken from the uncredited 1935 Werewolf of London) and, while great liberties are taken with the family history, it’s remains true to the basics and even begins by quoting directly from the source: “Even a man who is pure in heart and says his prayers by night, may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright.”
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
influenced Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Themes Visuals
There are percentage of people who feel that these movies need to have an edge to them, as if there would be anyone willing to bankroll a Captain America movie that channels the spirit of Inglourious Basterds.
There are borrowings from the superior Raiders of the Lost Ark (for which Captain America's director won a visual effects Oscar) and it's altogether inferior to Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds.
An anarchic spirit was needed in its revisionist treatment of WWIIthink Quentin Tarantino's 2009 masterwork " Inglourious Basterds "but here it's simply rendered vague and flavorless.
Of course, costume designer Anna B. Sheppard (who recently dressed Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds) knows enough to avoid directly recreating the Captain America costume, with its blue tights, red pirate boots, U.S. flag torso, and silly headpiece with the little wings on the temples.
Set in the 1940s (with brief contemporary based bookend segments), it's yet another "origins" story and is something of a companion piece to "Inglourious Basterds" in terms of reimagining WWII.
A double-werewolf smackdown feels too much like " Van Helsing ," a scene in London is nearly wasted, and Geraldine Chaplin , as the old gypsy Maleva, is frankly no Maria Ouspenskaya .
We tolerated the Mummy remake because it was big and fun (the sequels and spin-offs less so), but we dismissed the chock-full-of-monsters Van Helsing for being ludicrous and silly.
Anthony Hopkins, in his second classic horror remake (he was Van Helsing in Francis Ford Coppola's Dracula), pops up now and again looking malevolent, but Sir John is more a necessity of the plot than a legitimate character.
Unlike Van Helsing, however, they’ve learned their lesson about messing about with their successful formula of old and this new wolfman movie is based on the classic one – going so far as using Curt Siodmak’s 1941 screenplay as the template for this fresh go round.
Resting comfortably between the shrieking borefest that was Van Helsing and the lush gorefest of Sleepy Hollow, The Wolfman is not the unmitigated disaster that many were expecting … or even, let’s admit it, hoping for.
But compared to Van Helsing (2004), Universal's last exercise in high-decibel horror schlock, this is fairly satisfying, particularly a ghoulish episode in a Victorian insane asylum.
Now with The Wolfman, which is the official Universal Pictures remake of The Wolf Man (1941), director Joe Johnston and screenwriters Andrew Kevin Walker and David Self have attempted to retain some of that old-time spooky atmosphere and character development.
If you follow movie news, you know this beauty has been delayed and tweaked for months by its studio, Universal, which allowed its 1941 classic film of the same name (sort of--it was called “The Wolf Man” then) to be bastardized by director Joe Johnston, the man responsible for such crowd-pleasures as “Jumanji” and the forever-memorable “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.”
Although drawn primarily from George Waggner’s The Wolf Man (1941), which begat Lon Chaney Jr.’s career as a monster star par excellence (he would go on to play virtually every monster in the Universal catalog over the next decade), it also draws background from the oft-forgotten Werewolf of London (1936), which helped establish the on-screen lore of lycanthropy.
Written by Andrew Kevin Walker and David Self, based on the 1941 film “The Wolf Man,” written by Curt Siodmak.
Joe Johnston sets his remake of the 1941 Lon Chaney Jr. classic The Wolf Man in Victorian England, a fitting backdrop for a Jekyll and Hyde–esque tale of men battling beasts within.
Anthony Hopkins, in his second classic horror remake (he was Van Helsing in Francis Ford Coppola's Dracula), pops up now and again looking malevolent, but Sir John is more a necessity of the plot than a legitimate character.
The decision to move the action to the Victorian era is a good one – audiences have fallen hard for the bravura visuals of these color leached, dark, inky looking ghost stories (ala Sweeney Todd, Sherlock Holmes, The Orphanage, et al) – and the lavish sets, costumes and Danny Elfman’s score (which seems to be inspired by Wojciech Kilar’s for Coppola’s Dracula) adds to the creepy/fun atmosphere.
The Fantastic Four (1994)
Directed by Oley Sassone
influenced Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
I should confess upfront, although I like Chris Evans and thought he was great as Johnny Storm in The Fantastic Four , I wasn’t sure how to feel about his casting as Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, in the new Marvel film Captain America: The First Avenger …
Stepping up to wear the red, white and blue is Chris Evans, previously seen in similar fare such as The Fantastic Four and The Losers.