It was 23 years ago, at the height of his phenomenal entertainment career, that Michael Jackson joined forces with Disney, producer George Lucas and director Francis Ford Coppola to create a groundbreaking 17-minute 3D film experience starring Jackson as Captain EO.
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In the movie, Jackson performs two original songs, and the production features Academy Award-winning actress Anjelica Huston, and a cast of mythical space characters with dual personalities who undergo magical transformations to become Jackson's electronic band in conquering the forces of darkness.
The list of colorful Disney-created characters includes:
- - Hooter, the little green elephant-like creature who sneezes wild musical notes through his flute-like trunk
- - Fuzzball, the orange-haired space monkey with butterfly wings
- - The Geex, a golden-haired, two-faced personality with two left feet, one right foot and two shaggy heads named Idy and Ody
- - Major Domo, whose mirrored silver costume becomes a complete set of drums
- - Minor Domo with his sparkling purple torso that turns into an electronic synthesizer played by Hooter.
For all its technology, "Captain EO" is first and foremost a musical spectacular and a thrilling space-fantasy adventure.
The realism of the 3D process will once again make it seem that Jackson dances right out of the screen into the theater. While Disney officials said it's not possible to replicate some of the special effects elements from the original presentation, the attraction will boast a new 70mm print of the film and sound better than ever thanks to acoustical enhancements made to the theater since the film last played there.
The total effect is one of motion, color and high energy filled with Jackson's musical brilliance and various illusions to create an exciting and realistic journey in space for the audience.
During the journey, Captain EO and his merry crew discover a colorless planet where they are confronted by the Supreme Leader (Huston) and her forces of darkness. Using the power of music, dance and light to fill the planet and the theater with all the shades of the rainbow, the EO crew turns the black and white land into a magical world of color and happiness.
"Captain EO" makes use of more famous-name talents than any other film of its length ever produced, according to Disney. The production called on Hollywood's finest choreographers, set designers, costume creators and special effects artists to create an imaginative film in three dimensions.
The classic musical spectacular thrilled Disneyland park guests from 1986-1997 and was then retired.
Walt Disney Imagineering is the creative team that developed the original "Captain EO" attraction. The overall show director for the original was Rick Rothschild, who is currently a consultant with Walt Disney Imagineering. The creative executive for the reopening of this 3D space adventure is Imagineer Tony Baxter.
"Captain EO" is presented multiple times daily at Disneyland. For information about park hours, services and offers, visit the Web site at www.disneyland.com
