I guess it is appropriate now to reopen Captain EO at Disneyland as a tribute for Michael Jackson after many fans have been asking Disneyland to bring it back. It reopened February 23, 2010 for a limited time, but I’m not sure how limited. For those that don’t know about Captain EO, it had a run at Disneyland in the 80s and 90s that featured a 3D spectacle with special effects that extended to the audience.
I never saw the attraction back in the day, so everything was going to be new to me. After watching/ experiencing the attraction, I couldn’t believe that this was directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It felt like George Lucas’ hands were all over this project. He is the executive producer after all. The theater was split into two camps, the majority being the Captain EO lovers and the other being the “WTF did I just see” group.
I was with the WTF group, as I was laughing at the silliness of the whole thing. Here we have Michael Jackson, a captain with such a soft voice, I can’t believe whoever was in charge allowed him to command his own crew. Then again, have you seen his crew of misfits? We have this annoying flying furry thing called Fuzzball who flies around the screen, trying to utilize 3D every chance it gets. Then you have a short and clumsy elephant-looking alien named Hooter.
So Captain EO is on a mission to give a gift to the Witch Queen (Angelica Huston). Yes, the overacting from the Witch Queen can make you cringe. So what’s this gift you speak of? Get this, it’s the power of music to unlock her inner beauty. As she sends her alien guards to capture EO, he uses his magical hand wave to shoot out colorful beams to transform the guards into fruity dancers. Pretty soon all of her guards are transformed into colorful fruity dancers with magical effects coming out of Captain EO.
The special effects are dated, and the music takes forever to get to, and that’s the whole reason for having a Michael Jackson attraction. Lasers and smoke effects were taken out but it still has flashing lights and hydraulics below the theater to simulate space travel.
Is it worth checking out? Sure, but I wouldn’t pay for admission just to see this. But it is a lot better than Honey I Shrunk the Audience. Unless they release a version where Rick Moranis can transform his family members into cheesy fruity dancers, then I’ll reconsider it.
Grade: C+
Photo from Disney Park Blog
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Paladin
Feb 24, 2010 -
Wow! Talk about a blast from the past! I remember seeing advertisements for “Captain EO” during Saturday morning cartoons back in the 80’s.
Never seen the show (or been to either Disney) but it’s fascinating to see or hear about EO again.
Reservoired Dog
Feb 25, 2010 -
Saw it like 5 times when it was out and even downloaded it when it was no longer a attraction.
Just like Moonwalker it’s unintentionally funny.
Slivermist
Feb 25, 2010 -
I saw Captain EO in 3D for the first time and I enjoyed watching it. =)
The next day, in my acting class, I did some body movements that deals with expansion and contraction.
We had to do these moves that were similar to jazz fingers and I felt like I was captain EO, “We are here to change the world!”.
robert
Mar 17, 2010 -
i saw Captain EO at Disneyland the other day and thought it was amazing. I’m not a michael jackson fan, nor a star wars/george lucas fan, but thought it was a musical and visual spectacle. the reviewer above is so cynical and downbeat and does not represent what a regular person would think. Proof: everyone in the audience applauded after it was over.
Assyria20
Mar 17, 2010 -
I can say the same shit too about my audiences. And everyone there was laughing at Michael as captain, lol.
aye
Jul 10, 2010 -
It’s not tryin to be oscar winning it’s a fuckin disneyland attraction you bum!!!!!!! Just like everythin else at disneyland – tongue firmly in cheek… i’m not even a fan of MJ but jaysus, cynical