First, a disclaimer. I'm a sentimental sack when it comes to theme park attractions. When Back to the Future The Ride closed its doors several years ago, I wrote a lengthy eulogy for it that prompted one friend to say, "My God, Troy... it was only a ride." So if you share said friend's cynicism and aversion toward nostalgia, mayhaps you should join me tomorrow for a different blog entry, eh?

Anyhow...

Speaking of nostalgia, somehow I don't see Disneyland bringing back the Skyway or the Boats, or any of the long-extinct attractions that are often wistfully remembered during trips back to the theme park. But for some reason, bringing back Captain EO makes a whole lot of sense. I won't get into the reasons, the politics, or any of the long-winded rant inciting statements that I could easily venture into... instead, I'll just tell you how awesome it was to be a kid again yesterday.

Right after the big Northridge Earthquake, my Grandma decided that it was time to uproot from Los Angeles to head to higher ground. During my summer vacation from school circa 1997, I came out from Colorado to help her pack up her and my Grandpa's house for several decades, and part of the motivation behind doing so was that she was going to take me to Disneyland for several days while I was there as well. Without a doubt, hands down my favorite locale at the theme park has always been Tomorrowland (for obvious nerdy reasons). Star Tours, the People Mover that took you through the world of TRON, Space Mountain, and of course - Captain EO. This trip (which included dragging my spry and adventurous Grandma on the then new Indiana Jones ride) remains one of my fondest memories and one of my Grandma's comments as we walked out of Captain EO remains chiseled in my memory quite possibly forever.

Her thoughts were succinct, direct, and honest... and utilized her trademark statement of exasperation:

"For Pete's sake... That was loud."

At the time, I had taken my Home Alone 2 inspired "TalkBoy" into the Magic Eye Theater and covertly recorded the booming audio to a cassette tape. Until the advent of YouTube and the advancements of file sharing technology, that was my only remaining reference to the Michael Jackson "3D experience"... but even when the video became accessible again, the experience just wasn't the same. The laser blast that evaporates an asteroid right before my eyes didn't knock me off my ass when I listened to it on the tinny cassette or on the super compressed to points it looks like the original Super Mario Bros. YouTube video... it was for that reason that, without fail, every time I would visit Disneyland after moving to LA, at some point during every trip myself or a friend would lament that we wished they'd bring back Captain EO.

Which is why I was ecstatic when I heard the attraction was coming back "for an undetermined amount of time." It was fitting, nay, required of me that I be one of the first folks back through the doors of the Magic Eye Theater when the show finally returned.

And so yesterday, I was.


Let me tell you, there's something comforting and familiar when you round the corner past Star Tours and see the Captain EO signage with the hulk of Space Mountain just behind it. While the placement and design might be just a tad different from how it was almost fifteen years ago, immediately you're transported back through time just as if you were wandering the halls of your old elementary school.


While the signs and posters may now dub the show a "Tribute", and while the clunky CRT televisions hanging from the ceiling might have been replaced by energy efficient high-definition 16x9 LCD monitors, the build up to the show itself is faithfully recreated from the behind the scenes montage set to fun 80s aerobics music to the old school Kodak logo reminding you just who's sponsoring this whole shindig.

When you enter the theater, present is the thrumming futuristic musical tones and the Captain EO logo being projected on-screen. But gone is the distinctive odor that the Magic Eye Theater had "back in the day" due to the liquid nitrogen created smoke that filled the ride (more on that in a second).

The lights dim, the music builds, and immediately the kid in me goes - wait, there's something missing... the all-impressive "starfield" effect that filled the theater at the very beginning of the show, presumably created by fiber-optic lights installed throughout the entire theater. Understandable considering the installation of EO is only temporary... before you have much time to miss the awe-inspiring effect much the asteroid at center screen is blown to oblivion and we're off and running.

The film print looks great, scratches and pops that give it that same warmth that film has over digital projection just as vinyl has over MP3. While the 3D effect isn't all that spectacular in this age of active Avatar 3D in IMAX, what always made EO unique was the "4D" experience as you're bombarded with laser effects, lighting effects, clever surround sound, etc. While each and every detail in the "4D" experience isn't present anymore, the theater does a great job of making the theater feel like it's a part of the environment - even utilizing the moving seating platform to simulate movement during the space battle (and hopping to the beat to encourage clapping and rocking out during the two musical numbers). But incredibly missing is the all-enveloping smoke effect that occurs when EO and the crew's ship crashes to the planet surface... I vividly remember the crash, where the theater would fill with the very distinctive smelling nitrogen-based smoke to the point where you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. An awesome effect that the Terminator 2-3D show rocks you with at its conclusion. In EO, as the "smoke" used to dissipate, the spotlight in the film would cut through the fog and get things back in motion. But without this effect, there's a startlingly long period of black on the screen with the audience looking around at each other waiting for something to happen. Understandably, these types of effects require an incredible amount of materials and preparation (I seem to remember the smoke coming out of the CENTER of the screen?), and I'm sure that the Imagineers weren't able to justify installing a supply of the nitrogen and the means to expel it into the theater considering the show will be gone sooner than later. But still, not having that effect, having that stop down in the action, and missing that odor that makes rides like Splash Mountain, Indiana Jones, and Pirate of the Caribbean so distinctive somehow makes the whole thing taste like Mom's meatloaf but it's missing the gravy.

The film itself is dated, but still charming. While the effects, character design, and production design definitely recall the classic epics of the 80s like Empire Strikes Back, Ghostbusters, Labyrinth, and others (mainly because the crew behind all three mentioned were involved in the production of EO), they have more spirit and feel ten times more tangible than any of the CG that I've seen in the past ten years. Plus, captured here in the "Tribute" is Michael Jackson at his finest... the King as I choose to remember him (just as Elvis to me will always be the young and rockin' youthful dude from Jailhouse Rock). The crowds during both screenings I went to yesterday all swooned and catcalled as MJ first makes his appearance in the film. They all "whooooo"ed in time with Jackson on cue. In fact, if anything the true "Tribute" to the whole thing is that it feels like it's another fine example of just how entertaining, influential, and let's face it super-cool Michael was.

It's a shame we as a disposable, celebrity bloodthirsty consumer public had to make the poor guy become so damn eccentric...

But I digress... I've been down that road in several entries before...

Another observation. James Horner is a one-trick pony. As you're sitting watching the dramatic build up to Jackson's booming musical numbers, you'll hear familiar tones and progressions from anything and everything Horner has done in the past (and probably will still rehash). I really am starting to think that the guy is the Green Day of theatrical instrumental score. Here's the same couple chords with just a slight variation on them to make them feel different but the entire time you're listening you'll think, hey - that sounds familiar, what's that from? Well, funny you should mention, it's the same thing you've heard in Aliens, Kahn, Titanic, Avatar, Rocketeer, and a whole slew of others. Sure the guy has written memorable themes (Alien and Rocketeer immediately come to mind), but I'm starting to think that Kristen Stewart has more range than Horner...

The merchandise Disney is selling (conveniently right outside the theater exit at the Star Trader) is reminiscent of the cool retro swag that was available in the late-80s. I vividly remember this weird holographic EO visor that had running Christmas lights on it my parents bought me back in the day... items like that aren't available, but (super-thin material) t-shirts with the logo and poster are. In fact, Disney is even selling a grey circa-1980s non-hooded sweater that recalls the old Disneyland merch from the 80s and early 90s. People look ridiculous in them, but it's cool that they're available.

Anyway, this already rivals the Back to the Future The Ride opus, so I should bring it to a close. But just to finish the thought, Captain EO does a great job of recalling memories of Tomorrowland (arguably) in its prime. While it may not authentically recreate the same experience from 15 to 20 years ago, it acts like a snapshot in your photo album that recalls greatness, makes you smile, and has you humming two catchy Jackson songs for the rest of the day... and beyond.

Hopefully it'll be around for some time, I can't wait to see it again.