Originally Posted By oc_dean Interesting news from Al's latest update that TDA is "apparently" looking at a minor return of "CAPTAIN EO" for this Halloween. So ... now the question must be - The feasibility of converting the current Magic Eye theater's design for "Honey, I shrunk the audience" ... to .. "Captain EO". So ... for fun ... lets recap all 'Theater' effects they would have to cost-out. At the beginning was that star field effect just before the film rolled on. At one point an enemy ship shoots a "one, two, three" green laser effect across the left part of the screen. When EO's ship crash lands ... there's a fog effect. At one point there's a flashlight in the rear right of the theater with one of the characters just simply attached to the top. What am I missing? I'm not counting too many theater effects they could not rig up quickly for a reconversion for "EO". They'll have to re-mask the screen as it is cropped currently in the upper right corner for "HISTA". And they need to remove the podium to the right. No big wuff there. So .... Who knows if Al's word will hold water here .. but I would not mind a return of "EO" .. even if it's just for a month or so. It would be a welcome to a land so desperate for a revitalization .... at least this science fiction musical from the past could "change the world" .. even if for only 20 minutes.
Originally Posted By monorailblue At one point, there's someone in the film shines a flash light around, and there's an in-theater light that follows it so that it shines out and onto the audience. I don't see this as feasible, but it sure would be nice as a short-term thing. Frankly, if they ain't got nothing better than Honey, that theater needs to close for a while.
Originally Posted By wonderingalice If this happens along with the Halloween makeover for Space Mountain, I'm going to have to make my first October visit in several years... Good stuff!
Originally Posted By mawnck No friggin' way. Can't possibly be true. The thing is, despite the impression you may have gotten from our blithering mainstream media, not everyone is all that crazy about Michael Jackson. Then again, its return would probably get me to buy a ticket too. Hmmmmmm ...
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy Even if there have been discussion about Captain EO in the aftermath of MJ's death, I doubt we'll see this happen. Now that a few weeks have passed, the news reports are back to talking about the more sensational aspects of MJ's death -- the drugs, lawsuits, etc. This is all pretty negative stuff and not the kind of information you want guests to be considering as they queue up for you theme park attraction. I think the nostalgic news reports for the MJ legacy are over. Expect more of the tabloid-style stuff from here on out.
Originally Posted By believe I hope they upgrade the projectors to Disney Digital 3D instead of the obsolete film projectors they currently have. Of course, doing that would cost a couple hundred thousand.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros Just guessing how long it ususally takes Disney to do minor upgrades, I think it would take them a very long time to get these effects working. I don't know exactly how extensive these things are, but they seem like they would be pretty complicated to do. Putting up a new (rectangular) screen would take quite a while, unless they just hung a temporary one in front of the one they have now. From the sounds of it, the starfield would require major reworking of the ceiling to get all the equipment properly hidden. I don't know how well they have kept the film in the archives, but I suspect that it would need a little bit of work to get up to a presentable quality. Even if they started working on it today, that's a lot of stuff to get done in a month and a half. I can't imagine this would be a cheap overlay, and I'm really not sure how many people in the general public would want to see it. I could see them presenting it with some of the effects missing, but that's not going to draw the crowds in either. And most of all, what does it have to do with Halloween? All reports say that it would be part of the Halloweentime overlay stuff, but I can't think of a real reason that would connect it to the promotion, other than the Thriller video, which has nothing to do with Captain EO. It might be fun to watch it again, but I just don't think it's a realistic possibility.
Originally Posted By Hista98 I doubt this would happen ,it would cost so much to reinstall the effects. and i doubt they would be up for spending it for a temporary redo. If they were to bring it back, it would just be the film. no effects at all.
Originally Posted By u k fan For some reason I still feel like it might be cooler as a featurette at the El Capitan. A real cinematic event rather than a theme park experience!!!
Originally Posted By skinnerbox <<I hope they upgrade the projectors to Disney Digital 3D instead of the obsolete film projectors they currently have. Of course, doing that would cost a couple hundred thousand.>> But that would be the perfect opportunity to justify the transition. And eventually, the savings realized from switching to DD3D will be tempting enough to the TDA bean counters to seriously consider it. If the rumors are true, that Captain EO will play a limited engagement in the fall (I believe TDA should do it, even without the in-theater effects), perhaps this is the reason why. Closing the theater to switch out the program gives Baxter more ammunition to justify the expense to transition to DD3D. Maybe that's the main motivation for proposing the Captain EO engagement in the first place.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>Maybe that's the main motivation for proposing the Captain EO engagement in the first place.<< Going to the expense of transferring Captain EO to digital for a limited engagement? That's crazy talk. Next you'll be telling me they're bringing the subs back. (For that matter, transferring HISTA to digital would be daffy too, since the number of guests who have seen the movies it's based on continues to dwindle.)
Originally Posted By skinnerbox <<Going to the expense of transferring Captain EO to digital for a limited engagement? That's crazy talk.>> Of course it is. Now reverse the order and install the new digital projectors AFTER Captain EO finishes its limited engagement. ;^)
Originally Posted By skinnerbox <<Next you'll be telling me they're bringing the subs back.>>\ Without the lame Nemo overlay? OOOOOH!! "Mr. Baxter, check the air pressure."
Originally Posted By skinnerbox <<(For that matter, transferring HISTA to digital would be daffy too, since the number of guests who have seen the movies it's based on continues to dwindle.)>> Does not matter. Disney is contractually obligated per their Kodak contract. No idea how long the contract will remain, but it's probably for many more years to come.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt I find it hard to believe that the sponsor contracts don't have clauses allowing either party to jump ship when circumstances allow. It isn't beneficial to Disney or Kodak to continue to spend money operating an attraction that isn't drawing audiences.
Originally Posted By gurgitoy2 I doubt Kodak would have a problem either, since they also sponsored Captain EO. As long as they are present in some way, I just don't see them making a fuss. As for bringing the show back? I'll believe it when I see it. It's all talk at this point.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>I doubt Kodak would have a problem either, since they also sponsored Captain EO.<< That was then ...
Originally Posted By oc_dean My impression is that Kodak sponsors the theater itself, not the film - per se. After all ... it's been known as the "Kodak 'Magic Eye' Theater" since day one - 1986.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt Wasn't the special 3D process used to create Captain Eo developed in a partnership with Disney and Kodak? Personally I think that MJ is too controversial of a figure to have his film return to the Disney parks. Yes, he was an amazing artist but too many questions remain about his personal life and for me it would be difficult to watch him at DL without being distracted by them. Not only that, the special effects in Captain Eo have not aged well.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>Not only that, the special effects in Captain Eo have not aged well.<< Neither did Captain Eo.
