Captain EO

Captain EO (alternately, Captain Eo) is a 3-D film which was formerly shown in Disney theme parks.

The film stars Michael Jackson. It was directed by Francis Ford Coppola, executive-produced by George Lucas, photographed by Vittorio Storaro, produced by Rusty Lemorande, and written by Lemorande, Lucas and Coppola. The score was written by James Horner, and featured two songs ("We Are Here to Change the World" and "Another Part of Me") by Michael Jackson. The Supreme Leader was played by Anjelica Huston.

The story
The movie tells the story of Captain EO and the ragtag crew of his spaceship on a mission to deliver a gift to a wicked alien queen, the Supreme Leader on her home world of rotting, twisted metal and steaming vents. Captain EO's alien crew consists of his small flying sidekick Fuzzball, the double-headed navigator and pilot Idee and Odee, robotic security officer Major Domo, a small robot Minor Domo (who fits like a module into Major Domo), and the clumsy elephant-like shipmate Hooter (Tony Cox) who always manages to blunder the crew's missions.

Upon arriving on the planet, the crew is captured and sentenced to be tortured. Before being sent away, EO tells the Queen that he sees the beauty hidden within her, and that he brings her the key to unlock it: his song.

The two robot members of the crew transform into music instruments and the crew members begin to play the various instruments. As Hooter runs toward his instrument, he trips over EO's cape and breaks his instrument, stopping the music. The spell broken, the Queen orders her guards to capture Captain EO and his crew.

Hooter manages to repair his instrument and sends out a blast of music, providing EO with the power to throw off the guards. He uses his power to transform the dark hulking guards into agile dancers who fall into step behind him for a dance number. As EO presses forward toward the Supreme Leader she unleashes her Whip Warriors, two cybernetic defenders each with a whip and shield that can deflect EO's power.

The others all run away leaving Captain EO to fight the whip warriors alone. EO is trapped by a closing gate and is preparing for a last stand as both the whip warriors draw their whips back for a final blow. Fuzzball drops his instrument and speedily flies over to tie the two whips together, causing the whip warriors to be thrown off balance giving EO an opportunity to transform them as well. With no further obstacles, EO uses his power to transform the Queen into a beautiful woman, her lair into a peaceful Greek temple and the planet into a verdant paradise.

A celebration breaks out as EO and his crew triumphantly exit and fly off into space.

Special effects
Captain EO beyond the 3-D effects, the actions on the screen extended into the audience, such effects included lasers, laser impacts, smoke effects, and starfields that filled the theater. These effects resulted in the 17-minute film, costing an estimated $17 to $30 million dollars to produce. At the time the most expensive film ever produced on a per-minute basis due.

Merchandising
The story was adapted in the comic book Eclipse 3-D Special #18.

Trivia

 * The design of the Borg Queen from Star Trek: First Contact was influenced by the Supreme Leader.
 * The logo design for Captain EO inspired the logo for 1980s computer games company Electric Dreams Software.
 * The costume for Hooter is based on Max Rebo, from Return of the Jedi.
 * The video game Space Channel 5 makes reference to Captain EO: it includes a singing, dancing character, named Space Michael Jackson (voice by Michael Jackson himself) whose in-game biography card reveals that he'd previously saved the world with his singing and dancing.