Re: Official Reopening Date Set for 'Captain EO' Featuring MJ - February 23rd
Capt. EO returns Tuesday to Disneyland
Michael Jackson’s “Captain EO” returns to Disneyland Tuesday, Disney announced this afternoon.
The first showing of the 3D film starring the late King of Pop is set for 10 a.m. It will be shown every 20 minutes in what used to be known as The Magic Eye Theater in Tomorrowland.
“It will really be interesting to see how people react,” said Michele Himmelberg, a Disney spokeswoman. “This is really our tribute to bring it back and let our fans enjoy it.”
The park opens at 10 a.m. on Tuesday. Outside the park gates, there will be a special line where movie-goers can line up.
“We do expect that there will be a good number of people that want to come out,” Himmelberg said.
Disney guests will see a new print of “Captain EO,” in which Jackson leads a crew of aliens, robots and “Fuzzball” on a journey to deliver a gift to the Witch Queen, who is played by Anjelica Huston. Disney won’t say what the film cost, but a source said the price tag was $23.7 million in 1986.
The film, panned by experts as cheesy, ran at Disneyland for 11 years. It was directed by Francis Ford Coppola; the executive producer was George Lucas. Jackson and film composer James Horner provided the soundtrack.
Disney stopped showing “Captain EO” in 1997 after its popularity faded. Starting in 1993, Jackson was facing molestation charges prompting some to question the appropriateness of showing the film inside the park.
Shortly after Jackson died in June, rumors began circulating that Disney would bring back the film. In December, Disney announced that the film would indeed return for a limited run.
The length of this run of “Captain EO” likely depends on its popularity.
“We don’t really have a time frame on it,” Himmelberg said. “We’ll see how it goes and how people receive it.”
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