Alien Adventure
Encyclopedia
Alien Adventure is a science fiction
/slapstick comedy 3-D film
in IMAX
format released in 1999 by nWave Pictures, written and directed by Ben Stassen
. The movie was rated G (or the local equivalent) in most countries. It was the first fully digital feature length film produced for a large screen format.
humanoid
species, the Glegoliths, wandering through space in search of a new world. Encountering an unknown planet (which turns out to be Earth), the Glegolith leader (Cyrillus) sends two "manned" probes to the surface to determine if it is suitable for colonisation.
The scouts in the probes think they have arrived at a great city, but in fact they have arrived at a new amusement park
that is not yet open to the public. They proceed to explore four amusement rides:
At each ride the Glegolith scouts become variously excited, frightened, frozen or violently ill, but end up having a lot of fun. On seeing this, Cyrillus decides that the new planet "was too much fun" and would destroy the fabric of his society, and orders his scouts to withdraw. The alien visitors depart Earth without actually making contact with humans.
. The name of the alien leader - Cyrillus - bears a resemblance to Saint Cyril
, who invented the Glagolitic alphabet. Also, the language spoken by the aliens (which is never translated in the movie) is the Walloon language
, a real but rare dialect from Belgium
, where the movie was produced. It is completely unrelated to the Glegolithic script. On the approach of the manned probes to the surface, the coastline appears to be that of California. However, the outdoor shots of the theme park are actually from a real French theme park, "Parc Du Futuroscope
".
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
/slapstick comedy 3-D film
3-D film
A 3-D film or S3D film is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception...
in IMAX
IMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
format released in 1999 by nWave Pictures, written and directed by Ben Stassen
Ben Stassen
Ben Stassen is a Belgian film producer and director. He founded nWave Pictures in 1994, producing highly successful CGI ride films including the groundbreaking Devils Mine...
. The movie was rated G (or the local equivalent) in most countries. It was the first fully digital feature length film produced for a large screen format.
Plot
The movie begins with an extraterrestrialExtraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
humanoid
Humanoid
A humanoid is something that has an appearance resembling a human being. The term first appeared in 1912 to refer to fossils which were morphologically similar to, but not identical with, those of the human skeleton. Although this usage was common in the sciences for much of the 20th century, it...
species, the Glegoliths, wandering through space in search of a new world. Encountering an unknown planet (which turns out to be Earth), the Glegolith leader (Cyrillus) sends two "manned" probes to the surface to determine if it is suitable for colonisation.
The scouts in the probes think they have arrived at a great city, but in fact they have arrived at a new amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
that is not yet open to the public. They proceed to explore four amusement rides:
- Arctic Adventure (motion simulatorMotion simulatorA motion simulator or motion platform is a mechanism that encapsulates occupants and creates the effect/feelings of being in a moving vehicle...
ride in a freezing environment); - Magic Carpet (a ride in an Arabian NightsThe Book of One Thousand and One NightsOne Thousand and One Nights is a collection of Middle Eastern and South Asian stories and folk tales compiled in Arabic during the Islamic Golden Age...
themed dungeon); - Kid Coaster (a roller coaster set in a gigantic simulation of a child's bedroom); and
- Aqua Adventure (an underwater themed motion simulatorMotion simulatorA motion simulator or motion platform is a mechanism that encapsulates occupants and creates the effect/feelings of being in a moving vehicle...
ride, complete with animatronic sharks).
At each ride the Glegolith scouts become variously excited, frightened, frozen or violently ill, but end up having a lot of fun. On seeing this, Cyrillus decides that the new planet "was too much fun" and would destroy the fabric of his society, and orders his scouts to withdraw. The alien visitors depart Earth without actually making contact with humans.
Production notes
The exotic looking alien script seen in several places in this movie is actually the real Glagolitic alphabetGlagolitic alphabet
The Glagolitic alphabet , also known as Glagolitsa, is the oldest known Slavic alphabet. The name was not coined until many centuries after its creation, and comes from the Old Slavic glagolъ "utterance" . The verb glagoliti means "to speak"...
. The name of the alien leader - Cyrillus - bears a resemblance to Saint Cyril
Saints Cyril and Methodius
Saints Cyril and Methodius were two Byzantine Greek brothers born in Thessaloniki in the 9th century. They became missionaries of Christianity among the Slavic peoples of Bulgaria, Great Moravia and Pannonia. Through their work they influenced the cultural development of all Slavs, for which they...
, who invented the Glagolitic alphabet. Also, the language spoken by the aliens (which is never translated in the movie) is the Walloon language
Walloon language
Walloon is a Romance language which was spoken as a primary language in large portions of the Walloon Region of Belgium and some villages of Northern France until the middle of the 20th century. It belongs to the langue d'oïl language family, whose most prominent member is the French language...
, a real but rare dialect from Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, where the movie was produced. It is completely unrelated to the Glegolithic script. On the approach of the manned probes to the surface, the coastline appears to be that of California. However, the outdoor shots of the theme park are actually from a real French theme park, "Parc Du Futuroscope
Futuroscope
Futuroscope, or Parc du Futuroscope is a French theme park based upon multimedia, cinematographic futuroscope and audio-visual techniques...
".