Traumschiff Surprise - Periode 1
Encyclopedia
Raumschiff Surprise - Periode 1 is a German movie made in 2004 by Michael Herbig. As a spiritual successor to Der Schuh des Manitu
, (T)Raumschiff Surprise - Periode 1 is based on a recurring skit from Herbig's TV show Bullyparade
, "Unser (T)Raumschiff", a spoof of the 1960s American television series, Star Trek
. The title and plot allude to Raumschiff Enterprise, the German title of Star Trek. Raumschiff is the German word for spacecraft; Traumschiff means "dream ship", which was also a reference to Das Traumschiff
, a German television series, similar to the series The Love Boat
. The movie parodies several science fiction
films.
in the German soundtrack
. Herbig once described the movie as "a group of girl-roommates on adventure". The names are all parodies of the original characters of Star Trek. Captain Kork (Christian Tramitz
) is a take on Captain Kirk, kork means "cork"); Mr. Spuck (Michael "Bully" Herbig) is a take on Spock
, spucke means "spit"; and the engineer, Schrotty (Rick Kavanian
) is a play on Scotty
, schrott means
"trash/junk". The characters act stereotypically gay
. Kavanian also plays Jens Maul, a play on Darth Maul
, maul means "maw", despite the fact the character looks like Darth Vader
). Doc Pulle is a parody of Leonard McCoy
's character's German nickname, Pille, which means "pill". Pulle is German slang for "bottle".
's legendary Area 51
. A visiting general is led down into an underground complex where he is shown a captured alien. The alien resembles a chubby Vulcan
in a cowboy
costume, and greets the general with a "What are you looking at so stupidly?".
The next scene opens 300 years later, in 2304. Earth is under attack by the fleet of the Mars
Regulator and his asthmathic right hand (and son) Jens Maul. With most of Earth's forces destroyed, the Queen Metapha (from "metaphor
", played by Anja Kling
) of Earth and her secretaries debate their last options. They decide to call for the crew of the Surprise, Earth's last available ship, to travel 300 years back in time. Their mission is to destroy a UFO which had crashed in Nevada in 2004. Its technology had enabled mankind to colonize Mars in the first place, hence its destruction would prevent the attack 300 years later.
At first, Captain Kork is very reluctant to follow the order to return to Earth immediately (because he, Spucky and Schrotty intend to try out for a 'Miss Waikiki' contest), but ultimately, he changes his mind. Technical problems prevent direct transport however, so Kork orders Schrotty to call a space taxi. The taxi is driven by Rock (played by Til Schweiger
), who is found attractive by both Kork and Spuck. Rock manages to break through the Martian blockade, but during the action, the taxi is chased and damaged heavily, finally crashing beside the Queen's palace. Kork, Spuck and Schrotty are advised of their mission and are then seated into the time machine
, which looks like an old sofa. When the Regulator's forces attack the capital city, Rock and Metapha join Kork and Spucky "in" the device, while Schrotty remains behind. Jens Maul acquires the time machine's manual, builds his own and follows the foursome back in time.
Under constant harassment by Jens Maul, the travellers have a couple of unplanned sojourns. In 1304 Britain, during a tournament held by Lord William the Last (Sky Dumont), then in Nevada during the Wild West era, they run afoul of Santa Maria (Dumont in a reprisal of his role in Der Schuh des Manitu
). Upon arrival in the West, the time sofa is smashed by a speeding train, but the group captures Maul's time machine and uses it to reach the year 2004. Once more, they encounter Maul, who has painstakingly reassembled the ruined time sofa, and witness the UFO crashing. It turns out to be no bigger than a football and its occupant the size of a human hand. A beer-guzzling alien emerges and, in its haste to consume more alcohol, it begins to choke. Spucky tries to help by offering Maul's asthma spray, but the pressure created by the device blows up the creature. The group obliterates the UFO and scrambles onto the sofa, just as the local military arrives. The control panel shows an overload of 76.375 kilograms – Spucky's exact weight. With a heavy heart, Spucky remains behind.
The story switches back to Area 51, where Spuck has just finished telling his tale. The government officials are not convinced until Spuck provides proof in the form of a futuristic piece of technology, a thermometer with a vibrating alarm, which he had inserted just before departure. As Kork, Rock and Metapha get back to the future, Spuck is already awaiting them. Spuck has survived because he's a Vulcanette, who have extraordinarily long lifespans, and has been busy re-decorating Earth within the last 300 years (it is now all in pink). Kork and his men get to participate in the Miss Waikiki contest after all - but the ever-relentless Jens Maul has the last word.
); a "Movie No One Would Ever Expect" with the same name; or an advice to Herbig to keep his hands off making movies altogether.
(T)Raumschiff Surprise parodies the science fiction
films Star Trek
, Star Wars
(particularly The Phantom Menace), The Fifth Element
, Back to the Future
, The Time Machine
, Independence Day
, A Knight's Tale, Men in Black
, Minority Report
, High Noon
, The Matrix
, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
, and Twelve Monkeys
. (T)Raumschiff Surprise has a prequel
scene to Der Schuh des Manitu when the protagonists travel back in time to the wild west. They meet Santa Maria (the antagonist of Der Schuh des Manitu) who offers the Apaches a new saloon for sale, a central scene in Der Schuh des Manitu.
The scene in which Kork and Spuck attempt to beam off the Surprise by stepping onto several lighted numbered floor panels, is a reference to the German TV children's game show 1, 2 oder 3 (the German version of Runaround). The panels are part of a triple-choice quiz system, and any children who stand on the correct panel (i.e. with the number of the correct answer) may collect points for their respective team.
popular.
Der Schuh des Manitu
Der Schuh des Manitu is a 2001 German parody of western films. Directed by Michael Herbig, it is a film adaptation of the Winnetou sketches from his Pro Sieben television show Bullyparade.-Background:...
, (T)Raumschiff Surprise - Periode 1 is based on a recurring skit from Herbig's TV show Bullyparade
Bullyparade
Bullyparade is the title of a German late night comedy sketch show which aired from 1997 to 2002 on German channel ProSieben. Michael Herbig, Rick Kavanian and Christian Tramitz were the main cast of the show....
, "Unser (T)Raumschiff", a spoof of the 1960s American television series, Star Trek
Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
. The title and plot allude to Raumschiff Enterprise, the German title of Star Trek. Raumschiff is the German word for spacecraft; Traumschiff means "dream ship", which was also a reference to Das Traumschiff
Das Traumschiff
Das Traumschiff is a West German-German television series by ZDF.The series, about a cruise ship that travels to places around the world, debuted in 1981 and became one of the most-watched television shows in Germany...
, a German television series, similar to the series The Love Boat
The Love Boat
The Love Boat is an American television series set on a cruise ship, which aired on the ABC Television Network from September 24,1977, until May 24,1986.The show starred Gavin MacLeod as the ship's captain...
. The movie parodies several science fiction
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...
films.
Characters
Several characters from the original Star Trek movie are parodied. The main characters speak with a very strong Bavarian accentAustro-Bavarian
Bavarian , also Austro-Bavarian, is a major group of Upper German varieties spoken in the south east of the German language area.-History and origin:...
in the German soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
. Herbig once described the movie as "a group of girl-roommates on adventure". The names are all parodies of the original characters of Star Trek. Captain Kork (Christian Tramitz
Christian Tramitz
Christian Tramitz is a German actor, comedian, voice actor and author.- Life :Christian Tramitz is the grandson of Austrian actor Paul Hörbiger and nephew of actress Christiane Hörbiger. His parents are film producer Rudolf Tramitz and Monica, née Hörbiger...
) is a take on Captain Kirk, kork means "cork"); Mr. Spuck (Michael "Bully" Herbig) is a take on Spock
Spock
Spock is a fictional character in the Star Trek media franchise. First portrayed by Leonard Nimoy in the original Star Trek series, Spock also appears in the animated Star Trek series, two episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, seven of the Star Trek feature films, and numerous Star Trek...
, spucke means "spit"; and the engineer, Schrotty (Rick Kavanian
Rick Kavanian
Rick Horatio Kavanian is a German actor, comedian, author and dubber of Armenian-Romanian roots. He is famous for his cooperation with Michael Herbig, which led to many popular movie comedies and parodies, e.g. Manitou's Shoe.- Life :...
) is a play on Scotty
Montgomery Scott
Montgomery "Scotty" Scott is a Scottish engineer in the Star Trek media franchise. First portrayed by James Doohan in the original Star Trek series, Scotty also appears in the animated Star Trek series, seven Star Trek movies, the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Relics", and in numerous...
, schrott means
"trash/junk". The characters act stereotypically gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
. Kavanian also plays Jens Maul, a play on Darth Maul
Darth Maul
Darth Maul is a fictional character in the science fiction saga Star Wars. He is one of the main antagonists of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, portrayed by martial artist Ray Park and voiced by Peter Serafinowicz....
, maul means "maw", despite the fact the character looks like Darth Vader
Darth Vader
Darth Vader is a central character in the Star Wars saga, appearing as one of the main antagonists in the original trilogy and as the main protagonist in the prequel trilogy....
). Doc Pulle is a parody of Leonard McCoy
Leonard McCoy
Leonard "Bones" McCoy is a character in the Star Trek media franchise. First portrayed by DeForest Kelley in the original Star Trek series, McCoy also appears in the animated Star Trek series, seven Star Trek movies, the pilot episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and in numerous books,...
's character's German nickname, Pille, which means "pill". Pulle is German slang for "bottle".
Plot
The movie begins at a place which appears to be NevadaNevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
's legendary Area 51
Area 51
Area 51 is a military base, and a remote detachment of Edwards Air Force Base. It is located in the southern portion of Nevada in the western United States, 83 miles north-northwest of downtown Las Vegas. Situated at its center, on the southern shore of Groom Lake, is a large military airfield...
. A visiting general is led down into an underground complex where he is shown a captured alien. The alien resembles a chubby Vulcan
Vulcan (Star Trek)
Vulcans, or sometimes Vulcanians, are an extraterrestrial humanoid species in the Star Trek universe who evolved on the planet Vulcan, and are noted for their attempt to live by reason and logic with no interference from emotion. They were the first extraterrestrial species in the Star Trek...
in a cowboy
Cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
costume, and greets the general with a "What are you looking at so stupidly?".
The next scene opens 300 years later, in 2304. Earth is under attack by the fleet of the Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
Regulator and his asthmathic right hand (and son) Jens Maul. With most of Earth's forces destroyed, the Queen Metapha (from "metaphor
Metaphor
A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
", played by Anja Kling
Anja Kling
Anja Kling is a German actress.-Selected filmography:* September * Traumschiff Surprise - Periode 1 -External links:*...
) of Earth and her secretaries debate their last options. They decide to call for the crew of the Surprise, Earth's last available ship, to travel 300 years back in time. Their mission is to destroy a UFO which had crashed in Nevada in 2004. Its technology had enabled mankind to colonize Mars in the first place, hence its destruction would prevent the attack 300 years later.
At first, Captain Kork is very reluctant to follow the order to return to Earth immediately (because he, Spucky and Schrotty intend to try out for a 'Miss Waikiki' contest), but ultimately, he changes his mind. Technical problems prevent direct transport however, so Kork orders Schrotty to call a space taxi. The taxi is driven by Rock (played by Til Schweiger
Til Schweiger
Tilman Valentin "Til" Schweiger is a German actor, director, and producer.He is one of Germany’s most successful filmmakers. Since 1968, when the FFA started counting, no other German actor has drawn more people to the cinemas. He runs his own production company, Barefoot Films, in Berlin.-Early...
), who is found attractive by both Kork and Spuck. Rock manages to break through the Martian blockade, but during the action, the taxi is chased and damaged heavily, finally crashing beside the Queen's palace. Kork, Spuck and Schrotty are advised of their mission and are then seated into the time machine
Time travel
Time travel is the concept of moving between different points in time in a manner analogous to moving between different points in space. Time travel could hypothetically involve moving backward in time to a moment earlier than the starting point, or forward to the future of that point without the...
, which looks like an old sofa. When the Regulator's forces attack the capital city, Rock and Metapha join Kork and Spucky "in" the device, while Schrotty remains behind. Jens Maul acquires the time machine's manual, builds his own and follows the foursome back in time.
Under constant harassment by Jens Maul, the travellers have a couple of unplanned sojourns. In 1304 Britain, during a tournament held by Lord William the Last (Sky Dumont), then in Nevada during the Wild West era, they run afoul of Santa Maria (Dumont in a reprisal of his role in Der Schuh des Manitu
Der Schuh des Manitu
Der Schuh des Manitu is a 2001 German parody of western films. Directed by Michael Herbig, it is a film adaptation of the Winnetou sketches from his Pro Sieben television show Bullyparade.-Background:...
). Upon arrival in the West, the time sofa is smashed by a speeding train, but the group captures Maul's time machine and uses it to reach the year 2004. Once more, they encounter Maul, who has painstakingly reassembled the ruined time sofa, and witness the UFO crashing. It turns out to be no bigger than a football and its occupant the size of a human hand. A beer-guzzling alien emerges and, in its haste to consume more alcohol, it begins to choke. Spucky tries to help by offering Maul's asthma spray, but the pressure created by the device blows up the creature. The group obliterates the UFO and scrambles onto the sofa, just as the local military arrives. The control panel shows an overload of 76.375 kilograms – Spucky's exact weight. With a heavy heart, Spucky remains behind.
The story switches back to Area 51, where Spuck has just finished telling his tale. The government officials are not convinced until Spuck provides proof in the form of a futuristic piece of technology, a thermometer with a vibrating alarm, which he had inserted just before departure. As Kork, Rock and Metapha get back to the future, Spuck is already awaiting them. Spuck has survived because he's a Vulcanette, who have extraordinarily long lifespans, and has been busy re-decorating Earth within the last 300 years (it is now all in pink). Kork and his men get to participate in the Miss Waikiki contest after all - but the ever-relentless Jens Maul has the last word.
Production and allusions
After the success of Der Schuh des Manitu, Michael "Bully" Herbig had asked his Bullyparade audience to decide his next movie project. Open for selection were: a sequel to Der Schuh des Manitu; (T)Raumschiff Surprise; a movie about another regular sketch about Sissi (which was eventually realized as the computer-animated film Lissi und der wilde KaiserLissi und der wilde Kaiser
Lissi und der wilde Kaiser is a German animated film released in 2007. It is a comedy parody of the Sissi films.The plot concerns a yeti who makes a pact with the devil to kidnap the most beautiful girl in the world...
); a "Movie No One Would Ever Expect" with the same name; or an advice to Herbig to keep his hands off making movies altogether.
(T)Raumschiff Surprise parodies the science fiction
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...
films Star Trek
Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
, Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
(particularly The Phantom Menace), The Fifth Element
The Fifth Element
The Fifth Element is a 1997 French science fiction film directed, co-written, and based on a story by Luc Besson, starring Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman, and Milla Jovovich...
, Back to the Future
Back to the Future
Back to the Future is a 1985 American science-fiction adventure film. It was directed by Robert Zemeckis, written by Zemeckis and Bob Gale, produced by Steven Spielberg, and starred Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover and Thomas F. Wilson. The film tells the story of...
, The Time Machine
The Time Machine (1960 film)
The Time Machine is a 1960 American science fiction film based on the 1895 novel of the same name by H. G. Wells in which a man in Victorian England constructs a time-travelling machine which he uses to travel to the future...
, Independence Day
Independence Day (film)
Independence Day is a 1996 science fiction film about an alien invasion of Earth, focusing on a disparate group of individuals and families as they converge in the Nevada desert and, along with the rest of the human population, participate in a last-chance counterattack on July 4 – the same...
, A Knight's Tale, Men in Black
Men in Black (film)
Men in Black is a 1997 science fiction comedy film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, starring Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith and Vincent D'Onofrio. The film was based on the Men in Black comic book series by Lowell Cunningham, originally published by Marvel Comics. The film featured the creature effects...
, Minority Report
Minority Report (film)
Minority Report is a 2002 American neo-noir science fiction film directed by Steven Spielberg and loosely based on the short story "The Minority Report" by Philip K. Dick. It is set primarily in Washington, D.C...
, High Noon
High Noon
High Noon is a 1952 American Western film directed by Fred Zinnemann and starring Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly. The film tells in real time the story of a town marshal forced to face a gang of killers by himself...
, The Matrix
The Matrix
The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction-action film written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, and Hugo Weaving...
, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a 1982 American science fiction film co-produced and directed by Steven Spielberg, written by Melissa Mathison and starring Henry Thomas, Dee Wallace, Robert MacNaughton, Drew Barrymore, and Peter Coyote...
, and Twelve Monkeys
Twelve Monkeys
12 Monkeys is a 1995 science fiction film directed by Terry Gilliam, inspired by Chris Marker's 1962 short film La jetée, and starring Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, Brad Pitt, and Christopher Plummer....
. (T)Raumschiff Surprise has a prequel
Prequel
A prequel is a work that supplements a previously completed one, and has an earlier time setting.The widely recognized term was a 20th-century neologism, and a portmanteau from pre- and sequel...
scene to Der Schuh des Manitu when the protagonists travel back in time to the wild west. They meet Santa Maria (the antagonist of Der Schuh des Manitu) who offers the Apaches a new saloon for sale, a central scene in Der Schuh des Manitu.
The scene in which Kork and Spuck attempt to beam off the Surprise by stepping onto several lighted numbered floor panels, is a reference to the German TV children's game show 1, 2 oder 3 (the German version of Runaround). The panels are part of a triple-choice quiz system, and any children who stand on the correct panel (i.e. with the number of the correct answer) may collect points for their respective team.
Awards
- 2004 - BambiBambi (prize)The Bambi - Deutschlands Wichtigster Medienpreis, often simply called Bambi Awards and stylized as BAMBI, are presented annually by Hubert Burda Media to recognize excellence in international media and television "with vision and creativity who affected and inspired the German public that year",...
- 2004 - Deutscher Comedypreis (Bester Comedian: Michael "Bully" Herbig)
- 2004 - Deutscher Comedypreis (Beste Kino-Komödie)
- 2004 - Goldene Leinwand mit SternGoldene LeinwandThe Goldene Leinwand is an award created in 1964 by the HDF and the journal Filmecho/Filmwoche....
- 2004 - Box Office Germany Award (Bogey) in platinum
- 2005 - DIVA-Award - Der Deutsche Kinopreis (Publikumspreis)
Critical response
While popular at large with the audience,there has been some negative criticism of (T)Raumschiff Surprise. Some critics said there was a lack of wit that had made Der Schuh des ManituDer Schuh des Manitu
Der Schuh des Manitu is a 2001 German parody of western films. Directed by Michael Herbig, it is a film adaptation of the Winnetou sketches from his Pro Sieben television show Bullyparade.-Background:...
popular.