Michael Jackson's Cosmic Dance Film 'Captain EO' Celebrates 40 Years

Forty years ago, on September 12, 1986, Michael Jackson debuted in 'Captain EO,' a 17-minute long 3D sci-fi fantasy film exclusively shown at Walt Disney World's EPCOT Center and Disneyland's Magic Eye Theater.

The collaborative effort between Jackson, George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola, and Disney Imagineering combined impressive special effects, catchy songs, and dynamic dance numbers with Academy Award-winning actress Anjelica Huston as the witch queen known as the Supreme Leader.

With a budget of nearly $30 million, 'Captain EO' was the most expensive short film ever made on a per-minute basis at the time. It used in-theater 4D techniques and 70MM 3D filming to deliver immersive visuals, including floodlights, fog, smoke, starfields, meteors, and LED laser effects.

After its initial run from 1986 to 1997, 'Captain EO' returned for a tribute run in Disney theme parks after Michael Jackson's untimely death in 2009. The film can now be found on YouTube channels with enhanced and/or upscaled copies available for viewing.