Aliens: Ride at the Speed of Fright was a motion-simulation ride produced by Praxis Films in association with Iwerks Entertainment.[1] It was shown in 1994 in San Francisco at the Pier 39's TurboRide Simulation Theatre and was also shown in the United Kingdom at the American Adventure theme park. It was still being shown in October of 1995 at American Adventure.[2]
Aliens Ride at the Speed of Fright - Pre-ride Movie
The pre-ride movie.[3]
It was an interactive movie ride. The viewer would sit in a chair that would move, vibrate and jolt, all in an effort to simulate the viewer experiencing what was being shown on the screen. The ride consisted of a pre-movie in which the situation and plot. A Colonial Marine from A-sqaud called Hyer has just returned back to his ship, the New Jersey, having narrowly escaped an Alien encounter on the mining colony Tekeah-3.[2]
He recounts the experience to a Marine Captain and B-squad. The mission was supposed to be a routine reconnaissance for A-squad but they encountered the Aliens – hundreds of them. The Marines activated a bomb and tried to escape. During their retreat, the APC crashed and was badly damaged. Many of the Marines were injured, Hyer included but he escaped to find their dropship destroyed. He found a shuttle on the colony and left the planet.[2]
The Captain is determined not to leave the other injured marines behind and others the B-squad and Hyer back to the colony. Their orders are to rescue A-squad before the bomb goes off. The Sergeant tells his marines and the viewer/rider to buckle in (complete with a shot of the chairs belt buckles) and then the ride begins.[2]
Aliens Ride at the Speed of Fright-0
The main attraction.[4]
The ride starts with the dropship plummeting towards the colony. According to AvPGalaxy user Corporal Hicks, "If I recall correctly the chair shakes to simulate the turbulence until you land and the APC drives out." From this point on you're in the APC, as if you're the driver. The riders "drive" through the interior of the colony complex, avoiding various obstacles and mounting debris (the chair moving to simulate) until the APC arrives at the wreckage of A-squad's APC.[2]
B-squad gets out and carries the wounded marines into their APC while fending off an Alien attack. The Marines then pull out of the complex in the APC. After crashing down a hole, the APC arrives in the Queen's lair and using the turret manages to kill her. The APC then uses the turrets again to blast a hole to the outside and escapes, making it back onto the dropship in time. As the dropship heads back into orbit, the bomb detonates, then a Facehugger drops into frame.[2]
Aliens: Ride at the Speed of Fright is roughly 20 minutes long with the pre-movie being 10 minutes and the ride itself being 10 minutes. It's comprised of stock footage used from Aliens (the ships, some close-ups of the Aliens) and original footage shot with the Marines, and obviously the ride segments.
One actor, Jeffrey Combs, would later go on to have some important recurring roles in the Star Trek franchise. B-squad also has two characters that are very reminiscent of Apone and Vasquez from Aliens.[2]
The Colonial Marine costumes are based loosely on the outfits used in the film, but the camouflage appears to be British DPM as opposed to safarilague used in Aliens. They do seem to use replica or similar armor. The weapons used aren't the Pulse Rifles. They appear to possibly be some modified version of the Chinese Type-56B.[2]
Coverage
Both the pre-ride and the ride itself are available on YouTube. It is also one of the features in the 2010 Alien Anthology Blu-ray box set, where can be found as part of "The Anthology Archives" on disc six, in the Aliens section.[2] American Cinematographer, Vol. 77, No. 8, contained an article on the ride.[1]
Gallery
External links
- Alien Legend - Rides -- Aliens: Ride at the Speed of Fright
- Aliens - Ride at the Speed of Fright - AvPGalaxy
- Aliens: Ride at the Speed of Fright (1996) - IMDb
- Read "Aliens: Ride at the Speed of Fright" by Robley, Les Paul - American Cinematographer, Vol. 77, Issue 8, August 1996 | Questia, Your Online Research Library
- Weyland-Yutani Archives: Aliens: Ride at the Speed of Fright