Spielberg's alien tale is 'Taken' to cable

cleveland.com ^ | 12/02/02 | Clint O'Connor

[vikingchick]

If you were assigned to make a fantastical 20-hour, 10-part series about alien encounters, you'd think you'd concoct the freakiest, funkiest extraterrestrials ever conceived.

Not so.

Not if you're making "Taken," the alien-abduction saga that premieres at 9 tonight on cable's Sci Fi Channel.

"Steven said we had to respect the lore," says Jim Lima, the project's visual-effects supervisor. "We had to be faithful to what was said the most by people who had encounters."

Steven is Steven Spielberg. He is not only one of the most powerful people in entertainment, but also the man who gave the world "E.T." and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." The man who can green-light so many projects gave birth to this one four years ago. It's on cable because no network could commit such a massive chunk of its prime-time schedule.

Because of Spielberg's decree, the aliens in "Taken" are rather standard issue: gray, about 4 feet tall, long fingers, skinny bodies, oversized heads with huge black, almond-shaped eyes. Spielberg scored with the acclaimed World War II miniseries "Band of Brothers" on HBO, and now he's out to see if an audience will stay with 10 two-hour, movielike episodes over two weeks.

The series follows three American families - the Clarkes, Keys and Crawfords - over four generations, from 1945 to the present day and slightly beyond.

It pays homage to major alien encounters reported in America's postwar history, including the most pivotal event: the supposed crash of a spaceship near Roswell, N.M., in July 1947.

"It's the coolest thing that I've ever seen," says Tobe Hooper of the series. Hooper directed the pivotal first episode (each episode has its own director). Hooper knows about "cool," not to mention strange, having directed "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" and "Poltergeist" (co-written by Spielberg).

Although it was up to Hooper to integrate "the grays" into the story, it was the Earth-bound humans who received most of his attention. The director said he was hooked because the story was so character-driven.

"I liked that it wasn't sci-fi-y," he says on the phone from his home in Southern California. "It was like the real thing."

The real thing begins in the skies over Germany during World War II. Capt. Russell Keys (Steve Burton) is leading an Allied bombing mission. His bomber gets hit and is headed down in flames but is saved by some mysterious blasts of blue light. He and his crew are mysteriously healed and wake up in a field in France. But who really saved them and what was done to them after they were "taken"?

Keys returns home to a sepia-toned America to reunite with his parents and his best girl, something out of "The Best Years of Our Lives."

"I tried to give the characters that subtext, to give it that Norman Rockwell feel," says Hooper.

Hooper said no expense was spared.

"We had 60 locations and more than 60 actors. I had every lens, every cinematic toy," he says. And he had Lima.

The visual-effects guru, who had worked previously with Spielberg in television on "SeaQuest DSV" and "The Others," also had created outer dimensions for films such as "Space Jam" (he also designed the Green Goblin for "Spider-Man.")

"It was like doing 10 movies," says Lima on the phone from his home in Pacific Palisades, Calif. "We had 16 months of production. In my earliest discussions with Steven, he explained that science fiction is 'Minority Report.' Science mythology is UFO sightings, close encounters of the first kind." (Close encounters of the second kind are defined as physical evidence; close encounters of the third kind are alien sightings.)

Lima used a cavalcade of computer-generated digital tricks; there are no puppets or animatronics. But there is a human element. He took a digital photograph of his wife's eye, enlarged it, stretched it out, colored it and used that for the aliens' eyes.

"The iris is still in there," says Lima. "I wanted to show thought, to have these digital characters show emotion."

The grays also can take human form and read minds.

If "Taken" is groundbreaking for its length and visual effects, it also must set some sort of record for script-writing. Les Bohem wrote the entire 20 hours. A former member of the band Sparks, Bohem ("Dante's Peak") emphasizes the human relationships and family interplay.

The ensemble cast includes Catherine Dent, Joel Gretsch, Eric Close, Ryan Hurst, Matt Frewer and Michael Moriarty as the stern colonel who covers up the initial Roswell crash in tonight's episode. Some characters span several nights. Eight-year-old Dakota Fanning (the daughter in "I Am Sam") narrates all 10 episodes and appears in the final four.

Her voice is at once innocent and filled with wisdom.

"It's very much 'To Kill A Mockingbird,' " says Hooper. "It has that sensitivity, that kind of elegance."

As for the phenomenon itself - the long lists of people who claim to have been abducted, poked and prodded by aliens and returned to Earth - Hooper says he has studied it more than half his life. He finds it valid.

"I'm definitely a believer," says Hooper. "There's something out there."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

coconnor@plaind.com, 216-999-4456

[vikingchick]

Any comments? I'm finding it crushingly boring myself. But I'll tune in tomorrow for the next episode, just in case this first episode's snoozefest is a fluke.

[Psycho_Bunny]

Lame. Boring. Goofy. Pointless.

I turned it off.

Would have preferred if they'd just ran with a Monday night Stargate-a-thon.

I was just mentioning, in another forum, that SciFi is pulling a 'MTV':  it was cool when it started, then it peaked, and now it just sucks.

[Swordmaker]

He pays homage to the grays but changes the Boy Scouts into a generic "pioneer scouts" - That is grating.

[Reagan Man]

Enough about the fictitious aliens of Steven Speilberg's imagination. Speilberg needs to do a miniseries on aliens crossing the bordering and illegally entering the US. Now that would be an important endeavor.

[vikingchick]

Lame. Boring. Goofy. Pointless.

Ha ha ha! That just about sums it up so far. Also misguided, done-to-death, slow, and I've already seen this on Unsolved Mysteries, thank you very much.

[vikingchick]

He pays homage to the grays but changes the Boy Scouts into a generic "pioneer scouts" I missed that! Good catch.

[ECM]

"I was just mentioning, in another forum, that SciFi is pulling a 'MTV': it was cool when it started, then it peaked, and now it just sucks."

That's what happens when your audience outgrows its niche

:(

[fieldmarshaldj]

Being on the Sci-Fi Channel email list, I have been inundated by emails urging me to watch "Taken", so I had to take a gander. I ordinarily like science-fiction, but this was just plain confusing. I found it hard to distinguish between the different families and some of the male leads (aside from Michael Moriarty). I tried my best to pay attention, but I just don't know where they're attempting to go. It looks good from a visual standpoint, but it's too bad they didn't bother to make it better story-wise (and clearer) and more compelling acting. *Sigh* Give me any episode of the original 'Twilight Zone' any day for top-notch writing and production (with the added bonus of grainy black and white helping a creepy atmosphere).

[sonofatpatcher2]

Tobe Hooper may have directed The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, but it is evident he never has been in Lubbuck, Texas. I've lived in Lubbuck several times and I never saw any part of it, or the Panhandle, that looked like the ranch/farm shown in the series.

Otherwise the production was high standard, but I was somewhat disappointed in the initial episode's plot. Still I will give it a chance to do better.

[judgeandjury]

"It's the coolest thing that I've ever seen," says Tobe Hooper of the series.

I think Tobe Hooper is cool for saying that he thought that the series was cool, and it was cool of him to share his cool opinion with the cool reporter, who included Tobe's cool statement in the cool article so that all of us cool FReepers could read it and share it with our cool families, cool neighbors, and cool co-workers. Cool, I think. Or maybe not. Who cares?

[Caipirabob]

This may sound wierd, but I tossed this around in my mind... Do I want to waste my time in front of the ube subsidizing someone I find detestable, or spend time focusing on my family instead? It was a no brainer. I'm glad I didn't miss anything.

[KeyWest]

SiFi cancelled Farscape but put this on? Their programmers have a problem.

[avg_freeper]

The only entertaining program I've ever seen on the Sci Fi Channel was MST3K. And they dumped that a long time ago.

[Paul C. Jesup]

I loved Farscape and they replaced it with what looks to be a X-Files rehash. Somebody has lost their mind.

By the way, some Farscape fans are trying to bring it back on the air: http://www.watchfarscape.com/

Also, it gets worse, Sci-fi is making a Tremors TV Series that takes place after the third Tremors movie.

Here is the link: http://www.scifi.com/tremors/welcome/

The only good news about that is that both the original creators of the Tremors movies are making it. And that the actors from the third movie, including Michael Gross (actor who plays Burt Gummer) are returning to be in it.

Now, even though the Tremors movies were B movies, I still liked them and even the third movie had it's moments: namely the first five minutes when Burt Gummer (Michael Gross) is grinning ear-to-ear while manning that dual-50mm gun-turret.

That one scene alone makes the entire third movie worth renting.

Who knows, maybe that show (Tremors, not Taken) will turn out to be a classic.

[Movemout]

I'm sure that I am not a fanatical sci-fi fan but I enjoy a good sci-fi show. This hasn't been one so far. I fell asleep after the first hour. Maybe it gets better.

[freedumb2003]

The only entertaining program I've ever seen on the Sci Fi Channel was MST3K. And they dumped that a long time ago.

Still on Saturday 5 am eastern.

[ASA Vet]

There actually was a church group called pioneer scouts
It was formed because the BSA wasn't "christian enough."

[Fresh Wind]

E.T.=Extremely Tedious

[7thson]

I was thinking about watching this and then I started reading the reviews. All the reviews gave it a thumbs up but pointed that the main villian is a military man. I thought - typical. So, I am not going to watch it. Like someone stated in another post - why subsidize someone whom I find detestable.

[kidd]

I watched it. Not bad. Might be tough to make it through 20 hours though. Sheesh.

[2sheep]

There sure is a lot of media hype lately for aliens and Roswell.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

It was slick for the first few minutes (the B-17 scenes) but went downhill after that. The previews remind me of the show "Dark Skies". This movie will confirm to all that Spielberg has lost it (we already knew that).


Sorry to see that about "Farscape". Sci fi is going to show the last 11 episodes already in the can then it's over. I was mad that they also cancelled "Lexx". It wasn't for everyone but it was still a fun ride.

[chilepepper]

I'd say Spielberg's science fiction tend to be his worst:

i found 'Close Encounters" and "E.T." to be rather boring and suspect these are in the same league...

for alien abduction movies, i can't think anyone can top the movie Fire in the Sky which i found terrifyingly believable and nightmarish...

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Dull, slow, cliched.

Home Shopping had a more lively lineup.

[Paul C. Jesup]

I got some good news about Farscape, see my last post, post 14, on this thread.

[2sheep]

Remember "Outer Limits?" Looking back...if the man's voice says, "We are in control of your television set" ...that is more MIND CONTROL than you need. Turn the TV off!

[bribriagain]

I agree. When the opening scene looked like a shameless rip off of Close Encounters, I just switched channels.

[mgc1122]

Boring is an understatement. It was deadly dull.

[Publius6961]

But I'll tune in tomorrow for the next episode, just in case this first episode's snoozefest is a fluke.

Definitely a slow start.
The editing is jarring... and they will "character develop" the audience right to sleep.

[scoopscandal]

Gosh...I guess I'm the only one who liked it.

It's definately slow, epics don't usually take off running. I'm going to save my judgement until the end.

Best Regards,

[spectre]

"shameless ripoff of Close Encounters"

"Taken" is a "shameless ripoff" combination of most scifi ET and UFO movies. I found myself thinking "hummm, where did I see THAT little scene before?"..was it Close Encounters...was it Independence Day? How about the Outer Limits?

Spielburg isn't original anymore. Especially when he has to plagerize his own movies.

sw

[Just another Joe]

You're not the only one.
I agree, epic mini-series don't normally take off with a zoom. If you're expecting a two hour adrenalin rush, this isn't it.
I'll give it the first three days to develop. If it doesn't go somewhere by then I'll fall back on my books.

[js1138]

You aren't the only one who liked it. I wouldm't give it an "A", but it is well done. I guess I'm just different, because I haven't found any sci-fi television worth watching in the last ten years.

Of course now the sci-fi channel has both John Edwards and Steven Speilberg -- a double dose.

[scoopscandal]

I should have added...did you get a chance to catch any of the alien X-Files episodes on Thanksgiving?

I thought only running the alien episodes was fabulous.

This whole alien/ human hybrid concept is fascinating. If I'm not mistaken, this same thread is going to run through Taken...and I'm very interested to see where Speilberg takes it.

I thought the sepia tone cinematography was beautiful...when that girl was at the crash site among all the burning debris, where she recovered that unknown alloy...that huge tree in the background, where the alien was hiding, with the smoke all around it, the color was so rich, it was beautiful, I thought. Then again, I sometimes am impressed by the strangest things.

I also found that the male characters are much more handsome than the women...that was odd, I thought.

Best Regards,

[Fred Mertz]

I dozed off in the chair last night too while watching. Not a good sign. I was actually looking forward to it.

[scoopscandal]

Oh good, I've found company. We'll have to check in to critique the next couple of episodes :-)

Best Regards,

[vikingchick]

This whole alien/ human hybrid concept is fascinating. If I'm not mistaken, this same thread is going to run through Taken...and I'm very interested to see where Speilberg takes it.

Most probably he'll turn the hybrid into a hunted victim, chased all over the world by the mean old humans. :)

[js1138]

I suppose I'll watch the next few episodes. Entertainment Weekly has a day-by-day rating of the episodes. Tonight's gets the lowest score of the week.

Each episode gets a different director, so there's no use trying to guess what's coming.

[dljordan]

Like yourself, I'll tune in one more time. I think most people who weren't familiar with the story would be confused about what's going on when. I kept switching to the Wings channel more and more because I was bored.

[vikingchick]

It's just starting here. Is it any better tonight?

[vikingchick]

Wake up! :)

[vikingchick]

This episode is better. I'm not bored to tears.

[MHGinTN]

Fire in the Skys was based on a genuine abduction case that has never been debunked.

[Utopia]

Lame. Boring. Goofy. Pointless.

Yep. Big Y-A-W-N.

[Movemout]

Too late! I fell asleep again. :>0

[Just another Joe]

This episode is better. I'm not bored to tears.

I'm not so sure that the second episode was any better.
They're still setting up the characters. I actually liked the first episode better.
If the next episode doesn't pick up the pace a little bit they will have lost my interest.
After all the mini-series is supposed to cover 5 generations and we're only into the second so far.

[scoopscandal]

Most probably he'll turn the hybrid into a hunted victim...

Did you catch last night's episode, vikingchick?...hahahahohoh! You're good.

I'm still kind of liking it, though.

Best Regards,

[scoopscandal]

I'm finding that I've bonded with the characters a bit more...I still like it...although nothing mind-blowing has happened yet.

Question: how did the twins die when they were in the spaceship?...it didn't go anywhere...I didn't get that part.

I thought the cinematography was more beautiful on Monday...but I'm a big sucker for sepia tone :-)

Best Regards,

[jeremiah]

Anyone inside of the ship, begins to get a headache after 5 minutes, and dies from some kind of brain bleed out after 20.