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Planetary Traveler

  • Video
  • 1997
  • 37m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
82
YOUR RATING
Planetary Traveler (1997)
Computer AnimationAnimationSci-FiShort

This computer-animated mini-movie follows the adventures of an advanced alien race called the Phleig, who are searching for a mythical planet which they believe holds the key to the mysterie... Read allThis computer-animated mini-movie follows the adventures of an advanced alien race called the Phleig, who are searching for a mythical planet which they believe holds the key to the mysteries of the universe. Along the way, the Phleig - on board their flagship "Infinity's Child" ... Read allThis computer-animated mini-movie follows the adventures of an advanced alien race called the Phleig, who are searching for a mythical planet which they believe holds the key to the mysteries of the universe. Along the way, the Phleig - on board their flagship "Infinity's Child" - encounter many beautiful and diverse worlds.

  • Director
    • Jan Nickman
  • Writers
    • Rodney L'Ongnion
    • Jan Nickman
  • Star
    • Nathan House
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.9/10
    82
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Jan Nickman
    • Writers
      • Rodney L'Ongnion
      • Jan Nickman
    • Star
      • Nathan House
    • 8User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos55

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    Top cast1

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    Nathan House
    • Sumoc
    • (voice)
    • Director
      • Jan Nickman
    • Writers
      • Rodney L'Ongnion
      • Jan Nickman
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews8

    6.982
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    Featured reviews

    juliano66

    cool cosmic journey

    i've never seen"the mind's eye"(producer jan nickman's previous claim to fame) but i quite enjoyed "planetary traveler"-- for a digital newbie like myself the dated quality of the graphics and computer animation wasn't that big an issue. the colors and textures of p.t. we're fine, the worlds themselves quite pleasing--some practically visionary--reminded me of those airbrushed alien worlds and starship paintings of the late 70's-early 80's era.....the music was alright, not mind blowing but it did the trick--overall the DVD played like your typical in-house planetarium offering with a more imaginative theme. i'd love to see something truly spacey and mind blowing done in this same vein using current software and hardware capabilities as well as incorporating a more updated musical and visual aesthetic. that said i found planetary travelers to be exciting and inspiring on both an artistic and cosmic level.
    3mark-414

    Please don't waste your time on this.

    Even if I saw this amateur video back in 1997, I wouldn't have been impressed. If you're looking for well done computer graphics, don't watch this. Most of this was done with KPT Bryce and is not very impressive. The plot is stupid and the music is boring.
    10amusemeantu

    A mind-blowing, history-making trip!

    Travel at the speed of thought! A definite collector's "must have". I'm the biggest Nickman fan on the planet, so don't take my word for it, but the fact that this was the first ever full-length production created entirely on desktop computers is enough for me. Planetary Traveler was history in the making and unprecedented at the time.

    Planetary Traveler tells the story of an alien race - the last of an alien race - who could travel at the speed of thought. I really love the fact that the story is told almost entirely in music and visuals and if you let it, it will take you on a journey to another state of consciousness.

    Each animation artist was given their own planet to create and the music is an original score by Paul Haslinger (Underworld), so it's definitely unlike anything you've ever seen. If you value original, ground breaking, mind-blowing, artistry, then this is one you've gotta see.
    1because-of-him

    Where is the ZERO rating...

    I guess it was cool back in 1997. It is now 2014 and the effects look like something 3rd graders today can put together with their fingers via an app.

    The imaginary trip flies our 8 planets (no Pluto) via horrible and cheap PC drawings and effects.

    The video pushes evolution, alien seeding and animism.

    It never tells you the planet it visits, which gets a bit confusing after Mars because it does not show the Saturn rings and clumps Neptune, Uranus and ? together.

    It adds oceans and dead trees to some planets past Mars. Recent landings on Mars show the imagination of the Planetary Traveler makers just that, imagination and not in keeping with reality.

    You can watch it free on YouTube.
    8ralphthe3rd

    I really liked this short film.

    Let me preface by saying I love Sci-Fi. And I really thought the CGI scenes of this movie were breath taking. I only viewed this movie once, and it was late one night on PBS. And I missed the first few minutes, but I was spell bound, and captivated by the journeys through space and around alien worlds. This movie was pleasant and imaginative. It was NOT deep or intense.... but something I'd like to watch again. Other reviewers were too harsh on this film, and called it dated. I think it was ahead of it's time in thought and execution. It is not a movie of words, but of scenes of imagination. I may never (in real life) travel out into the vast reaches of Space, but after viewing this movie, I feel that at least my mind has been there :-)

    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      The film is the first feature-length production (by the most generous definition of a minimum of 40 minutes) ever to be created on standard desktop computers. It was realized by seven digital artists across the USA, via the Internet, holding meetings in AOL chat rooms and exchanging storyboards and designs via email attachments. Using 10 Apple Power Macintosh computers, the animation, at a rate of 30 to 40 minutes per frame, was rendered with Bryce software provided by MetaCreations. Bryce did not have any animation facilities at the time though, so producer Jan Nickman was allowed access to a 'pre-alpha' release of what was later published as Bryce 3D (i.e. version 3.1). The hardware was supplied by MetaCreations, Streamlogic and Truevision. [as reported by Animation World and WIRED magazines]
    • Quotes

      Sumoc: I am Sumoc, last of the Phleig, the Planetary Travelers. We once were a race that came to understand the folding of space...this enabled us to move at the speed of thought.

    • Connections
      Followed by Infinity's Child (1999)

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • September 26, 1997 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • -The original film
    • Language
      • English
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      37 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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