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 :-)
8 Reviews
Actually rather impressive
triem2314 May 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Released in 1997, this short movie is really more of a demo video for the KPT BRYCE software. Do the visuals compare to, say, Star Wars, The Phantom Menace? No.
On the other hand, this wasn't a hundred and fifty million dollar movie.
In short, what you get is a 40 CGI journey though landscapes of varying quality, produced using $200 software done on mid-line Mac Powerbooks. At the time this video was produced, the BRYCE software didn't have animation capabilities, so the animators had to use batch coding and excel spreadsheets to generate the camera and object motions.
The plot is paper-thin, and, frankly, totally unimportant to the film. (*SPOILER* There is a world where races can transcend the physical universe--they search, they find, they say things like "interconnectedness with all things," they transcend. yay.) The music isn't at all to my taste, but some of the sequences are absolutely stunning, and are rather inspiring as example of what can be accomplished with consumer-lever rendering software. Certainly worth a watch.
There is a sequel project called "Infinity's Child," but I have yet to see it.
On the other hand, this wasn't a hundred and fifty million dollar movie.
In short, what you get is a 40 CGI journey though landscapes of varying quality, produced using $200 software done on mid-line Mac Powerbooks. At the time this video was produced, the BRYCE software didn't have animation capabilities, so the animators had to use batch coding and excel spreadsheets to generate the camera and object motions.
The plot is paper-thin, and, frankly, totally unimportant to the film. (*SPOILER* There is a world where races can transcend the physical universe--they search, they find, they say things like "interconnectedness with all things," they transcend. yay.) The music isn't at all to my taste, but some of the sequences are absolutely stunning, and are rather inspiring as example of what can be accomplished with consumer-lever rendering software. Certainly worth a watch.
There is a sequel project called "Infinity's Child," but I have yet to see it.
Eye & Ear Candy
pleonic5 June 2005
This is a lovely movie both in the computer-generated graphics and accompanying music, but suffers from a disjointed feeling. An accompanying "making of..." feature describes how the various planets were created by computer animators around the world who never met -- they just corresponded by email.
The result is just a series of gorgeous planetscapes with saucers and "probes" gliding over them, tied together (if at all) by a wispy story of aliens searching for a legendary gateway planet. One almost has the feeling that the story was forced upon a collection of already existing scenes.
The story itself is ponderous, new age philosophy and the gentleman that produced Planetary Traveller seems to have thought it an epoch making project. But if you can get past that and just enjoy the sights and sounds, It believe it's a worthwhile film.
The result is just a series of gorgeous planetscapes with saucers and "probes" gliding over them, tied together (if at all) by a wispy story of aliens searching for a legendary gateway planet. One almost has the feeling that the story was forced upon a collection of already existing scenes.
The story itself is ponderous, new age philosophy and the gentleman that produced Planetary Traveller seems to have thought it an epoch making project. But if you can get past that and just enjoy the sights and sounds, It believe it's a worthwhile film.
Great, trippy space journey!
DelMonte-221 September 1998
Skimpy on dialog and story, "Planetary Traveler" is nonetheless an amazing trek across the cosmos. The alien worlds - rendered entirely on the PC - range from serene to chaotic, but each one is uniquely breathtaking. The soundtrack, equally amazing, sets the tone perfectly for each planet. I highly recommend picking up this 40 minute video and watching it on a really big TV.
Where is the ZERO rating...
because-of-him9 March 2014
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.
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.
Please don't waste your time on this.
mark-41419 August 2002
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.
A mind-blowing, history-making trip!
amusemeantu28 June 2009
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.
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.
cool cosmic journey
juliano6617 July 2006
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.
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