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Samus in the commercial.
Parasite is the live-action/CGI Western commercial for Metroid Fusion, filmed in Australia in 2002.
The 30 second version can be found here: [1] and a director's cut here: [2] A rehearsal clip can be found here, 24 seconds in: [3]
Synopsis[]
| “ | Exterminating evil gives you strength. But are you strong enough to face your greatest fear? Metroid Fusion, only on Game Boy Advance. Rated E for Everyone. | „ |
The commercial takes place in the "Metroid Fusion Bio-Lab", a composite location based on the Biologic Space Laboratories research station. As a Hornoad emerges from a corner, it is shot to death. Swarms of Kihunters emerge from an upper corridor, each being shot and killed as they infest the laboratory. A Missile is fired at a tank in the center of the room, causing it to explode and eliminate all enemies. The Missile hatch on Samus's Arm Cannon closes, and she appears on-screen as X Parasites emerge from the fallen creatures. Samus absorbs each of them into her Fusion Suit, leaping into the air with energy swirling around her, before she lands on the ground. Shortly after, the SA-X jumps down. Its eyes are briefly glimpsed as it engages in a standoff with Samus. As the commercial ends, Samus fires a Missile at the SA-X, towards the screen.
At the end of the commercial, the game's logo is displayed, along with a Game Boy Advance depicting gameplay clips. These show Samus dropping and shooting a Sciser in Sector 4 (AQA), her first battle with Security Robot B.O.X., killing enemies in Sector 5 (ARC) with the Screw Attack, and killing a Yard in Sector 4.
In-game, Missiles are ineffective against the SA-X. The Missile Samus fires at it in this commercial is likely for dramatic effect.
Director's cut[]
Hunt has a director's cut of the commercial with nine seconds of extra shots of the Kihunters entering the lab, the explosion, Samus standing as the X encircle her, the SA-X walking on a platform above her, and their standoff. Additionally, the music and voiceover is different:
| “ | With evil exterminated, first you grow strong, then you grow scared. | „ |
This version uses portions of Main Titles (Instrumental), the title theme from the 2001 Planet of the Apes film. Hunt shared his cut of the commercial for the first time with Shinesparkers, and on his personal Vimeo channel, in early 2023.
Production[]
The commercial was producer by RadicalMedia. It was directed by Bruce Hunt and filmed over the course of three days at the White Bay Power Station in Sydney, Australia, where filming for The Matrix also took place. The budget for Parasite was lower than that of Prime Evil, and the production team was given four weeks to complete the commercial. Due to its short length, the production team structured it as though it were a film trailer, with key, memorable scenes and the narration being used to convey a feeling of intrigue. Hunt would have liked to include more shots of Samus exploring and doing acrobatic moves. Shots for visual effects were also filmed in a studio. Production was completed on November 2, 2002, in time for the game's American release on November 22.[1]
Animal Logic animated the corridor and enemies, as they did for Prime Evil, before filming began to speed up the production flow. The pyrotechnics team was the same as for Prime Evil.[1]
The Bio-Lab was designed by Phil Shearer to resemble a space station environment, with lighting built into the floors and tanks by cinematographer Ross Emery. Plastic sheets and recycled pipes were used to add texture. The lab itself was filmed in a turbine room and great hall at White Bay, with smoke and sparks used for added effect. The enemies, and the corridor through which they emerge into the lab, are entirely animated. The tank that explodes was approximately two meters tall and detonated by the pyrotechnics team. It was filled with water, since that is much more dense than air and would ensure a good spread from the explosion. The explosion was shot at high speed, 350 frames per second, against a black background with splash housings, which was then composited into the shots.[1]
Nintendo and Leo Burnett provided Hunt with storyboards, Suit designs and artwork, but he was given some creative freedom since much of the Metroid Fusion story was kept secret from him. He had to quickly familiarize himself with the game as a result.[1]
Samus and the SA-X were portrayed in Parasite by stuntwoman Melanie Peyton-Smith. Studio Kite created the Fusion and Varia Suit costumes for this commercial; the latter being the same one worn by the stunt actor as Samus in Prime Evil. As far as Hunt knows, the suits may have been returned to either Leo Burnett or Nintendo afterwards, although he speculated the costumes may have degraded over time, since they were partly composed of latex.[1]
Credits[]
Agency: Leo Burnett Worldwide
Production Company: RadicalMedia
Director: Bruce Hunt
Producer: Michael Antonucci
Production Designer: Phil Shearer
Cinematographer: Ross Emery
Stunt Co-Ordinator: Glenn Boswell
Samus Aran: Melanie Peyton-Smith
CG: Animal Logic
Suit Design: Studio Kite
Gallery[]
References[]