Bonnie Hunt, Bradley Pierce, Kirsten Dunst and Robin Williams hold each other in a scene from the film 'Jumanji', 1995. (Photo by TriStar/Getty Images)
KEENE, N.H. - It's been 30 years since the "Jumanji" film premiered, captivating audiences with its thrilling blend of adventure, wild animals, and magical chaos unleashed from a mysterious board game.
Actor and comedian Robin Williams, who died in 2014, starred in the original 1995 movie as Alan Parrish, who was trapped in a board game called "Jumanji" for 26 years.
What is "Jumanji?"
The backstory:
When two children discover the game decades later and begin to play, they release Alan along with a series of wild and dangerous animals. Together, they must finish the game to reverse the chaos and restore order.
The film was based on the popular 1981 Chris Van Allsburg book. But the movie launched a franchise that included sequels and a new fanbase.
The 1995 movie was shot on location in Keene, New Hampshire, which served as the fictional town known as "Brantford" in the movie.
Thirty years later, the city of Keene is coming together to celebrate the movie's release and impact.
Robin Williams faces off with a heron in a scene from the film 'Jumanji', 1995. (Photo by TriStar/Getty Images)
Keene celebrates "Jumanji' 30th anniversary
Local perspective:
The city of Keene will host free events starting on June 20 with a special screening of the "Jumanji" film.
On June 21, the city will host a parade, scavenger hunt, and an animal costume race.
A closing ceremony will be held on June 22.
What they're saying:
Some locals remember when the movie was filmed in 1995 and met some of the stars, including Williams.
"I ended up bumping into this cluster of Keene police officers and I turned around, and I’m face to face with Robin Williams," Dan Shepardson told the Union Leader. "I said, ‘Whoa, hi.’ I shook his hand and said, ‘Thank you for being here.’ He said, ‘No, no, thank you.’ And then Robin Williams and the police kept going, and I went to find the prop manager in the Woolworth building."
Remembering Robin Williams (1951-2014)
Dig deeper:
Williams died by suicide in 2014 at the age of 63. Williams had been battling severe depression.
From his breakthrough in the late 1970s as the alien in the hit TV comedy "Mork & Mindy," through his standup comedy act and such films as "Good Morning, Vietnam," the short, barrel-chested Williams ranted and shouted as if just sprung from solitary confinement. Loud, fast and manic, he parodied everyone from John Wayne to Keith Richards, impersonating a Russian immigrant as easily as a pack of Nazi attack dogs.
He was a riot in drag in "Mrs. Doubtfire," or as a cartoon genie in "Aladdin." He won his Academy Award in a rare dramatic role, as an empathetic therapist in the 1997 film "Good Will Hunting."
Born in Chicago in 1951, Williams would remember himself as a shy kid who got some early laughs from his mother — by mimicking his grandmother. He opened up more in high school when he joined the drama club, and he was accepted into the Juilliard Academy, where he had several classes in which he and Christopher Reeve were the only students and John Houseman was the teacher.
The Source: The Associated Press contributed to this report. The information in this story comes from local reporting by the New Hampshire Union Leader, which covered Keene’s plans to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Jumanji. This story was reported from Los Angeles.