Grand Canyon and Primeval World Diorama

[krpink]

Thre indeed was nothing--just the back of buildings (although the Wikipedia entry on the DRR states otherwise).

Thanks Steve! That must have been a boring section of the train ride. Glad that the diorama is there now!

[someimaginationhuh]

The animals in the Grand Canyon diorama are actual stuffed (taxidermied) animals.

Because of this the entire inside of the exhibit is air conditioned and behind the glass to preserve the animals.

[Mr Wiggins]

The background murals in the Grand Canyon were painted by none other than the legendary Claude Coats!

Most sources credit the backdrop to Del Yoakum, a fine arts painter and film scenery painter who also worked on Pirates and the Haunted Mansion. Wikipedia has a photo of him working on the diorama.

[Scary Scott]

a very nice video good job man

[Bob Weaver]

OK sorry... I was going by response #6 in this thread:
Quick question?
The Claude Coats web site lists him as the Art Director and Show Designer of the Grand Canyon Diorama, and the style of the painted backdrop mural certainly looks like his style.

[tikicub]

Another weird "Grand Canyon" connection:

The final bars of Ferde Groffe's "On The Trail" movement of "Grand Canyon Suite," which plays in the diorama, can also be heard in "A Christmas Story" as the mystical music playing when Ralphie first wakes up in his bedroom on Christmas morning.

Actually, the music for the "Grand Canyon today" is a poorly mashed-together pastiche of non-consecutive measures of the third and fifth movements of Grofé's Grand Canyon Suite ('On the Trail' and 'Cloudburst', respectively).

Personally, I've always been curious about the title/composer of the "Primeval World" music.

[Matterhorn Boy]

Personally, I've always been curious about the title/composer of the "Primeval World" music.

It's the title theme from the film "The Mysterious Island" by Bernard Herrmann.

[tech4all]

Another weird "Grand Canyon" connection:

The final bars of Ferde Groffe's "On The Trail" movement of "Grand Canyon Suite," which plays in the diorama, can also be heard in "A Christmas Story" as the mystical music playing when Ralphie first wakes up in his bedroom on Christmas morning.

Yea whenever I'm on that part of the train, I always think about Ralphie and the BB gun scene. Love that part (both train and movie).

[Steve DeGaetano]

OK sorry... I was going by response #6 in this thread:
Quick question?
The Claude Coats web site lists him as the Art Director and Show Designer of the Grand Canyon Diorama, and the style of the painted backdrop mural certainly looks like his style.

My thought is that he designed the mural...gave overal art direction. Others painted it.

[LittleImagineer]

Thanks for the video! It's very good. I'm lovin this thread

[Steve DeGaetano]

Actually, the music for the "Grand Canyon today" is a poorly mashed-together pastiche of non-consecutive measures of the third and fifth movements of Grofé's Grand Canyon Suite ('On the Trail' and 'Cloudburst', respectively).

I just listened to "Cloudburst," and there's only a couple seconds of it in the Diorama score. It's 99.9% "On the Trail."

[B2D]

Diorama? DIORAMA!? You mean we don't ACTUALLY go through the Grand Canyon????
Next you'll be telling me those are fake dinosaurs!

LOL... my fiance tells me that when she was little, she was under the impression that the train had magical transport/time powers and that he Grand Canyon/Primeval World sets were real. Obviously she knows better now.