Long-forgotten Haunted Mansion Effect?

[HBG2]

Originally Posted by Rustymuscle

I must be insane, but I could have sworn the loading queue (read: the green mist of oblivion -or whatever it's called) used to be different and much more simular to that of Paris' Phantom Manor.

Well, if those are the only two options you're going to give, you put us in an awkward position, diplomatically speaking.

Not many changes to the DL load area over the years. The standing candalabras are newish. Used to be urns with long stringy cobwebs. Giant spiders have come and gone. No Phantom Manor-style staircase, I'm afraid.

Originally Posted by barfownz

Why were most of these effects scapped?

Any number of reasons. Actually, it's surprising how few items have been simply deleted from the HM rather than revised or upgraded. In one case, an effect never worked quite right (Hatbox Ghost), and in another, a show scene was redone (the attic), which eliminated the attic pop-ups. If the original HHG-in-mirror effect was different, it was probably because the current effect wasn't quite ready by opening day, as explained in the linked thread. April/December in the changing portrait hall was exchanged for "Master Gracey" (Jan/05) because the technology used for the new version of the portraits demanded a stark dark/light contrast that would have worked poorly with lovely Miss April. I don't know why ol' purply shroud got the ax.

[DisneyIPresume]

Originally Posted by HBG2

April/December in the changing portrait hall was exchanged for "Master Gracey" (Jan/05) because the technology used for the new version of the portraits demanded a stark dark/light contrast that would have worked poorly with lovely Miss April. I don't know why ol' purply shroud got the ax.

Don't know about the rest of you, but I kind of liked the old way the portraits changed from one picture to the next. The transistions were much slower and you got to enjoy the creepier changes to these pictures longer once these transitioned over. Now, you just see the change when the lightning strikes and that goes way to quickly to appreciate the change in any given portrait.

[HBG2]

Originally Posted by DisneyIPresume

Don't know about the rest of you, but I kind of liked the old way the portraits changed from one picture to the next. The transistions were much slower and you got to enjoy the creepier changes to these pictures longer once these transitioned over. Now, you just see the change when the lightning strikes and that goes way to quickly to appreciate the change in any given portrait.

Actually, as you may know, the new portraits are a throw-back to the original effect. At first, the portraits changed with the lightning, much like they do now with the new technology. Only later did they change to the slow morph. How much later? Not sure, but I think the original flash effect continued for at least a couple of years before the change, sometime in the early 70's.

You can see the original lightning effect, briefly, in the free preview video of the Extinct Attractions HM DVD, about a third of the way through:

http://01508f4.netsolstores.com/inde...PROD&ProdID=14

[Rustymuscle]

Disney,

I totally agree with you, though I do speak out of ignorance. I've been living in Florida for the last two and a half years and haven't been able to enjoy the latest and greatest refurbs to the HM. Heck, it is only via YouTube that I've been able to see what Constance looks like.

The slow dissolve from demure to dastardly always was more striking than the immediate transformation as per the moonlight/lightning effect that traces its roots back to the Mansion's opening in 1969. The "evil-ution" of the paintings accounted for the April/December effect as well as WDW's Master Gracey foyer portrait.

[DisneyIPresume]

Originally Posted by Rustymuscle

Disney,

I totally agree with you, though I do speak out of ignorance. I've been living in Florida for the last two and a half years and haven't been able to enjoy the latest and greatest refurbs to the HM. Heck, it is only via YouTube that I've been able to see what Constance looks like.

The slow dissolve from demure to dastardly always was more striking than the immediate transformation as per the moonlight/lightning effect that traces its roots back to the Mansion's opening in 1969. The "evil-ution" of the paintings accounted for the April/December effect as well as WDW's Master Gracey foyer portrait.

It actually makes more sense for the paintings to change in synch with the lightning strikes, from a least a physics standpoint. However the psychological difference between the two is vastly different. The slow dissolve, IMHO, allows the viewer to look upon these assumed residents of the Haunted Mansion and allows us observe their ultimate fate. This slower effect also allows us time to reflect upon that. It is still there to some degree with the lightning strike effect, but IMHO, not quite as much.

[Opus1guy]

Originally Posted by DisneyIPresume

The slow dissolve, IMHO, allows the viewer to look upon these assumed residents of the Haunted Mansion and allows us observe their ultimate fate. This slower effect also allows us time to reflect upon that. It is still there to some degree with the lightning strike effect, but IMHO, not quite as much.

I see it differently. I see it as they original designed conceived it. That the lightning flashes revealed what those images had become. They revealed the truth. That "in the light" the ghoulishness was briefly revealed of what those seemingly normal scenes had become.

It's a common Hollywood effect. Lightning strikes and we see the face of a normal person as some sort of monster or ghoul for those brief seconds. These quick flashes are not only more dramatic, but are more scary and foreboding as well, IMHO.

A slower version of that would be in the Pirates of the Caribbean film...where everyone looked normal until they were hit by a beam of moonlight, and then it was revealed what they really were.

Light revealing the truth or something sinister or horrible, has always been a common theme.

The slowly changing portraits were not predicated on light of any kind, slow or fast. They just cycled. Boring. And didn't convey anything anymore physiologically than the lighting strike version. Just duller.

IMHO.

[DisneyIPresume]

No argument here, O1G. Don't get me wrong, I do like the lightning strike version. And your explanation actually does make sense! Next time I go on it, I am going to keep that in mind and see if that changes anything.

The most interesting point about all of this is that how a simple change in effect can have a huge psychological difference in one's experience to said effect!

[almandot]

I hate the current effect. I wish it was the normal portraits with some nearby lightning through the windows and then a big flash of lightning through the windows and the portraits changed into their ghostly counterparts and either slowly faded back to normal as the light readjusted or stayed that way until another lightning strike changed it back.

[DisneyIPresume]

Just got back from DL about 25 minutes ago. Yes, O1G I do see your point. I think both are valid arguments.

What is really trippy is that I went on HM just to test out your "theory" and these people next to me who I didn't know said, "These pictures used to change slowly. Now they change whenever the lightning strikes." I was thinking, "Wow. What a trip!"

Anyway, just thought I would let you know...

[HBG2]

Originally Posted by DisneyIPresume

Just got back from DL about 25 minutes ago. Yes, O1G I do see your point. I think both are valid arguments.

What is really trippy is that I went on HM just to test out your "theory" and these people next to me who I didn't know said, "These pictures used to change slowly. Now they change whenever the lightning strikes." I was thinking, "Wow. What a trip!"

Anyway, just thought I would let you know...

Talk about dedication! Field testing a theory just like that.

I have to say I prefer the lightning effect, partly because of the purist in me who appreciates restoring the original gag, but also because it seems more in line with the stretchroom narration, asking us if what we are seeing is really happening or just our imagination: "What was that? Did I just see what I think I saw? Was it a trick of the light, or did those pictures really change just now?"

That sort of thing.

[Professortango]

I love the lightning, much more frightening. The first half of the mansion is meant to be spooky and on the edge of insanity. Is this room stretching, did those pictures just change, floating candlestick, etc... I really wish we could have the extra few little scenes that the other Mansions have in the beginning because it makes a huge difference. The portraits watching you, the books being moved by invisible hands. That, as well as the shrieking pop-up's in the attic, makes the HM one spooky ride and sets up the musical climax quite well, because we are all in that spooked giggly state by the time we enter the whimsical finale.

[J Thaddeus Toad Esq]

Originally Posted by HBG2

You are not alone in that opinion:
http://micechat.com/forums/showpost....6&postcount=38
Although I don't see the "wild hair" Michelle mentions.

BTW, the phantom pianist has been there since around 1995.

Woah, I thought that had always been there.

[DisneyIPresume]

Originally Posted by HBG2

Talk about dedication! Field testing a theory just like that.

I have to say I prefer the lightning effect, partly because of the purist in me who appreciates restoring the original gag, but also because it seems more in line with the stretchroom narration, asking us if what we are seeing is really happening or just our imagination: "What was that? Did I just see what I think I saw? Was it a trick of the light, or did those pictures really change just now?"

That sort of thing.

Well, I live and work only 20 minutes away so it is not a huge deal to pop in the park from time to time to witness all of you MC'ers observations of particular rides! It's not like I have to make flight arrangements and get a rental and all of that! LOL

But I must say that I didn't know the lightning effect was the original effect. That has certainly changed my opinion on this. That, plus Opus' explanation of this was also helpful.

The next ride I have to test out is TOT -- but I need to conjure up some courage to go on that!

[HBG2]

Originally Posted by J. Thaddeus Toad

Woah, I thought that had always been there.

The attic has been substantially redone three times. Once, less than a month after opening day. Second time, around 1995. Third, May '06.

By far, the most fiddled-with place in the Mansion. The only things left from the original attic are (1) some version of a bride ghost, and (2) her heartbeat on the soundtrack.

[HBG2]

Earlier in this thread I referred to the now-defunct "purple shroud" ghost in the Séance room, and posted a rare picture of the figure. Now for those of you who remember it, here's a newly-posted picture of an old HM blueprint that shows where the figure was and how it was produced ("ghost on blown silk"):



From the Ghost Relations Department blog: http://ghostrelationsdept.blogspot.com/