Long-forgotten Haunted Mansion Effect?

[aashee]

I glad this thread got back in the mix again. On the lines of other things that were taken out of the mansion, the ghost host used to say of the man trapped in the coffin that "this one can hardly contain himself". I'm trying to think why in the world would they take that line out.

Being a haunted mansion freak as well, I'd like to say thanks for all of the contributions HBG2! If I ever meet you at the park I owe you a churro!

Chad

[GRD999]

<sobs>

But what about my churro?

[BellhopPrincess]

Originally Posted by aashee

On the lines of other things that were taken out of the mansion, the ghost host used to say of the man trapped in the coffin that "this one can hardly contain himself". I'm trying to think why in the world would they take that line out.

I KNOW!!! I knew the Mansion script by heart and now I go on and slip up because that line is gone.
I miss the lovely Miss April. You can only see her on the mini-stage for the POTC queue entertainment, and it's the Davis version, not the ride version.
I, personally, do not like the new bride. (Yeah, I said it.) I don't like the effect and I think it messed with the zen of the ride. The first time I went on it and saw this, I was yelling at the top of my lungs about how much I hated it to my bff--she was yelling too. And when someone called,"Hey, shut up!" I yelled right back,"YOU shut up! This totally bites!" I had to go on the ride again just to make sure I wasn't insane and blacked out on the ride and dreamed that they changed it.

Speaking of scrapped ideas, there was talk early 90's to add to the queue and put in a greenhouse of sorts, and between the ballroom and the attic have a young lady trapped inside a mirror....The latter effect I think would've added more of a Coats thought to the tail end of the ride, rather than the happy[/ier] Davis flair.

And on an almost unrelated topic, I once dated a guy whose grandmother's first cousin was Rolly Crump. I was determined to marry him and therefore into the distant Crump family, but, alas, it didn't last between me and him.

[HBG2]

Originally Posted by aashee

I glad this thread got back in the mix again. On the lines of other things that were taken out of the mansion, the ghost host used to say of the man trapped in the coffin that "this one can hardly contain himself". I'm trying to think why in the world would they take that line out.

Being a haunted mansion freak as well, I'd like to say thanks for all of the contributions HBG2! If I ever meet you at the park I owe you a churro!

Chad

Gee, thanks, but we ghosts only like donut holes and evaporated milk.

As for the lines:

"All our ghosts have been dying to meet you. This one can hardly contain himself....Unfortunately, they all seem to have trouble getting through. Perhaps Madame Leota can establish contact. She has a remarkable head for materializing the disembodied,"

I distinctly and vividly remember the first lines being there when the HM first opened, and I believe the second lines were probably there too. (I thought the first lines were extremely funny and would repeat them to friends at school!) Anyway, they were deleted very, very early (by the original Imagineers, mind you), since they detracted from the idea of the sound effects taking over and "telling the story," and they lasted into the Séance room far enough that they stepped on Madame Leota's spiel. According to GRD999, the year they were restored was 1995. They were killed again last year, and an interesting email exchange (apparently genuine) was intercepted and posted here on Micechat from very high up in the DL hierarchy explaining that they did not belong, and that they had better not be inadvertantly put back in again! Bringing them back in '95, apparently, was never properly authorized!

Bellhop Princess: I miss the lovely Miss April. You can only see her on the mini-stage for the POTC queue entertainment, and it's the Davis version, not the ride version.

Actually, Miss April can be found in one of the NOS shops. I've got the picture here, but I can't remember which shop it is:



The one at the Pirates stage is not really April, but "June":



You are correct that this is copied from Davis's artwork, but the April/December changing portrait effect originally was planned to have FOUR stages, not two. The "June" and "September" phases were never used. You can see an animated gif with all four of the Marc Davis concept paintings here: http://www.betterhaunts.com/ourhaunts3.html

I keep hoping that there is a solid reason for the Imagineers keeping these April portraits in the public eye at DL, but maybe it's only wishful thinking on my part.

[drb]

It may be my faulty memory, but I swear when the Mansion first opened, the pop-up ghosts in the attic were a lot louder than they were by the late seventies and eighties. I seem to remember them really *SHRIEKING*! I'd hide my eyes and cover my ears whenever we went through that part.

I had always figured that the reason the extra Ghost Host lines were cut was because it would cut out at the end or overlap with another transmission (as it is, the sound used to always glitch), and an update of the technology made it possible to restore those lines. The radio receivers (?) in the Doom Buggies during the seventies and eighties were always receiving bits of signal from the "wrong" transmitters, so you'd get static, pops and bits of GH dialog where there was supposed to be silence. I had wondered why those lines disappeared again.

And if the Hatbox Ghost frame was made into a Sam the Eagle, *which* Sam was he? There was one in each "scene."

[HBG2]

I have no idea which "Sam" used the old HBG frame. Once you've read the post from Michelle Hill (http://micechat.com/forums/showpost....6&postcount=38) you know as much as I do.

Couldn't tell you if the shrieks were louder originally. There's an audio file of the original attic soundtrack on this page (http://www.doombuggies.com/secrets_attic.htm), but you can't say anything about sheer volume from that. But I would expect that there was a lot of general fine-tuning in the early months as rider feedback started coming in.

I found that intercepted email, btw, which orders the elimination of the hallway monologue. It was posted here at MC May 7th last year by "shadow." Worth a repost:

----------------------
-START OF EMAILS-
----------------------

"Per Glenn Barker, and by order of Tom Fitzgerald (two) of the Mansion Car Sound Zones are to be removed from operation. They are Zones #3 and #4, in the hallway of doors area.

See Email below:

I have a request to permanently delete two of the car sounds in the Haunted Mansion "normal" show.

These are:

Zone 3 in the Conservatory which says;

"All our ghosts have been dying to meet you....this one can hardly contain himself (chuckle). Unfortunately, they all seem to have trouble getting through"

And Zone 4 in the Seance which says;

"Perhaps Madame Leota can establish contact. She has a remarkable head for materializing the disembodied"

This is to be a permanent change.

If there is an incident where someone intentionally or accidentally reactivates them for the standard year-round show, we will be forced to remove them entirely.

For the convenience of the Holiday Show change-out, we are hoping that this will not become necessary."

--------------------
-END OF EMAILS-
--------------------

PLEASE NOTE: Persons who are not responsible for this 'official descision' have had their names removed. One other section has also been deleted for length. Omissions do not affect the meaning or direction of the instructions to 'mame' Haunted Mansion.

[fo'c's'le swab]

Originally Posted by HBG2

Couldn't tell you if the shrieks were louder originally. There's an audio file of the original attic soundtrack on this page (http://www.doombuggies.com/secrets_attic.htm), but you can't say anything about sheer volume from that. But I would expect that there was a lot of general fine-tuning in the early months as rider feedback started coming in.

Hat Box--can you confirm for me the intent of imagineers involving the "pop up" creepies in the attic--weren't they originally designed to shriek "I DO!"? I seem to remember reading an account of this. Also, if this was, in fact, a planned effect, did it ever come into use (no matter how briefly)?

[HBG2]

Originally Posted by fo'c's'le swab

Hat Box--can you confirm for me the intent of imagineers involving the "pop up" creepies in the attic--weren't they originally designed to shriek "I DO!"? I seem to remember reading an account of this. Also, if this was, in fact, a planned effect, did it ever come into use (no matter how briefly)?

They originally just shrieked, as you can hear on that audio file. (They still do that at Tokyo, btw: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybQPv6B6uqo). The "I do's" came in about 1995 as part of the attic makeover done at that time. Bride got a face, they added the phantom pianist, and the pop-ups were dressed as groomsmen.

BTW, I found the whole thread devoted to that email, cited above. This took place at the very time that the lines were being deleted. A very interesting discussion: The Changing of a Classic (Haunted Mansion)

[fo'c's'le swab]

Originally Posted by HBG2

They originally just shrieked, as you can hear on that audio file. (They still do that at Tokyo, btw: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybQPv6B6uqo). The "I do's" came in about 1995 as part of the attic makeover done at that time. Bride got a face, they added the phantom pianist, and the pop-ups were dressed as groomsmen.

BTW, I found the whole thread devoted to that email, cited above. This took place at the very time that the lines were being deleted. A very interesting discussion: The Changing of a Classic (Haunted Mansion)

You are truly the rancid, stagnant, foetid, tumble-down fountain of HM knowledge. Thanks, Hatbox!

[aashee]

Thanks for all of the responses! I'm on the fence about the new bride. While the old heartbeat bride was much scarier, I do like the more technological bride. The fact that many HM freaks like myself are tying the new bride to the old lady sitting on the tombstone in the stretching room/portriat chamber is totally facsinating to me. I have seen the comparisons to the wedding pictures that have the heads vanishing is totally compelling to me.

I absolutely remember the shreiking pop-up ghost to be MUCH louder. Scared the bejeebers out of me when I was younger. I also remember the knight. Fortunately the people behind me screamed so loud I got a heads up that something was there.

Bellhop, sorry you didn't become an honorary Crump. Although the cost of joining that exclusive club might have cost you a lifetime.

Thanks again all and any HM info is good info in my book.

Chad

[DisneyIPresume]

I think the Sam that was the hatbox ghost was either the very first one, or the very last one. I don't remember where all the Sams were, but in one scene, isn't he riding a donkey with his owl friend? It couldn't have been that one. So if it was the first or the last, then that is a 1/3 chance that was it.

[HBG2]

Originally Posted by fo'c's'le swab

You are truly the rancid, stagnant, foetid, tumble-down fountain of HM knowledge. Thanks, Hatbox!

You are too kind, but seriously, if you're looking for hardcore, encyclopedic HM knowledge, I must defer to GRD999.

And I'll even give him a bite of that churro, if it cheers him up.

[aashee]

OK, I'm not here to hurt feelings. Churros for both of you! I can't buy more than 2 though. I have kids to send to college someday.

Chad

[HBG2]

Aw, you're too generous.

Originally Posted by aashee

I'm on the fence about the new bride.

You're not alone. There was a thread about the new bride recently at DB, with detailed opinions pro-and-con. Now that Constance is coming up on her first birthday, and the dazzle of newness has subsided, it seems that people are forming more settled opinions. She'll probably be controversial for some time:

http://p080.ezboard.com/So-You-Still...cID=6629.topic

[aashee]

Great link HBG, thanks.

What bothers me about Constance is she's sexy. I know, I know we all wants the red head, but something about a sexy life size human in the Haunted Mansion bugs me. Yes, Little Leota has a very sexy voice but she's a little too small for my taste HAH!

The idea of Constance is brilliant. Someone who kills her husbands for their money. The idea itself is very scary, however the way it is presented isn't. Perhaps if she seemed more dead herself it would work better. Either way, great discussion.

Chad