Difference between revisions of "Reflections of China"

From The Mickey Wiki: Your Walt Disney World Encyclopedia!
Jump to: navigation, search
(Attraction History)
(Attraction History)
Line 18: Line 18:
 
When Imagineers initially conceived the China pavilion, plans for what would eventually become Reflections of China originally called for the show to be film on a standard theater screen, before it was developed into a CircleVision 360 film.  
 
When Imagineers initially conceived the China pavilion, plans for what would eventually become Reflections of China originally called for the show to be film on a standard theater screen, before it was developed into a CircleVision 360 film.  
  
In order to create the attraction, Imagineers led by director Jeff Blythe traveled to China in film a travelogue style movie for the attraction <ref name= "Jack"> http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/walt_disney_world/theme_parks/epcot/china/ </ref>. Initially, the Chinese government was interested in partnering with Disney but was uncomfortable with Western film crews filming their country. Because of this, the government initially but strict restrictions of Disney's film crew, including making the Great Wall and Tibet off limits.
+
In order to create the attraction, Imagineers led by director Jeff Blyth traveled to China in film a travelogue style movie for the attraction <ref name= "Jack"> http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/walt_disney_world/theme_parks/epcot/china/ </ref>. Initially, the Chinese government was interested in partnering with Disney but was uncomfortable with Western film crews filming their country. Because of this, the government initially but strict restrictions of Disney's film crew, including making the Great Wall and Tibet off limits.
  
As Disney and China continued to negotiate over filming restrictions, little progress was being made. In a last ditch effort to attain more creative freedom, Disney showed representative's from China the film Fantasia. This showing seemingly helped convince the Chinese government to loosen their restrictions, and Disney was given more autonomy. As part of this new agreement, when shots of China's "sensitive" areas was called for, Blythe would turn the sequence over to his Chinese counterpart. The Chinese film crew would then film the scene. It was then reviewed by the American team, who would decided if any additional takes were needed.  
+
As Disney and China continued to negotiate over filming restrictions, little progress was being made. In a last ditch effort to attain more creative freedom, Disney showed representative's from China the film Fantasia. This showing seemingly helped convince the Chinese government to loosen their restrictions, and Disney was given more autonomy. As part of this new agreement, when shots of China's "sensitive" areas was called for, Blyth would turn the sequence over to his Chinese counterpart. The Chinese film crew would then film the scene. It was then reviewed by the American team, who would decided if any additional takes were needed.  
  
 
After two months of scouting, filming began in the fall of 1981<ref name= "Jack"/>. As previously mentioned, the film was shot in CircleVision 360, which required crews to film on nine cameras, which were stationed on a platform. Imagineers returned to China in the winter to record the seasonal changes, before concluding filming the following spring spring<ref name= "Jack"/>. In order to make the film more interesting, Disney decided to use the famous Chinese poet, Li Bai as the films narrator. Li Bai (who is known as Li Po in the West) <ref name= "book">  The EPCOT explorer's encyclopedia: R. Pedersen - Epcyclopedia Press - 2011 </ref> wrote over 1,000 poems during the Tang Period<ref name= "Jack"/>. According to director Jeff Blyth:
 
After two months of scouting, filming began in the fall of 1981<ref name= "Jack"/>. As previously mentioned, the film was shot in CircleVision 360, which required crews to film on nine cameras, which were stationed on a platform. Imagineers returned to China in the winter to record the seasonal changes, before concluding filming the following spring spring<ref name= "Jack"/>. In order to make the film more interesting, Disney decided to use the famous Chinese poet, Li Bai as the films narrator. Li Bai (who is known as Li Po in the West) <ref name= "book">  The EPCOT explorer's encyclopedia: R. Pedersen - Epcyclopedia Press - 2011 </ref> wrote over 1,000 poems during the Tang Period<ref name= "Jack"/>. According to director Jeff Blyth:

Revision as of 19:06, 9 December 2018

Reflections of China
ReflectionsChina.jpg
The entrance sign for Reflections of China.
Epcot
Land World Showcase
Attraction type Circle Vision 360 Film
Opening date May 22, 2003
Ride duration 13:00 [1] minutes
Formally Known As Wonders of China
FastPass + No
Budget 1,000,000 [2] (Wonders of China)

Reflections of China is a movie located within the China pavilion, within Epcot.

Attraction History

When Imagineers initially conceived the China pavilion, plans for what would eventually become Reflections of China originally called for the show to be film on a standard theater screen, before it was developed into a CircleVision 360 film.

In order to create the attraction, Imagineers led by director Jeff Blyth traveled to China in film a travelogue style movie for the attraction [3]. Initially, the Chinese government was interested in partnering with Disney but was uncomfortable with Western film crews filming their country. Because of this, the government initially but strict restrictions of Disney's film crew, including making the Great Wall and Tibet off limits.

As Disney and China continued to negotiate over filming restrictions, little progress was being made. In a last ditch effort to attain more creative freedom, Disney showed representative's from China the film Fantasia. This showing seemingly helped convince the Chinese government to loosen their restrictions, and Disney was given more autonomy. As part of this new agreement, when shots of China's "sensitive" areas was called for, Blyth would turn the sequence over to his Chinese counterpart. The Chinese film crew would then film the scene. It was then reviewed by the American team, who would decided if any additional takes were needed.

After two months of scouting, filming began in the fall of 1981[3]. As previously mentioned, the film was shot in CircleVision 360, which required crews to film on nine cameras, which were stationed on a platform. Imagineers returned to China in the winter to record the seasonal changes, before concluding filming the following spring spring[3]. In order to make the film more interesting, Disney decided to use the famous Chinese poet, Li Bai as the films narrator. Li Bai (who is known as Li Po in the West) [4] wrote over 1,000 poems during the Tang Period[3]. According to director Jeff Blyth:

I chose Li Po, a famous poet of the Tang Dynasty, to be our guide and on-camera narrator. This might seem like the equivalent of using Shakespeare to narrate a film on present day England, but I deliberately chose a historic figure so that the words he spoke would not seem to some conservative members of the audience like the official party line. [5]

The completed Wonders of China film was approximately 19 minutes long, and it featured parts of China that had never been seen by most Westerners [3]. The total cost of making the film as just over $1,000,000 [2]. The film opened with the rest of World Showcase on October 1, 1982. The film remained unchanged until 2002. By 2002, China had become both an industrial country and a popular tourist attraction. With these changes, Wonders of China began to seem dated. Imagineers eventually decided that they needed to update the film, and on March 25, 2002 Wonders of China was shown for the final time [4].

On May 23, 2003 an updated version of Wonders of China made its debut in the China pavilion [3]. The new film, known as Reflections of China, now featured Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Macau. Other scenes, including the Great Wall, Tienanmen Square, Beijing, Harbin, and Urumqi were all updated for the 21st century [3]. For the refurbishment, all of the narration was re-dubbed, and a new score was composed by Richard Bellis [4]. Since 2003, Reflections of China has not experienced any changes.

Film Plot [3]

The filming of Wonders of China

The scenes in the current version of Reflections of China are:

  • The Great Wall at Jinshanling
  • Shanghai from the Bund with a view of Pudong
  • Shanghai montage
  • Nanjing Road, Shanghai
  • Shanghai from the riverfront park
  • Huangpu waterfront
  • Morning exercises in Hangzhou
  • Huangshan mountain
  • Li Bai's study
  • Yangtze River
  • Suzhou canals and garden
  • Heavenly Lake in wilderness of Xinjiang Province
  • Urumqi night market
  • Gobi Desert, Gansu Province
A poster for the Tokyo Disneyland version of Wonders of China
  • Inner Mongolia
  • Yunnan Province
  • Shilin Stone Forest, Yunnan Province
  • Harbin Ice Festival, Heilongjiang Province
  • Macau
  • Hong Kong
  • Hong Kong skyline
  • Dragon Wall in Behai Park, Beijing
  • Terracotta Soldiers
  • Ming Tomb Statues
  • Giant Buddah of Leshan
  • Peking Opera performing "Havoc in Heaven"
  • Forbidden City in Beijing
  • Tien An Men Square in Beijing
  • Behai Park, Beijing
  • Reed Flute Cave at Guilin
  • Limestone formations at Guilin
  • The Li River
  • The Great Wall at Jinshanling

Watch the Film

To see the Reflections of China film, click play below:

Cast and Crew

Keye Luke- Li Bai (In Reflections of China a look-alike was used for the new scenes) [6]

Leon Chooluck- Production Manager (Wonders of China) [2]

Jeff Blythe- Director/Writer (both films) [1] [2]

Fun Facts and Trivia

  • When filming the Huangshan Mountain sequence, over three dozen locals were hired to lift a 300-pound camera up 16,700 stone steps [3].
  • In Wonders of China guests could see the Peking Opera Company perform The Monkey King Raises Havoc in Heaven [2]
  • To make the scene seem more natural, actors were used instead of real tourists in the attraction's Great Wall scene [2]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 https://d23.com/a-to-z/reflections-of-china-film/
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19820607&id=tvdLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kO4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=7014,2843621&hl=en
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/walt_disney_world/theme_parks/epcot/china/
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 The EPCOT explorer's encyclopedia: R. Pedersen - Epcyclopedia Press - 2011
  5. Viner, Michael, and Terrie Maxine. Frankel. Tales from the Casting Couch: An Unprecedented Candid Collection of Stories, Essays, and Anecdotes by and about Legendary Hollywood Stars, Starlets, and Wanna-bes--. Beverly Hills, CA: Dove, 1995. Print. Pages 68-69
  6. http://2719hyperion.blogspot.com/2011/02/saturday-at-archives-farewell-to-friend.html