Impressions de France
Impressions de France is an attraction located within the France pavilion in World Showcase.
Impressions de France | |
The entrance sign to Impressions de France. | |
Epcot | |
Land | World Showcase |
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Attraction type | Travelogue Film |
Opening date | October 1, 1982 |
Ride duration | 18:00 minutes |
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Contents
Attraction History
Although Disney had always planned on creating a travelogue movie for the France pavilion, Impressions de France went through many changes before making it's debut. Original models for the France pavilion, showed the Impressions de France theater as being round. This has led to speculation that like Canada and China, the concept for the France film may have called for a Circle Vision 360 film.
Instead of being a Circle Vision 360 film, it was decided that Impressions de France would be shown on a 200 degree screen. This allowed guests to sit down while watching the film, although the screen still covered their peripheral vision. Initially, Disney film crews shot 140 different locations for the film, although this number was cut down to 46 for the film's final cut. At filming was complete, Buddy Baker recorded the soundtrack with the National Philharmonic Orchestra at the Abbey Road Studio in London. Impressions de France made it's debut with the rest of Epcot on October 1, 1982, and it has not seen any changes since.
Film Plot
Impressions de France shows guests 46 locations in France, set to classical music arranged by Buddy Baker. Claude Gobet gives guests sparse narration during the film. The scenes (in order) that appear in Impressions de France are:
1. Cliffs at Étretat in Normandy
2. Marais Poitvin, a swamp near La Rochelle
3. Château Chenonceau, shot from the Loire Valley and the gardens
4. Horsemen and hunting dogs in the Cheverny Forest, with Château Cheverny in the background
5. Chambord in the Loire Valley
6. Vézelay Village and church interior
7. Horsecart riding through Riquewihr Village in Alsace
8. Marketplace in Bouvron in Normandy
9. Wine harvest at Monbazillac Vineyard
10. Cognac cave near city of Cognac
11. Fountain of Apollo, gardens, west face and Hall of Mirrors at Versailles
12. Castle Beynac in Dordogne Valley
13. Forest near Château Montpoupon
14. Bicyclists at La Rogue-Gaceac in Dordogne Valley
15. Bicyclists at Château Montpoupon
16. Bugatti race cars in Cannes
17. Hot air balloons near Chaumont Castle on the Loire River and in cliff city of Rocamadour 18. French Alps in spring
19. Mont Blanc in winter
20. Skiers on rocky peaks in the French Alps at Chamonix
21. La Rochelle harbor
22. Brittany fishing boat at sea
23. Rocky beach in Normandy
24. Mont St.-Michel
25. Small church in Brittany
26. Wedding reception at a Brittany farmyard
27. Cliffs at Normandy in Étretat
28. Cliff city of Bonifacio in Corsica
29. Villefranche near Nice
30. Cove at Calanque Cliffs near Cassis
31. Pier in front of Carlton Hotel in Cannes
32. Rooftop restaurant overlooking Cannes harbor at night
33. Railway tracks in hills of Chaporoux
34. Gare du Nord rail station in Paris
35. Champs-Élysées and Arc de Triomphe
36. Boat on Seine River in Paris, under the Pont Neuf
37. Balloon release at Notre-Dame Cathedral
38. Garde Republicaine rides through the archways at the Louvre
39. La Concierge in Paris
40. Garde Republicaine Stables in Paris
41. Eiffel Tower
42. Étretat Cliffs
43. Alps near Chamonix
44. Château Chambord
45. French Alps near Mont Blanc
46. Eiffel Tower
Film Credits
Director- Rick Harper
Producer- Bob Rogers
Score- Buddy Baker
Writers-Rick Harper and Bob Rogers
Production Managers-Antoine Compin, Charis Horton and Philippe Modave
First Camera Assistant- Joe Nash
Camera Assistant- Frank Redmond
Chief Grip- René Strasser
Grip- Yvon Sausseau
Transportation- Hilaire Lovato and Pierre Vimont
Helicopter Pilot- Marc Wolff
Camera Assistant- Steve North
Circle-Vision 200 Camera Operator0 Don Iwerks
Editor- Andre Bacha
Music Research and Editor-Rick Haper
Music Production Coordinator – Richard Clements
Narrator- Claude Gobet
Score
The Score for Impressions de France was arranged by Buddy Baker. Below is a list of the musical selections chosen by Baker, with the original composer in parentheses.
Cliffs of Etretat in Normandy- "Solo for Flute" (Debussey)
Marais Poitvin, a swamp near La Rochelle- "Aquarium" from "Carnival of the Animals" (Saint-Saens)
Château Chenonceau - "Concerto for Harp and Orchestra" (Boieldieu)
Castle Beynac in Dordogne Valley- "Nocture 1" (Debussey)
Bicyclists at La Roque- "Gaite Parisienne" (Offenbach)
Hot air balloons near Chateau Chaumont- "Daybreak" from "Dauphine et Chole Suite 1" (Ravel)
French Alps - "Claire de Lune" (Debussey)
Skiers in Chamonix- "Trois Gymnopedies"(Erik Satie)
Mont St. Michel- "Aquarium" from "Carnival of the Animals" (Saint-Saens)
Wedding reception at a Brittany farmyard - traditional folk music (unidentified)
Railway tracks in hills of Champeauroux- "Finale" from "Carnival of the Animals" (Saint Saens)
Notre Dame de Paris- "Gaite Parisienne" (Offenbach)
Garde Republicaine rides through archway at the Louvre- "Fanfare" from "La Peri" (Dukas)
Eiffel Tower- 4th movement from Organ Symphony no. 3 (Saint Saens)
Watch the Film
To watch Impressions de France, click play below:
Fun Facts and Trivia
- The screens in the Impressions de France theater are 21 feet high an 27 1/2 feet wide.
- The theater that houses Impressions de France is based on a theater in Founteinbleau.
- Impressions de France marked the first time that a film had been completed with an entirely digital soundtrack.
References
http://progresscityusa.com/2012/02/07/82if/
http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/2011/09/france_pavilion_part_two.html
http://www.martinsvids.net/?p=121
http://www.themeparkinsider.com/reviews/epcot/impressions_de_france/