Difference between revisions of "Impressions de France"

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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
Attraction type	Travelogue Film
Opening date	October 1, 1982
Ride duration	18:00 minutes

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

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