Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Gorgeous eFX Nautilus Replica now available for pre-order
Visitors of the 2009 Comicon and D23 Expo were amazed by the new and gorgeous 4 foot long Nautilus replica produced by eFX, and i've previously show you some pictures of it. But next thursday December 10th is the big day as eFX will begin to take pre-orders for this highly awaited Nautilus replica!
eFX is also designing other Disney replicas as you will read in the official press release below. The pictures that i post today are official pictures from eFX, but two things will change - for the better - in the final version: first, the battery box with a cable that you can see under the Nautilus - needed for the lights inside the submarine - will be located inside the Nautilus, and, two, there will be a new design for the stand inspired by an architecture element of Nemo's Grand Salon.
Price of this stunning replica is $1799 but for all pre-orders before December 31st there is a $100 discount. And very probably there will be a possibility to pay the amount in four times, you'll get all details on the eFX web site next thursday.
I am a huge fan of Harper Goff's Nautilus, so of course i welcome this new limited edition replica, the best i've seen so far. And now, here is the press release with all details on this "ultimate" Nautilus. You can see additional pictures shoot at D23 Expo by Andy Castro HERE. And also on the eFX web site three pages of great pictures of the making-of of this replica by Scott Brodeen.
Ordering Begins Thursday for Capt. Nemo’s Nautilus, Inspired by Disney’s Classic 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
BURBANK, Calif. (December 7, 2009) – Disney fans will soon be able to add an element of epic adventure to their collections: On Thursday, December 10, eFX Inc. begins accepting orders at www.efxcollectibles.com for its eye-popping, four-foot replica of Capt. Nemo’s Nautilus, inspired by Disney’s 1954 live-action version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
Shipping is anticipated to take place in spring 2010 for the Nautilus, the first of three incredible replicas offered in eFX’s new Disney line. The Nautilus is priced at $1,799, and payments can be made in four installments. Full ordering and shipping details are available at www.efxcollectibles.com.
All orders for the Nautilus placed prior to December 31, 2009, will receive a $100 early pre-order discount. Moreover, orders placed before that date will also receive a special certificate, suitable for framing, that replicates Disney Studios stationery used during the film’s production in 1954. This special certificate can be fully customized for gift purchases, and can be sent directly to gift recipients for the holidays. (Holiday certificate delivery will be available based on order date and cannot be guaranteed for orders placed after December 17.)
This four-foot replica of the Nautilus offers features not incorporated in any previous model of the iconic submarine. Produced at approximately 1/45th scale, the replica features finely detailed interior views of the wheelhouse and Capt. Nemo’s salon, as well as LED lights to illuminate those rooms as well as the circular salon observation window.
In addition to a removable skiff, the Nautilus incorporates a freely rotating propeller and pivoting rudder, and includes a custom display stand. Each Nautilus will have a numbered plaque and certificate of authenticity, and production will be strictly limited to 500 pieces worldwide.
The Nautilus is the first of three Disney collectibles that eFX has created to launch its Disney line. Two additional replicas will be available for ordering in the next several weeks:
The exquisite Heart Box inspired by Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which sits on an elaborate, museum-quality display base featuring two sculptures by renowned artist David Kracov;
An 18-inch-tall “photo puppet” replica of the Muppets’ Rizzo the Rat, complete with letterman’s jacket and baseball cap.
Prices for these two pieces are being finalized, and eFX expects to begin accepting orders for them by the end of the year.
“The feedback we received when we previewed these pieces at Comic-Con and the D23 Expo was fantastic, and we’ve many inquiries asking when fans could order these new Disney collectibles, so we’re really happy to be entering the production phase,” said Bryan Ono, president of eFX Inc.
Orders for eFX’s Nautilus can be placed beginning at 9 a.m. PST Thursday, December 10, www.efxcollectibles.com. For complete details of the products, the ordering process and shipping information, visit the eFX Inc. website.
Thanks to leave a comment or discuss this article on D&M english forum on Mice Chat
Pictures: copyright eFX collectibles or Andy Castro
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Sneak peek into Universal Studios Singapore ! Videos
Universal studios Singapore will probably open at the end of january but right now i invite you to get a sneak peek into the last stretch of construction with this video which shows the latest progress of some of the rides and shows in the seven zones of this awaited park!
This next video will show you tests on the Battlestar Galactica attraction - the world's tallest pair of dueling roller coaster. Water dummies are being put in the cars to test the weight load. The ride being tested here is the Human Coaster, the seated one, on red tracks.
This last Youtube video filmed by steveswn, although it don't shows a lot of the park itself, is interesting not only for its very good HD quality, but also because it shows what is all around the park.
Disney and more will give you the latest news and pictures of USS as soon as they will be available next month.
Videos: copyright Universal Studios Singapore, steveswn
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Plectu's Fantastic Galactic Revue, the "Disney decade" project that never was
"Plectu's Fantastic Galactic Revue" was part of the new attraction/show announced in 1990's famous "Disney decade" project. Supposed to replace the Carousel of Progress at WDW, it was, unfortunately, never built. The renderings of this "Plectu's" project are extremely rare, but here is one showing how the exterior would have looked. Let's thanks Mark Taft from the excellent Insight and Sounds blog who had the good idea to take the picture of the artwork in 1990 at Disneyland.
In one of his famous "Why for?" articles published in 2004, Jim Hill described the building exterior theming as "Like someone had brought the Mothership from "Close Encounters of a Third Kind" in for a three-point landing in the heart of Tomorrowland", and when we look at the artwork, the least we can say is that Jim's description was right!
To know more how this "singing audio-animatronics aliens" and their "outer-space musical-variety revue" would have been - if WDI succeed to have the green light from Michael Eisner - which they never had, i suggest you to have a look at Jim's article HERE
Artwork: copyright Walt Disney Enterprises
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Disney and more Time machine - Back in time to 1964 : Walt Disney and the New York World Fair attractions
The 1964 World Fair gave a lot of work to WED Enterprises - now " Walt Disney Imagineering " - as the Imagineers were designing four different attractions for it. But thanks to them, the future of Disney theme parks will be changed forever.
One of them is known now as "Great moments with Mr Lincoln" , and here is Walt with WDI sculptor Blaine Gibson and Lincoln's head sculpture.
The second one was a flume ride full of little audio-animatronics - " It's a small world " - and here is Walt standing with Mary Blair.
Here is a video of Walt presenting the model with Mary Blair.
This next picture was shot inside the World's fair pavillion and is coming from a special report issued in the National Geographic magazine.
The third one was the great " Carousel of Progress " , who stunned at that time the audience with its great audio-animatronics figures and i will comeback on this one later.
Of course, the AA of Mr Lincoln and Carousel of Progress were opening the door for the future Pirates audio-animatronics, but Walt was so happy with the small world boat system that this last attraction lead to the development of a Pirates of Caribbean flume ride - instead of a "walk-through" as it was envisioned at the beginning.
And, of course, there was the Magic Skyway attraction that WED created for the Ford pavillion using Ford cars to move the audience through scenes featuring life-sized audio-animatronic dinosaurs and cavemen. The dinosaurs scenes that the visitors watched in their trip back in time are now part of the primeval world at Disneyland - and then were recreated at Epcot's Universe of Energy .
But the vehicle system - at the world's fair guests were seated in Ford vehicles lead to another transportation system well known by Disneyland and WDW guests : the People mover.
Let's have a closer look to it, now, with this Youtube video, a clever editing of pictures of the Magic Skyway attraction at the world's fair, with the original audio commentary by Walt himself.
Always at the 1964 world fair, visitors could ride another amazing attraction, but the General Motors "Futurama 2" was not designed by WED enterprises. Ironically, Disney had earlier been asked by General Motors to produce their exhibit, but he declined.
Futurama 2 depicted life 60 years into the future, this time 2024. Scenes showed a lunar base of operation, an Antarctic "Weather Central" climate forecasting center, underseas exploration and "Hotel Atlantis" for underseas vacationing, desert irrigation, and land reclamation, building roads in the jungle and a City of the Future. Visitors rode through the dioramas in 3-abreast chairs on a ride train. The Futurama exhibit was sponsored by General Motors and proved to be, too, one of the most popular exhibit at the World's Fair with more than 26 million persons attending the show in the two 6-month seasons the Fair was open.
Here is a General Motors promotional film following a young boy as he rides the Futurama 2 ride.
Let's end with this great eight-parts videos showing the whole Walt Disney goes to the World's Fair TV Special!
Photos: copyright Disney and National Geographic
Videos: copyright Disney for the two first videos
All my thanks to the different people for the youtube links and specially to Disneylandtourguide2 for the Walt Disney at the World's Fair videos.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
