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Attractions |
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Exhibitions |
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Pictures |
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Indiana Jones Epic
Stunt Spectacular |
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Attraction:
Stunt Show
Location: Disney-MGM
Studios, Florida
Opening: August
25, 1989. Updated in 2000.
Ride time: About
35 min.
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The
Show
From it's opening in 1989, the Indiana
Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular has been one
of the most popular attraction's at Disney's
MGM Studios in Florida. Actually, it's
a stunt show, featuring several scenes from Raiders
of the Lost Ark, and showing to the audience
how stunts are done. The demonstration reveals
the props and skills that allow the excitement
to be recorded on film, without injury to the
star or stunt performer.
Stunt Show entrance. |
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Directed by Raiders
of the Lost Ark stunt coordinator Glenn
Randall, the Stunt show features seventeen stunt
performers as well as Harrison Ford and Karen
Allen look-alikes.
The sequence of scenes lasts 32
minutes and is staged in a 2,000-seat amphitheater,
allowing guests a close-up view of the action.
From the audience, 9-10 volunteers are selected
at the beginning of each show to participate as
extras. While they are backstage dressing, the
first scene opens at an ancient Mayan temple.
With a startling crash of rocks and debris, the
stunt actor playing Indiana Jones literally drops
into the scene and slides down a rope to open
the show. While in pursuit of a priceless golden
idol, our hero avoids dangers such as a giant
400-pound stone ball -- which nearly crushes him
-- and flames hot enough for the audience to feel.
At the end of the scene the assistant director
yells, "Cut!" He explains the stunts
as the crew dismantles the grand set revealing
the next scene: a busy street market on the outer
edges of Cairo.
An explosive
moment. |
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Professional stunt performers are
joined by the "extras" wearing costumes
native to the Middle-Eastern setting. They act
as bystanders while Indiana saves Marion from
the machine-gun fire of German soldiers and an
out-of-control truck that explodes on impact.
In the final scene, Indy and Marion
are trying to escape from a German desert encampment
in a World War II airplane. The tension builds
as Jones is challenged to a fist fight by the
most physically intimidating soldier in the regiment.
Marion fends off a machine-gun attack from the
remainder of the regiment, but is trapped inside
the cockpit of the plane as flames from a leaking
fuel tank get perilously close. Indiana again
comes to her aid, braving the inferno to save
her.
For a good seat, you should expect
about 30-45 minutes of queuing up. It's really
not that boring, however, because while waiting
you walk through an artificial jungle with wrecked
airplanes to your left and archeological excavations
to your right. |
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The Adventure Outpost
After the show visitors can swing
by to the Indiana Jones
Adventure Outpost Store, the souvenir shop
near the entrance of the stunt show. Its exotic
architecture and the many props in the surrounding
area make the shop almost an attraction itself.
People can discover machine-guns on the roof and
an exact replica of a WWI Arabic tank in the rear.
The tank is believed to be one of the two tanks
used in the filming of Last
Crusade. Inside the shop, they can buy
all kinds of Indy stuff, T-shirts & sweat-shirts,
videos & books, mugs, posters and much more. |
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Stunt Show Upgrade
In January 11, 2000 and after 31.000
performances the show shut down for an overhaul.
It hadn't been fully serviced since the
park opened. It took six months to service because
it had more mechanical parts and special effects
than any other attraction, Walt
Disney World spokesman Craig Dezern at
the time said: "They're really going in from
top to bottom to make sure the show quality is
back up to where it needs to be."
The great finale. |
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To mark the show's return Disney
invited 500 Floridians, mostly from the Orlando
area, with the last name "Jones" to
be in the audience for the grand reopening show
on Saturday, June 10. The Joneses, decked out
in "Jones" T-shirts and bushman's hats,
enjoyed reserved seating as well as participated
in a motorcade through the theme park accompanied
by cast members and vehicles from the show.
Following the installation of all
new state-of-the-art lighting, sound and other
technical show enhancements, Indy and crew were
back to wow audiences with earth-shattering crashes,
fiery explosions and other glimpses into the art
of movie-making.
"Guests will see whole scenes
rebuilt -- we even have a new airplane,"
said show producer Joe Kivett. "But mostly,
the show will reflect the incredible technical
advances that weren't around when the show opened."
The revolutionary Disney
Fastpass was added to the show. That means
guests could choose to wait in a line, or they
could obtain a Fastpass
ticket -- free of charge -- with a designated
return time when they can enter the theater with
little or no wait.
Unfortunately, the events of Sept.
11, 2001 put Disney World
in a difficult position that lead to the toughest
economic times the company faced in decades. The
Indiana Jones show was cut from two casts to one
and instead of eight shows a day, there were five.
At the same time more than 100 other actors were
laid off, among them Mark Lainer who played the
movie director in the Indy show. |
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Stunt Show Casting
What follows is a list of assets
someone should have to be part of the show. Applicants
must be between 5'5" and 5'9". Have
an extensive background in gymnastics and tumbling.
Skills required: Dive roll, back and front handsprings,
cartwheels, standing back flips, somersaults,
and handstands.
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Indiana
Jones' stunt double
Age range of the role is 25-35. Height range
is 5'9" to 6' with experience in stage
combat and rappelling, and the ability to
work at substantial heights is required. Training
in high falls is a plus. |
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Marion
Ravenwood's stunt double
Age range of the role is 21-30. Height range
is 5'4" to 5'7" with upper body
strength, athletic looking with ability
to rappel and complete six pull-ups, and
ability to work at substantial heights is
required. |
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Mechanic
and Swordsman
Male, age 25-35, height range 6'4" and
taller with a strong, muscular build. Dual
role. Experience in stage combat required. |
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Epic Stunt Facts
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You remember that
boulder? Well, The boulder that is used weighs
about 440 pounds. It is filled with compressed
air, and trust me, it might be made of rubber,
but that thing can hurt if your hit by it. |
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The moving sets
(The temple) weighs around 100 tons making
them the largest moving sets in history. |
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The piece with
the Skull door was so heavy, special "foam"
was added in the four tires in order to carry
the excess loads. |
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The truck flip
in the movie was suppose to go end over end
as it does in the Disney Show. But when Stunt
Coordinator Glenn Randall Jr. also the Stunt
Coordinator whom put the theme park show together
hit the charges the truck went on it's side
not end over end. He wanted to re-do the gag;
but Spielberg said he thought it looked better
that way. When designing the show they decided
to make sure they did it the way it was suppose
to happen. |
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The moving set
pieces in the Cairo Encounter (scene 2) weight
about 40 tons. |
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