MovieChat Forums > Escape from Tomorrow (2014) Discussion > Director Should Have Used a Six Flags Pa...

Director Should Have Used a Six Flags Park, Barely Anything DISNEY

posted 11 years ago by uglyroommate
14 replies | jump to latest

The director wasn't familiar with Disneyland or interested in learning its culture or social themes. Many unusual, less known areas in the park were overlooked and would have been perfect for a horror atmosphere. In fact, a chunk of the film uses green screen.

Escape from Tomorrow could have been filmed at any amusement park and probably should have so that a more skilled director could have tackled the great concept of filming at Disneyland.

[–] discotrash1119 11 years ago

Your kidding, right? I just got back from a trip to WDW and this movie looked like it was filmed during my vacation. I could easily identify all of the places around Magic Kingdom and Epcot that they used. They did film parts in Disneyland, but the large icons of the parks that they used were from WDW (Cinderella's Castle, Spaceship Earth especially). The monorail stops, parts of the rides/attractions (Haunted Mansion "13" clock, Tiki Room, Pooh, Snow White's Scary Adventures, Big Thunder Railroad, I could go on...).

[–] uglyroommate 11 years ago

I'm not talking about "oh look is that thunder mountain!" We can see that in any home video.

[–] Elemenoh 10 years ago

Yeah, you don't know what he's talking about.

- The skull on the bed in the beginning of Pirates of the Caribbean? That's a real human skull which was given to Walt Disney.

- The candle in the window of the Fire House? There's been one in that window, nonstop, since Walt Disney's death. The space up there used to be his own apartment.

- There's a hidden, super-exclusive restaurant hidden in New Orleans Square called Club 33. Inside is an animatronic, remote-controlled vulture which is operated from a secret room behind the kitchen.

- There is a complex series of tunnels and buildings underneath the streets of the park. Some are in current use for employees, some remain sealed off.

That's four out of literally hundreds of legends and facts about the park that somebody who did their research would have known.

[–] discotrash1119 10 years ago

The horror in the movie is psychological. And yes, having iconic and recognizable landmarks in the film was important for what the film was trying to achieve. Pointing out all of the easter eggs that Disney nerds know about wasn't the intention, nor do I think that it would have made a difference.

[–] DisturbedPixie 10 years ago

I think it would have been a shame if they tried to pass of six flags as Disneyland/world.

Most of the scenes felt like Disneyland to me even if it wasn't completely obvious and necessary for each scene.

I wouldn't change the location at all. Even the green screen shots were okay to me in a nightmare way. If anything, I'd clear up the story to make my point more obvious.

The movie reminded me of those Disneyland theme episodes from Full House and Family Matters. It's interesting to see visiting a theme park from a different perspective, like I remember waiting in that line or walking up those stairs. It gives off this feeling of nostalgia which is being fought by a feeling of unease. I think the film is very effective in that way.

[–] mysim20 11 years ago

But the film is ABOUT disneyland. It's about the idea of the magic of disney land, the line "People come here because they want to feel safe, but bad things happen everywhere." That's the idea of the film, the main character goes through and see's so many problems in modern society to an extreme at disneyland, the happiest, safest place on earth.

[–] Elemenoh 10 years ago

Eh, that's a huge stretch. Disneyland has a whole crapload of dark secrets behind it, which the filmmakers would have known if they'd bothered to do their research.

As it is, the director could just as easily have gone to any other kids' entertainment venue.

My impression is that Disneyland serves one purpose in this film: Free publicity from the inevitable lawsuit. Nothing about the setting actually mattered in the plot.

[–] ylbissop 10 years ago

the director said :

"This movie could not have been made at Six Flags. People don’t have the same attachments to those rides. It’s Pirates of The Caribbean and It’s A Small World. These rides are ingrained in people’s minds."

Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/992570/escape-from-tomorrows-randy-moore-talks-the-horrors-of-disney-exclusive/#Lx00UgwCtqHpg1qD.99

[–] uglyroommate 10 years ago

Yep Elemenoh understands. So many great, weird, dark aspects of Disney culture. The director is not only ignorant about Disney lore, he then fabricates key points in the film like the Emu leg.

[–] cgann-2 10 years ago

It sounds to me like you are just upset that the director isn't the same disney nerd that you are.

I love all of the lore behind the park as well but this wasn't the point of the film.

[–] discotrash1119 10 years ago

The film isn't about revealing the dark secrets behind the parks and the real life things that Disney as a corporation has covered up. It's about the darkness of a "happy place" in a very broad psychological sense. It's not a nerdy "Inside the Magic" blog meant to point out crazy Disney facts. That's just not what it is. I get what you are trying to say, but I honestly don't think you understand what the film is about. It's not about the dark secrets behind the park(s). It's a character study about the darkness of nostalgia, family life, its about a man's journey into madness. It isn't about Disney. But Disney was important because it evokes feelings of nostalgia in people like no other theme park can.

[–] Elemenoh 9 years ago

LOL if you think the things I'm referring to would show up on a "Fun Fact" blog, then you might want to read up.

Just one example: The Disney company has a deal with the Anaheim PD and Orange County to remove all people who die in the park from Disney ground before declaring Time-of-Death. That way "nobody ever dies" in the park.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

[–] rat_eater 8 years ago

and the ambulance had no siren so people would die in traffic instead

[–] shadaif 8 years ago

They are supposed to be at Disneyworld, not Disneyland. There is a difference
although they used both WDW and Disneyland in filming.

"The end of the shoelace is called the...IT DOESN'T MATTER!"