Star Wars...Space Mountain

[Disney Maniac]

Today, I received the April 29th, 2002 Time magazine, which covers the newest Star Wars move, The Attack of the Clones . In it, they have a side topic block called After Effects (pgs. 64-65) which details the influence of the Star Wars films on movies and other business issues.

In one of the boxes, Theme Park Rides, this is exactly how it reads:

B.C. (Before Chewbacca): Most Disney-style rides were slow and staid.

A.D. (After Darth): Here comes Space Mountain (a Star Wars race in the dark), Lucas' own Star Tours and Indiana Jones rides. Many Universal and Disney attractions are film franchises at warp speed.

I'm interested in comments about what you guys think of this. Thanks!

 

[Fievel]

Want to know what I think? I think you're reading too much into this.

 

[SteveUK]

I'm not sure I agree with what you seem to be implying about Disney.
What you can say is that Star Wars brought sci-fi into the mainstream and sparked many peoples interest in all things futuristic and spacey. This certainly led to a increase in sci-fi related products in all areas of the consumer market. If Disney saw this trend and decided to capitalise on it, they should be applauded for recognising demand, not criticised for stealing ideas.

 

[Sansaarai]

Star Wars came out in '77. Space mountain opened in '75. So just that one fact throws the whole article out the door for me. Do your reasearch reporters!

Yeah I'm a Star Wars nut.

 

[MKCustodial]

Originally posted by Sansaarai
Star Wars came out in '77. Space mountain opened in '75. So just that one fact throws the whole article out the door for me. Do your reasearch reporters!

Yeah I'm a Star Wars nut.

And along the lines of that thought, Indy has nothing to do to whatever doors Star Wars opened, besides showing what Harrison Ford was capable of doing. "Raiders of the Lost Ark" opened doors on its own, and influenced the whole genre.

 

[Sansaarai]

Originally posted by Disney Maniac

A.D. (After Darth): Here comes Space Mountain (a Star Wars race in the dark),

And also Space Mountian has nothing to do With the Holy Trilogy.

if you can tell me what movie refers to Star Wars as the "holy Trilogy" you win a prize.

Gotta go watch Empire Strikes Back. All this Star Wars talk is getting me excited.

I NEED MY FIX...........

 

[FantasiaBish]

I cna't remeber which one but I bleieve it was Clerks or chasing Amy, one of the Kevin Smith films anyway

 

[RogueHabit]

And I thought I was a Star Wars nut!!! :lol

 

[SteveUK]

Thanks for pointing out the date thing. I didnt spend much time looking for dates, I just responded to the first post as I read it. Thanks for proving my point that the article is crap though.

 

[Sansaarai]

Originally posted by Ratcat
And I thought I was a Star Wars nut!!! :lol

Hey!

HAHA! We all gotta stick together!

Chasing Amy is the correct answer.

 

[FantasiaBish]

WOO HOO I Rock :sohappy: :sohappy:

I can't wait till the 16th......

 

[Disney Maniac]

Originally posted by SteveUK
I'm not sure I agree with what you seem to be implying about Disney. What you can say is that Star Wars brought sci-fi into the mainstream and sparked many peoples interest in all things futuristic and spacey...If Disney saw this trend and decided to capitalise on it, they should be applauded for recognising demand, not criticised for stealing ideas.

Actually, I never said or implied anything to begin with. I simply read something that caught my eye and decided to copy it and share it with the Forum members to see what they say or imply. Second, according to the information on WDWMAGIC.com regarding Space Mountain, "Space Mountain originated in the early 1960's when Walt Disney conceived the idea of a high-speed thrill attraction based on the imaginative thrust and excitement of the Space Age. " Combined with the fact that the attraction opened in 1975,—two years prior to the first of the Star Wars —I rather doubt that Space Mountain is a "Star Wars race in the dark."

Yes, I do agree that some of Disney's attractions are extensions of film franchises. Take Snow White's Scary Adventures, The Magic Carpets of Aladdin (or Dumbo the Flying Elephant), Splash Mountain, Cinderella Castle or Golden Carrousel, or Peter Pan's Flight, to name but a few. These are all rides and attractions based on the proven franchise formula, and these too were around long before Star Wars came about.

All I'm saying is, simply because something was around and proven before the advent of Star Wars doesn't make it "slow and staid." Rather, the fact that this formula gained widespread recognition after this franchise took off is just another example of Walt's astounding prescience.

 

[Goofster]

Sorry about being a little off topic, but any star wars fans been to pruplelightsaber.com and the other sites like that yet?

 

[MKCustodial]

Originally posted by FantasiaBish
WOO HOO I Rock :sohappy: :sohappy:

I can't wait till the 16th......

Me neither!! But not because of Attack of the Clones. We'll only be getting that down here in June. The weekend of May 16th, we'll be getting SPIDEY!!!! :sohappy: :sohappy: :sohappy: WOOHOOO!!!!!!!!

*aham* Sorry...

 

[SteveUK]

Sorry, I mis-understood your meaning. Are you saying that Disney have ideas first but that they dont take off until an external catalyst such as a big film like Star Wars gives them a boost?

 

[Disney Maniac]

Originally posted by SteveUK
Sorry, I mis-understood your meaning. Are you saying that Disney have ideas first but that they dont take off until an external catalyst such as a big film like Star Wars gives them a boost?

No. Sorry if I'm not being clear on this point. What I meant was, Disney (Walt and the Company) have these "formulas," these ways of doing things, all planned out and in action well before a major social event (i.e. the release of the Star Wars franchise) brings them to the forefront of the public consciousness. As a result, the public (i.e. the media) tend to see things as they happen in a cause-effect relationship. Cause: Big movie franchise is released. Effect: Other Companies jump on the bandwagon created by said franchise for profit.

In reality, I believe, it is more that the franchise makes this formula created earlier by Disney (or others) more popular to more and varied companies, like Universal or Six Flags.

I hope that helps some, Steve!

 

[no2apprentice]

Actually, as far as Space Mountain goes, the theming as far as space vehicles/space suits had a "2001: A Space Odyssey" look. At least to me. Very similar concepts and appearance.

 

[FutureCEO]

stupid question but would disney or touchstone (a subsidary of disney) ever buy lucasfilms

 

[Sansaarai]

Originally posted by FutureCEO
stupid question but would disney or touchstone (a subsidary of disney) ever buy lucasfilms

I dont think they would even have Half the money they would need. Let alone Lucas acctually sell it to them.

 

[RogueHabit]

Originally posted by Goofster
Sorry about being a little off topic, but any star wars fans been to pruplelightsaber.com and the other sites like that yet?

Yeah, they're great aren't they. I love how Studios are really using the Internet for this kind of promotion, it just adds to the fun.

(For those that don't know, PurpleLightsaber.com and a number of other sites like it have all been set up by LFL as an advertising gimmick for AOTC.)