Tower of Terror Relevance

[Goofyernmost]

OK, your absolutely right, you win, I give up, you have all knowledge and I have added my opinion, based on living in the era, which may or may not be incorrect. Frankly none of this conversation has any relevance, so continue it if you must, but, I have already responded way more then justified. We both agree that the fact that the use of the TZ theme is indeed relevant regardless of how it got that way. So moving on.

 

[slappy magoo]

Yes you actually lived during the era of live TV, yet you think nostalgia for old TV shows was a post-1994 phenomenon so you may or may not be incorrect (spoiler, yes you are), by all means, let's move on.

 

[216bruce]

Time Enough At Last, starring Burgess Meredith.

Maybe my favorite episode of any program, ever. That and "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street". just such intelligent and amazingly subversive writing.

 

[216bruce]

As far as the 'nostalgia' debate goes. It isn't a post 94' 'thing' at all. I'm 58, grew up in the 60's and early 70's. I loved watching old Superman reruns, I Love Lucy and You Bet Your Life. Those were fairly ripe by then. Also listened to late 20's and early 30's jazz when i was in college in the 70's along with 50's era rock and roll. Nostalgia has been around as long as there has been recorded media. Without much of a stretch, one could consider old books becoming popular again as nostalgia too. Just a different media.

 

[KINGLOUIS1993]

I am 22 and have never watched The Twilight Zone, however TOT will always be one of my favourite rides, it is one which you could go on time after time and it is still thrilling. I think that Disney set the scene and mood with the queue and the Cast members, the décor inside and the gritty, dark area where you board all add to the mood. In comparison in the UK at Alton Towers we have a ride called oblivion which is an awesome unique ride in itself but the sell is so cheesy, the queue is boring and tacky and the theming is so half a*s*d.

TOT for me sets the standard and in my opinion should never change, the ride, the theming, the décor, everything is bang on, a timeless classic.

 

[Matt_Black]

As far as the 'nostalgia' debate goes. It isn't a post 94' 'thing' at all. I'm 58, grew up in the 60's and early 70's. I loved watching old Superman reruns, I Love Lucy and You Bet Your Life. Those were fairly ripe by then. Also listened to late 20's and early 30's jazz when i was in college in the 70's along with 50's era rock and roll. Nostalgia has been around as long as there has been recorded media. Without much of a stretch, one could consider old books becoming popular again as nostalgia too. Just a different media.

Indeed. Remember, one of the most popular shows of the 70s was a show about how fun life in the 50s was.

 

[216bruce]

Indeed. Remember, one of the most popular shows of the 70s was a show about how fun life in the 50s was.

Until "the shark". The first season of that show, by most standards, was excellent.

 

[Incomudro]

My sons are 14 and are well aware of the original Twilight Zone tv series.
The marathons run on tv often enough, and this is the internet age.
Today's kids become aware of classic music, tv, and movies online.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

I have a question for everyone...

Do you think that Tower of Terror will ever be taken down due to lack of relevance? sure, people are well aware of The Twilight Zone now, but perhaps one day it will be forgotten, or do you think it will always be a ride that people will be attracted to despite not knowing the series, knowing only the ride, as many people ride Splash Mountain, but know little to nothing about Song of the South.

Personally, I think people will be attracted to it even if they do not know about The Twilight Zone. However, I think something like Rock 'n' Roller Coaster will eventually experience at least a retheming, as that ride depends heavily on the awareness of Aerosmith and their music, while it seems ToT can be ridden without having seen one episode of the show.

It would not make any sense to change it up. What makes Tower of Terror so creepy is the music and the theming. What would they turn it into? It just doesn't need it. It is near perfect the way it is. Rod Sterling's voice is epic. Even if you aren't overly familiar with Rod Sterling who here is familiar with every attraction anyway? How many people go up Swiss Family Treehouse and know all about it?

 

[Goofyernmost]

It would not make any sense to change it up. What makes Tower of Terror so creepy is the music and the theming. What would they turn it into? It just doesn't need it. It is near perfect the way it is. Rod Sterling's voice is epic. Even if you aren't overly familiar with Rod Sterling who here is familiar with every attraction anyway? How many people go up Swiss Family Treehouse and know all about it?

Look at it this way. When it gets to the point that no one is aware of the Twilight Zone or Rod Sterling wouldn't they just think that Disney created it from scratch? Isn't that one of the things that everyone has their collective undies in a knot over, that Disney uses the ideas of other people (which they pretty much always did anyway). It works just by people knowing what being in the Twilight Zone means and it just stays self sustaining. Rod Sterling was more then just the creator of the show, he fit it completely. Even if no one knows who he is, in his own right, this position is solid and wouldn't be questioned. Just looked at as being an actor playing a part. Recognizing the Twilight Zone as being it's own IP is not going to be a concern or a draw or a deterrent. It can stand on it's own, just like Dreamfinder and Figment stood on their own even though no one had ever heard of them before.

 

[Matt_Black]

Isn't that one of the things that everyone has their collective undies in a knot over, that Disney uses the ideas of other people (which they pretty much always did anyway).

Ironically enough, one of the voices that complains about that the loudest in other instances has supported ToT in this thread numerous times.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

Look at it this way. When it gets to the point that no one is aware of the Twilight Zone or Rod Sterling wouldn't they just think that Disney created it from scratch? Isn't that one of the things that everyone has their collective undies in a knot over, that Disney uses the ideas of other people (which they pretty much always did anyway). It works just by people knowing what being in the Twilight Zone means and it just stays self sustaining. Rod Sterling was more then just the creator of the show, he fit it completely. Even if no one knows who he is, in his own right, this position is solid and wouldn't be questioned. Just looked at as being an actor playing a part. Recognizing the Twilight Zone as being it's own IP is not going to be a concern or a draw or a deterrent. It can stand on it's own, just like Dreamfinder and Figment stood on their own even though no one had ever heard of them before.

Oh I agree completely. People that are old enough (baby boomers, even many Gen Xers) know who he is already and know the show. Most people know the music. Either way it is creepy and fits the theme of the hotel. It fits the story too. Nothing to change here.

Now, I know I should probably know the answer to this but Sterling died in 1975 and Tower of Terror came a couple of decades later. How the heck did they get him to say those things for the attraction? I realize most of it is probably archive footage from other episodes and he said much of the same thing anyway, but there are times he said things specifically for the ride (or so it sounds).

 

[Goofyernmost]

Oh I agree completely. People that are old enough (baby boomers, even many Gen Xers) know who he is already and know the show. Most people know the music. Either way it is creepy and fits the theme of the hotel. It fits the story too. Nothing to change here.

Now, I know I should probably know the answer to this but Sterling died in 1975 and Tower of Terror came a couple of decades later. How the heck did they get him to say those things for the attraction? I realize most of it is probably archive footage from other episodes and he said much of the same thing anyway, but there are times he said things specifically for the ride (or so it sounds).

A very good impressionist... I don't remember his name at the moment, but, it will come to me.

Edit: http://towersecrets.com/tower-of-terror-rod-serling-intro-video/