Monday, February 28, 2011

Universal Studios

Let's take another trip to the original Universal Studios, and take a gander at some scenes from the old backlot tour.

This first image gives a great sense of the art of illusion in movies; with just a bit of extra set dressing (some garbage, for instance!), this would be a very convincing street in Old New York, full of speakeasies, punch-drunk boxers, mobsters with tommyguns, and kids playing stickball. The level of architectural detail reminds me (in a way) of Disneyland's Main Street, which was designed and built by people with years of movie making experience.


You won't find a real stagecoach ride at Universal Studios; instead they had this stationary coach placed in front of a rotating painted canvas. This trick was probably used back in the days of the silent pictures, but it seems that even movies from the 30's were using rear-projection. Still, it's a fun photo op, and an old-fashioned counterpart to this version.


I'm guessing we're supposed to be in Central America, or maybe South America (those arches and red tiles) - - some tropical location, at any rate. I can already feel the humid air, hear the cries of howler monkeys, and the buzz of mosquitos. In fact, I might actually have malaria, that's how good this scene looks. Let's find the local cantina and have a glass of mezcal!

5 comments:

TokyoMagic! said...

Thank you for these, Major! I love vintage Universal Studios every bit as much as vintage Knott's Berry Farm, Japanese Village, World's Fairs and any other tourist attraction you can throw our way!

Connie Moreno said...

That was a fun look back!

JG said...

Ha, that second picture is so real I can smell the water...

Major I love Universal. I moved some more boxes this weekend and found the pictures of our trip there when I was about 8. What a riot.

JG

Pilsner Panther said...

The city street set is really impressive! The bases of the streetlights are authentic New York City style, circa 1900 (but not the lamp globes). Who knows how many dozen gangster pictures were shot here? Along with the gangsters...

Anonymous said...

I'm not absolutely certain about this, but from what I remember from a cub scout field trip to Universal in the early 60s, the lagoon shot may have been a set from the old McHale's Navy TV show.