For my last Monster Monday I've departed further from the original drawing than ever before. I don't know if that's a good thing.
I made the drawing above some time in middle school, and I remember I was trying to draw something super scary. This time it was a sinister shrouded ghost with glowing red eyes. Hooded ghosts are a dime a dozen, and even back then I was attempting to make my ghost different. I intentionally stretched the proportions of the neck (maybe I was influenced by E.T.), and gave the ghost an X-ray look with a visible skeleton. I don't think I was very satisfied with what I drew since I didn't complete the drawing. Also the little doodle in the bottom left is sorta mocking the ghost.
For my 2009 update, I wanted to get as far away from the cliche shrouded ghost as possible. So I made the ghost an alien. I liked the stretched out neck of the original, and that works for an alien. The bony appearance works too, and I got to indulge my six pack abs fetish (after countless hours of doing ab exercises, I've only manged to get something like a 2.5 pack in real life unfortunately) by giving my alien an unearthly set of abs. I then thought what's the scariest thing that supposedly "real" aliens do to people... You know what I'm talking about, so I don't need to tell what the device he's holding is used for. The vague S&M leather gear getup I gave my alien works for this aspect as well.
I'm going to do something a little different this time. For my past Haunted Mansion animations I've tried to remain as faithful as possible to the original artist's intentions, but this time I'm going to do my own armchair Imagineering.
You'll notice the above concept art of a woman trapped in a mirror looks rather aged and old. When I discovered this sketch floating in the boundless realm of the Internets I assumed it was from the 1960's. To my surprise, it's from 1995 and is supposedly part of some proposed HM enhancements (thanks again to GRD999 for this info).
This woman/ghost trapped in the mirror gag was to be placed in the Corridor of Doors. For those who don't know, The Corridor of Doors is one of the scarier places in the Mansion. This is the section of the ride where you travel past a series of doors - each with a seemingly very noisy and angry spirit pounding on the other side.
This gag would work similarly to the mirror gag with the Hitchhiking Ghosts. Although I assume the figure of the woman would be a reasonably sophisticated Audio-Animatronic. My guess is she would look like she's pounding on the glass, move her head, eyes and blink. I also think she'd probably talk or scream. There is an up-light lighting her from below. I assume this would dim up and down to reveal the figure.
Although this gag was never installed in the Haunted Mansion, I think it's a good idea.
Now there's a unwritten rule in the Haunted Mansion that says you cannot see the ghosts until you pass Madame Leota, who through her incantations allow the spirits to materialize. I respect that. Therefore if I was in charge of doing a ghost in the mirror gag for the Haunted Mansion I would do it differently.
Having an actual figure behind the glass, while certainly effective, it's probably much too literal. I think you if you show a ghost in the mirror, it must remain blurry and undefined. Also with the advancements in flat panel HD displays, I would probably dress a monitor to look like a mirror. I also think you could have some sort of mirrored glass on the monitor too that would reflect when the ghost is not visible too (I don't know for sure if this practical. I haven't done any R&D on this so don't hold me to it).
So enough with the set-up, here's my animation...
Additional comments...
This effect isn't perfect, but it's very close to how I would do the effect if I was actually designing this for the Haunted Mansion. It's certainly a very good first draft of the proposed effect.
Just in case there's some rabid HM fan out there reading this who wants to debate why this effect is not appropriate, or some other sort of nonsense. Remember I am not an Imagineer, or work for Disney in anyway. This effect is NOT going in the Haunted Mansion. This is just for fun. This is my sandbox to play in, and so if you're upset you can take your Tonka trucks and go home.
It's unfortunate that this retro brochure for Castle Dracula in Niagara Falls, Ontario doesn't use any actual photographs of the attraction. If you Google "Castle Dracula Niagara Falls" use can see it's actually fairly impressive looking (at least from the outside).
Inside
Back
UPDATE: I've just discovered that the artwork for this brochure was lifted from a 1973 issue of the House of Mystery. Check out this post over at The Haunted Closet. Looks like you're busted Castle Dracula people.
The drawing above I made when I was in junior high. It was my attempt to make something extremely scary. I think I was inspired by the film Poltergeist, even though that movie isn't known for its monsters, there is that one scene near the end with the ghostly creature in the hallway.
Poltergeist 1982
My take on this creature this was to make it extra gross looking with rat-like hair and diseased looking skin. Drawing my new version of this monster was sorta a nightmare. I started with a much more dynamic pose, but that was a headache to draw so I changed it at the last minute to look more like the original drawing.
If you're a Haunted Mansion fan maybe you've always wondered where the kitchen is. I remember when I was a child thinking it might be cool to see a haunted kitchen scene. It wasn't until recently when I found the above art on the Internet that I learn there were actual ideas for a haunted kitchen scene.
The art is once again from the talented and very prolific Marc Davis, and the text at the bottom of his drawing reads:
Invisible ghost cooks meal. Footprints move around floor. Handle on teakettle raises up to position, teakettle pours into pot. Steam rises. Spoon stirs pot. Oven opens, lid on roaster raises. Steam comes from roaster. Voice of ghost happily hums and recites recipe.
Well enough of the setup here's the animation...
Additional comments...
One issue with a long show scene like this is it's very possible you could ride the attraction multiple times without seeing it all. Although that would sure encourage repeat rides...
EXT. DISNEYLAND -DAY
Three Haunted Mansion fans discuss their favorite ride.
HYPOTHETICAL HM FAN#1 The part where the kettle floats up and pours into the pot is pretty cool.
HYPOTHETICAL HM FAN #2 Wait, the kettle floats? I've only seen the oven door open.
HYPOTHETICAL HM FAN #3 What are you guys talking about. The water pump is only thing I've ever seen going on in that scene.
I guess if this scene was actually in the Mansion most of us would have to wait for a YouTube video from some guy who got stuck in front of the kitchen scene and was able to record the entire sequence to eventually see all of it.
A very special thanks to my friend Bob Biestek who did the great job on the 3D kettle for me, and who even made the lid jump up and down.
Also I'd like to thank GRD999 over on MiceChat for helping me identity the artist of the artwork.
It's time for some real life monsters with the this retro brochure for the Criminals Hall of Fame Wax Museum in Niagara Falls, Canada...
Front
Inside
Lots of scary folks inside here, and they even got Spider-Man on display with the rest of the human scum too. Somewhere J. Jonah Jameson is happy.
Back
From what the Internet tells me, unlike most of the old travel brochures I present here, the Criminals Hall of Fame Wax Museum is still in business. So why don't you stop in and visit the next time you're at Niagara Falls honeymooning, or going over the Falls in a barrel, or whatever.
Time again for another of my "then and now" monster drawings...
I made the drawing above sometime around the 8th grade. I remember I started drawing the redheaded guy with the intent of making some sort of goofy Alfred E. Neuman-like character. I didn't like what I drew, and left him half-finished. A short time later I drew the monster behind him to eat him up.
Looking back at this old drawing I like the subtle line of action on the monster has, and I also think he sorta looks like a Muppet.
It's funny, for my 2009 update I still don't like the redheaded guy. I think his design could be better, and his construction is a little wonky too. I'm glad there's another big monster behind him ready to eat him up.
For my last Monster Monday I've departed further from the original drawing than ever before. I don't know if that's a good thing.
