A Conversation with Neil Engle
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A Conversation with Neil Engle, Production Designer, Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
The LaughingPlace team was invited to interview Neil Engle, the Production Designer for the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. His cluttered office was filled with blueprints, flow charts, and an accumulation of stuff that only someone from WDI could decipher. Engle explained that a Production Designer is essentially an art director for the set elements of an attraction. Coulter Winn was the architect for the Hotel in both Florida and California. Engle worked on only the California version.
When asked if everything was ready for the upcoming opening, Engle admitted there were, “a couple of little things. You wouldn’t notice, but only I notice. It drives me nuts every time I see it.�?
Was he pleased with the reaction the Tower is getting from preview audiences? Yes indeed. At least, “judging from the WDI party,�? he said, “a most critical audience that is hardest to please. We’re never happy. We always think, ‘That could’ve been better.’�? But, he went on, “They were just totally electrified. We were pleased as punch they were having such a good time.�? He mischievously added, “To be in a car full of screaming virgins is a great thing.�? He then hastened to add that those were Tower of Terror virgins!
Engle paused for a moment when asked to describe the differences between the California and Florida versions of the Tower, saying he preferred not to draw comparisons. But he did proudly assert that the California version “put all the audio and lighting effects on board, for both the lift and the drop.�? In Florida, only the lift sequence is accompanied by a soundtrack.
When asked to comment on the lower height of the California Tower, Engle said, “I think it’s fine because in a sense we’re following the Splash Mountain effect—you don’t know where the end of the drop is.�? (It’s actually 40’ below ground level!) “When you’re standing outside,�? he continued, “you don’t know what they’re screaming at. It’s a little surprise that makes it different from Florida.�?
Engle was very enthusiastic about describing details. “The Hotel is riddled with Twilight Zone memorabilia,�? he said eagerly. “We worked with Caroline Serling, who worked with us on developing our new show scene. She protects the image of her husband. He is seen very much in context of this attraction—not just as a narrator.�? Of specific details, he said, “There are literally dozens and dozens of Twilight Zone references. Some are blatant and hit you in the face. I don’t know if you noticed, but in the entry to the Library there is a case that holds a thimble that Anne Francis buys on the ninth floor of a department store in one episode.�? He went on to describe how he ensured that the thimble would be dented and scratched—just as described in the episode “The After Hours.�? He also pointed out that the model of the space man seen in the episode “The Invaders�? was gold, even though it appeared silver in the black and white telecast. He chuckled, “We made it gold, and then merchandise made them gold, too.�?
On one subject Engle was unequivocal: the Tower has no hidden Mickeys. “We don’t do that anymore,�? he said. “So there aren’t any. We do let the characters participate in the merchandise, though. For example, Goofy appears as a bellhop.�?
“For all of us who have been dreaming of this for the last two and a half years, we were so thrilled when we finally saw it,�? he concluded. “It’s a really gratifying thing to see something come together and be so effective.�? He added an invitation: “I hope all your readers will be able to ride—and that they will enjoy it!�?
-- Posted April 16, 2004
-- Story by Doug Marsh
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