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Impressions de France

Movie

About Impressions de France

Impressions de France
France Pavilion, EPCOT, 1982

Director and Director of Photography – Rick Harper
Producers – Rick Harper and Bob Rogers
Writers – Bob Rogers and Rick Harper
Production Managers – Antoine Compin, Charis Horton and Philippe Modave
First Camera Assistant – Joe Nash
Camera Assistant – Frank Redmond
Chief Grip – Renι Strasser
Best Boy – Jean Strasser
Gaffer -- Jacques Touilland
Grip – Yvon Sausseau
Transportation – Pierre Vimont & Hilaire Lovato
Helicopter Pilot – Marc Wolff
Helicopter Safety Engineer and Camera Assistant – Steve North
CircleVision-200 Camera – Don Iwerks
Editor – Andre Bacha
Music Research & Editor – Rick Harper
Original Sequence Music Composed – Buddy Baker
Music Production Coordinator – Richard Clements
Recorded by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
at Abbey Road Studios, London
Executive Producer for the Films of EPCOT Center – Randy Bright

A Production of WED Enterprises (Walt Disney Imagineering)
in association with
Walt Disney Productions

THE MUSIC
Rick Harper's film, presented on a 200-degree screen in a sit-down theater, shares a series of visual impressions from France, enlivened by Buddy Baker's score of French classical music.

From Disney's production notes about the film, here is a list of scenes and the music played within them:

Cliffs of Etretat in Normandy: Debussey - "Solo for Flute"
Marais Poitvin near La Rochelle: Saint-Saens - "Aquarium" from "Carnival of the Animals"
Chambord in the Loire Valley: Boieldieu - "Concerto for Harp and Orchestra"
Chateau Beynat in Dordogne Valley: Debussey - "Nocture 1"
Bicyclists at La Roque: Offenbach - "Gaite Parisienne"
Hot air balloons near Chateau Chaumont: Ravel - "Daybreak" from "Dauphine et Chole Suite 1"
French Alps: Debussey - "Claire de Lune"
Skiers in Chamonix: Erik Satie - "Trois Gymnopedies"
Mont St. Michel: Saint-Saens - "Aquarium" from "Carnival of the Animals" (again)
Wedding reception in Brittany farmyard: traditional folk music (unidentified)
Railway tracks in hills of Champeauroux: Saint Saens - "Finale" from "Carnival of the Animals"
Notre Dame de Paris: Offenbach - "Gaite Parisienne" (again)
Garde Republicaine rides through archway at the Louvre: Dukas - "Fanfare" from "La Peri"
Eiffel Tower: Saint Saens - 4th movement from Organ Symphony no. 3
-- Last edited by Bob Rogers

Bob Rogers and Rick Harper
EPCOT "Impressions de France" co-producers/co-writers Bob Rogers (left) and Rick Harper (right) stand in front of the story board for the film. Rick was also the film's director, director of photography and music researcher/editor. This photo was taken in 1980 at Walt Disney Imagineering (it was WED Enterprises then) shortly before filming began. Today Rick Harper and his wife live in Carmel, California. He retired from filmmaking in the early 1990's, pursuing his interest in oil painting. He can be reached at carmelharper@hotmail.com. Bob Rogers is the founder and Chairman of BRC Imagination Arts, headquartered in Burbank, California, www.brcweb.com. Photo courtesy of Marty Sklar.

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Readers' Opinions

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
49 votes, so far

Zzzzz. Go for a quiet sit-down when it is too hot. - Mark Moore

It’s just a delightful film. Although it’s been showing since 1982, it has lost none of its charm. - Rob McCullough

One of my favorite shows in Disney World. Great soundtrack, wonderful vistas. It made me want to go to France. - Raymond M

The best movie ever made for a theme park. See my complete review - http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/200812/996/ - Robert Niles

A very good place to sit down and relax. The theatre is beautiful and comfortable. If only they could update the images a bit since they do look a bit dated. But otherwise a nice stop to chill and watch a movie. - Manny Barron


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