D23: The Hatbox Ghost Rises from his Grave to Haunt the Land of the Living
7 replies, posted
[quote="Inside the Magic"]
The Hatbox Ghost has returned to Anaheim - but he’s not back in The Haunted Mansion. Instead, Walt Disney Imagineers have used the latest Audio-Animatronics technology to create a smoothly moving figure at the 2013 D23 Expo as a demonstration and guaranteed attention-grabber in the “Journey Into Imagineering” Disney Parks and Resorts pavilion.
[B]The Hatbox Ghost is the most notorious resident of The Haunted Mansion, standing in the ride’s attic scene for merely a week or two when it first opened on August 9, 1969, showcasing a special effect that made his head disappear and reappear in the hatbox that he was holding. Unfortunately the effect was never convincing, so despite his iconic look, he was forever lost to the boundless realm of the supernatural.
But the Hatbox Ghost is no stranger to Disney fans, appearing on many pieces of merchandise, the biggest and best of which was a full-size sculpted version put up for auction at the first D23 Expo in 2009, rumored to have ended up in the possession of Hollywood director (and Haunted Mansion fan) Guillermo del Toro. He even inspired and starred in the short film Missing in the Mansion.
Imagineers felt there would be no better character to bring to “life” at the D23 Expo this year, using a modern A100 figure (like the auctioneer in Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean and Abraham Lincoln in Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln) to achieve the most fluid movements this character has ever had.[/B]
His hatbox effect is still not there. In fact, the hatbox itself is simply sitting next to him. That’s not the point. But bathed in eerie blue and orange light, he switches from pose to pose, staring D23 Expo attendees down from atop a pedestal, leaving all who see him wondering what The Haunted Mansion would be like if all 999 happy haunts were as advanced as this one.
But will the Hatbox Ghost ever return, whether in an advanced form like this or a more traditional (but working) version of the original? When asked about the possibility, Imagineers working the exhibit dodged the question, seeming to insinuate that it’s bound to happen some day.[/quote]
[url="http://www.insidethemagic.net/2013/08/haunted-mansion-hatbox-ghost-reanimated-at-2013-d23-expo-as-disney-imagineers-demonstrate-audio-animatronics/"]Source[/url]
Footage:
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLFD-TBRdgA[/media]
I've always wondered how amazing it would be if Japanese robot scientists paired up with Disney Imagineers to create androids or something. The results would likely be amazing.
[QUOTE=Computrix;41776507]I've always wondered how amazing it would be if Japanese robot scientists paired up with Disney Imagineers to create androids or something. The results would likely be amazing.[/QUOTE]
I think when that happens, the first android would be created.
Fuck yeah Hatbox Ghost!
Hatbox ghost? What is this, a tf2 halloween boss monster?
[QUOTE=Outro-intro;41779146]Hatbox ghost? What is this, a tf2 halloween boss monster?[/QUOTE]
From the article:
[quote]
The Hatbox Ghost is the most notorious resident of The Haunted Mansion, standing in the ride’s attic scene for merely a week or two when it first opened on August 9, 1969, showcasing a special effect that made his head disappear and reappear in the hatbox that he was holding. Unfortunately the effect was never convincing, so despite his iconic look, he was forever lost to the boundless realm of the supernatural.
But the Hatbox Ghost is no stranger to Disney fans, appearing on many pieces of merchandise, the biggest and best of which was a full-size sculpted version put up for auction at the first D23 Expo in 2009, rumored to have ended up in the possession of Hollywood director (and Haunted Mansion fan) Guillermo del Toro. He even inspired and starred in the short film Missing in the Mansion.[/quote]
It'd be nice to see old Hatty back in the Haunted Mansion, more so for those huge fans of the character.
I was just there today. When I saw him my jaw dropped because I was just talking about him the other day. Overall the con was nice and seeing Hatbox made it a bit better (But meeting Alex Hirsch helped too).
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