First hand report of the sound-stage for the Haunted Mansion movie that's shooting now.
The next stop on our tour was the foyer/front door set. It is, with only slight deviation, exactly as pictured in the original concept sketch that was displayed at Disneyland's Disney Gallery in late 2002. A large central hallway, flanked by staircases leading to the second level, is looked down upon by a pair of sculptures located on either side of a large clock. The foyer set appears to be dark wood and is heavy, brooding and very detailed, reminiscent of the sets featured in the film "The Haunting."
We moved on to the under construction grand ballroom set with its twin curved staircases which surround a massive pipe organ (sound familiar?) A very large and functional fireplace was being installed during our visit, and one window had its draperies hung to give an idea of how they would all appear. This room, unlike the foyer, had a feeling of lightness even though it was by far the largest of the sets. Credit goes to art director John Myhre (X-Men, Ali), who most recently won the Academy Award in art direction for his work on the film "Chicago," for making a space at once both intimate and imposing.
(Thanks, Jeff!)
