Universal Studios

Back in February, as part of my LA trip to Gallifrey One, I also spent most of a day at the Universal Studios theme park.

Here are a few pictures and videos from that day.

I love theme parks, and Universal Studios Hollywood is a fun place to visit (even if they don’t have Big Exciting Rides like the Orlando version.)  They have city streets set up as if you’re in different countries…my favorite was, of course, Little London.

It’s very realistic, even to the phone boxes.

The Bobbies and palace guards sing and dance a bit more, however…

They had look-alikes wandering around, including a fab Lucy:

I went on most of the rides (The Mummy I rode four times, because it was the closest thing to a big roller coaster, and it felt SO GOOD to be on a coaster again!)

But the best part of the park was the back lot tour/tram ride.  I saw the Mystery Machine!

There were a TON of actual working soundstages, but it was all pretty deserted today because it was a holiday weekend.

Then we went through sections of the outside city sets.  Blocks and blocks of ‘blank’ buildings, just waiting to be dressed for a film or tv show.  It was slightly eerie, like we were in the middle of an apocalypse!

Recognize this next one?  Back to the Future was filmed here!

We went past a bunch of famous film vehicles, including one from Serenity and Knight Rider (I so LOVED that show when I was a kid!)

We toured a bunch of sets used for exotic/historical locals:

Then, we went to hang out with Jaws.  (Although this set has been used for a ton of other things as well, including Murder She Wrote.)

We visited the Bates Hotel.  One thing that’s so cool about theme parks is the actors.  I adore the interactive parts.  Can you imagine doing this for a job? All day, every day…just stuffing ladies in trunks and threatening tourists???

Then we went by the site of a horrific plane crash.  Totally brilliant.

We saw a HUGE blue screen/water set.  Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed here.

One of the coolest bits was driving down Wisteria Lane, the Desperate Housewives set.  Just a heads-up – the narration on the video doesn’t match the houses you’re seeing…he was speaking about the houses on the opposite side.  Still, if you’re a DH fan, these houses should be pretty familiar!

We also survived an earthquake in the subway.

THE best part, though, was the 4D King Kong part.  One part ride, one part film, one part dino slobber (I got a squirt right in my EYE) and 100% awesome!  I didn’t try to film during it because I thought it wouldn’t turn out, but here’s a film someone else took.

For dinner, I had triple berry crepes at Universal CityWalk.

It was a very enjoyable day, and I wish I’d had time to do everything at least one more time!

Gallifrey One 2012

I just got home from my first ever (it won’t be the last!) trip to Gallifrey One.  It was a completely fabulous trip!  I flew into LAX on a Thurs morning – a very early Thurs morning.  I had to get up at 1:20am in order to catch my shuttle!

Once at the hotel, I met up with Wench Posse friends Glynnis, Suzette, and Nell.  I hadn’t met any of them before, so it was great to finally meet face to face – and they are just as fun and amazing in person as they are online.  They made excellent room-mates!

After settling into the hotel, we took a bus to the Santa Monica pier.  It was lovely to see the beach and the sunshine!

Above is the view from the Santa Monica pier’s Ferris Wheel.  We also rode a carousel.  Nell claimed the rabbit.

Santa Monica is the end of the Route 66.  After filming the fake version in Revelation video I did the costumes for, it was kind of cool to be at the real thing!

Friday, we skipped the morning/afternoon events at Gallifrey and went to LA’s fashion district instead.  We are all costumers, after all!  Unbelievable.  Simply unbelievable amounts of fabric and trim!  Good thing I saved room in my luggage, because I filled one of my suitcases mostly with stuff I bought.

Fabric…fabric…everywhere!  I’m thinking next time I go, I’m spending a lot more time here.  To get to the district, we had the hotel call us a cab…but our ‘cab’ turned out to be a limo!  Hurrah for awesome concierges!

Besides the district, we visited the FIDM museum, and saw an exhibit of the costumes from Oscar-nominated films.  My favorite dress was from The War Horse:

In the photograph it doesn’t look like much, but it has the most lovely embroidery around the neck.  I completely adored it.  Also on exhibit was pieces of famous movie costumes – Fred Astaire’s tap shoes was one especially cool item.  There was a small room of extant historical gowns as well.  They have one of Queen Victoria’s mourning dresses, and wow.  I knew she was short, but I was not at all prepared for how short!  Teeny-tiny!

Saturday was the first day to spend all day at Gallifrey.  I wore my Idris costume, Nell and Glynnis wore their Clockwork Droid costumes, and Suzette (who didn’t bring costumes this year) was our minion, offering everything from corset-lacing, to bag-holding, to foot massages!  Minions are excellent things to have. 

There were many, many excellent costumes there.  Torchwood:

Lots of Elevens, large and small:

Lifesize Daleks wandering the halls and interacting with people:

Novice Hame:

Cybermen:

Vampires from Venice:

Girl in the Fireplace costumes:

A giant adipose:

A weeping angel:

The panels I went to were fabulous.  Mainly, I went to anything with the actors I liked in them, so there were lots of Mark Sheppard ones!  Daphne Ashbrook (Eight’s companion performed “I Don’t Need No Doctor” with backups by Eight (Paul McGann) and the film’s director!

One thing that was very cool about these celebrity panels, was how much they were enjoyed by the celebrities themselves.  All of them had grown up fans of Doctor Who, and most had been dying for a chance to act on the show.    When the call finally came, they didn’t even care what the part was!  The genuine love they all have for Doctor Who just shone out from them, and that was truly amazing.  It wasn’t just actors doing their jobs, it was us and them, united equally as fans.  I’ve never experienced that before, and it was awesome.

My favorite guest was, of course, Mark Sheppard, because I have loved every single role of his I’ve seen.  His dad, W. Morgan Sheppard is also wonderful, and the interaction between the two of them was heartwarming and quite funny at times.  They obviously have a terrific relationship.

I had my picture taken with Mark Sheppard and Camille Coduri (Jackie Tyler).

Sunday, I wore my steampunk Tenth Doctor costume, Nell wore her female Fifth Doctor, and Glynnis wore her Vampires of Venice outfit.

Nell and I had our picture taken together at the actual Eighth Doctor TARDIS console.

The console is very cool:

Check out my ribbons!  By the end of the con, I had 25, far more than I’ve ever managed to collect at any other con…which is a testament to how truly welcoming and friendly Gallifrey is.  My favorite ribbon is the one (collected while I was wearing Idris) that says “Bitey Mad Lady”. 

One of my very favorite costume I saw there was this Flesh outfit.  She was spot-on perfect – the makeup was film quality!

The other favorite was the Cassandra team.  There were two ‘moisturizers’, and when one of them saw me in the crowd of photo-takers, he called me over to get a pic with them – he especially wanted me to help moisturize!  That was fun.

Amber Benson (Tara on Buffy) was there signing copies of her new book, so I got one and chatted with her for a bit.  She’s super nice, funny, and very down to earth.  And gorgeous!  So very gorgeous, even when she’s just in normal clothes and makeup!

Altogether, it was the best con I’ve ever been to, and I really, really want to go back.  Next year is the big 50th anniversary, and they are promising MAJOR guests from recent years of the show.  Dare I hope for Tennant?  I’d be happy with Alex Kingston!

For more info on my costumes, and making-of photos, see my costuming blog:

http://www.freewebs.com/dragonflydesignsbyalisa/homefaq.htm

The Wench Posse: too much RAWK for one hand!

Next blog: after Gallifrey was over, I spent a day at Universal Studios.

A Must-See Film

Couldn’t love this trailer more.  Why is it all the films I really want to see lately are foreign?  Hopefully they’ll have a US release date soon…

YouTube Videos

To tide you over until I return from FaerieWorlds in Eugene, OR with lots of pics, vids, and stories to tell, here’s two of the coolest youtube videos to cross my path this week.

Why do we watch period films?  I don’t know about you, but I do it for the dresses and the dancing.  So really, all I need to watch is this video:

About halfway in, there’s even footage of David Tennant in 1700′s menswear (so cute!) and yes, he’s dancing!

And since Lost is starting its final season next week, here’s a great parady video of all the questions we need answers for.  Lost.  Best show ever that you won’t understand.  Personally, I’d watch just for the smoke monster and Sawyer.  And Ben.  This last season I’d watch just for Ben.

There is no plan B…

Is it wrong that when this trailer started I squealed like a rabid fangirl, then proceeded to recite all the opening lines from memory?  Yes, I love it that they used the lines from the opening of the original tv show – and also that I remembered them after all these years.

I am, of course, speaking of The A-Team, possibly the most beloved show of my pre-teen years.  Even after I supposedly “grew up” (the verdict is still out on that one), I still retained a fond schoolgirl crush on Face, Murdock, B.A, and Hannibal.  I never could decide who I loved more, and I still can’t.  My ringtone used to be the A-Team theme.

Judging only from the trailer, it looks like they’re making the attempt to get this film re-make right.  I am ex-cit-ed!!!!!!

The Rat Incident

I follow Jorge (Hurley from Lost) Garcia’s blog “Dispatches from the Island“.  He’s funny and down-to-earth, and I love his little mini-updates and adventures.

Recently, though, there’s been an Incident with a Rat in his home.  And it’s the most hilarious thing I’ve seen in ages; it just keeps getting better and better.  The video saga is not yet finished, but he’s posted parts 1 through 4.

Click here for part one.  Part two.  Part three. And finally part four.

New Sherlock Holmes Featurette!

This film really does look so good.  I love the “new” portrayal of Holmes; too many times, it seems, film and television focus on his mental abilities and forget he could be extremely dynamic and physical in the original stories.

The website for the film is fantastic, including what appears to be a wonderfully intense facebook game.  (I say appears to be, since I just discovered it, and have not yet had time to play!)

I can’t wait for this film; I’m such a huge, huge fan of the stories, and this looks to be a much closer portrayal of “my” beloved Holmes and Watson that most I’ve seen.  (Some films I can’t even watch because of how they turn Watson into an idiot!)

New Moon @ Midnight

Yes…I am one of those people.  You know, the crazy ones who dress up in costume and go to midnight movie premieres!  Even though I am not exactly a fan of Twilight I am going to see New Moon.  Why do I not call myself a fan?  I think the writing sucks, the plots are silly, and sparkling vampires?  Hello?  What’s up with that?  Edward ticks me off big-time.  He’s a stalker in the books, and the actor is so NOT ATTRACTIVE  in the films (can you tell I’m Team Jacob?). But still – still – I couldn’t stop myself from tearing through each book  in a matter of hours.  I won’t buy copies for my library, I’ll never read them again, but I swear they’re like vampire crack.  I’m going to the midnight releases of these films not because I’m exceptionally excited to see the sparkly vampires, but because the whole Twilight thing interests me.  I like being in a crowd of people all obsessed over the same thing – there’s just something deeply cool about people coming together like that.  It only makes it more awesome that Twilight fans come in all ages, just like Potter-aholics.  This time around, it’s going to be especially fun, since a whole pack of us are going together: we’ve got a Bella, a Victoria (me!), an Esme, Alice, and Rosalie Cullen, a Jacob (Yay Team Jacob!), a “Jacob’s father”, a Jane (Volturi), and two people who are not in costume, and who we are going to call Bella’s human friends.  It’s gonna be good times.

And me being me, any excuse to wear a costume is made of win!

Here’s the newest trailer, in honor of the Midnight Release being tomorrow night!

Steampunk Personified

These guys are amazing.  The amount of detail each member of the League of Steam puts into their character, costume, and weaponry is incredible.  The technology actually functions…as was demonstrated at an Abney Park concert….

And now they’ve branched out into a  hilarious youtube video series!

Alice in Wonderland

First off, let me just say that I am not a fan of Alice in Wonderland.  I’ve tried to read the book a number of times, at different ages, and it just never…clicked with me.  I never found a film adaptation that I really liked either.  The only thing I like about Alice is the single quote about believing six impossible things before breakfast!  (That, I adore!)

So when I first heard Tim Burton was making a film, I thought: “Well, I’ll see it.  Probably on DVD.  Because it’s Tim Burton.”  And then, the pictures started to arrive – and oh good golly molly, they have giant mushrooms!  In a garden with giraffe shrubbery!

I don’t know what it is about giant mushrooms, but I absolutely love the image.  It’s so fairyland, so otherworldly.  Everything is so super-saturated and lush – at this point I don’t care that it’s Alice.  I’m prepared to love it anyway.

The Cheshire cat is spooky! He’s got a zipper mouth of teeth!