10 Things You May Not Know About Impressions de France

1. Bienvenue!

You’ll find Impressions de France tucked away in the back of the France Pavilion inside the Palais du Cinema. This beautiful film takes you on a breathtaking journey through the sights, sounds, history, and culture of France while at the same time introducing you to some hidden gems.

2. The Palais du Cinema

The exterior of the Palais du Cinema was modeled after the Chateau de Fontainebleau, one of the largest royal chateaux in all of France. Inside, a small waiting room hosts various reproductions of French art, including a replica of one of the gargoyles found on the Notre Dame Cathedral. You’ll also find several displays showcasing the architectural secrets of the Cathedral. Once inside the 350-seat theater, you’ll enjoy quiet, French-inspired background music as you wait for the film to begin.

3. A Panoramic View

The film is projected onto five adjacent screens, each measuring 27 1/2 feet wide by 21 feet tall. Together the five screens span 200 degrees. That might seem odd, but it makes sense when you consider that a modified Circle-Vision filming rig was used to film Impressions de France. On a typical Circle-Vision rig, each of the nine cameras provides 40 degrees of coverage for a total of 360 degrees. Four cameras were removed on the modified rig used for Impressions de France, leaving five cameras, and hence 200 degrees of coverage.

4. An Intimate Theater

Originally, Impressions de France was planned to be a Circle-Vision 360 film. Early Epcot concept art even included a circular theater instead of the traditional one we know today. This decision would have made Impressions de France similar to O’ Canada! and Wonders of China, the other two opening-day World Showcase films. In later developmental stages, Imagineers decided to create a more intimate, theater-like experience, resulting in the 200-degree screens we see today.

5. A Modern-Day Classic

Aside from a recent conversion to digital projection, Impressions de France has been unaltered since its introduction in 1982, which makes it the longest-running film attraction in Walt Disney World. Credit for this is due to the film’s creators, who focused on timeless places and events rather than the latest fads. Even after all these years, the film still doesn’t feel dated.

6. An Unforgettable Soundtrack…

Disney legend Buddy Baker created the film’s score by combining newly arranged classical French masterpieces with some original compositions. The world-famous London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Baker,  performed the music for the recording.

7. …And An Unforgettable Narration

The narration for the film was provided by Claude Gobet and was written by Bob Rogers and Rick Harper, who also produced the film. Harper was responsible for many other creative aspects of the film, including direction, cinematography, and music research.

8. Classic Inspiration

French art enthusiasts might recognize the costumes of the female Cast Members at Impressions de France. They were inspired by Edouard Manet’s final major work, “A Bar at the Folies-Bergère.” The painting depicts a bartender at the Folies-Bergère nightclub, located in the city of lights, and the bartender’s apparel inspired the costumes. Designers made only minor changes, so the likeness is immediately apparent if you compare the Cast Members’ costumes with the bartender’s outfit. The male Cast Members’ costumes were based on ushers found in French movie theaters.

9. Hidden Mickey (?) Alert

One of the film’s memorable scenes is the wedding that takes place in a small church in Brittany, followed by a reception party outside. This is where you’ll find a distinctive three-circle shape located in one of the upper windows. Is this a Hidden Mickey? Many people cite it as such, but it always struck us as perhaps a bit of wishful thinking (it seems like a bit of a stretch to call it a bona fide Hidden Mickey, as opposed to a mere coincidence). What do YOU think?

10. The Music of France

Classic selections used in the score include Claude Debussy’s “Claire de Lune,” Camille Saint-Saëns’s haunting masterpiece “Aquarium” from “Carnival of the Animals,” the third movement of François-Adrien Boïeldieu’s “Concerto in C for Harp and Orchestra,” Jacques Offenbach’s overture from the ballet “Gaîté Parisienne,” and Maurice Ravel’s “Lever du Jour” from the third act of the ballet “Daphnis et Chloé.”