|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Part
of Universal Studio's entrance statue -- checking for your
size of earplugs
|
|
|
|
|
|
Maybe
you remember the scene from Universal's 'Back to the Future.'
Marty McFly plays lead guitar in a Battle of the Bands audition.
Just as his group begins their 80's rock-and-roll introduction,
a nerdy looking school administrator cuts them off. "I'm
sorry," he says "but it's just too darn loud."
It makes
me feel like the biggest nerd to admit this, but after visiting
Universal Studios Hollywood this past Friday, I have a comment
about the background music currently being played throughout
the theme park. "I'm sorry, but it's just too darn
loud!"
Dianne
and I are both in our 40s. We've lived in Southern California
for most of our lives, and consider ourselves to be fairly
well rounded, and relatively cool. We're both college graduates,
where we studied theater and music. We have appeared in
musicals, have sung in a studio - we have even performed
as Christmas Carolers at Disneyland and at Universal Studios
Theme Park. Suffice it to say, that we appreciate and understand
the subtleties and nuances of music.
2 years
ago, we bought Universal Studios Celebrity Passes, and we
have enjoyed the luxury of being able to visit as often
as we do. During
our most recent visits, we have noticed that the background
music has been subtly increasing in volume. In places, it
is now at an almost painful level. Background music, when
used effectively supports the look and feel of each section
of a theme park. At Universal Studios Hollywood, it seems,
background music has slowly taken Center Stage.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
entrance plaza music is big and bombastic and dramatic
- a great way to set the scene for the Park. The problem?
It's just too loud. More like a rock concert than
a theme park, we literally cannot carry on a conversation,
or ask a question of a Universal staff member without
pitching up the level of our voices.
Walking
further into the Park, this Main Gate symphony blends
into music from 'The Mummy Returns' attraction as
we passed by. Then, The Blues Brothers show started,
and 'Soul Man' was added to the mix. Far from being
able to decipher this cacophony of noise, I felt myself
starting to squint - my ears were actually hurting.
As
we rounded the corner, with Jake and Elwood's version
of 'Shake Your Tail Feathers' rumbling the walkway,
we were met with the newly decorated London Street.
While
the re-decoration of this section is a nice touch,
the 'Austin Powers' music caused us to have to shout
"THIS IS NEW, ISN'T IT?" Again, the music
is too loud.
|
|
|
|
|
And
yet, even as "Soul Bossa Nova" was shaking
the windows, just off to the right, at Mel's Diner,
we could hear Sam Cooke belting out 'You Send Me.'
Sam was also too loud.
Down
the way from Mel's, about a year ago, Dianne and I
sat at a park bench in front of the Mexican restaurant
[right] and were confronted by no less than
four different pieces of music - all playing at the
same time - all loud.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
bench was still there, and so was the music - a Mariachi
tune coming from the Cantina, an accordion instrumental
coming from the Louie's Pizza and Pasta, a song from 'Pee
Wee's Big Adventure' near 'Animal Planet Live' and the famous
theme from 'Back to the Future' --' It was very loud. And
very mind-boggling.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
