SATURDAY SIX: 6 Reasons We Love DARK UNIVERSE Part 3 – Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment

This week’s SATURDAY SIX continues our deep dive into DARK UNIVERSE. Part one took an in-depth look at Darkmoor village (which you can read by CLICKING HERE) while part two looked at the dining and characters in the land (which you can read by CLICKING HERE.) Part three is going to head into the E-Ticket attraction, Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment and we’ll start by looking at…

# 6 – Frankenstein Manor

Right outside Darkmoor village rests Frankenstein Manor, the icon of Dark Universe. This dark and foreboding building is based on the real life (but now destroyed) Chateau Miranda in Belgium.

Thanks to blogger-in-the-sky @bioreconstruct, we can see that the manor’s tallest tower has been scorched by lightning along with a cracked rooftop. This is referencing the lightning that the original Dr. Frankenstein used to animate his original experiment.

The manor is now home to Dr. Frankenstein’s great-great-granddaughter, Victoria Frankenstein, and she powers her experiments by drawing in and harnessing the energy from Darkmoor. You will see this blue energy being channeled while outside the manor and once you are inside.

As you walk up to the manor’s entrance gates, the villagers of Darkmoor have scrawled MONSTERS UNCHAINED as a warning.

The gates that you pass by when entering are rusted, bent out of shape, and are in complete disrepair. Landscaping is out of control, with vines that are crawling up the sides to show how much time has passed since the area was properly looked after.

The chains locking the gates have been broken, asking each approaching guest…are you prepared for what’s inside?

 

# 5 – The Queue

Once entering the manor, guests are quickly taking a turn and eventually heading outdoors again. When it’s really busy and the extended queue is in use, guests will see the crypt for Dr. Henry Frankenstein.

On the tomb you will see the phrase MAKER OF MONSTERS!! written in chalk, which is a direct reference to 1939’s Son of Frankenstein.

While outside we will also encounter storage space for items used in the manor’s dark experiments (including a potential host body.) Once back inside the manor, we eventually walk back to the main staircase that we caught a glimpse of when first entering the building. Here we see a gorgeous display with a portrait of Henry Frankenstein at the dead center. On the ground are two statues, representing what Henry’s view of reanimated life could be while the walls have murals featuring desperate creatures trying to get Dr. Frankenstein’s life-giving energy.

The entire staircase area is a tribute to hubris, but a look at the floor below shows that cracks are showing. Just a fantastic metaphor displayed in a theme park queue.

We then continue our journey through several rooms of the manor, including one featuring a fireplace that has a whole bunch of newspapers thrown into it. This particular area of the manor is referred to as the great room.

A closer look reveals that these newspapers are editions of the “Visaria Harbinger” with a headline proclaiming “Shadows over Darkmoor. In our first Dark Universe article, we covered the directional signage in Darkmoor that points to the village of Visaria. In the movies it is identified as a three-day journey from the manor. Victoria has also circled in red a slanderous quote and has begun to burn all copies of the paper.

While many items in the room will draw your attention, if you look outside the window you will see the town of Darkmoor and The Burning Blade Tavern.

Animation is used to show the windmill spinning its fiery blades.

# 4 – Henry and Victoria Frankenstein

Being we are in Frankenstein manor, there are references to both Victoria Frankenstein and her great-great-grandfather Dr. Henry Frankenstein throughout, with some being extremely impactful. One of my personal favorites is the large Frankenstein family tree found in the great room.

The Latin phrase MOTRUI VIVOS DOCENT translates to “The Dead Teach the Living.”

Dr. Henry Frankenstein and his wife Elizabeth are represented.

The 1939 film Son of Frankenstein introduced the character of Wolf Frankenstein, Henry’s son. The family tree also has a photo of Peter, Henry’s grandson.

Much of what we see in Dark Universe is based upon various Universal Classic Monster films, however you’ll also find direct references to other iconic pieces of monster lore, including Mary Shelley’s 1818 book Frankenstein. In the book, Dr. Frankenstein’s name was Victor, but was changed to Henry for the movies. Victor Frankenstein’s parents were Alfonse and Caroline, and they can be seen on the family tree.

The name Victoria is itself a tribute to the original name of Dr. Frankenstein from the book. Victoria Frankenstein is not on the family tree, so she has pasted a picture of herself at the dead center. The picture is her medical school headshot, “proof” in her deluded mind that her experiments are of a legitimate nature and not just another one of the family’s mad scientists. Victoria wants to redeem the Frankenstein family name.

Among the other people on the tree is a “Gregory Frankenstein.” This is a reference to Gregory Hall, the lead creative behind Monsters Unchained (along with the VelociCoaster, the awesome redo of the Hulk Coaster from several years ago and more.)

Another family member on the tree has a name that has been lost to time, but the photo is of Jaimee Rowan, a member of Universal Creative.

Let me take a quick sidebar that while I can acknowledge that today’s internet and use/abuse of social media have greatly sped up the total collapse of polite society, there is something to be said about the good things it brings as well. For the first time in the history of theme parks, fans have a way to interact and learn from members of Universal Creative and Disney Imagineering. This gives us immediate access to knowledge and behind-the-scenes looks at our favorite theme park attractions, including Monsters Unchained. Both Greg Hall and Jaimee Rowan are great follows, along with former Imagineers such as Eddie Sotto, Tom K Morris and Frank Mezzatesta.

Okay, back to our queue which has this painting of Henry Frankenstein at the top of the dual staircase. Henry is dressed all in white, with the background appearing to be a halo around him, adding to God-like demeanor.

Meanwhile Victoria Frankenstein is dressed in all black. Behind her is the blue energy that is being stored for her experiments.

One wall in the queue features a series of incredibly creepy drawings of various monsters. Greg Prodigy has revealed these are “terror sketches” drawn by Victoria.

Terror sketches -noun /ˈterər skeCH/ A highly detailed and often unsettling drawing produced by a character in a film or story, usually during a state of psychological distress, obsession, or supernatural influence, and typically surpassing their normal artistic skill.

# 3 – References to The Monsters

Speaking of the monsters, they are also referenced throughout the entire queue. This hieroglyphic scroll on Victoria Frankenstein’s desk reveals how she was able to control the mummy…

…while later in the queue we see an actual sarcophagus. Victoria has gone to Egypt, brought the mummy back to Darkmoor, and resurrected it just so she could control it. Now that’s proper villainy!

The area in which we see the mummy’s sarcophagus also features a vampire’s coffin with a couple wooden stakes nearby (can never be too careful.) This is where Victoria held the various monsters she had captured across the globe.

Near the coffin is this photo of the character Christine Daae, from the 1925 Phantom of the Opera.

We also have a cage which once held a werewolf. On the walls you will find shards of the cage that flew off during a violent escape.

This violin may or may not refer to the various storytelling violinists that we covered in part two of our series.

For me, one of the most impressive moments of the entire queue is this look at Henry Frankenstein’s original experiment. This is the only Frankenstein in Dark Universe that is directly based off the one seen in the 1931 Frankenstein film.

Frankenstein’s monster sits in a tank as we see results of Victoria’s studies.

In the room containing the original creation are blueprints and drawings by Henry Frankenstein that have been marked up in red by Victoria, who has added her own notations.

# 2 – The Audio Animatronics

As theme park fans, we have been blessed by some pretty amazing audio animatronics at the theme parks over the years including the Shaman of Songs in Pandora: The World of Avatar, Hondo Ohnaka in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and various examples in Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. However, a new bar has been set in Monsters Unchained when we meet Victoria Frankenstein and her magnificent creation.

Some AAs over the past few years at the theme parks have used back projection for the human faces, which – at best- comes with an uncanny valley feeling that something ain’t right. At worst the faces look plain awful. I’m not sure what technology Universal is using for Victoria Frankenstein, but she looks great.

However, it is her creation that steals the show and is hands-down the most impressive AA I have ever seen in person. The size and fluid motion of Frankenstein’s monster is jaw dropping.

The conversation between Victoria Frankenstein is taking place in Henry Frankenstein’s original laboratory where his monster was created and brought to life. If you look up, you’ll see references to the actual table and machinery that Henry Frankenstein used in his time.

It is impossible to describe how great of an AA this Frankenstein’s Monster is, and if we are at the dawn of a new era I’m very excited for what we could be seeing in the parks in the coming years!

# 1 – Catacomb Navigation Unit

Among the various blueprints we see in the Monsters Unchained queue is one featuring an early design of the Catacomb Navigation Unit. This is the ride vehicle that guests board when experiencing the attraction. It is a KUKA robotic arm that is along the lines of what is used in Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. In the blueprint you can see in large letters DOES NOT WORK. Victoria’s assistant Ygor would be put in control of the CNUs and make them a viable transportation vehicle.

Speaking of Ygor, we encounter him in a pre-show where he explains how the Catacomb Navigation Unit works.

Ygor’s display has a working CNU and prepares us for the journey we are about to go on.

A closer look at his model reveals some famous monsters lurking around…

The Catacomb Navigation Units has inspired several artists to create their own versions at home! These models show that the KUKA arm on the Monsters Unchained ride vehicle is mountain at the bottom, rather than on the back like Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. This allows for a much smoother ride along with more intense maneuvers throughout the scenes.

The loading area for Monsters Unchained is one of the most impressive designs I’ve ever seen in a theme park. This attraction eats up people like you’ve never seen and is crazy efficiencent. Between the theming in the room, the Team Members directing traffic and the ride vehicles themselves, Monsters Unchained is the new gold standard when it comes to the ride loading experience.

TIME FOR THE RIDE!

Unfortunately, pictures and video aren’t allowed on Monsters Unchained, but Universal has given us a great look at some of the monster Audio Animatronics that we encounter during the ride, including Dracula…

…the Creature From the Black Lagoon…

…and the Wolf Man. I was completely blown away on my very first Monsters Unchained experience, and couldn’t believe I was seeing an AA of the Phantom of the Opera (playing an organ that shoots fire!) It was near impossible to tell what was a practical effect and what was screens. Just absolutely fantastic in every way.

Thanks to Jaimee Rowan, I even got to see some details in the attraction that I didn’t catch during my ride. Such as statues featuring characters from Halloween Horror Nights including Eddie…

…Bone (from HHN 27)…

…Chance, and Jack the Clown! There is nothing more that I like at the parks than these types of Easter Eggs and hidden references.

In fact, there is one moment in the ride where Dracula’s vampire brides rip apart a Catacomb Navigation Unit in the background. Just fantastic!!

Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment is a true creative triumph, and it speaks to how well received it was by fans when it recently became the first ride in Epic Universe to get its one millionth rider.

Honorable Mention – Curse of the Werewolf

It’s not easy being “the other ride” in a theme park land that has one of the most amazing E-Ticket attractions ever built, but Pandora has Na’vi River Journey, Galaxy’s Edge has Smugglers Run, and Dark Universe has CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF.

Like all of the attractions in Dark Universe, Curse of the Werewolf becomes extra creepy once the sun goes down.

The ride’s premise is that you’re on a walk in Dark Universe and have come across a wagon caravan of travelling mystics. They warn you of the dangers lurking in the woods outside of the castle walls, especially when the moon is full.

Of course, it’s always a full moon in Dark Universe.

Guests board the ride vehicle inside a loading area that looks like it’s been visited by werewolves. As you hurtle through the forest, you see both the effects of these creatures, and the werewolves themselves.

Curse of the Werewolf is an outdoor roller coaster in which your ride vehicle can spin around to emphasize the force of every twist and turn.

While riding the attraction, you may notice the amount of safety nets.

Curse of the Werewolf is a perfectly acceptable coaster. Its biggest fault is that it sits in a land next to an all-time E-Ticket dark ride and it’s also a coaster in a park which has two much better coaster experiences with Stardust Racers and Hiccup’s Winged Gliders. The ride ends up being a couple of minutes on an outdoor, spinning coaster with not a lot of theming. Most of what you’re able to see is, in fact, park infrastructure.

As a theme park merch guy, one thing I love about Curse of the Werewolf is that you can buy a 3D model kit of the attraction’s ride vehicle. If I had my druthers, we’d have model kits or small scale toys for just about every ride at a Universal and Disney park.

I’m also a huge fan of several of the t-shirt options for the ride which include artwork designed like old timey movie posters.

So there you have it: Six Reasons We love MONSTERS UNCHAINED! See you next weekend for the latest installment of the SATURDAY SIX, where we’ll look at something fun from the world of Disney and Universal. If you enjoyed yourself, be sure to check out the THEME PARK ENJOYMENT INDEX, giving a monthly recap of all the theme park news you need to know (and a lot more you don’t need to know, but we’re gonna tell you anyway). You can also follow Your Humble Author on BlueSky (@derekburgan).

If you enjoyed this article, you will surely like the following: 

6 Reasons We Love DARK UNIVERSE Part 1 (Darkmoor Village)

6 Reasons We Love DARK UNIVERSE Part 2 (Dining and Characters)

Theme Park Turkeys of the Year Archives

The SATURDAY SIX Celebrates 10 Years of @bioreconstruct

SATURDAY SIX Tribute to Josh easyWDW

SATURDAY SIX Tribute to Ian Barritt

Special Thanks to The Elite Brandon Glover, Digital Maestro Scott Walker, the bio-est of all reconstructs @bioreconstruct, Captain Cruiseline Scott Sanders of the world famous Disney Cruise Line Blog, my personal protege Hunter “Elvey” Underwood, artist @SonderQuest, the mighty maven of merchandise Hedgehog’s Corner, the SAT SIX Fun Squad of Parkscope Joe and “the Dadalorian” Nick, hot shot Michael Carelli, charter member of the Universal Four @Nitro230, the permit princess Alicia Stella, master cartographer Tommy Hawkins, and Hermione Granger’s tutor Megan Stump for their invaluable assistance with this article. Absolutely no help was added by SeaWorld Influencer @SuperWeenieHtJr. The SAT SIX is inspired each week by goofballs Aengus Mackenzie and LitemAndHide and you Potterheads will enjoy Meg’s other blog work over at the Central Florida Slug Club.