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Special Features: The Italian Job -- stunt drivers wanted |
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Posted at 10:22 PM EDT (0222 GMT)
YOU ARE HERE BY NOTIFIED THAT YOU ARE GUILTY OF 25 TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS. THE COURT REQUESTS YOUR ATTENDANCE ON MAY 19, 2005 AT THE PARAMOUNT'S KING'S ISLAND AMUSEMENT PARK. NON-COMPLIANCE IS NOT AN OPTION.  Your mission should you choose to accept it. oh wait, wrong movie. The heist is on and you're only minutes away from helping to shoot the exciting finale to the 2003 Paramount Pictures movie "The Italian Job". The date: Thursday May 19, 2005. The time: 10:00 AM (Synchronize watches now). The job: Paramount's King's Island's Media Preview of the Italian Job Stunt Track Roller Coaster. At 10:00 gates opened to VIP's, members of the media, members of A.C.E. (The American Coaster Enthusiasts) and yours truly. Limousines were ready at the front gate to whisk us away to our rendezvous point (Code named The Italian Job Stunt Track).  At 10:30 all eyes went to the skies as parachuters dropped in to get the show under way.Tires screeched and spectators jumped away as two Mini Coopers came flying into our area. Out of the red Mini Cooper jumped none other than Jeff Siebert our head of this heist (otherwise known as the head of Public Relations for Paramount's Kings Island). Jeff as well as the Mayor of Mason, Ohio welcomed guests and kicked off the ceremonies. After all the preliminary work it was time to get to the real work. Apparently Paramount needed some more footage for their 2003 movie The Italian Job, so they were seeking stunt drivers to take the wheel for a live film shoot! As drivers made their way into the loading area (which crosses right over the top of the "street" below) they noticed two trains consisting of three "mini" Mini Coopers. ** DANGER ** SPOILERS AHEAD ** EXIT NOW TO AVOID SPOILERS ** After the preliminary safety checks you hear the director over the speaker system on your Mini Cooper announce that they are ready to shoot the scene and you are off! Accelerating out of the station you head into the parking garage and upwards into a three level right-banked helix.  As you come to the top of the last helix you slowly crest the hill and realize that the cops are on to you! You dive down and drive back and forth to avoid the cops that seem to be ready to take you away to jail. (Writers note, the sensation was quite realistic to riding in small car driving erratically through the streets). You and your fellow stunt drivers make a sharp left turn and see signs ahead for Hollywood and Beverly Hills. But no, you don't take those exits you take a sharp left turn into the subway metro rail! (Writers note, the stairs are not present yet, but will be added later).Another left turn and you head into what appears to be a warehouse district. Things don't look good for us. After an abrupt stop our foes start to fire at us from a helicopter! A huge explosion sets us off again and we are off into a dark tunnel where you notice that your Mini Cooper not only has a kickin' stereo system it also has working headlights and taillights.  A left turn and we come "crashing" out of the billboard you saw while walking in the que line. A quick "splash down" and a banked turned and we hit the brakes.** DRIVERS MAY RE-ENTER NORMAL TRAFFIC. SPOILERS OVER ** "Great job guys!" You hear the director say. A job well done. Now that you've got the gist of the ride I will give you a few of my own personal observations about the ride. 1) The ride is a launch coaster, but it is not an intense coaster by any means. It is really a family coaster. Enthusiasts that are going into it expecting Volcano will be disappointed, but if you go with an open mind you might be surprised by this ride. 2) The theming was one of the best by any of the Paramount park rides I've seen. 3) I got four rides all-together (one on Media Day and three the next day). The front car actually features a few pops of air time and one that you might consider a cross between ejector and floater air time. The back is also fun as well. 4) Two of my rides the lights were not working on the cars and the other two they were. I preferred without the lights in a lot of ways because the tunnel is much more intense that way. You have no idea what is going on without lights. With lights, it really looks quite amazing and looks just like the movie (the point of this ride after all). A final thought: If this is the future of family coasters, then the future is looking bright folks! For more images visit the Italian Job: Stunt Track gallery. |
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Jul. 19th, 2005 -- Editor's Note: This review was written after the media day for PKI's Italian Job: Stunt Track. Due to various issues, we postponed posting this story.