Amazing Grand Canyon Adventure begins at Fort Worth Omni Theater
Though the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History (FWMSH) looks a little empty as it undergoes construction, its Omni Theater is open and rolling along with a new eye-opening 3D feature about one of the seven natural wonders of the world. “Grand Canyon Adventure: River At Risk,” a new film playing through summer, takes its audience on an exciting and enlightening journey down the endangered Colorado River.
Narrated by Robert Redford, the journey plays like a travel diary starring Wade Davis, celebrated author, anthropologist and explorer, and his daughter Tara Davis. The duo’s last trip together before Miss Davis goes off to college includes a caravan of river rafting adventurers including world-renowned river advocate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and his daughter Kick Kennedy.
The group gets a guided tour from Shana Watahomigie, the first Native American National Park Ranger and river guide. The soft-spoken Watahomgie provides a powerful perspective and a genuine voice to the film as a member of the Havasupai Tribe that lives on the Canyon floor.
“I was surprised,” Watahomigie said about playing such a big part in the film. “I thought I was just going to be in a support boat for the trip.”
Instead, she got a call one winter morning asking her to help write the script. She said the filming took 19 days down the river with a handful of boats, rafts, kayaks and a crew carrying the 300-pound IMAX® camera.
The river rafting scenes put viewers right on the boats with all the ups and downs of the Colorado Rivers many rapids. And the personal stories and historical references illuminate the conservation challenges the river faces today. Due to new protective restrictions on the number of crew members and equipment allowed, “Grand Canyon Adventure” is the last major film production to be shot in the canyon.
Tickets for “Grand Canyon Adventure” can be purchased online, by phone at (817) 255-9540, or at the Omni Theater ticket office during operating hours. Tickets are $7 for adults, $6 for children 3-12 and seniors 60 and over. For show times, the museum offers more information on its Web site.
Currently in the process of rebuilding and renovating, the FWMSH offers a free temporary parking right outside the entrance of the Omni Theater.
Posted by Jenn Emerson
