“Never underestimate a NOBODY!” On March 26, the TTDILA team attended NOBODY Escapes, a two-day limited drive-through immersive action stunt experience followed by a screening of the new film Nobody, staring Bob Odenkirk.
“A drive-through Immersive action stunt experience?” What??? Actually, Nobody Escapes is a Covid-19 friendly, physically distanced, in-automobile, drive through, theatre-like “experience” that presents a three act, violence and music-driven story inspired by scenes from Nobody. In addition, immersive theatre aspects provided by long-time TTDILA favorite, Just Fix It Productions (see our reviews of HAUS OF CREEP, Creep LA: Lore, The Willows), help coalesce these somewhat unusual story and presentation elements into a coherent and compelling media experience.
Physically located in the famous Universal Studios Backlot, NOBODY ESCAPES takes place on Colonial street. This fake residential street is featured in dozens of well-known television shows and movies, including The Munsters, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Desperate Housewives, Harvey, The Burbs, and Bedtime for Bonzo.
Try to not hit the actors!
For the duration of the event, the audience remains in their vehicles with sound piped in via FM radio. The first thing noticed is the unusual background music while waiting in the queue for the experience to begin. Is this a period piece of an indeterminate era? There are some weird music choices here. What the hell is going on?
The answer, dear readers, is violence. Violence with catchy tunes. The audience, in vehicles, drives through the residential set, while actors dangerously jog in front of the moving vehicles to control the flow. It is legitimately fun to drive and participate in an honest-to-god Hollywood movie scene. The actors portray characters from day-to-day idyllic suburban family life. A man on foot delivers newspapers, throwing papers across the street. Children frolic on their well-manicured lawns and in the streets, while attractive neighbors venture out on an early evening run. Add drunken hooligans, Russian gangsters, a bus fight, guns, black-clad bad guys, and mix with an unlikely John Wick-like protagonist, and you have the recipe for a memorable experience. It’s like being an observer in an action flick on a moving 360-degree stage. The Nobody Escapes experience ends with a vehicle selfie station and a drive-in screening of Nobody.
Moments before a Nobody-style beat-down
Things to Do in LA loves well-done press events, and IHEARTCOMIX, Just Fit It Productions and 87Eleven Action Design did a fantastic job on this project.
The use of a vehicle with immersive theatre elements provides an interesting twist to a typical stunt experience. In fact, the immersive and interactive aspects transform what could have been a ho-hum experience into something memorable. It takes quite a bit of mental effort to not hit actors in the streets while observing a 360-degree stage. The “story” plays out in front of, behind, and to the sides of the moving and sometimes semi-parked vehicles. The experience is well-paced, so the event didn’t feel overly gimmicky.
Concentrate and try to not hit the actors!
Check out the video from IHEARTCOMIX below to get a taste of Nobody Escapes. Be advised the music at the event is way more fun than the music in the video. Be sure to catch Nobody in a theater near you!
Deja vu. You've seen this street countless times. The Munster's House is left center.
This girl is going to get home ok
That's not Herman Munster!, even though that guy is squatting at 1313 Mockingbird Lane.
Concentrate and try to not hit the talent!
This dude is either really into hardcore Covid-19 mask compliance (and open carry) or he may be a Russian gangster.
Don't hit the actors!
TTDILA's Eric Harris taking an obligatory shot at the photo booth.
