Coming this January, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science will present Tornado Alley 3D, the most ambitious film ever made to explore the origins and evolution of these fascinating, yet devastating weather systems. In the region of America’s heartland known as “the severe weather capital of the world” where tornadoes tear through towns, cities and people’s lives every year, it’s no wonder the vicious storms carry a terrifying stigma as one of nature’s most destructive forces. Narrated by Bill Paxton (Twister, Titanic), the heart-pounding, 20-minute film will run Jan. 9 - May 21, 2015, in The Hoglund Foundation Theater, a National Geographic Experience. Tornado Alley 3D follows daring filmmaker Sean Casey (star of the Discovery Channel's wildly popular Storm Chasers series) and the researchers of the VORTEX2 initiative on a thrilling quest to witness the birth of a tornado.
Armed with an IMAX® camera, a fleet of customized vehicles designed to withstand gale force winds, torrential rains and unrelenting hail, and an arsenal of the most advanced weather measurement instruments ever created, Casey and the VORTEX2 scientists take audiences on a heart-pounding mission to experience a tornado's devastating power while gathering the most comprehensive extreme weather data ever collected. Carrying a 92-pound IMAX® camera, director Casey and his crew race after storms in TIV-2, a seven-ton armored “Tornado Intercept Vehicle” engineered and built by Casey to help him capture what he considers a cinematic “holy grail,” a shot of a tornado from point-blank range. Tornado Alley 3D is the culmination of Casey’s efforts and will give audiences the chance to ride along – and experience a visual powerhouse of never-before-captured tornado footage on the giant screen.
VORTEX2 in action
On January 10, visitors will have the chance to meet Casey and consulting research scientist Don Burgess while getting a close-up look at the 14,000 pound Tornado Intercept Vehicle (TIV) specially created by a team of scientists to withstand 200 MPH winds. At 10:15 and 11:15 a.m., Casey and Burgess will introduce two screenings of the film, and from 12:30- 2 p.m., they’ll be on hand to answer questions about the TIV, which will be on view in the Perot Museum parking lot. “Tornadoes are surreal, unimaginable,” Casey says. “I want to witness something that I am truly in awe of. My dream has always been to get footage that’s as powerful as the subject matter. There’s a huge difference between filming a tornado from a couple miles away with a telephoto lens, and filming a tornado that’s on top of you with a wide-angle lens. After eight years, I’m thrilled to finally share these incredible experiences with audiences everywhere.”
Admission to the theater is $5 for a short film (20 minutes) and $8 for a long film (40 minutes) for adults, students, seniors and children. For members, admission to the theater is $5 (short film) and $6 (long film). All children under 2 are free. General parking and handicap parking is available in the main Museum parking lot, a pay-to-exit lot located under Woodall Rodgers Freeway across from the Museum. Limited additional handicap and hybrid/electric vehicle parking is available in the Special Permit lot, located directly west of the Museum. Pricing is $8 per car when paid on-site (at box office, ticket kiosks or upon exiting the lot) and $3 for Museum members (at box office or lobby kiosk only). The Perot Museum is located at 2201 N. Field Street in Dallas, Texas. For more information, visit perotmuseum.org or call 214-428-5555.
