5. An Entire Miniature Recreation Of Paris Was Built For Team America
Anyone who has seen Team America will remember the infamous opening which sees the team defend France from a terrorist attack. In order to shoot this opening, an enormous miniature of Paris was built in a huge warehouse in Culver City, California. The scene sees the destruction of the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre, so it's not like Trey Parker and Matt Stone were skimping on models. Aside from famous monuments and landmarks, there's an absolute ton of detail, from French citizens to cafés, bakeries and all kinds of the buildings. There are also trees, bushes, and other types of foliage, as well as a working fountain. Each of these was painstakingly handmade and hand painted over a period of many months. All that for a throwaway scene that lasts less than five minutes. And not only that, but the vast majority of these models are never shown close up.
