This is Cinerama
Encyclopedia
This is Cinerama is a 1952 full-length film designed to introduce the then-new widescreen process Cinerama
, which broadens the aspect ratio
so the viewer's peripheral vision is involved. This is Cinerama premiered on 30 September 1952 at the New York Broadway theatre, in New York City
.
The film includes scenes of the roller coaster
from Rockaways' Playland
, then moves on to a scene of the temple dance from Aida
, views of Niagara Falls
, a Viennese choir, scenes of the canals of Venice
, a military tattoo in Edinburgh
, a bullfight, more from Aida, a sound demonstration in stereo
, scenes from the amusement park in Cypress Gardens, Florida
for a water skiing
sequence, and the playing of America the Beautiful
as scenes are shown from the nose of a low flying B-25
.
The film is narrated by travel writer and newscaster Lowell Thomas
. The producers were Lowell Thomas
, Merian C. Cooper
, and Robert L. Bendick, directed by Bendick (and an uncredited Mike Todd, Jr.
). Cooper had long experience with technical innovation in cinema, including King Kong
.
This is Cinerama was nominated for an Academy Award
for Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture
. Although the score was credited to Louis Forbes, who conducted the music, it was composed by Paul Sawtell
, Max Steiner
(who composed the opening credit sequences, Cypress Gardens, the Flight Across America, and the End Credits) and Roy Webb
.
Because the new technology required a special setup of three projectors and multiple soundtracks, the film's distribution was also revolutionary. It was shown in a single theater in most cities, with reserved seats and lengthy runs - a distribution model known as a road show
.
There are currently no publicly available copies of the film in any format; the only way to see it in its entirety is in one of the three remaining 3-projector Cinerama installations that continue to preserve and show 35 mm prints, for example, the National Media Museum in Bradford, UK, shows it on the first Saturday of each month. The film's copyright status is unclear. It apparently fell into the public domain in 1980, 28 years after being filed for copyright, but some allege that it was renewed, erroneously, a matter of months after this expiration.
Cinerama
Cinerama is the trademarked name for a widescreen process which works by simultaneously projecting images from three synchronized 35 mm projectors onto a huge, deeply-curved screen, subtending 146° of arc. It is also the trademarked name for the corporation which was formed to market it...
, which broadens the aspect ratio
Aspect ratio (image)
The aspect ratio of an image is the ratio of the width of the image to its height, expressed as two numbers separated by a colon. That is, for an x:y aspect ratio, no matter how big or small the image is, if the width is divided into x units of equal length and the height is measured using this...
so the viewer's peripheral vision is involved. This is Cinerama premiered on 30 September 1952 at the New York Broadway theatre, in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
The film includes scenes of the roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
from Rockaways' Playland
Rockaways' Playland
Rockaways' Playland was an amusement park located on Beach 98th Street in Rockaway Beach in the Borough of Queens, New York City, at Beach 98 Street between Rockaway Beach Boulevard and the beachfront...
, then moves on to a scene of the temple dance from Aida
Aida
Aida sometimes spelled Aïda, is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni, based on a scenario written by French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette...
, views of Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...
, a Viennese choir, scenes of the canals of Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, a military tattoo in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, a bullfight, more from Aida, a sound demonstration in stereo
Stereophonic sound
The term Stereophonic, commonly called stereo, sound refers to any method of sound reproduction in which an attempt is made to create an illusion of directionality and audible perspective...
, scenes from the amusement park in Cypress Gardens, Florida
Cypress Gardens, Florida
Cypress Gardens is a census-designated place in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 8,844 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
for a water skiing
Water skiing
thumb|right|A slalom skier making a turn on a slalom waterski.Waterskiing is a sport where an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation on a body of water, skimming the surface.-History:...
sequence, and the playing of America the Beautiful
America the Beautiful
"America the Beautiful" is an American patriotic song. The lyrics were written by Katharine Lee Bates and the music composed by church organist and choirmaster Samuel A. Ward....
as scenes are shown from the nose of a low flying B-25
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
.
The film is narrated by travel writer and newscaster Lowell Thomas
Lowell Thomas
Lowell Jackson Thomas was an American writer, broadcaster, and traveler, best known as the man who made Lawrence of Arabia famous...
. The producers were Lowell Thomas
Lowell Thomas
Lowell Jackson Thomas was an American writer, broadcaster, and traveler, best known as the man who made Lawrence of Arabia famous...
, Merian C. Cooper
Merian C. Cooper
Merian Caldwell Cooper was an American aviator, United States Air Force and Polish Air Force officer, adventurer, screenwriter, and film director and producer. His most famous film was the 1933 movie King Kong.-Early life:...
, and Robert L. Bendick, directed by Bendick (and an uncredited Mike Todd, Jr.
Mike Todd, Jr.
Michael Todd Jr. was the son of movie producer and cinema pioneer Mike Todd and his first wife, Bertha Freshman Todd. He also a stepson of Elizabeth Taylor eventhough he was older than his famous stepmother through his father's third marriage. Todd Jr...
). Cooper had long experience with technical innovation in cinema, including King Kong
King Kong
King Kong is a fictional character, a giant movie monster resembling a gorilla, that has appeared in several movies since 1933. These include the groundbreaking 1933 movie, the film remakes of 1976 and 2005, as well as various sequels of the first two films...
.
This is Cinerama was nominated for an Academy Award
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
for Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture
Academy Award for Original Music Score
The Academy Award for Original Score is presented to the best substantial body of music in the form of dramatic underscoring written specifically for the film by the submitting composer.-Superlatives:...
. Although the score was credited to Louis Forbes, who conducted the music, it was composed by Paul Sawtell
Paul Sawtell
Paul Sawtell was a Polish-born film score composer in the United States.Sawtell began his career with RKO, and eventually joined Universal Pictures. Sawtell worked on many western and horror films, and also scored the Sherlock Holmes films The Pearl of Death and The Scarlet Claw. In the late...
, Max Steiner
Max Steiner
Max Steiner was an Austrian composer of music for theatre productions and films. He later became a naturalized citizen of the United States. Trained by the great classical music composers Brahms and Mahler, he was one of the first composers who primarily wrote music for motion pictures, and as...
(who composed the opening credit sequences, Cypress Gardens, the Flight Across America, and the End Credits) and Roy Webb
Roy Webb
Roy Webb was a film music composer.Webb has hundreds of composing credits to his name, mainly with RKO Pictures, and while most of the movies he scored were fairly light in content, he is today best known for his dark horror and film noir scores...
.
Because the new technology required a special setup of three projectors and multiple soundtracks, the film's distribution was also revolutionary. It was shown in a single theater in most cities, with reserved seats and lengthy runs - a distribution model known as a road show
Roadshow theatrical release
A roadshow theatrical release was a term in the American motion picture industry for a practice in which a film opened in a limited number of theaters in large cities like Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, Dallas, and San Francisco for a specific period of time before the...
.
There are currently no publicly available copies of the film in any format; the only way to see it in its entirety is in one of the three remaining 3-projector Cinerama installations that continue to preserve and show 35 mm prints, for example, the National Media Museum in Bradford, UK, shows it on the first Saturday of each month. The film's copyright status is unclear. It apparently fell into the public domain in 1980, 28 years after being filed for copyright, but some allege that it was renewed, erroneously, a matter of months after this expiration.