SENSURROUND
I love Cinemateket.
ATTENTION!
This motion picture will be shown in the startling new multi-dimension of
SENSURROUND
Please be aware that you will feel as well as see and hear realistic effects such as might be experienced in an actual earthquake. The management assumes no responsibility for the physical or emotional reactions of the individual viewer.
Now that's a warning, you guys.
Sensurround is a sound system that Universal developed especially for Earthquake. They wanted the film to be an event, they wanted it to have something special that would get people to go see it again and again. So they developed this sound system which basically involves a whole lot of speakers pumping out low frequency bass at 120 decibels. This makes it feel like the theatre is shaking (though it's actually more like a strong vibrating sensation) .... apparently Universal also considered other gimmicks, like having random debris fall on the audience during screening, but this was scrapped (how amazing would this have been, though hahaha). When Earthquake originally premiered at Colosseum Kino in Norway back when it was released, the theatre's ceiling had visible damage from the sound waves.
Earthquake won an Oscar for best sound design in 1975.
Sensurround has only been used in a handful of films, but was originally meant to be widely used. Gimmicks die hard. This is a gimmick I feel should have been allowed to prosper, though. It's far more entertaining than 3D screenings, for instance. Also you don't have to wear anything silly or pay anything extra, and the image is neither blurry, annoying, or 20% darker than other screenings! What a concept!
Apparently only a few original sensurround systems still remain, Cinemateket hired in technicians to recreate the original system. They nailed it.
In addition to recreating this extreme gimmick, Cinemateket also screened the film in its original 70mm format. And they only scheduled one screening. Tickets were completely sold out, they had to do a head count before starting the film, just to make sure that there really wasn't room for anyone else.
AND THIS FILM.
I didn't really know anything about it before the credits started rolling. Soundtrack by John Williams, screenplay by Mario Puzo, stars like Charlton Heston? What. How was this completely unknown to me? And of course it's a disaster film, which makes it right up my alley. I love disaster films. I didn't know if the gimmick would get in the way of my appreciation, I was fully prepared for the actual film to be quite forgettable, but I was so wrong on that one. This film had it all! Absolutely amazing effect shots too. Great use of miniatures, stock photography, matte paintings, elaborate sets :D Physical effects ♥
The cast of characters was great, and such a wide variety of characters too. The film moves between different story lines as we follow the various characters through this disaster. The film is absolutely worth a watch even if you don't have access to the sensurround experience. It is filled with humorous moments as well, I had a good couple of laughs at probably completely inappropriate moments.
The sensurround didn't actually kick in until quite far into the film. I had almost forgotten about the gimmick when it suddenly hit me like a brick to the face. The build up to the inevitable earthquake is marvelously done too. You watch all the pieces fall into place, and it just hits you; "this is it. It's going to happen now". The sensurround is actually a separate soundtrack, which is basically on or off. It is a pseudo-random noise generator. So that's what you're hit with. A wall of noise and sound waves. It was ... something. I don't really know how to describe it. You certainly feel it in your ears. It feels as if the whole room is shaking. My hair started flailing about randomly. And my eyes watered up. Reading up on sensurround now, I see that the system also caused nosebleeds during original screenings. Good times.
Did it add anything to the viewing experience? Well, the first sensurround sequence was actually very long. I have no clue how long exactly, but it felt like a good 10~15 minutes maybe. In the beginning I was just blown away by what I was sensing, so I couldn't focus too much on what was going on, but the on screen action was just random chaos as well, since it was the big earthquake scene. It definitely made things a lot more suspenseful and urgent. It didn't feel anything like a real earthquake, but that's a completely different story.
I had a whale of a time, and I'm really glad I was able to experience it!
I am sad to learn that Earthquake: The Big One, which was a ride at Universal Studios, has been closed down/revamped. I was lucky enough to ride the original ride when I visited the park back in 2001. I didn't know anything about the film then, of course, but I have vivid memories of this ride, because it scared the living daylights out of me :D
ATTENTION!
This motion picture will be shown in the startling new multi-dimension of
SENSURROUND
Please be aware that you will feel as well as see and hear realistic effects such as might be experienced in an actual earthquake. The management assumes no responsibility for the physical or emotional reactions of the individual viewer.
Now that's a warning, you guys.
Sensurround is a sound system that Universal developed especially for Earthquake. They wanted the film to be an event, they wanted it to have something special that would get people to go see it again and again. So they developed this sound system which basically involves a whole lot of speakers pumping out low frequency bass at 120 decibels. This makes it feel like the theatre is shaking (though it's actually more like a strong vibrating sensation) .... apparently Universal also considered other gimmicks, like having random debris fall on the audience during screening, but this was scrapped (how amazing would this have been, though hahaha). When Earthquake originally premiered at Colosseum Kino in Norway back when it was released, the theatre's ceiling had visible damage from the sound waves.
Earthquake won an Oscar for best sound design in 1975.
Sensurround has only been used in a handful of films, but was originally meant to be widely used. Gimmicks die hard. This is a gimmick I feel should have been allowed to prosper, though. It's far more entertaining than 3D screenings, for instance. Also you don't have to wear anything silly or pay anything extra, and the image is neither blurry, annoying, or 20% darker than other screenings! What a concept!
Apparently only a few original sensurround systems still remain, Cinemateket hired in technicians to recreate the original system. They nailed it.
In addition to recreating this extreme gimmick, Cinemateket also screened the film in its original 70mm format. And they only scheduled one screening. Tickets were completely sold out, they had to do a head count before starting the film, just to make sure that there really wasn't room for anyone else.
AND THIS FILM.
I didn't really know anything about it before the credits started rolling. Soundtrack by John Williams, screenplay by Mario Puzo, stars like Charlton Heston? What. How was this completely unknown to me? And of course it's a disaster film, which makes it right up my alley. I love disaster films. I didn't know if the gimmick would get in the way of my appreciation, I was fully prepared for the actual film to be quite forgettable, but I was so wrong on that one. This film had it all! Absolutely amazing effect shots too. Great use of miniatures, stock photography, matte paintings, elaborate sets :D Physical effects ♥
The cast of characters was great, and such a wide variety of characters too. The film moves between different story lines as we follow the various characters through this disaster. The film is absolutely worth a watch even if you don't have access to the sensurround experience. It is filled with humorous moments as well, I had a good couple of laughs at probably completely inappropriate moments.
The sensurround didn't actually kick in until quite far into the film. I had almost forgotten about the gimmick when it suddenly hit me like a brick to the face. The build up to the inevitable earthquake is marvelously done too. You watch all the pieces fall into place, and it just hits you; "this is it. It's going to happen now". The sensurround is actually a separate soundtrack, which is basically on or off. It is a pseudo-random noise generator. So that's what you're hit with. A wall of noise and sound waves. It was ... something. I don't really know how to describe it. You certainly feel it in your ears. It feels as if the whole room is shaking. My hair started flailing about randomly. And my eyes watered up. Reading up on sensurround now, I see that the system also caused nosebleeds during original screenings. Good times.
Did it add anything to the viewing experience? Well, the first sensurround sequence was actually very long. I have no clue how long exactly, but it felt like a good 10~15 minutes maybe. In the beginning I was just blown away by what I was sensing, so I couldn't focus too much on what was going on, but the on screen action was just random chaos as well, since it was the big earthquake scene. It definitely made things a lot more suspenseful and urgent. It didn't feel anything like a real earthquake, but that's a completely different story.
I had a whale of a time, and I'm really glad I was able to experience it!
I am sad to learn that Earthquake: The Big One, which was a ride at Universal Studios, has been closed down/revamped. I was lucky enough to ride the original ride when I visited the park back in 2001. I didn't know anything about the film then, of course, but I have vivid memories of this ride, because it scared the living daylights out of me :D