This Is Cinerama
| This Is Cinerama | |
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| Directed by | Merian C. Cooper |
| Produced by |
Robert L. Bendick Merian C. Cooper |
| Starring | Lowell Thomas |
| Music by | Miklós Rózsa |
| Cinematography | Harry Squire |
| Edited by | William Henry Milton Shifman |
| Distributed by | Cinerama Releasing Corp. |
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Release date
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Running time
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115 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $12.5 million (est. US/ Canada rentals) |
This is Cinerama is a 1952 full-length film designed to introduce the 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 begins in black-and-white and in standard 4:3 aspect ratio, as travel writer and newscaster Lowell Thomas appears on screen to discuss the evolution of motion picture entertainment, from the earliest cave paintings designed to suggest movement, up to the introduction of color and sound. At the conclusion of the 12-minute lecture, Thomas speaks the words "This is Cinerama" and the screen expands into the full Cinerama aspect ratio and colour as a series of vignettes, narrated by Thomas begin.
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 performance by a church choir (out of pace with the rest of the film, this segment is shot in black and white), a performance by the Vienna Boys' Choir, scenes of the canals of Venice, a military tattoo in Edinburgh, a bullfight, more from Aida, a sound demonstration in stereo, scenes from Cypress Gardens amusement park including a water skiing show, and includes the singing of "America the Beautiful", "Come, Come Ye Saints", and the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir as scenes are shown from the nose of a low flying B-25.
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