1952 - THIS IS CINERAMA , first film in the Cinerama process

This film that introduced the widescreen Cinerama process to the public complete with an enhanced soundtrack.  John Ford's producer Meriam C. Cooper was involved in the process along with journalist Lowell Thomas who provided the introduction and was the narrator throughout the film.

Obviously no home screen television set up can compete with the Cinerama film going experience so the viewer has to somewhat imagine what it must have been like to see the film in the theater thanks to a formatting process called "smilevision"  essentially a curved picture.

The film itself gets off to a slow start after a point of view roller coaster ride.  The viewer has to sit through scenes of a boys choir singing Ave Marie and an excerpt from the opera Aida.  All very dull stuff

Finally after the intermission things kick up a considerable notch.  A water skiing show at Cypress Gardens and some impressive shots of the canals of Venice and a bullfight in Spain.  The film finishes up with a dramatic fly over of the American West.

This Is Cinerama is probably of interest as a period piece then and actual film.  As the filmmakers got used to working with the widescreen process  and the Cinerama films got better.

Running time 115 minutes.