8mm Forum: ROLLERCOASTER The Digest That Never Was

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Posted by Chris Fries (Member # 2719) on August 27, 2013, 02:53 PM:

Here's something I made a few years ago. A digest that never existed. It is my edit of what the U8 400' of 1977's "Rollercoaster" might have been.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eqLC6kaisQ

I have a question. Hopefully someone knows the answer.

U8 made digests up 'til 1981's "The Incredible Shrinking Woman". I was told "Rollercoaster" was only available as an optical feature. Why? Was it not popular?

All of the other Sensurround films were released as cut-downs. "Battlestar Galactica", "Earthquake" and "Midway". Why no "Rollercoater"?

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on August 27, 2013, 03:19 PM:

Chris, I STILL worry about your clips, but that was one of the BEST
edited films I have seen in a long time. I TOTALLY agree, a top
notch film, sadly neglected, probably because of the space operas
at the time, a very well done piece, I doff my cap to you Sir, Please
be careful.

Posted by Guy Taylor, Jr. (Member # 786) on August 27, 2013, 03:21 PM:

All releases from U8 were, of course, mono sound, so the sensaround part wouldn't be a marketing point. It would have made a great digest, though, because of the camera work, making you feel as you are riding the coaster. Fun movie featuring a young Helen Hunt.

Posted by Chris Fries (Member # 2719) on August 27, 2013, 04:15 PM:

Hugh,

Glad you like the video. Again, I thank you for your concern. The moment any video gets flagged, it will be removed. The "Rollercoaster" video has been up for six weeks. Not a pip form Universal or anyone. In fact, you can watch the whole movie if you want.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3xGIs_A-MU

Guy,

I wasn't thinking about Sensurround as a selling point for super 8. Just thought it was interesting that all the other ones except "Rolercoaster" were released as digests. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason.

Yes, Helen Hunt played George Segal's daughter. She did not make it into my edit. Neither did Henry Fonda. Then again, his character could have been completely removed from the original film and it would have made no difference.

Posted by James N. Savage 3 (Member # 83) on August 28, 2013, 05:47 AM:

Hey Chris- I look forward to watching this when I get off today. It would have been fun to have a digest of this.

By the way....

The amusement park in the beginning of the film is "Ocean View Amusement Park". It was in Norfolk, Va. (not far from Virginia Beach). I went there every year from about '65 to '77. A great old amusement park. It was completely destroyed in '78 after the filming of the made-for-TV movie "Death of Ocean View Park", which was made about a year after "Rollercoaster".

Just a little trivia [Wink]

James.

Posted by Guy Taylor, Jr. (Member # 786) on August 28, 2013, 06:01 AM:

Beautiful women are the most photogenic; followed with trains then amusement park rides.

Posted by Jean-Marc Toussaint (Member # 270) on August 29, 2013, 03:50 AM:

Great editing job, Chris. Why U8 chose not to release "Rolleroaster" as a digest is still a mystery to me. See my profile pic, I even made a dummy box for it.
Still one of my cult films, having worked for the park industry for nearly 20 years. Glad I own it in 16 (letterbox with good colours) and 35 (slightly fading, unfortunately).
There are a few scope 16mm prints out there. Most printed on Fuji stock shifting to purple.

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on August 29, 2013, 03:19 PM:

Would that Chris had been the editor on some of the releases.

Posted by Chris Fries (Member # 2719) on August 30, 2013, 12:46 AM:

Thank you, Hugh. That's very nice of you to say.

There are digests I've sold because they were edited poorly. The most incoherent 200' I've ever seen is "Escape from Astragard" from Disney's The Island at the Top of the World.

Maybe I'll take a crack at it. See if I can do better. [Smile]

Posted by David Ollerearnshaw (Member # 3296) on August 30, 2013, 02:39 AM:

Chris "Escape from Astragard" from Disney's The Island at the Top of the World. Disney also released a second 200ft titled "Flight Of The Hyperion". Edited together it was a little bit better.

In some ways Disney releases were poor. I think most if not all were not digests, just selected scene(s). Things improved when they released a second extract and you could edit them to make a 400ft.

Saying that it was good to have them for home screens. I think they worked better if you compiled a entertainment reel and had other films in there.

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