Earthquake.......Part 3 ???

[Melvin England]

On Ebay UK, someone has listed a 400'er as "Earthquake Part 3." Looking at the photo's, the side of the box quite clearly has a factory produced "Part 3" sticker on it which is consistent with several other films I have that do have a legitimate "part 3" to them.

I always thought that Earthquake was only ever released as a 1x 400' on super 8 ? The box certainly looks like the normal 400'. Is there something I don't know about or will this be an error ?

[Carter Bradley]

Hi Melvin, Like you, I am only aware of Universal 8's 400' digest and 100' "Great Scenes: The Destruction of L.A." reels released in English in the USA, and various other languages elsewhere.

[Osi Osgood]

Melvin, can you put up a photo of the box? I'm curious as to whether there are some differences to the box. Also, does the 100ft version have some additional footage that can added to the 400ft?

[David Baker]

Hey Osi - went to the UK site but didn't see an " EARTHQUAKE " 400' er Melvin was talking about . In fact all I saw was 2 of the USA box 400' er and one of the picture Carter posted . And not one of them had a side shot either .

[Melvin England]

David - I can't put a link on this forum, but if you type Earthquake (Charlton Heston) PART 3 - Super 8 Colour Sound Cine Film 400 Series you should be able to see it as that is the complete heading. It is the last photo.

Osi - The photo looks to be the one that Carter kindly displayed.

Carter - Silly me ! I totally forgot about the 100' version that is also available. Thank you for reminding me.

[Mark Mander]

It looks like the artwork was stuck onto a Derann feature box hence the part 3,Mark

[Carter Bradley]

Hi Osi, The 100' version does not contain any material not already in the 400' version. In fact, the 100' reel edits together the initial earthquake with later scenes of the bursting of the Hollywood dam. By the way, all of the color 100' films from Universal 8 I have seen would make great candidates for David's "Red Print Cinema!"

[Bill Phelps]

I have the 100’ version, it is red and I use it as a test film when I am working on a newly acquired projector.

[Osi Osgood]

Is it in "Sensuround"? (Inside joke for those who were "there")!

[Carter Bradley]

Hi Osi, Just turn up the bass on your projector and jump up and down in your seat and you have just recreated "Sensuround." (Lol). I seem to remember that being a very short-lived projection process back in '74. Wasn't Universal's "Midway" also shown in theatres equipped with the additional speakers needed for "Sensuround?"

[Douglas Meltzer]

Earthquake, Midway, Rollercoaster, Battlestar Galactica & Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack were released in Sensurround. I wondered if they hired people to shake your cars if you saw it a drive-in.

[Osi Osgood]

The "Mission Galactica" film was released in 78, so it was around at least until then, soon to be replaced by Dolby Surround. Actually, "Rollercoaster" would be a perfect title for Sensuround! BTW, the super 8 trailer, a long and good one, for "Mission Galactica" has, in big letters .... " In Sensuround!"

[Mark Barton]

Looking carefully at the sellers pictures....Its only 400', the film has lost its plastic box and the owner has popped it in a derann card slip case, obviously from a derann feature. This is definitely the 400 footer only. I know UFA in Germany did many 2 and 3 reel versions of US 400ft versions, ie The Deep we could only get on 400ft, but UFA released it as a 2 x 400ft.

[Mark Barton]

Ive emailed the seller, lets see if they respond.

[Brian Fretwell]

I believe Sensurround was achieved by a control track or marker on the film triggering witching on extra amplifiers and the "bar" of bass speakers at the front and pods at the back of the auditorium. I went to compare the effect between a Galactica film and the 70mm Star Wars (Dolby 4.1) to see which was best.
I also transferred what I thought were the Sensurround sequences on the Super 8 Galactica Cut downs to the balance track and played from a Eumig 926 stereo with 2 12" bass units fed from an external 2x30w amp with bass full up to try to get the effect at home.
I never got the Earthquake 400ft to try it with that.