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"The Miracle of Todd-AO"
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This article first appeared in
..in 70mm
The 70mm Newsletter |
Credits assembled by: Thomas Hauerslev |
Issue 46 - September 1996 |
Original title: The Miracle of Todd-AO. Unofficial
Danish title: "Rutschebaneturen". Additional titles: Het
wonder van Todd-AO (Netherland), Wunder von Todd-AO (Germany). Filmed
in: 65mm, 5 perforations, 30 frames per second. Principal
cinematography filmed in: Todd-AO. Presented in: 70mm. Aspect
ratio: 2,21:1. Country of origin: USA. Year of production:
February - April 1956. Released by: Magna Theatre Corporation. World
premiere: April/May 1956, Rivoli
Theatre, New York, USA. London
premiere: April 21, 1958, Dominion Theatre. Danish premiere, cinema
and showtime: Copenhagen, 3 Falke
Bio, 24.10.1958, 19:30 (7:30 PM).
Producer:
Louis de Rochemont. Director: Capt. Juan C. Hutchinson. Screenplay:
There were no script. Only an outline of sequences. Director of
photography: Haskel Boggs, ASC, Ray Fernstrom, ASC, William Mellor, ASC
and Gayne Rescher, ASC. Film editor: Peter Ratkevich. Music: Morton
Gould. Sound: Fred Bosch. Cast (role): No actors were involved
in the filming, but several young ski enthusiasts from Iceland, France and
Sun Vally Ski Patrol participated in the 3-week shoot in Sun Vally, Idaho. Narration:
In Danish in Denmark. Production company: Produced in Todd- AO for
Magna Theatre Corporation (George P. Skouras). Production assistant:
Louis de Rochemont III (Ski sequence (Idaho) and roller coaster at Ocean
Park (California)). Concept and scenario: Louis de Rochemont &
George P. Skouras. Music conductor: Jack Shaindlin. Orchestrations:
Jack Shaindlin. Sound mixer: Fred Hynes, Todd-AO, Los Angeles. Sound
system: The location sound was recorded in 1-track mono and
electronically spread out to a 6-track mix. Music recorded in 6- channels in
Los Angeles. Original soundtrack: Not available.
Locations (by
sequences): Cinema entrance. Todd-AO mixing and recording. The
Todd-AO Corporation research. California (1 minute 20 seconds).
[Roller] Coaster: Scene: E-1002 Take 1. Director: Capt. Juan C.
Hutchison. Cameraman: Ray Fernstrom, ASC. Date: March 30, 1956 (2 minutes 11
seconds). Ocean Park Pier (by Circus Gardens Dancing) Los Angeles,
California, USA. Flying: Scene: 1000 Take 1. Director: Capt. Juan C.
Hutchison. Cameraman: Haskel Boggs, ASC. Date: April 2, 1956 (2 minutes 4
seconds). Grand Tetons, Snake River, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Ski:
Scene: 24-4. Director: Capt. Juan C. Hutchison. Cameraman: Gayne Rescher.
Date March 5, 1956 - March 18, 1956 (3 minutes 45 seconds). Sun Vally,
Idaho. San Francisco Police: Scene: 1001 Take 1. Director: Capt. Juan
C. Hutchison. Cameraman: Haskel Boggs, ASC. Date: February 23, 1956 (1
minute 53 seconds). 101 Freeway from San Raphael to San Francisco and on
corner of Leavenworth and Filbert Street in San Francisco, California, USA.
B-25
pilot: Paul Mantz. Main title design: John Halas of Halas
& Batchelor, London. Todd-AO developers: American Optical
Company and Magna Theatre Corporation. Filmed with: One Todd-AO
Mitchell camera with 128’ lens. Filmstock: 65mm Eastman color. 70mm
running time: 11 minutes 20 seconds. 486 metres. 1594 feet. Distributor:
Magna Theatre Corporation, USA. Danish distributor: 1958 - 1967: 20th
Century Fox. 1967 - : Athena Film. Danish censor/number: Red (No one
under age 12 admitted), 23.10.1958. Number 62984. 490 metres (1608 feet).
Price DKK 14,70. Notes about the filming: Two friends of Capt. Juan
C. Hutchison supplied the shrieks during Roller Coaster sequence. Red truck
at the end of the film owned by C. R. Skinner, 239 Grant Avenue, San
Francisco.
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Further in 70mm reading:
in70mm.com's Todd-AO Page
"Miracle"'s
Final review of 1956
The March of Todd-AO
Cinespace 70
..in Cinerama
"Renault Dauphine" Tentative shooting script
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Synopsis
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Crew
of "The Miracle of Todd-AO in Sun Valley. Louis de Rochemont III is see to
the left
A short film demonstrating the Todd-AO
system. A prologue that presents all that the eye can see through the
Todd-AO wide angle lens. Join in the excitement of a wild roller-coaster
ride. Fly through canyons of the Grand Teton Mountains. Ski through Sun
Vallys breath- taking slopes. Follow the thrilling motorcycle chase over San
Francisco hills.
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Various
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Official credits for this short film does not
exist. Louis de Rochemont III interviewed by Willem Bouwmeester and Thomas
Hauerslev in September 1995 in Olso, Norway. It was a very small crew. Mr
Fred Bosch is said to have taken part in the Los Angeles filming. The
Todd-AO Corporation have the 65mm negative stored in Hollywood, California,
USA. "Bug Eye" Eyemo was used one day at end of filming Ski
Sequence. Quality was not good enough. Wallace Chewning, ASC made the 65mm
camera swing mount for sledge in Sun Vally.
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More
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Louis
de Rochemont III and the Todd-AO camera in Sun Valley, Idaho
American Cinematographer July 1956.
"Ray Fernstrom, ASC and William
Mellor, ASC, recently photographed sequences for a special 12-minute short
subject, "The Miracle of Todd-AO" which demonstrates the
audience- participation powers of the Todd-AO wide film cameras. The Todd-AO
company has long desired to show the industry and the public that its
one-projector, widely-curved screen process is fully capable of all the
thriller performances of other super- wide-screen processes. The film will
be shown as a companion subject with all future screenings of
"Oklahoma!".
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05-01-25 |
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