Movie gimmick
Encyclopedia
A movie gimmick is an unusual idea intended to enhance the viewing experience of a film, and thus increase box office
sales. Many of these have been used for just a few films, proving unpopular with either audiences or cinema owners. Smell-o-vision
, which involved releasing relevant odours during the film, only appeared in the film Scent of Mystery
as audiences did not enjoy the experience. Sensurround
, a method for enhancing sound pioneered for the 1974 film Earthquake
, was abandoned as it sometimes resulted in damage to movie theatres. Other 'gimmicks' have gradually become more common in cinema, as technology has improved. Examples include 3-D film
and the use of split screen, which was originally achieved through the use of dual projectors in cinemas.
director William Castle
had a particular reputation for gimmicks, being termed 'King of the Gimmicks' by James Waters. For the 1959 film The Tingler
, which concerns a creature growing at the base of the spine that can only be killed by screaming, some cinemas installed vibrating devices in the seats which were activated at random during one of the film's scenes, with a voice encouraging the audience to "Scream - scream for your lives." For the 1960 film 13 Ghosts
, the onscreen ghosts could either be seen or hidden by the viewer through the use of different coloured cellophane.
Box office
A box office is a place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through an unblocked hole through a wall or window, or at a wicket....
sales. Many of these have been used for just a few films, proving unpopular with either audiences or cinema owners. Smell-o-vision
Smell-o-vision
Smell-O-Vision was a system that released odor during the projection of a film so that the viewer could "smell" what was happening in the movie. The technique was created by Hans Laube and made its only appearance in the 1960 film Scent of Mystery, produced by Mike Todd, Jr., son of film producer...
, which involved releasing relevant odours during the film, only appeared in the film Scent of Mystery
Scent of Mystery
Scent of Mystery is a 1960 mystery film that featured the one and only use of Smell-O-Vision, a system that timed odors to points in the film's plot. It was the first film in which aromas were integral to the story, providing important details to the audience...
as audiences did not enjoy the experience. Sensurround
Sensurround
Sensurround is the trademark name for a process developed in the 1970s by Cerwin-Vega in conjunction with Universal Studios to enhance the audio experience during film screenings...
, a method for enhancing sound pioneered for the 1974 film Earthquake
Earthquake (film)
Earthquake is a 1974 American disaster film that achieved huge box-office success, continuing the disaster film genre of the 1970s where recognizable all-star casts attempt to survive life or death situations...
, was abandoned as it sometimes resulted in damage to movie theatres. Other 'gimmicks' have gradually become more common in cinema, as technology has improved. Examples include 3-D film
3-D film
A 3-D film or S3D film is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception...
and the use of split screen, which was originally achieved through the use of dual projectors in cinemas.
William Castle
Horror filmHorror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
director William Castle
William Castle
William Castle was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. Castle was known for directing films with many gimmicks which were ambitiously promoted, despite being reasonably low budget B-movies....
had a particular reputation for gimmicks, being termed 'King of the Gimmicks' by James Waters. For the 1959 film The Tingler
The Tingler
The Tingler is a 1959 horror-thriller film by American producer/director William Castle. It is the third of five collaborations with writer Robb White and stars Vincent Price, Darryl Hickman, Patricia Cutts, Pamela Lincoln, Philip Coolidge and Judith Evelyn.The film tells the story of a scientist...
, which concerns a creature growing at the base of the spine that can only be killed by screaming, some cinemas installed vibrating devices in the seats which were activated at random during one of the film's scenes, with a voice encouraging the audience to "Scream - scream for your lives." For the 1960 film 13 Ghosts
13 Ghosts
13 Ghosts is a 1960 horror film directed by William Castle and written by Robb White. To the dismay of some of the cast members, Castle gave top billing to 12-year-old Charles Herbert. It was remade in 2001 under the title of Thirteen Ghosts, directed by Steve Beck.-Plot:When occultist uncle Dr...
, the onscreen ghosts could either be seen or hidden by the viewer through the use of different coloured cellophane.