| It was the spring of 1975, Easter Sunday to be exact, when I first saw the movie EARTHQUAKE. Although the film had started November 15 (in those day there were still premier theaters), it took time to reach the suburbs, even in New York. |
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| BRINGING HOME THE RUMBLE |
| When the print ads appeared in the New York Daily New it quite proudly proclaimed that it was to be presented in the “startling new multi-dimension of SENSURROUND”. The ad proclaimed, “You Fell it as Well as See it!” |
| Entering the theater I was immediately struck by the sight of huge black rectangular structures, roughly the size of a small car, set up beneath the screen and standing on their ends in the back corners of the theater. |
| When the curtains parted – yes, there were curtains on the theater screens then too – the screen lit up with the following words, accompanied by a calm but authoritative male voice… |
| “Attention: This motion picture will be shown in the starling new multi-dimension of SENSURROUND. Please be aware that you will feel, as well as see and hear realistic effects such as might be experienced in an actual earthquake. The management assumes no responsibility for the physical, or emotional reactions of the individual viewer.” |
| Needless to say this sent the entire audience into a murmur of hushed excitement. It was also the perfect way to set up the needed nervousness and tension which mounts in expectation of California’s biggest earthquake in history. |
| Then about an hour into the film – it hit. |
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