Posted by Neil at 209.245.186.235 on August 17, 2001 at 12:52:44:
In Reply to: Actually, TV's aspect ratio was made before...... posted by Sean D on August 17, 2001 at 07:46:56:
: Widescreen. When TV first came out the film industry was afraid that people would stop going out to movie theatres so they tried a bunch of gimmicks. Most of them where stupid like psycho-rama and smell-o-vision but widescreen was a success. I sugest you go rent the first widescreen movie "The Robe", but of course its only available in pan and scan.
You are basically correct, but I don't understand how it hits into the conversation exactly.
Before 1954 there were less than a half dozen widescreen movies and only, I think, one of any significance. Up until the advent of television, it had also been a failed experiment.
Most of the gimmicks you mention are the kind of William Castle carnival barker style promotions that were specific to the movie being sold. They were not intended to catch on in general or save the industry. I think 3-D is the only one aside from widescreen that the industry hoped would bear that kind of weight.