By Michael Lyons
"Somewhere in the crowd is a killer who can turn their smiles into screams." - Original movie poster for Rollercoaster
This tag line for Rollercoaster sums up the film, sets the stage for this thriller perfectly, and reflects the decade in which it was made. Emerging from a period of disaster movies and into an era where summer movies would reign supreme, Rollercoaster was lost in the "Star Wars summer" of 1977 but has emerged in the forty-five years since its release as a highly entertaining film.
In Rollercoaster, Timothy Bottoms stars as a mysterious unnamed man who is terrorizing amusement parks by planting explosive devices on the tracks of rollercoasters. After detonating one in the film's shocking opener, the authorities begin an investigation.
This brings in safety inspector Harry Calder (George Segal), who the mysterious bomber begins communicating with. Harry gets pulled into the investigation and caught between the FBI and the anonymous psychopath.
Rollercoaster unfurls, not in an action-packed manner, but instead like a tightly-wound thriller, effectively directed by James Goldstone. The destruction of the roller coaster in the opening sequence is staged in a disquieting, gripping way that immediately pulls the audience into the film.
Later scenes in the film, including one where the bomber communicates with Calder via an earpiece and forces him to make his way through a litany of rides in an amusement park, and another moment near the end of the film, where a S.W.A.T. team attempts to disarm a bomb, unfurl with Hitchcock-like tension.
Adding to these sequences is that Rollercoaster filmed much of the film on location at amusement parks like Virginia's Kings Dominion (where Hanna-Barbera's costumed characters make several cameos) and California's Magic Mountain (the film's gripping July 4th climax).
Through it all, Segal gives an excellent, "everyman" performance, adding a dose of great, cynical humor and sparring with the film's authority figures (and Hollywood acting legends), such as his boss, Simon (Henry Fonda in an extended cameo) and FBI Agent Hoyt (Richard Widmark, as grizzled perfection).
Rollercoaster opened on June 10, 1977, and was released in "Sensurround." This short-lived sound system from Universal Studios was introduced with 1974's Earthquake. With "Sensurround," large sound speakers were installed in theaters that would enhance the sound in certain scenes of the film through a variety of technical methods, creating louder sounds that the audience would "feel," as well as hear, and would surround the movie goer, as well.
During specific sequences in Rollercoaster involving, the rollercoasters featured in the film, the audience would get the sensation of riding the rollercoaster with the characters, thanks to the booming audio trickery of "Sensurround."
Creating an "experience" for moviegoers, coupled with the setting of amusement parks, Rollercoaster seems as if it would have been just what summer movie audiences wanted. But, in June of '77, Star Wars seemingly steamrolled over all other competition at the box office.
This, coupled with mixed to negative reviews from critics, led to a modest box-office success (and eventually Universal eventually got out of the "Sensurround" business).
It was showings on cable and home video in subsequent years that led to a following for Rollercoaster, particularly from film fans who are aficionados of this era of film.
If it has slipped off or has never been on your radar (particularly as a movie that themes perfectly for summer), celebrate the forty-fifth anniversary of Rollercoaster by pressing "play," then lower the lap bar, keep your arms inside the car at all times and enjoy the ride!
Enjoy more of my articles and podcasts at Words From Lyons !
My new book, Drawn to Greatness: Disney's Animation Renaissance is now available on Amazon!
No comments:
Post a Comment