Pictorium intro

General discussion about Marriott's GREAT AMERICA
Post Reply
akorbel
Gulf Coaster
Posts: 18
Joined: Sat Jul 16, 2005 1:41 pm
Location: San Jose

Pictorium intro

Post by akorbel »

I remember at the Pictorium that before the featured movie began they would play a Marriott's Great America intro clip that made it look like you were a passenger on some of the rollercoasters. It was pretty cool, sometimes more fun than the actual movie LOL! I still think the Pictorium was more impressive than the newer domed IMAX theaters.
User avatar
steven
Site Admin
Posts: 553
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2005 9:12 pm
Contact:

Post by steven »

I did not see that intro. I wonder if it was taken from footage for the IMAX film that Marriott had made. I think it was called "An American Adventure" or something like that. I never saw that film, but I understand that it did include some footage from one of the park's coasters.

Steven
akorbel
Gulf Coaster
Posts: 18
Joined: Sat Jul 16, 2005 1:41 pm
Location: San Jose

Post by akorbel »

Hey Steven,

As I recall it seems like some of it was filmed on the Whizzer and on Turn of the Century. I remember it showed a couple of coasters and also footage of Sky Whirl. Maybe I'm confusing it with something else now? Definitely I remember coasters though and I think a split screen perspective at some point, the view was split four ways I think Whizzer, Turn of the Century, Sky Tower and Sky Whirl. It was so long ago I could totally be off though.
User avatar
steven
Site Admin
Posts: 553
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2005 9:12 pm
Contact:

Post by steven »

Hi,

They very likely did have the intro that you mention. I just didn't see it. I imagine that while they were making that Marriott IMAX film, they probably took more footage of more rides than what went into the actual film. They could have used some of that to put together the brief feature that you remember.

I found a little dab of information on the IMAX film that Marriott had made especially for the parks here:
http://www.bigmoviezone.com/filmsearch/ ... l?uniq=129

According to that site, this film came out in 1981. I never saw the film, but would like to see it now! Somehow, I don't think it will be an easy find.

Steven
User avatar
ewilson
Yankee Clipper
Posts: 52
Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2005 5:20 pm
Location: Las Vegas
Contact:

IMAX films

Post by ewilson »

I worked in the Pictorium the first year it was open. I remember that the film being shown was "Man Belongs to the Earth". There were only 3 films in IMAX format out at the time; "MBttE" "To Fly", "Speed". There was defintely no trailer run during the MBttE" showings. I do remember in following years that they alternated movies (which ran every 45 min.) between "To Fly" and "American Adventure".

An interesting side note: The IMAX company in Canada had no big screen setup at thier facility in thier first few years. So to do final editing and showings of the films, they had to come to the Santa Clara park to do all final work on films at night when the park was closed.
User avatar
JW65
Tidal Wave
Posts: 229
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2005 10:26 am
Location: Chicago NW Suburbs

Post by JW65 »

Does anyone remember the name of a movie they showed at the Pictorium that was 3D ? I remember wearing 3D glasses during one of the shows at the Pictorium. I know this was during the Marriott ownership.
User avatar
steven
Site Admin
Posts: 553
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2005 9:12 pm
Contact:

Post by steven »

Was it "The Last Buffalo"?

Steven
User avatar
BrianPlencner
Tidal Wave
Posts: 209
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2005 8:07 pm
Location: Carpentersville, IL

Post by BrianPlencner »

"The Last Buffalo" was the movie, but I thought that was shown after Six Flags took over. I'll have to check tonight when I get home from work and see. I'm missing a few years of guidebooks / maps from the Gurnee park, but I know I have the one from the year "The Last Buffalo" played.


EDIT: Home from work, so I wanted to add that "The Last Buffalo" was shown in the Gurnee Pictorium during the 1991 Season, according to the 1991 Park Guide.
===========================================
Mr. Brian Plencner
SFGAm Employee: 1988-1992
User avatar
Joe
Buzzy Bee
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Aug 07, 2005 12:14 pm

Post by Joe »

At the end of the 1980 season in Gurnee, I was asked to "fill in" at the Pictorium, beyond my regular hours in ShowOps. I was given a speech to read before the movie started that included the text, "The screen you see before you measures...".

As I only did this a few times at the end of the season, I never did memorize the speech. Does anyone remember the complete text?

-Joe
Gurnee casts of "Country Music Time!" and "Music! Music! Music!"
User avatar
redfishpaw
Tidal Wave
Posts: 510
Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2005 9:58 am
Location: Milwaukee
Contact:

Post by redfishpaw »

akorbel wrote:Hey Steven,

As I recall it seems like some of it was filmed on the Whizzer and on Turn of the Century. I remember it showed a couple of coasters and also footage of Sky Whirl. Maybe I'm confusing it with something else now? Definitely I remember coasters though and I think a split screen perspective at some point, the view was split four ways I think Whizzer, Turn of the Century, Sky Tower and Sky Whirl. It was so long ago I could totally be off though.
I remember this as well. I think that one of the coasters was the Eagle, and I also recall the Tidal Wave. The clips were pretty cool. I hope that someone can find them.
copout
Buzzy Bee
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Dec 08, 2005 11:24 pm
Location: Near Great America, Gurnee, IL

Post by copout »

Pictorium speech to the best of my memory after working there from 1989-1991 (omg has is been 14 years already?):

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Pictorium, home of the world's largest indoor cinema experience. The screen you see before you measures 72 feet tall by 96 feet wide, and is made of one continuous sheet of material. The IMAX projections sytstem utilizes a film format three times the size of standard 70 millimeter film, and runs horizontally through the projector, resulting in the crystal clear image you are about to witness.

For the comfort and safety of those around you, we ask that you please refrain from smoking, the use of flash photography, and videotaping.

And now, Six Flags Great America, along with the greater Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana Chevy dealers, are proud to present (name of film here).
User avatar
retlawfan
Yankee Clipper
Posts: 79
Joined: Fri Dec 16, 2005 12:38 am
Location: Gilroy, CA

Post by retlawfan »

I asked my wife, who worked as a Pictorium hostess 1990-1993 in Santa Clara, and she came up with:

Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Pictorium, home of the world's largest motion picture experience, and this showing of Flyers.

The screen which stands before you measures 70 feet tall, by 96 feet wide, and is made of one continuous piece of material.

The projection system itself uses film 3 times the size of the standard 70 millimeter film, and uses a water cooled, xenon, projection system.

For the comfort and safety of others, please refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, and flash photography.

If you need to exit during the performance, please ask one of our hosts or hostesses to assist you.

At the end of the performance, please exit to your left.

And now, Great America proudly presents, Flyers.


(BTW. I spent a lot of time watching Flyers. Anyone know where I could get a copy of it?)
User avatar
ewilson
Yankee Clipper
Posts: 52
Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2005 5:20 pm
Location: Las Vegas
Contact:

Post by ewilson »

The posting above this is very close to the one we used in SC when the Pictorium first opened.

Except..
The name of the film was "Man Belongs to the Earth",

"World's largest motion pictrue SCREEN"

There was no mention of water cooled, xenon, or one continuous piece of material. (I did once add "and it is filled with billions of little holes")
User avatar
retlawfan
Yankee Clipper
Posts: 79
Joined: Fri Dec 16, 2005 12:38 am
Location: Gilroy, CA

Post by retlawfan »

(I did once add "and it is filled with billions of little holes")

I like that part! How true!
Post Reply