1977 Rollercoaster movie question

This is a really interesting thread considering I've kinda pondered this myself. I saw Rollercoaster when I was fairly young and remember the opening scene with the rocket to be disturbing and gruesome. I rememeber gore and limbs hanging out. Watched it again a few years ago and there's really just the crash and the second car flipping over with obvious what look like stuffed animal like dummies folding under the car.

Figued I was just a youngster and had put the grue in with my imagination. If this is the case and there are multiple versions - guess I wasn't imagining things. Hopefully this can be restored considering all the lame movies that are getting deluxe DVD releases, this movie has a bit of a cult following.

Always hear folks bringing this up in lines for coasters. Most of generation x and back have seen it.

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Could it be that you saw an early release, or that television inadvertently played the other version of the film? Sounds to me like the authoritative cut was the one that snipped out the excess gore.

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The full version that I saw of Rollercoaster was on Showtime (which is a movie channel like HBO). I saw it in 1979 and again in 1996. The movie had the full gory play out as did the theater version. And many of the other movie's scenes were also longer on Showtime.

I understand about why television edits things to death. They do that with many shows as well and other movies even made for TV movies. The version I own has less edited scenes than what the local TV versions offered but not quite a full version to what Showtime offered. If that makes any sense?

So, from that, I'm guessing there's a full version out there that is on dvd.

Yeah, I recall seeing Midway, in Sensurround. Star Wars came out that year and wasn't that in sensurround in some areas as well?

Many of the previously mentioned movies were part of the first series of disaster movies made in the 1970's.

The Poseidon Adventure with Stella Stvens, Rodney Mcdowell, Ernest Borgnine, and Gene Hackman, was the first of that Genre. Then came Earkquake in '74, Towering Inferno, Airport '75 and so on. I think the best one was the Poseidon which is even better IMO than the most recent remake TV movie that aired a few nights ago.

For you younguns I recommend renting these and Rollercoaster. It'll give you a taste on what that movie era was like and how influencial the disaster movies have had on today's movies.

CoasterLisa (A feeling very old CoasterLisa :()

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So, from that, I'm guessing there's a full version out there that is on dvd.

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I'm going to say you'll probably be disappointed.

I have Rollercoaster on DVD (everyone point and laugh at Gonch) and as far as I know, it's the only DVD version currently (or ever) available.

I just checked and the opening scene has no 'gore' elements whatsoever. Just the aforementioned poor use of dummies.

So if you're looking to score the DVD based on a longer or more graphic version of this scene - the current DVD release doesn't include it.

^LOL Gonch at the "Ticking Dots"......:-)

I actually like the movie. It's very dark, yet campy. I have seen it on TV several times since I was a kid. I can imagine it was a big hit back in the day.

The BEST screening however was at Coaster Con 2002 at Magic Mountain. We HAD SenSurround, bad popcorn, warm sodas, and bleachers to sit on.

Now THAT is living! ;-)

This was right after we got to meet some of the actors/crew from the film, including Timothy Bottoms.

-Tina

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Lord Gonchar said:
In other words it used sub-subwoofers.

Basically they moved air at a frequency inaudible to the human ear. (generally below 20hz)

I think only 5 movies were made in SenSurround.

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Sensurround!
:)

Yeah, basically it meant they would unleash an infrasound rumbling full force on the audience in certain "terrifying/boneshaking" sections of the film, which was recorded on another magentic track next to the standard soundtrack on the film.

The system worked with high-powered specialised loudspeakers - but the soundwaves were mostly felt through the body and through the vibrations induced in the seats and the theater in general, and heard a little through distortions within the loudspeakers and possible resulting rattling noises of theater equipment.
They're great at producing a lurking unheard sense of danger when used sensibly, but their effect on general health is doubtful (it was even hypothesised that people can get killed by infrasound if it hits certain resonant frequencies of inner organs).
Another problem is that waves of these wavelengths need a big theater to be projected well and are not easily contained as they pass through walls more easily than higher frequencies - plus, so the myth goes, they also endangered the physical integrity of the movie theaters -
as buildings and constructions can also be damaged by infrasound, once you hit the right frequencies!
:)

I didn't know "Roller Coaster" included a Sensurround track though - but thinking about it, it included some sequences which are typical for Sensurround dramaturgy: There needs to be some continued "catastrophy" which includes continued vibration and terrorising disorientation - such as an "Earthquake", an oceanliner turning upside down ("Poseidon Adventure") or... a roller coaster ride, (especially on a wooden roller coaster)
Now I'm curious how they used it in "Battlestar Galactica" beyond the general LFE spaceship explosions.
:)

Sorry for threadnapping the original gore/not gore topic here for a moment.
*** Edited 11/23/2005 11:04:14 AM UTC by superman***

I have the LaserDisc version copyright 1993, it's only rated PG and has a run time of 1 hour 59 minutes.

Peter

How gory could it really be in 1977. Anything they did then would look tame now.

I didnt see it in theaters but do remember hearing it in the lobby when going to another movie(Star Wars maybe)

To me the movie was a disapointment when I did see it. Only 3 coasters right? The second attack was on a flat ride wasn't it? We didn't even get to see it catch fire.

I would love to see a remake with more disasters. Imagine Montu derailing at the immelman inversion and slamming into the wall. The restraints failling on a vekoma flier when it first flips over. A derailing at a dueling moment on one of the dueling woodies and a head on collision happens. With computer animation and the variety of coasters now the movie could be amazing.

Rathergoodbear: How could you forget Ernest Borgnine and Roddy Mcdowell? :)

John, I remember a lot of Gore in 1977. Jaws would be a hit today if nothing like it has been done. Towering Inferno. Earthquake and of course. Space Invaders :)

Chuck, who also remembers a Texas Chainsaw Massacre around those times and the first of the Friday the 13ths weren't far behind.

In the words of another Chuck: Get your paws off her you damn dirty ape!

I think Jaws was probably the the most gore I'd seen in a movie (much worse than Rollercoaster). Alien was another (I avoided Chainsaw like the plague!).

I don't recall what the sound system was for Star Wars, but I do recall I went to a specific theater that had the sound system just to get the full effect.

I hear ya Scooter. Plus, you think they'd at least let Shelley Winters go swimming past in the trough for the log flume.

Hmm...all this talk of the 1977 movie sounds a lot like a movie I caught just this week on HDTNT called "House on Haunted Hill".

I think it was originally released in 1999 and is your typical gore and guts movie, but the first 10 minutes or so is about a guy that operates a chain of 'spooky and scary' theme parks.

The movie uses the Incredible Hulk at IOA as a 'thrill' coaster and has a train flying off the track that looks so much like it used as a template for RCT3. Also shows some serious blocking violations...but it's all part of the 'thrill' gag.

The original movie web site is still up at: http://houseonhauntedhill.warnerbros.com/

Unfortunately there are not any clips that contain the coaster scene on the site - except for a really brief shot of the launch. But the film has some really great scenes that include the loading area and pretty much the entire launch sequence.

Just a word of warning for anyone that rents the video...after the coaster scenes, don't bother wasting your time on the rest of the movie...it's not worth it.