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Home , Cinema Digital Sound, Dolby Stereo, Fantasound, Optical sound, Phonofilm

A fascinating article by Dion Hanson of , Chairman of the BKSTS Cinema Technology Committee, based on the 1997 Annual BKSTS Bernard Happé Memorial Lecture which Dion presented under the title Fantastic Formats. Bernard Happé was a Member, Fellow, and Past- president of the BKSTS and a member of the Technicolor team who played a great part in the development of formats, including 70mm. Fantastic Formats is a visual experience giving the audience a chance to see some of the older formats they have only read about. Dion says that it is impossible to recreate in print, but this article is based upon the presentation, and provides useful reminders for the older members who can remember some of the developments taking place, and gives an excellent history lesson for those who are newer to the cinema sound scene. Thanks are due to Dolby who kindly sponsored the Bernard Happé Lecture.

The History The 1997 Bernard Happé Memorial Lecture of Sound in the Cinema

Most people consider that does for the ear, were actually printing the a Movietone sound-track and sound movies were not and that by a combination of sound photographically onto a silent feature 'What Price invented until 1928 with the the two all sound and motion the film. However, it was not Glory?', to which a musical release of Warner's 'The could be recorded and until the invention of the score had been added . Singer'. It is certainly true that reproduced simultaneously". photocell by Hertz in 1887 and in 1925 this was the first notable film Looking at diagrams and the '' valve by De developed a system which using sound, but we must go pictures of his early work back to the invention of the certainly shows the inclusion cinematograph to realise that of a phonograph to deliver experiments were being sound with his pictures. carried out using sound as well as picture from the very When reading books about the beginning. Edison wrote in development of sound in the one of his papers " In the year cinema it is not uncommon to 1887, the idea occurred to me think that the only research that it would be possible to was being carried in America. devise an instrument which This is far from the truth and it should do for the eye what the is often found that other inventors were actually in front of the Americans. Using Forest in 1907 that film sound successfully synchronised a Edison's phonograph became a real possibility for turntable with a film projector. Frenchman Auguste Baron large auditoria. In 1923 They tried to interest synchronised sound with Petersen and Poulsen gave a Hollywood in the system but picture in 1896 and gave a successful demonstration of as the studios were doing demonstration at an exposition their sound on film system at good business with silent in 1900 featuring Sarah the Palads Cinema they were not interested. Bernhardt reading Hamlet. Copenhagen. In America Fox Warner Brothers on the other Both Pathe and Gaumont set about securing the rights to hand were not making so were also working on disk a German sound on film much money since they did systems based on the system called Tri-Ergon which not own their own theatres and phonograph. pre-dates De Forest's were finding difficulty in getting system, but it was their product screened. Eugene Lauste and Lee De Theodore Cases system Consequently they decided to Forest were also working on which Fox adopted and called give talking pictures a go. sound systems to accompany Movietone. Fox released Signing exclusive contracts pictures but their systems several short films in 1926 with with Western Electric they

8 Cinema Technology July / August 1998 christened the system death whilst he was and released their researching the use of first sound movie 'Don Juan' in RADAR. 1926. Having been completed earlier as a silent movie the RCA and Disney were sound track consisted of music however, carrying out and some synchronised sound research in America into a effects, the screenings did stereo system specifically for what Warner's had hoped for, Disney's now classic film and that was to raise the '', the system public's interest in sound ultimately taking the name movies. '' ''. Using optical released in the following year sound the three tracks were Fantasound equipment was the film that set the recorded on to a separate cost and industry talking, sound movies piece of film run in complexity, but it did show to had arrived. Although sound synchronisation with the the world the superior quality on disc was the first successful picture. A fourth track on the that could be obtained in the commercial system, it only acted as a gain cinema that would never be lasted for about two years, control for the three stage available to its rival, television. after which it was replaced by channels. the more versatile 'Movietone' Warner Brothers in the sound on film system. The Fantasound equipment meantime were experimenting Whichever system the was installed in only 14 with stereo images in the form theatres chose they both relied theatres, causing quite a stir, of 3-D which they called on amplifiers and speaker before RCA had to NaturalVision, again to try and horns to deliver the sound to concentrate all their offer audiences that extra the theatre, and so Bell production in to the war effort. something that television Telephone Laboratories' Though no equipment could not. Their first film being manufacturing division survives the stereo mix is still 'Bwana Devil' in November Western Electric became preserved and was re- 1952. synonymous with film sound. mastered for the films last re- Not wishing to back the wrong release a few years ago. Warners' system used two system they developed their Universal Base which was Cinema audiences had to wait able to replay both Vitaphone another ten years to hear true and Movietone films. Hi-Fidelity stereo sound in the cinema in the form of Fred Even from these early days of Waller's Cinerama system sound on film companies were which was first screened at the investigating the possibilities in New of stereo sound, one of the York in September 1952. This earliest such examples was in used three 35mm projectors 1931 at Columbia's Studios in running in synch to create a huge high definition picture covering the projectors mechanically locked viewer's whole field of together and running two vision, along with a copies of the same film, one separate 35mm for the left eye, and one for the magnetic film strip right, and using polaroid filters

Hayes, Middlesex. Alan carrying seven Blumlein began using a twin channels of technique he had audio to developed to record a stereo surround the signal on to film in the same audience with area taken up by the then sound. standard mono optical track. These experiments were Cinerama was curtailed by the advent of war, doomed from which resulted in his untimely the outset because of its

Cinema Technology July / August 1998 9 on the projectors to mono cinema. One of the complement the polaroid more notable films being glasses worn by the audience. 'Seven Brides for Seven The sound was again carried Brothers'. Both MGM and on a separate magnetic film. Paramount opted for this The screen channels were left, system and it is said that centre, and right, on the because of this Fox were magnetic film, with the forced to reduce their picture 'surround' or effects channel size on copies being carried on the optical to add an optical mono track, track of the right projector. The thus making their release optical track on the left prints compatible also. projector being a mono back up or for use in theatres not To achieve a larger picture equipped for stereo. impressive film to launch their MGM adopted a similar new system called anamorphic system and called Film distributors were also 'CinemaScope' in September it Metroscope whereas searching for a system that 1953. In fact for the launch Fox Paramount developed would give the same effect as were still having problems VistaVision. VistaVision was a Cinerama but for a lot less getting the magnetic stripes method of filming where the cost, a system that was onto the film and the cinemas 35mm film was run relatively simple to install and which opened initially with 'The horizontally through the would fit into a normal sized Robe' had the sound on camera to give a widescreen theatre. Twentieth Century Fox separate film utilising the image without having to employed a system using an sound equipment previously compress it with an anamorphic lens developed used for 3-D. anamorphic lens. The release earlier by Frenchman Henri print derived from this negative Chretien. The lens squeezed Although Fox offered had an aspect ratio of 1:1.85 the photographed image CinemaScope to all its rivals and was printed onto the film horizontally, enabling a wide the other studios were loath to with the normal configuration. image to be photographed use it as it meant they would The film ran through the onto 35mm film. This image have to pay royalties to one of projector in the conventional was then expanded during their competitors. To enable way but the high quality image projection back to its wider the release film to carry the allowed it to be magnified ratio. Four channels of four tracks the size of the greatly without any great loss magnetic sound were laid sprocket holes had to reduced in definition, which is more down the sides of the release making them less robust and than can be said for the print to give three screen thus the film more prone to CinemaScope images of the channels and an 'effects' wear and damage. Adding to time. channel to place sound around this the fact that the film did the auditorium. not carry an optical track Several films were shot this limited its release to a small way, 'White Christmas' being Daryl F. number of equipped theatres, the first, and opened at the Zanuck, the making it expensive in more Radio City New head of Fox at ways than one for the Film York in October 1954. As an the time, had all Company. experiment Paramount production equipped a few 'Roadshow' stopped on Consequently several theatres with horizontal their latest films companies looked towards projection systems, but these 'An American in competitive systems to give were few and far between, as Paris' and 'The them more cost-effective ways the projection room had to be Robe' to have of creating stereo sound. large enough to also house the them remade in MGM adopted Fairchild's' two conventional projectors for the new Perspecta sound system normal releases. The sound system. The which basically took a system used for VistaVision film 'An standard mono optical track prints was Perspecta, and if an American In and embedded into it sub old film is played today the Paris' was in audible switching tones, these switching tones are still fact completed then switched the audio signal embedded in the track and can first but its between left, centre, and right, be decoded with modern release held or to all three screen channels equipment to retrieve the three until after 'The simultaneously. This system channels once more. In fact Robe' which had the added advantage that several films have been re- was thought to the same copy could be issued, most recently Vistavision projection equipment be a more played quite successfully in a 'Forbidden Planet', and the

10 Cinema Technology July / August 1998 cinema showing a special recorded on. Track 2 was format film, i.e. not in 35mm. centre channel only and tracks To overcome this rule Todd 1 and 3 were matrix encoded had 0.5mm shaved off each to give a left front and back side of the print to make it only and a right front and back. This 34mm wide and thus making it system was developed by a 'Roadshow Presentation'. John Mosley in America, and Inspectors from customs and engineered for him by Dolby, excise called at the theatre for which they built the CP100 weekly to verify that the 34mm cinema processor. The matrix print was still being played, system employed became the and that the cinema would not heart of their now famous have to show its 'British

70mm projection equipment original Perspecta tracks still track was used for the remain. surround, and in some cases Perspecta encoded to give a Quota'. The sound was on system. Whilst all these various studios left, centre, right surround separate 35mm full coat were fighting to win the formats channel. The first film released magnetic with five screen Although the first Dolby Stereo wars one man was quietly in the format was Rogers and channels and the surround film was 'Lisztomania' in 1975 working away to develop Hammerstein's 'Oklahoma', channel Perspecta encoded to it is perhaps 'Star Wars' in1976 probably the most famous and which opened at the Rivoli give a left, centre, and right that everyone associates with technically superior system to Theatre in 1955. Todd insisted surround channel. the launch of the system. The date. Michael Todd working it be screened as though it was matrix allows four channels of with the American Optical a live theatre presentation, After the heyday of sound to be encoded down to Company was developing a with one show a night development in the fifties the two to record on the film, and wide film format that would including an interval, and the cinema industry did not see then decoded back to four give the audience the same audience in evening dress. He any new innovations until the when replayed in the cinema. effect as Cinerama with far even banned the sale of seventies. This being mainly The stereo optical track on the less complexity. However, popcorn during the films run. due to the dwindling audiences film being in the same position wide film was not a new After its huge success Todd and a general apathy as the mono optical and thus concept. Paramount, MGM, sold the rights to the system to throughout the industry. fully compatible. Because the and Fox had all experimented Twentieth Century Fox which Although there had been track is now split into two the with film widths from 55mm up then gave him the money to several attempts to improve reduced size gives rise to to 70mm between 1920 and achieve his life long ambition optical sound quality in noise problems and the 1930 but non had been of filming 'Around the World in cinemas it was not until Dolby application of their noise developed on a large scale. Eighty Days' in Todd-AO. Laboratories, working out of reduction system overcomes This new system was called Clapham at the time, looked to this. Todd- AO and remains today However, because he had sold apply their already successful as the Rolls Royce of film the rights to the system Fox 'noise reduction' system to film One other system that 'shook' formats. stopped him from releasing his sound. The first experiments the industry at this time was film in 70mm in many were only mono and it soon Paramount's Sensurround. The image was filmed on countries, one of which being became obvious to the Although not a sound system specially designed 65mm England. Consequently engineers at Dolby that what as such it did become a cameras running at 30 frames anyone seeing the film at the the industry really wanted was gimmick for three films. These per second and transferred to Astoria Charing Cross Road in high quality optical stereo. films were Earthquake in 1974, 70mm wide film for release. the fifties saw it in 35mm followed by Tora Tora Tora, The extra 5mm being occupied CinemaScope. The film 'Tommy' starring the and finally Rollercoaster all by the six track magnetic rock band The Who used had sequences with low sound down each edge of the Strictly speaking this is not 35mm striped film to achieve frequency rumbles which were film. Five channels were quite true, as at the time five-channel stereo in the required to shake the cinema. behind the screen, the original cinemas had to show a certain cinema in 1975. The film layout This was achieved by three of CinemaScope not 'quota' of British films a year was the same as for embedding a sub audible having enough coverage for unless they were a 'special CinemaScope but had only switching tone into the sound the larger picture. The sixth venue cinema'. That was a three of the four tracks track to trigger a low frequency

12 Cinema Technology July / August 1998 programme audience were dictating which configuration of inner right and audiences technology they wanted. inner left being reintroduced. were beginning to This time, however, Dolby grow again, weren't to have it all their own but the new way. Although they were first audiences on the scene with their digital were younger sound on film, with Warner people who Brothers' 'Batman Returns' in were more 1992, the data being placed aware of rather cleverly between the sound quality. sprocket holes. With the advent of digital sound at home with the Compact Disk it was not long before this new audience was This now makes digital signal generator. This signal demanding the same quality of sound very expensive for was then amplified greatly and sound from the cinemas. the cinema owner as none played into the cinema through It was Speilberg's blockbuster of the systems are compatible massive sub bass speaker Except for a few one off 'Jurassic Park' the following forcing him to purchase all cabinets, which literally shook systems cinema goers were year that primarily cornered three to keep up with his the theatre. There were cases not able to hear digital sound the digital market with 1000 competitor. reported of pieces of ceiling in the cinema until and cinemas equipped for the falling down in some of the ORC (Optical Radiation launch of the film. The system older theatres that installed the Corporation) released their developed by DTS (Digital system. The system was digital sound on film system Theater Systems) placed the designed for those three films CDS () in digital sound not on the film but and has never been used on a separate CD-ROM since. synchronised to the picture via a time code on the film. Using Dolby in the mean time were computer based hardware going from strength to and software to decode digital strength and had revitalised data on the disk. A similar the sound side of the system developed in France industry. Having improved by two individuals working as Finally with the advent of optical sound they then digital sound we again see an looked at 70mm magnetic, 1990 with 'Dick Tracey'. The improvement in the 70mm firstly employing noise standard adopted for speaker format. DTS have begun reduction and secondly placement was that of Dolby's putting time code onto 70mm devising a system which used devised for 70mm, left, centre, releases and using the same the two inner tracks for sub and right screen channels, left CD-ROM to generate digital bass signals giving an effect and right surround, and a sub sound for this new 70mm similar to Sensurround as well bass. This configuration is now format. Now with DTS adding as adding stereo surrounds the standard for digital digital to 70mm, magnetic channels. Used experimentally releases. The one major draw striping becomes for Warners' film back of the system was that it LC Concepts was unnecessary, bringing the cost 'Superwoman' at the Empire, removed the analogue optical subsequently taken over by of 70mm printing down Leicester Square in 1978 and sound track and replaced it DTS. enormously and making it then on a world wide basis for with their digital one. This once again the premier 'Apocalypse Now', a year later. rendered the copy unplayable It was later in 1993 with the release format. in a non-digital house, not release of Columbia's 'Last However, it was Dolby's optical unlike Fox's dilemma with Action Hero' that a third digital The 1997 BKSTS Bernard stereo system which took the magnetic in the fifties. system came on the scene, Happé Memorial Lecture industry by storm, and became Although fraught with this one developed by SONY was sponsored by Dolby the industry standard. difficulties it did show the way engineers in America. Again Laboratories inc. Cinemas world-wide began forward and proved to a putting the digital data on the upgrading to stereo particularly sceptical industry that this was film, but this time down either the newly built American what audiences wanted. This edge, it also has the Multiplex style of cinemas. was the first time in the cinema advantage of two extra With this new building industry's history that the channels, the old 70mm

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