Circle-Vision 360° Explained

Circle-Vision 360° is a film format developed by The Walt Disney Company that uses projection screens which encircle the audience.[1]

Circle-Vision 360° developed from the Circarama format, which uses eleven 16 mm projectors.[2] [3] The first Circarama film was A Tour of the West (1955).[4] For the film Italia '61, the number of cameras was reduced to nine, and the 16 mm film was shown using 35 mm projectors.[2] In 1965, Circle-Vision 360° made its official debut, in a nine-camera, 35 mm format. At least one reason for the renaming from Circarama was objections by the owners of Cinerama to the similarity between the two names.[5]

In both the Circarama and Circle-Vision 360° formats, the screens are arranged in a circle around the audience, with small gaps between the screens. The number of screens (eleven or nine) being odd results in a gap being opposite of each screen in the circle. The projectors are placed in these gaps, above the heads of the viewers. Railings are sometimes provided to steady the audience members while viewing the film. The cameras and projection systems for both Circarama and Circle-Vision 360° were designed by longtime Disney animator and visual effects pioneer Ub Iwerks.[6] Circle-Vision 360° cameras have been mounted on top of automobiles for travelog scenes. For The Timekeeper (1992), static cameras and CGI effects were used.[3]

At one time, every one of the Disney Resorts then open had at least one Circle-Vision 360° theater. The Epcot theme park has the only two still operating as of 2022.[5] Circarama and Circle-Vision 360° films have also been featured at various world's fairs.

Circarama and Circle-Vision 360° films

A Tour of the West and the original 1958 version of America the Beautiful were shot in Circarama. Italia '61 was filmed in 16 mm and billed as a Circarama film, but was shown using nine 35 mm projectors. All other films in the table were shot in Circle-Vision 360°.

Title Year Premiere location Length (minutes) class=unsortable Contributors !Sponsor class=unsortable Notes
A Tour of the West 1955 12 Aka Circarama U.S.A.
America the Beautiful 1958 16 or 18[7] Producer: James Algar
Writer: James Algar
Italia '61 1961 Executive producer: Roberto de Leonardis
Director: Elio Piccon
Don Iwerks, son of Ub Iwerks, trained the crew, and stayed on to assist throughout the filming.
Magic of the Rails 1964 Designer: Ernst A. Heiniger Aka Magie du rail and Zauber de Schiene.
America the Beautiful 1967 Disneyland 18 Reshot and expanded version of the 1958 film.
Canada '67 1967 18 Director: Robert Barclay[8] Telephone Association of Canada
Magic Carpet 'Round the World 1974 21
America the Beautiful 1975 Magic Kingdom Monsanto Version of the 1958 film revised for the United States Bicentennial.
O Canada! 1982 18
Wonders of China 1982 Epcot Center Director: Jeff Blyth
Narrator: Keye Luke[9]
Magic Carpet 'Round the World 1983 Revised version of the 1974 film.
American Journeys 1984 Disneyland
Portraits of Canada 1986 Aka Images du Canada.
Le Visionarium 1992 18 Aka Un voyage à travers le temps and From Time to Time.
The Timekeeper 1994 Magic Kingdom 18 Renault English version of Le Visionarium. Incorporates parts of Magic Carpet 'Round the World.
Reflections of China 2003 Epcot 12[10] Director: Jeff Blyth
O Canada! 2007 Epcot Narrator: Martin Short
Musical score: Bruce Broughton,
featuring Eva Avila[11]
Revised and updated version of the 1982 film.
Canada Far and Wide 2020 Epcot 12[12]
Wondrous China TBA Epcot
Sources:

Circarama and Circle-Vision 360° theaters

The theaters at Expo 58 and Disneyland were built as Circarama theaters. The latter would be upgraded to the Circle-Vision 360° system. Although the theater at Expo 61 predated the use of the Circle-Vision 360° name, it used nine 35 mm projectors. All other theaters in the tables were built as Circle-Vision 360° theaters.

Disney theme parks

Years in parentheses after a film title indicate the versions of the movie shown at the theater.

Park class=unsortable Location in park !class=unsortable Formal names !Opened data-sort-type=date Closed !class=unsortable Films shown !class=unsortable Sponsors !class=unsortable Replaced by
Circarama
Circle-Vision 360°
World Premiere Circle-Vision
July 17, 1955 September 25, 2000 A Tour of the West
America the Beautiful (1958, 1967, 1975)
American Journeys
Wonders of China
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
Tomorrowland Circle-Vision 360°
Metropolis Science Center
November 25, 1971 February 26, 2006 America the Beautiful (1967, 1975)
Magic Carpet 'Round the World (1974)
American Journeys
The Timekeeper
Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor
World Showcase (Canada Pavilion) October 1, 1982 n/a O Canada! (1982, 2007)
Canada Far and Wide
n/a
World Showcase (China Pavilion) October 1, 1982 n/a Wonders of China
Reflections of China
Wondrous China
n/a
Tomorrowland Circle-Vision 360°
Visionarium
April 15, 1983 September 1, 2002 Magic Carpet 'Round the World (1983)
American Journeys
From Time to Time
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
Le Visionarium April 12, 1992 September 6, 2004 Le Visionarium Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast

Expos

Expo City Location at Expo Opened Closed Film Sponsor
United States Pavilion April 17, 1958 October 19, 1958 America the Beautiful Ford
Fiat Circarama Pavilion May 1, 1961 October 31, 1961 Italia '61 Fiat
Transportation Pavilion April 30, 1964 October 25, 1964 Magic of the Rails Swiss Federal Railways
April 28, 1967 October 29, 1967 Canada '67 Telephone Association of Canada
Vancouver, Canada Telecom Canada Pavilion May 2, 1986 October 13, 1986 Portraits of Canada Telecom Canada

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Gennawey . Sam . The Disneyland Story: The Unofficial Guide to the Evolution of Walt Disney's Dream . 2014 . Keen Communications . 978-1-62809-012-3 . 108–109.
  2. Web site: Sherlock . Daniel J. . Wide Screen Movies Corrections . August 21, 2022 . https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20080309094629/http://www.film-tech.com/warehouse/tips/WSMC20.pdf . March 9, 2008 . 19–20 . live.
  3. Book: Strodder . Chris . The Disneyland Encyclopedia . 2017 . Santa Monica Press . 978-1595800909 . 3rd . 120–122.
  4. Web site: Circle-Vision/Circarama . . The Walt Disney Company. August 21, 2022.
  5. Web site: Circle-Vision 360° . Skyway to Wonderland . August 21, 2022 . August 24, 2020.
  6. Book: Iwerks, Don. Walt Disney's ultimate inventor: the genius of Ub Iwerks. December 10, 2019. 978-1-4847-4337-9. First hardcover. Los Angeles. 1133108493.
  7. Web site: America the Beautiful – 1958 Brussels World's Fair . Designing Disney . August 21, 2022.
  8. Official Expo 67 guide book, page 178. Toronto: Maclean-Hunter Publishing Co. Ltd., 1967.
  9. Book: BLYTH, JEFF.. POLISHING THE DRAGONS: making epcot's wonders of china.. 2020. BAMBOO FOREST PUBLISHING. 978-0-9910079-9-8. [S.l.]. 1198720924.
  10. Web site: Reflections of China . Walt Disney World Resort . August 21, 2022.
  11. Web site: Netcot.com - O' Canada! film update in the works . 2010-02-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081121033710/http://www.netcot.com/thesite/2007/07/24/o-canada-film-update-in-the-works/ . 2008-11-21 . dead.
  12. Web site: Murray . Emily . Canada Far And Wide In Circle-Vision 360 Overview . DVC Shop . August 21, 2022 . June 27, 2022.