'Gimmick' Sound Formats

[alleycat]

Sensurround (Universal)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensurround

• Earthquake 1974 - Included on the Shout Factory Blu Ray as DTS-HD 2.1 and several other blu rays as DTS-HD 5.1
  
• Midway 1976 - Included on the Universal Blu Rays as DTS-HD 2.1
  
• Rollercoaster 1977 - Included on the Shout Factory Blu Ray as Dolby Digital 3.1 and the UK 101 Blu Ray as DTS-HD 2.1
  
• Battlestar Galactica 1978/1979 - Included on the Universal Blu Rays as DTS-HD 2.1
  
• Alien 1979 - Included on the Fox Laserdisc [8760-85]
  

Surround 360 (20th Century Fox)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_360

• Damnation Alley 1977 - Not included on the recent blu ray, reports are the original elements were not salvageable
  
• Damien: Omen 2 - Never appears to have been released on home media
  

Megasound (Warner)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megasound

• Altered States 1980 - Never appears to have been released on home media
  
• Outland 1981 - Never appears to have been released on home media
  
• Superman II 1981 - Never appears to have been released on home media
  
• Wolfen 1981 - Possibly included on the Blu Ray - reports state the DTS-HD 5.1 is derived from 70mm 6 channel audio
  

[Evit]

I have not understood much of what Megasound really is, just louder basses from the baby boom speaker(s)?

Here's some film projectionists discussing it
http://www.film-tech.com/ubb/f1/t000174.html

[stwd4nder2]

Was Futursound ever a "thing"? The only reference to it I can find is it being used for Cozilla.
Also, how long until Auro-3D can get added to the list?

[alleycat]

I have not understood much of what Megasound really is, just louder basses from the baby boom speaker(s)?

Here's some film projectionists discussing it
http://www.film-tech.com/ubb/f1/t000174.html

Yes I think that's it, strange how Sensurround has been preserved in some form or another whereas Megasound has been all but forgotten. I imagine it was more of a marketing stunt to compete with Sensurround, but that being said I'd love to hear the Outland megasound track. 

Was Futursound ever a "thing"? The only reference to it I can find is it being used for Cozilla.
Also, how long until Auro-3D can get added to the list?

Never heard of Futuresound, but if the only release is Cozilla I'm assuming it wasn't very good. I recently saw a 35mm scan of Cozilla but unfortunately it didn't make it any more watchable!

[dvdmike]

All dead formats? Dolby Ex wasn't used much and 7.1 barely happened

[alleycat]

All dead formats? Dolby Ex wasn't used much and 7.1 barely happened

Not just dead formats, but gimmick formats designed to draw in a crowd. Sensurround for example was heavily marketed and billed as a new way to experience the movie. Then rival studios released their own versions. Megasound doesn't seem to have been advertised as much but Sound 360 was. 

[spoRv]

alleycat, you have stolen my idea... was ready to post, but then you... woosh!

Anyway, this is what my post should include - feel free to eventually steal what you need!

Sensurround:

Earthquake (1974)
Midway (1976)
Rollercoaster (1977)
Battlestar Galactica (1978)
Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack (1979)
Alien (1979) [70mm 6-track test release]

Zoot Suit - simply used the DBX circuits implemented in the Sensurround control
units from revision 3 on. No real Sensurround, just DBX noise reduction and
advertised as "SENSURROUND Plus"

Megasound:

Altered States (1980)
Outland (1981)
Wolfen (1981)
Superman II (1981)

The Exorcist - allegedly tested on select audiences using the 1979 re-release of its 70mm six-track Dolby Stereo conversion.
Blade Runner - also been advertised with its 1982 premiere engagements in Seattle at the Cinerama

Sound 360

Damnation Alley (1977)
Damien: Omen II (1978)

Feelarama (a version of Sensurround)

Volcano (re-release of Krakatoa, East of Java)

Thanks also to Disclord's info - R.I.P. - incredibly he's still useful years after his departure...

[zoidberg]

Technically any flavour of 'talkie' is a gimmick as the intention has always been to draw in crowds. Likewise colour, cinemascope, 3D etc.

[spoRv]

Don't forget Odorama... so smelly!

[SilverWook]

Seriously though, Sennsurround was really freaking loud. I saw Logan's Run in a theater that was probably twinned from a larger single screen auditorium, and I was constantly hearing Japanese Zeros from Midway playing next door.

Must have been a little too realistic to see Earthquake in those old theaters where the plaster started cracking and falling off the ceiling though.


Interesting that theaters don't seem to hype their sound systems as much these days. One multiplex near me in the late 90's early 2000's was all DTS and had plaques at the auditorium entrances promoting that fact. When it was remodeled and re-opened after being shuttered for several years around 2010 or so, all mention of DTS was gone.