Circle-Vision 360°

Circle-Vision 360° is a film technique, refined by The Walt Disney Company, that uses nine cameras for nine huge screens arranged in a circle. The cameras are usually mounted on top of an automobile for scenes through cities and highways, while films such as The Timekeeper use a static camera and many CGI effects. The first film was America the Beautiful (1955 version) in the Circarama theater, which would eventually become Circle-Vision theater in 1967.

It is used for a few attractions at Disney theme parks, such as Epcot's O Canada!, Reflections of China, and Disneyland's defunct America the Beautiful (1967 version), Wonders of China, and American Journeys, which were housed in the Circle-Vision theater in Tomorrowland. At the 2011 D23 Expo, Disneyland Resort President George Kalogridis announced that CircleVision would be making a return to Disneyland Park with a new presentation of America the Beautiful in CircleVision 360, though it is not currently known where the film will be presented (as the original theater was replaced with another attraction), and whether this will be a version of the original film or a new film with the same name and concept.

By using an odd number of screens, and a small space between them, a projector may be placed in each gap, projecting across the space to a screen. The screens and projectors are arranged above head level, and lean rails may be provided for viewers to hold or to lean against while standing and viewing the film.

Earlier systems

For an early development (1900) of this method using ten cameras, see Cinéorama.

Krugovaya Kinopanorama – started in Moscow in 1959. Using 11 cameras with anamorphic lens.

Circlorama had started in London in 1963 using eleven cameras. Copy from Russian Krugovaya Kinopanorama. Close in 1965.

Parks that use Circle-Vision technology

Disneyland Park

Magic Kingdom

Epcot

Tokyo Disneyland

Disneyland Paris

Other uses

Expo 64

Expo 67

This is one of the rarest Circle-Vision movies, for except for a brief appearance in January 1974 at Magic Kingdom during their "Salute to Canada", it has been unseen since 1967. The film was the inspiration for the original "O Canada!" film that played at Epcot from 1982-2007.

Expo 86

Other

French cinematic pioneers toyed with the technology from 1884, leading to Cinéorama.

A system (developed in the 21st century) substantially similar is in use at the site of the Terracotta Army exhibit at Xian, China.

The Badaling Great Wall near Beijing, China has a Circle-Vision theater featuring scenes from the Great Wall of China.

The narrator of Wonders of China is the famous Chinese actor Keye Luke (1904-1991), most remembered for his role as Master Po in the television program "Kung Fu".

See also

References

  1. ↑ Official Expo 67 guide book, page 178. Toronto: Maclean-Hunter Publishing Co. Ltd., 1967.
  2. ↑ "Expo 67 - Plane used to film "Canada 67" - Disney Circle Vision 360".
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