Page 20 - RD_2023-12

70 Years of

Background Frenchman, Henri
Chretien in the
By the early 1950s, the popularity 1920s. This lens had
of television in the home saw a decline the ability
in American cinema attendances. In an effort to squeeze the
to combat this, the cinema industry had to horizontal plane
come up with something new to attract the to half its width when
audience back to the theatres. The industry placed in front of a normal
came up with a number of innovations in an camera lens, thereby filling
effort to win back the audience. Among these the regular 35mm film frame
were 3D and Cinerama. Both of these with a squeezed image.
processes required specialised equipment. The image could be expanded
In the case of 3D, interlocked projectors, back to its full width when the
screening two strips of film (left eye and right same, or similar lens was placed in
eye), and while Cinerama produced a front of the projection lens. The end
spectacular image, it required three result was an image twice as wide as the
projectors, each screening one panel of the regular screen, while still using the industry
standard 35mm film. The American lens
three panel on-screen image, plus a fourth maker, Bausch and Lomb, produced a range
unit running the multi-track sound – all of of these anamorphic lenses for Fox, including
which had to be kept in synchronisation and those for projection use.
were located in different parts of the
auditorium.
Fox wanted a system which would provide a
In 1953, Twentieth Century Fox obtained the spectacular screen image without the
rights to use a special lens known as complexities of Cinerama and which could be
a Hypergonar, which was designed by used in any cinema, without the need for

One of the many confusing headlines promoting the new format. They must have left the
public wondering what they were in for.
20 REEL DEALS December 2023