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From: davew@shark.UUCP (Dave Williams)
Newsgroups: net.movies
Subject: Re: Disney Movies 1960-1970
Message-ID: <1088@shark.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 1-Oct-84 15:56:25 EDT
Article-I.D.: shark.1088
Posted: Mon Oct  1 15:56:25 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 4-Oct-84 03:17:30 EDT
References: <4076@tekecs.UUCP> <245@gitpyr.UUCP>, <1389@qubix.UUCP>
Organization: Tektronix, Wilsonville OR
Lines: 26

Fantasia was ahead of its time, not only in the way it presented
cartoon animation and the wedding of classical music to the
action, but also in the way the music was presented. Fantasia
was the first motion picture to use stereophonic (actually
triphonic) sound. The sound track was mastered on a special
3 track optical sound on film recorder developed by RCA
for Disney. This sound track was on a separate 35mm film
that was run through a special playback machine and synced
up with the projected film. This sound system was used during
the first run engagements for the film at such places as Radio
City Music Hall. Most theaters could not afford the extra cost of the
system and used the standard single track sound. Fantasia was not
a financial success for Disney and it wasn't till several rounds
of re-runs had occurred that a profit was realized. I would
really like to hear that original sound track, even though
it was done with sound on film equipment. The signal to noise
ratios were never that great and the sound rolls off at about
7 kHz do to the grain of the film. The next use of stereophonic
sound did not occur until the mid-fifties when 3D movies, such
as House Of Wax and wide screen movies like The Robe again tried
use this technique. By this time magnetic film (35mm base stock
coated with magnetic material) took over from the previously used
optical technique.
                                            Dave Williams
                                            Tektronix, Inc.
                                            ECS