THE
STORY
SmileBox, the name, and the Smilebox logo was created in 1999 and is a registered trade mark of C.A. Productions and is sanctioned by Cinerama Inc. which has authorized its use in conjunction with displaying Cinerama branded Images. Likewise the Cinerama logo and name is a registered trade mark of Cinerama Inc.
Since the year 2000, SmileBox has been established as a brand name in conjunction with Cinerama images.
Turner Classic Movies and Kevin Brownlow of Photoplay Productions have created a biographical documentary on King Kong and Cinerama Producer Merian C. Cooper which used 4 minutes of Cinerama Footage in the SmileBox format. The film is called I'm King Kong and the "Smilebox" logo is featured in a prime place in the end credits, Warner Brothers Home Video have included this new Brownlow documentary on the restored King Kong (1933) DVD which was released in 2005.
The History Channel did a one hour documentary that included over 5 minutes of Cinerama "SmileBox" footage, crediting it as such. This episode was one of the highest rated of the channel's highest rated series Modern Marvels.
WBHV is in the process of acquiring the documentary Cinerama Adventure for the purpose of including it in the proposed HTWWW remastered DVD. Cinerama Adventure includes extensive Smilebox Cinerama footage including extensive scenes from HTWWW and the other Cinerama titles in SmileBox format. Cinerama Adventure and C. A. productions actually pioneered the 3 panel telecine NTSC process that is sanctioned by Cinerama Inc. which was recreated in HD in 2003 at the request of the American Society of Cinematographers.
Demonstrations of SmileBox along with screenings of the Cinerama Adventure have and are continuing to take place at Colleges and Universities as part of film studies curriculums. Demonstrations/screenings have been done at University of Washington, USC, Cal State Northridge, and at 10 major film festivals around the country, including Telluride, Seattle International, Chicago International, St Louis International, Denver International, Palm Springs, Palm Beach and Newport Beach International.
Articles and references to Smilebox used in Cinerama Adventure have appeared in major publications such as Vanity Fair, American Cinematographer, Post, Daily Variety, Widescreen Review, International Documentary, and countless newspaper articles in cities where the documentary played in film festivals over the last 2 and 1/2 years. Some other media coverage for SmileBox includes Starz TV , KNBC, NPR, CBS Radio, CBS TV 2. Quite a few internet sites have described and praised SmileBox, these include: FilmThreat.com, E-Film Critic, TheHotButton.com, WideScreenMuseum.com
Martin Scorsese thought the effect was terrific and claimed it brought back many fond memories of the original Cinerama process, when his parents took him to see Cinerama shows in the 1950s.
"Smilebox" is fast becoming a well established Brand Name and can be available for use in motion pictures for DVD and Home Theater that were originally shown in exclusive Roadshow Cinerama, Todd-AO and D-150 theaters worldwide..
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