308:, the bomber tells Calder that the bomb is located in the radio. He warns Calder not to throw it away, because it will explode on impact on the paths below, which are occupied by many of the park's visitors. He orders Calder to falsely signal that he has made the delivery in order to distract the FBI, then leave the money on a bench. Calder complies and walks away. Later, Hoyt admits that he marked the money (violating the bomber's instructions). Calder demands to be sent home and leaves the bomb radio with the bomb squad.
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retains the gun but in doing so accidentally shoots the bomber, who then runs away. He hops a fence into the area below the
Revolution and runs blindly, eventually circling back toward Calder. The bomber climbs onto the track but sees Calder and freezes. He is hit and killed by the coaster train. The ride reopens following the accident.
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Opposite was
Timothy Bottoms. "It's the first time I've ever played the villain," said Bottoms. Helen Hunt, in her first feature film, has a supporting role as Tracy Calder, Harry's teenage daughter. Steve Guttenberg, in his first film role, has an uncredited bit part as a messenger at Magic Mountain
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The bomber returns to his car and gets a new bomb just as the
Revolution is about to open. In order to get on board, he pays a park guest $ 100 for his "Gold Ticket", which entitles the holder to be one of the first passengers. He places the bomb under his seat in the rear of the train. Following the
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of film criticism, and say there is no such thing as a bad movie, that standards are relative, tastes differ. Then I saw 'Rollercoaster.' 'Rollercoaster,' slambang title notwithstanding, is a singularly tepid piece of work, so dull not even
Sensurround can keep you fully awake. Yes, I cried when it
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The bomber is eventually cornered and threatens to blow up the ride, holding the detonator in his hand while the agents try to jam the signal. He demands a firearm. Calder takes one from an agent and begins to hand it to him. Agents succeed in jamming the detonator's signal and alert Calder. Calder
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George Segal's casting was announced in August 1976. He called it "simply an action-adventure, something Alfred
Hitchcock would do, structured beautifully, and combined with Universal's technology". Goldstone said Segal had "that humanity factor and it does come through. George plays the Everyman
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wrote, "The
Sensurround process, fundamentally unnecessary as it is, supplements the subjective visual thrills effectively." He added, "There's such a disparity of interest between the locations themselves and the melodramatic motions the actors are required to go through that one could easily
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were used in the film for the various park and roller coaster scenes. Ocean View Park in
Norfolk, Virginia, was used for the first park in the film. Although the park was located on the Chesapeake Bay, it was described as a west coast park in the film. Goldstone chose the park because of its
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and places a small radio-controlled bomb on the tracks of the park's wooden roller coaster, The Rocket. The bomb detonates, causing the ride's train to derail, killing and injuring the riders as a result. Safety inspector Harry Calder, who initially cleared the ride, is called to the park to
320:. The FBI rejects Calder's hypothesis but decides to investigate anyway because the ride is scheduled to debut on July 4, when park attendance will be at its highest for the season. Agents disguised as park maintenance men eventually find a bomb attached to the tracks and disarm it.
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inaugural ride, Calder recognizes the bomber's voice during his ride exit interview with a reporter. He chases the bomber and alerts the agents that he might have placed something in the coaster train. The train leaves the chain lift on its second ride through.
300:. There, Calder is ordered to wait at a telephone, and the bomber calls, warning him there is a bomb in the park. He sends Calder a two-way radio so that he can keep contact, then orders Calder to go on various rides in the park, such as the
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was one of the locations to be used in the opening "crash" segment of the film. But after the park's owners declined their participation, the producers of the film ended up shooting the "Wonder World" segment at Kings
Dominion instead.
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who brings the plans for the
Revolution to Calder and Hoyt. Craig Wasson, in his second film, appears as a hippie. Radio announcer Charlie Tuna also appears in the film as the emcee for the concert and The Revolution coaster launch.
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investigate. A park worker tells Calder that he saw what he thought was a park maintenance man up on the tracks earlier that day but did not state that the man was someone other than the park had authorized to be there.
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Back home, Calder gets another call from the bomber. He blames Calder for the marked money and threatens another attack. Assuming it will be directed at himself personally, Calder deduces that the next target will be
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was finally over, there is such a thing as a bad movie, and this is it. By the next morning, I'd calmed down, decided 'Rollercoaster' had its virtues after all, and was maybe even marginally entertaining."
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felt that "the results should have been sensational", but that "ultimately the film-makers botched the job. Many of the best runs are interrupted by close-ups, and the filler plot is dumb in the extreme."
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wrote in a positive review that the film "is not so much a disaster story as an unexpectedly articulate and well-polished piece of cat-and-mouse suspense whose derivation is more from
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character who is repeatedly dumped on but who's never a buffoon... He knows who he is and is therefore free to take chances, to try something new, to expose his vulnerability."
592:, it went on to be a moderate success at the box office. However, it was considered a financial disappointment, and Universal lost enthusiasm for Sensurround films.
289:. Calder flies to Chicago and intrudes on the meeting. One of the executives plays a tape sent by the bomber, wherein he demands $ 1 million to stop his activities.
285:. Calder suspects the incidents might be linked, and learns that the executives of companies running the largest amusement parks in America are holding a meeting in
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439:. Special low-frequency bass speakers were used during the roller coaster sequences. Sensurround was employed in only three other films released by Universal:
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The film was announced in July 1976. Director James
Goldstone said the film was "not a disaster movie but a Hitchcock-like suspense cat and mouse story".
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called the film "effective pop entertainment that, like an amusement-park ride, deals in the sensation of suspense for the foolish fun of it".
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gave the film 1½ stars out of 4 and called it "a traffic accident masquerading as a movie" with "one of the dullest villains imaginable".
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George Segal practicing what he preaches: Take life easy, be a clown, but never a fool. Huddy, John. Chicago Tribune. 9 July 1977: s13.
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in Doswell, Virginia, also appeared in the film. Some of the rides featured in the film, such as the Shenandoah Lumber Company and
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old-fashioned feeling. The park's major wooden roller coaster, The Skyrocket, was renamed simply "The Rocket" for the film.
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Movies: Universal hopes to ride 'Rollercoaster' all the way to bank. Aljean Harmetz. Chicago Tribune. 24 Apr 1977: e18.
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for the roller coaster's opening concert, playing the songs "Fill 'Er Up" and "Big Boy" from their 1976 album
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According to Goldstone, the three parks that appeared in the final film were chosen from over 20 candidates.
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984:"Rollercoaster | review, synopsis, book tickets, showtimes, movie release date | Time Out London"
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505:. Sparks later cited their appearance in the film when asked about the biggest regret of their career.
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MOVIE CALL SHEET: An Oldie but Goodie at Palomino. Lee, Grant. Los Angeles Times. 19 July 1976: oc_a8.
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Despite having been released in the late spring of 1977 and being overshadowed by the smash hit
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believe Universal had a greater stake in the amusement park business than the movie business."
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FILM CLIPS: A Convoy of CB Movies Readied Kilday, Gregg. Los Angeles Times18 Aug 1976: g10.
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Arnold, Gary (June 10, 1977). "'Rollercoaster': A Good Ride For the Amusement Parks".
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wooden roller coaster (renamed Racer 75), still exist today. The final park used was
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A 'Rollercoaster' Ride for Segal. Lee, Grant. Los Angeles Times. 6 Dec 1976: f12.
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The New Tycoons of Hollywood By Robert Lindsey. New York Times 7 Aug 1977: SM4.
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Screen: 'Rollercoaster' on Track: Suspense Melodrama Stars Widmark and Fonda
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Charles, Champlin (June 10, 1977). "'Rollercoaster' a Rousing Ride".
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460:"Sensurround is as big a star as there is in movies today," said
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1977 American disaster-suspense film directed by James Goldstone
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Lee, Grant (June 6, 1977). "Villain's Role a 1st for Bottoms".
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roller coaster was featured prominently in the film's climax.
864:'Thrill Ride' a Film Star The Washington Post 7 Sep 1976: B7.
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Black, Johnny (September 2006). "Sparks Interview".
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Additionally, parts of the movie were filmed at the
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304:roller coaster. While Calder is riding on the
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257:. It was one of the few films to be shown in
685:The film holds an approval rating of 53% on
495:The film features an appearance by the band
894:'Rollercoaster' is a disaster of a disaster
435:This was the third film to be presented in
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816:from the original on September 20, 2017
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451:(1976) and the theatrical version of
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513:Filming started September 13, 1976.
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986:. Timeout.com. September 10, 2012
941:Turan, Kenneth (June 12, 1977). "
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1390:1970s American films
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600:Reviews were mixed.
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1143:A Man Called Gannon
948:The Washington Post
929:The Washington Post
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281:at another park in
229:is a 1977 American
1287:The Bride in Black
1271:The Sun Also Rises
1175:Red Sky at Morning
1121:Films directed by
1075:TCM Movie Database
1053:Trailers from Hell
902:. Section 2, p. 7.
880:The New York Times
607:The New York Times
359:as Simon Davenport
152:Universal Pictures
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1239:When Time Ran Out
943:Insipid Pandering
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419:as Tourist Mother
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417:Monica Lewis
399:Craig Wasson
393:Michael Bell
387:Wayne Tippit
353:as Young Man
339:George Segal
326:
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243:George Segal
237:directed by
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182:Running time
159:Release date
102:George Segal
78:William Link
62:William Link
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820:January 21,
640:Irwin Allen
638:than, say,
614:Gene Siskel
437:Sensurround
423:Dick Wesson
395:as Demerest
389:as Christie
357:Henry Fonda
259:Sensurround
251:Henry Fonda
210:$ 9 million
186:119 minutes
122:Henry Fonda
88:Produced by
44:Directed by
1310:1977 films
1304:Categories
1247:Kent State
990:August 23,
968:August 23,
697:References
582:Box office
559:Soundtrack
527:Rebel Yell
470:Earthquake
464:, head of
442:Earthquake
431:Production
407:as Quinlan
381:Helen Hunt
314:Revolution
302:Rebel Yell
283:Pittsburgh
215:Box office
170:1977-06-10
82:Tommy Cook
54:Written by
1199:Cry Panic
1019:August 4,
636:Hitchcock
589:Star Wars
577:Reception
542:Kennywood
509:Locations
401:as Hippie
365:as Keefer
279:dark ride
1086:AllMovie
814:Archived
689:website
596:Critical
502:Big Beat
457:(1978).
445:(1974),
413:as Mayor
377:as Helen
231:disaster
199:Language
138:Music by
98:Starring
68:Story by
1159:Winning
1073:at the
1010:(1977)"
672:Variety
628:of the
616:of the
483:Casting
371:as Fran
287:Chicago
202:English
191:Country
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1282:(1986)
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1162:(1969)
1154:(1968)
1151:Jigsaw
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497:Sparks
474:Midway
448:Midway
306:Skyway
207:Budget
932:. B7.
883:. 12.
1207:Eric
1044:IMDb
1021:2019
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332:Cast
265:Plot
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