Rollercoaster (1977 film)

Rollercoaster
File:RollercoasterFilmPoster.jpg Promotional poster of Rollercoaster
Directed by	James Goldstone
Produced by	Jennings Lang
Written by	Richard Levinson William Link Tommy Cook (story)
Starring	George Segal Richard Widmark Timothy Bottoms Harry Guardino Susan Strasberg Richard Widmark
Music by	Lalo Schifrin
Cinematography	David M. Walsh
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release dates	June 10, 1977 (1977-06-10)
Running time	119 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$9 million

Rollercoaster is a 1977 American disaster-suspense film starring George Segal, Richard Widmark, Henry Fonda and Timothy Bottoms, and directed by James Goldstone. It was one of the few films to be shown in Sensurround, which caused audience seats to vibrate during certain periods during the "thrill scenes" on the rides.

Plot

A psychopathic bomber (Timothy Bottoms, credited only as "Young Man" and never referred to by any name in the film) sneaks into Ocean View Amusement Park and places a small radio-controlled bomb on the tracks of the park's wooden roller coaster, The Rocket. The bomb detonates, the ride derails, and several riders are killed. Ride inspector Harry Calder (George Segal) is called to the park to investigate what initially appears to have been an accident. Calder determines that there was an unauthorized man on the track, thus eliminating structural problems as the cause of the crash.

Meanwhile, the bomber flies to Pittsburgh where he sets fire to a dark ride at another park. There are no injuries. When the investigation of the incident fails to produce a lead, Calder travels to Chicago where park executives are meeting. The meeting room has been bugged by the bomber, disguised as a bellboy. Calder demands to be let into the meeting. One of the executives plays a tape sent by the Young Man, wherein he demands $1 million to stop his bombing campaign.

When Calder returns home he receives a call from the Young Man, who knows that Calder will be selected to deliver the money to the bomber in Virginia. FBI Agent Hoyt (Richard Widmark) arrives, and confirms that the extortion money is to be delivered by Calder. Calder goes to Kings Dominion under protest. He is told to wait at a telephone in the park. He is called by the bomber, who is secretly watching him from the Eiffel Tower. He tells Calder that there is a bomb in the park, and he sends a two-way radio by a courier so that he can remain in touch with Calder at all times. He orders Calder to go on various rides in the park including the Rebel Yell wooden racing coaster.

When he gets on the Skyway, the Young Man tells Calder that the bomb is in his radio. He warns Calder not to throw it away, because it will explode on impact, and the paths below the Skyway are crowded with patrons. He orders Calder to falsely signal that he has made the delivery, in order to distract the FBI who are watching him. The bomber tells Calder to leave the money on a bench in the Hanna-Barbera Land section. Calder radios the Young Man to signal that he has placed the money, but receives no response; he turns and sees the bag is gone. After a heated argument with Hoyt and Hoyt's admission that he marked the money (in violation of the Young Man's instructions), Calder demands to be sent home and leaves the bombed radio with the bomb squad.

Calder is awakened by a call from the Young Man. He blames Calder for the marked money, and threatens another attack. Assuming that the Young Man's revenge will be directed at Calder personally, he deduces that the next target will be The Great American Revolution at Magic Mountain, a coaster that Calder personally inspected and cleared. The FBI rejects Calder's hypothesis, but they decide 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 find a bomb attached to the tracks. They safely disconnect the radio antenna. The Young Man realizes that the bomb has been discovered, but he is unable to detonate it.

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 new bomb under his seat in the rear of the train. Following the inaugural ride, Calder recognizes the Young Man's voice during his ride exit interview with a reporter. He chases the bomber, and alerts the agents that the bomber might have placed something in the train itself. It is too late: the train has already left the chain lift on its second ride through.

The cornered bomber threatens to blow up the ride, holding the detonator in his hand while the agents try to jam the signal. The Young Man demands a firearm, and 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 retains the gun and shoots the Young Man, who then runs away. He hops a fence into the field below the Revolution and runs blindly, not realizing he is circling back toward Calder. The bomber climbs onto the track to escape, but sees Calder and freezes. He is hit and killed by the coaster. The film ends with Calder requesting a cigarette from a stranger, but he decides not to smoke it as the ride re-opens following the accident.

Cast

• George Segal as Harry Calder
• Richard Widmark as Agent Hoyt
• Timothy Bottoms as Young Man
• Henry Fonda as Simon Davenport
• Harry Guardino as Keefer
• Susan Strasberg as Fran
• Helen Hunt as Tracy Calder

Production

This was the third film to be presented in Sensurround. Special low-frequency bass speakers were used during the roller coaster sequences. Sensurround was employed in only three other films released by Universal: Earthquake (1974), Midway (1977), and the theatrical version of Battlestar Galactica (1978).

The film features an appearance by the band Sparks for the roller coaster's opening concert, playing the songs "Fill 'Er Up" and "Big Boy" from their 1975 album Big Beat. This appearance was rumored to have been offered to Kiss who turned it down. Sparks later cited their appearance in the film when asked about the biggest regret of their career.

Casting

Helen Hunt, in her first feature film role, has the supporting role as Tracy Calder, Harry's teenage daughter and a potential victim of the young man. Steve Guttenberg, also in his first brief film role, plays a messenger at Six Flags Magic Mountain who brings the plans for the Revolution to Calder and Hoyt. Craig Wasson, in his second film, appears as a hippie who sits in the car with the bomber's second bomb at Magic Mountain.

Radio announcer Charlie Tuna also appears in the film as the MC for the concert and the Revolution coaster launch.

Locations

Several real amusement parks 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 old fashioned feeling. The park's major wooden roller coaster, The Southern Belle, was renamed "The Rocket" for the film. Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia, also appeared in the film. Some of the rides featured in the film, such as the Shenandoah Lumber Company and Rebel Yell wooden roller coaster, still exist today. The final park is Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California, then just known as "Magic Mountain" (it hadn't yet been purchased by the Six Flags organization). Its Revolution roller coaster was featured prominently in the film's climax.

Originally, Kennywood Park was one of the locations to be used in the film. After the park's owners reviewed the script, they objected. In the end, the park's name was changed to "Wonderworld" and did not appear in the final version of the film.

According to Goldstone, the three parks that appeared in the final film were chosen from over 20 candidates.

Additionally, parts of the movie were filmed at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.

Soundtrack

Main article: Rollercoaster (soundtrack)

The film's musical score was written by veteran composer Lalo Schifrin.

Reception

Despite having been released in the summer of 1977, and being overlooked in favor of the smash hit Star Wars, it went on to be a moderate success at the box office. Reviews were mixed, however. Time Out London 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.' Variety said that, 'The rollercoaster rides are the picture’s highlights and they are fabulous.'

External links

• Rollercoaster at IMDb
• Rollercoaster at the TCM Movie Database
• Rollercoaster at AllMovie