Seven Wonders of the World

This was the first movie I remember ever seeing in a theater. It was the Cinerama Dome and it was shown in grand style complete with a program. Cinerama was supposed to the be the IMAX of its age. It was shown on a special screen that was higher and extended farther than was normal. I imagine the experience was lost when it was shown in a regular theater. Pop kept saying how great it was that they showed it in a way that made you feel you were there. I had no basis upon with to compare it to the normal movie-going experience.

It was basically a travelogue, but a good one, I recall, at least to a four-year-old. I've never seen it rerun or on video or DVD etc. I don't know how anybody under 50 could possibly have an opinion on it.

Few films possess such majestic beauty, alongside content that is so completely and utterly abhorrent.

Because what is espoused to be an epic travelogue to document both the seven wonders of the natural and man-made world...is really nothing other than a veiled propaganda film, on par with the work of Leni Riefenstahl.

As we are whisked around the world on the Panamerican Cinerama jet, which provides us with all the stunning aerial footage contained in the film.

We hop from continent-to-continent, and nation-to-nation, as Cinerama's pr man Lovell Thomas offers us his voice of god narration.

Though, on top of all the natural beauty, and wonderful exhibitions of cultural entertainment, we are forced to endure a plague of political and colonial propaganda.

From the pro-American portrayal of GI's in Japan (of all f-ing places), to pro-Zionist and pro-Saudi shilling (shudders), European colonialism in Africa, the brutal subjugation of Elephants in India...and a bull-dookie claim that Niagara Falls is an American icon (I seem to recall them losing the War of 1812, but it wouldn't surprise me that many of you believe otherwise, after watching this film).

These elements tend to detract from- if not completely overshadow- the magnificent shots of Venezuela's Angel Falls and the Amazon Rainforest, "Rhodesia"'s Victoria Falls, the deserts of Arabia, and my personal favourite, the flyover of an unnamed East African volcano.

As well as the aerial shots of the civilized world, which include Rio De Janeiro, the Vatican, Sheeba, Istanbul, Athens, and, of course, the incredible flyunders of New York City's four main bridges.

And the ground coverage of Japanese musical theatre, a fight between a mongoose and a cobra, a runaway train in Darjeeling, cinema's first look inside the church of the Vatican, and a cruise through the mighty redwoods of California...among others.

Parts like that whole segment lauding American oil interests, just make the whole thing come off as one giant commercial for big oil, and the USA in general.

Which is disappointing, because it otherwise had so much potential to be something timeless and ageless.

Being one of the first films created and released on the incredible blend of technologies that make up Cinerama.

Which include it's triple-projection, stereophonic sound, and trademark curved screen...that immerses you right in the action, with things shot from a first person perspective.

What could- and should- have been one of the best documentaries ever made, ends up like some sort of forced re-education experiment, to sell you the American dream.

Which we all know is a lie.

Like most of the claims made in this film.

It just hasn't aged well.

7.5 out of 10.

I first saw Cinerama features on a boat trip to Europe in 1964. They were HOW THE WEST WAS WON, IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD, and my personal favorite THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM (I later saw KRAKATOA: EAST OF JAVA in a theater). It was a German liner that showed the 3 Cinerama features alternated with 3 German Edgar Wallace features (along with "grown up" movies I wasn't supposed to see) over the course of the 6 day journey. These were probably the commercial releases as opposed to the actual 3 screen versions but they were the biggest movies I had ever seen and the traveling camera shots (the train in WEST, the carriage in GRIMM) were overwhelming. I had heard of the travelogues like this one and THIS IS CINERAMA but I never saw them. When Flicker Alley sent me an advance copy of this to review, I was positively delighted as it brought back memories of my shipboard experiences.

Made in 1957, SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD shows us a very different world than the one we have today. A world that seemed so much larger, places that were so much farther away and oh so exotic! The opening shots of flying out of New York City down the Hudson River (in a special Pan Am 4 propeller Clipper) give you the best visual idea I have ever seen of just how big NYC is and this was over 60 years ago. But that's only the beginning. After a brief stop in Rio, it's over to Asia to visit Japan, Cambodia, and India with an extended sequence involving a runaway train in Darjeeling (to show off the Cinerama camerawork). Then to Africa to see Watusi warriors in the then Belgian Congo and then a sequence in Saudi Arabia with pipelines in the desert which is more than interesting in retrospect considering the situation in the Middle East today. The film ends in Rome with a tour of the Vatican and a special blessing from then Pope Pius XII who is now a controversial figure because of the Holocaust.

As with all Cinerama productions, the cinematography is breathtaking. The restoration in the Smilebox technology captures the curved look of the original presentation though even the biggest flatscreen TV won't do it justice but remember, size isn't everything. Just to be able to see the world as it once was and to hear producer-narrator Lowell Thomas' commentary, which varies from informative to colonial to downright sexist on occasion, is a historical record in itself and tells us a lot about where we were in 1957 and how the World and our attitudes have changed. The price tag will appear steep to some and compared to your average DVD/Blu Ray, it is, but when you consider that you get a Blu/Ray, 2 DVDs (one of bonus features), a reproduction of the original booklet (although the print is very small and requires magnification) then the price isn't so bad after all. An absolute must for anyone interested in cinema technique and/or world history...For more reviews visit The Capsule Critic.