Scented Movies Coming To A Theater Near You

[Kor37 9]

Scented Movies Coming to a Theater Near You

Posted Sep 12th 2007 11:13AM by Tim Stevens

Filed under: Audio/Video, Computers

 

"Listen -- you smell something?" That's one of Dan Ackroyd's classic lines in 'Ghostbusters'. Imagine if you could actually smell what he was smelling. You don't have to imagine any more, because Boston artist Megan Dickerson has added the missing scent to films such as the aforementioned as well as a few others. Using scented oils and fans, she has already put on showings of 'Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory' that allow participants to smell things like schnozberries and bananas at appropriate points in the film.

 

The concept is nothing new. Back in the late '90s, a company called DigiScents added scents to the Internet with a USB-controlled device that used cartridges much like a printer does. In fact, odor tech dates back to the 1950s with something called Smellovision, which used tubes to deliver odors to each seat.

 

Like many other '50s-era theater-immersion concepts (seats with shockers, vibrating cushions, and, of course, 3-D), Smellovision never really took off. Nowadays, however, theaters are struggling to find ways to capture moviegoers' interest, and this updated smell tech may be poised for a comeback.

 

For now, Dickerson's scented rendition of 'Willy Wonka' is playing in Boston only, and this fall she hopes to expand her playlist with a few more scent-related films. 'Jackass', anyone? Please, just stay away from the trash compactor scene in 'Star Wars?'

 

They say that smell is our most powerful sense in terms of conjuring emotion, so it would only make sense that entertainment and tech companies get on board. We recently reported about experiments to add scent to books -- surely, books and movie won't be the last mediums to try and tap into this most-important human sense.

 

I knew Smellavision would eventually become a reality!....

[Gummy 0]

The only thing that I ever want to smell in a Movie Theater is popcorn.

[trekz 7]

Scented Movies Coming to a Theater Near You

Posted Sep 12th 2007 11:13AM by Tim Stevens

Filed under: Audio/Video, Computers

 

"Listen -- you smell something?" That's one of Dan Ackroyd's classic lines in 'Ghostbusters'. Imagine if you could actually smell what he was smelling. You don't have to imagine any more, because Boston artist Megan Dickerson has added the missing scent to films such as the aforementioned as well as a few others. Using scented oils and fans, she has already put on showings of 'Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory' that allow participants to smell things like schnozberries and bananas at appropriate points in the film.

 

In fact, odor tech dates back to the 1950s with something called Smellovision, which used tubes to deliver odors to each seat.

 

Like many other '50s-era theater-immersion concepts (seats with shockers, vibrating cushions, and, of course, 3-D), Smellovision never really took off. Nowadays, however, theaters are struggling to find ways to capture moviegoers' interest, and this updated smell tech may be poised for a comeback.

 

"They say that smell is our most powerful sense in terms of conjuring emotion, so it would only make sense that entertainment and tech companies get on board. We recently reported about experiments to add scent to books -- surely, books and movie won't be the last mediums to try and tap into this most-important human sense.

 

I knew Smellavision would eventually become a reality!....

I remember hearing about smellavision but never experienced it.

 

The only thing that I ever want to smell in a Movie Theater is popcorn.

Some people, like Kor, think this is a great idea. Others, like Gummy, suspect the whole idea ... could really stink!

[Kor37 9]

Anybody remember "Kentucky Fried Movie"? They had a similar concept that they made fun of. A movie employee would stand behind a moviegoer and make the moviegoer experience everything in the movie. If the actor in the movie got slapped, so did the moviegoer. If they got wet, same thing and so on. It was hilarious.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named 2]

Anybody remember "Kentucky Fried Movie"? They had a similar concept that they made fun of. A movie employee would stand behind a moviegoer and make the moviegoer experience everything in the movie. If the actor in the movie got slapped, so did the moviegoer. If they got wet, same thing and so on. It was hilarious.

But what if you were watching a porno?

[Wishfire 2]

Anybody remember "Kentucky Fried Movie"? They had a similar concept that they made fun of. A movie employee would stand behind a moviegoer and make the moviegoer experience everything in the movie. If the actor in the movie got slapped, so did the moviegoer. If they got wet, same thing and so on. It was hilarious.

But what if you were watching a porno?

 

I guess that depends on which porn star the movie employee decided to turn you into...