Brace Yourself — Literally — for Super 8 Vibrating Theater Seats
God strike you dead if you're one of the six people who thinks 3D isn't a cheesy enough gimmick for your moviegoing experience, because the masterminds at D-Box Technologies are upping the ante on extreme gimmickry. In 50 select theaters this summer, you can watch J.J. Abrams' new film Super 8 while sitting in the zaniest cineplex toy of all: a padded chair equipped with "motion effects." The "D-Box" (as it's awesomely called) undulates, shakes, vibrates, and recreates most of the formative puberty experiences you enjoyed at your local Brookstone. Yes, disturbing. Watch this video and clutch the arms of your sad old La-Z-Boy.
Do people really want waves running under their asses? At the movies, anyway?
· 'Super 8' D-Box [Wired]
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Comments
d-box has been around for several summers now.
and yes, it sucks. and is expensive.
"We need an idea to get more women into theaters. Let's fire it around the room here and brainstorm -- I need ideas, people . . ."
I saw Inception in D-Box. Twice. That's how impressed with it I was. I actively recruited people to go experience the movie in DBox.
It's actually in many ways more immersive than 3d. You can adjust the setting so it's not too intense, you don't have to wear bulky equipment, you don't have to worry about murky dark pictures or eyestrain. And because the motion is coded to the action on the screen there's none of those "AHHMAGAWD IT'S COMING RIGHT US AT" obvious moments. The response of the chair is equivalent to the action on the screen, so it can range from a slight almost unperceivable rumbling to the chair whipping you around like you're in a race car (again, adjustable to your comfort level).
One of the people I took can't see 3d films because she has issues with vertigo, so she missed out on being able to see Avatar, but she was not only able to handle the DBox seats (on low), but I looked over at one point when I knew a cool effect was coming (the chair mimics the sensation of a helicopter taking off) and there was a giant grin on her face.
And it's MUCH MUCH MUCH more subtle than the videos of the chairs convey. You really have to experience it to see for yourself, but I know after experiencing it the first time I couldn't stop myself from raving about them.
Dude, tell me about it. I know loads of girls who love these chairs.
Bring back Smell-O-Vision!
This sounds a lot like "Percepto!". William Castle was ahead of his time.
"The Tingler is loose in THIS theater! Scream! Scream for your lives!"
I agree with Andrew, you need to try D-Box to really get it. It's immersive and not intended to be a theme park ride. Fast Five is opening with D-Box and I'll see it at the midnight show tonight in a D-Box seat!