 The commercial success of DeMille’s THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH prompted Hollywood to produce several other circus films during the 1950s. Although none of these went on to become as successful (or as enduring) as the DeMille film, one of the more interesting ones was RING OF FEAR, released on July 24, 1954. Produced by none other than John Wayne, it goes one better than the DeMille film by having been photographed using the wide-screen Cinemascope process. (Seeing it on a big theater screen must have REALLY been a thrilling experience!)  |
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Ring Of Fear #1 (From Eric Beheim)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
I have a Clyde Beatty Circus route card that 3 days in Texas were cancelled to stay in Galveston, Texas to film this movie.
So I went to Galveston to research what went on.
They started filming in the rage back then 3-D process that Warner Bros pictures had.
They staged a parade in Galveston and the local paper told the folks what day and time to show up.
Then the 3-D fad was out and now all that footage shot so far was scrapped and it was decided to go with the new fad Cinemascope and start filming again in this process.
I just wish that Waynes Batjac had decided to use Technicolor instead of the Warner color which is Eastman color.
As Technicolor was lots more expensive than Eastman.
There is a difference in color in the Martin and Lewis 3 ring circus that was done in Paramount's new process Vistavison that was shot horizontally through the camera and the same size as a 35mm still camera frame.
Warnercolor just did not have the lush color Technicolor had.
Harry in Texas
For you who missed seeing it this was just a great railroad circus. And I mean "circus" in every way.Great size tent, real old time side show, fine band and stellar acts tops in the field and then the great Clyde Beatty. Just exactly what a circus should be. No grift but solid circus staff. Two nice eight horse liberty acts, plus Menage no. featuring specialty horses on the hip. track including waltz and rear. Putting it all together was Equs. Dir. Jack Joyce the personna of a person perfect in his position. A fifteen car show that made living acc. on the train pretty tight, especially working mens coach. But it was solid circus in every way. Probably one of the last of those types of American circuses. I am happy to have seen it on numerous occasions. From Beatty on down it reeked circus in every way. Guess I could go on and on,but I enjoyed it so much.I also certainly liked Cole in theb 40s. But believe me the Words Clyde Beatty and circus were synonymous. John herriott
John, thanks for your commentary, as I never had the privilege of seeing the Clyde Beatty railroad circus. From the research I have done, with Fred Dahlinger's help, I would agree that it contained all that was great in American circus!
Harry, thanks for the insight on the filming process.
Erik Jaeger
John,
I couldn't have said it better, it was a great circus from top to bottom.
Bob Kitto
Post a Comment