Rollercoaster (1977)

Rollercoaster Poster

A young terrorist kills and injures patrons of a Norfolk amusement park by placing homemade explosives on the track of one of its roller coasters. After staging a similar incident in Pittsburgh, he sends a tape to a meeting of major amusement park executives in Chicago, demanding $1 million to make him stop.

Introduction
"Rollercoaster", released in 1977, is an American disaster-suspense film directed by James Goldstone. The screenplay was written by Richard Levinson, William Link and Tommy Cook. The film includes George Segal, Richard Widmark, Henry Fonda, and Timothy Bottoms, offering an uncommon mix of action, thriller, and disaster film tropes.

Plot Overview
The story centers on a safety inspector, Harry Calder (George Segal), who is plunged into a lethal game of feline and mouse with a psychopathic bomber who targets roller rollercoasters. The opening scene portrays a horrific mishap on a roller coaster in Ocean View Amusement Park, instigated by an anonymous extortionist (Timothy Bottoms) referred to as 'the young man.' The strength is exaggerated through making use of 'Sensurround,' a pioneering stereo used to offer the audience a sense of being on the roller rollercoaster.

The Antagonist and his Scheme
The confidential antagonist seeks a ransom of $1 million, threatening to cause more incidents at different theme park across the United States if his needs are not met. Despite his intention for triggering these disasters, the guy is primarily identified by his extensive technical expertise, cunning, and total absence of empathy.

The Protagonist's Struggle
Harry Calder, a theme park safety inspector, becomes the hesitant hero. After finding an important hint in the wreckage of the first trip, Calder is reluctantly thrust into the examination. Despite being removed from the case for a more knowledgeable FBI agent, Agent Hoyt (Richard Widmark), Calder remains main to the plot as the bomber insists on dealing straight with him.

Climax and Resolution
The film takes a thrilling turn with a prolonged climactic chase through the under-construction Magic Mountain Revolution coaster in California. The last fight between Calder and the saboteur takes place which results in the saboteur falling to his death throughout a battle. On the other hand, the safety inspector walks away a hero, marking a satisfying end to the movie.

Notable Features
"Rollercoaster" is unique in its remarkable use of real theme park and actual roller coasters as settings for the film's main action sequences. The film was also one of the early motion pictures to utilize Universal's gimmicky but effective 'Sensurround' system, which utilized large bass speakers to produce low-frequency sounds, providing a sense of participating in the ride.

Conclusion
Through the competent instructions of James Goldstone, "Rollercoaster" provides a nerve-wracking voyeuristic thrill-ride to the audience. The cast's efficiencies, combined with the creative use of setting and sound, produce a suspense-filled phenomenon that keeps viewers grasped until the very end. The movie likewise grapples with the duality of theme park, representing these generally enjoyable and carefree places as sites of orchestrated disaster and mortal worry.

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