One of the local movie channels recently showed Earthquake, one of the classic disaster movies of the 1970s. It was kind of fun to see it again.
Those of us who remember seeing the film at a cinema when it was released probably also remember “Sensurround,” the highly-amplified low frequencies that were played during the movie to simulate an earthquake’s vibration. Of course, that technique isn’t going to be done on an ordinary TV broadcast (or if it is, I’m not going to feel it since I just don’t have the equipment). But at the end of the movie, during the credits, was something like this:
Sensurround, Patent Pending, by Universal Studios
Now, I got to wondering whether patent would still be pending on a movie tecnhique that was invented over thirty years ago and only used a few times since. And if it was, would the film’s end credits need to be amended after the patent was granted to say that?
Why would a movie want to change the credits to a movie to reflect this? The patent is the legal document. The words at the end of the movie are simply an announcement that the patent process has been started (ie our lawyers are better than your lawyers, so don’t steal this idea).
Of course, most patents expire in 20 years, so if you wanted to build your own Richter-scope apparatus go right ahead
How could low frequencies effectively simulate an earthquake? In an earthquake, everything solid moves–it doesn’t vibrate. It’s like God has picked up your house in his hand and jerks it around.
Mostly I remember that it made your balls vibrate in a decidedly unpleasant way. Having grown up in LA and been through several earthquakes I took that as an acceptable substitute.
Well you wouldn’t want to go through the problems of changing one little credit in the film. The entire contents of the film are copyrighted. Changing the credit, and you have register a new copyright.
