Mercedes-Benz Brings Circle Scope(TM) Theater to New York Auto Show
7 April 1998
Mercedes-Benz Brings Its Star To New York City For The First Time Auto Show is Only Area Stop For Mercedes-Benz Circle Scope(TM) Theater
NEW YORK, April 7 -- Sexy convertibles, dueling race cars,
leaping mountain bikes, glittering Las Vegas showgirls and dramatic vistas of
America will encircle viewers at the only New York City appearance of The
Mercedes-Benz Circle Scope Theater from April 11 through April 19 at the 1998
New York International Automobile Show.
Circle Scope is an innovative theater experience, utilizing a 360-degree
movie screen format to show a 14-minute film, The Fortune Teller, starring
Kevin Nealon of Saturday Night Live fame.
The film takes the audience on a fantastic journey through the past,
present and future of Mercedes-Benz, featuring such varied experiences as a
high-speed Indy car race with driver Al Unser, Jr., a wild downhill adventure
on a Mercedes-Benz mountain bike and a scenic drive over the Golden Gate
Bridge.
"This film is an engaging and unique extension of our ongoing advertising
brand campaign," explains Richard Anderman, general manager of marketing
communications for Mercedes-Benz of North America, Inc. "The content of the
film, like all our brand marketing efforts, strikes a balance between the
grand heritage of Mercedes and the new, more youthful lifestyle-oriented
personality of our new products."
Incorporating sophisticated computer graphic effects as well as
spectacular 360-degree aerial photography, the film is shown in a specially
constructed circular theater with nine contiguous screens, each measuring
20-ft. wide and 10-ft. tall. The Fortune Teller is shown via nine film
projectors and features 11 channels of surround sound. The audience stands in
the center of the theater to view the film so that they can easily turn to
watch the action as it takes place in a circle around them.
"The 360-degree format has primarily been used by Walt Disney in their
theaters at the Magic Kingdom and Epcot Center," notes the film's producer,
Karen Jorgensen of Kaleidoscope Productions. "Traditionally, these films
featured spectacular vistas -- allowing the viewer to be totally immersed in
some breathtaking scenes -- but there wasn't any true story line. What
Mercedes has done is combine stunning visuals with a funny, interesting story
told in an engaging way."
The film debuted at the February 1997 National Automobile Dealers
Association (NADA) convention in Atlanta. The facility housed 800 people and
was the largest Circle Scope Theater ever constructed. Since then, it has
been featured at various large-scale events such as The Lipton ATP Tour tennis
tournament in Key Biscayne, Florida; the Taste of Chicago Festival; The State
Fair of Texas in Dallas; and the Los Angeles Auto Show. While specific
locations for future stops have yet to be announced, according to Anderman the
film will continue to make its way around the country.
Prominently featured in the film are the recently introduced 1998
Mercedes-Benz models such as the sensational SLK roadster, the stylish CLK
coupe, the E-Class wagon, redesigned C-Class, and the American-built M-Class
sport utility vehicle, voted 1998 North American Truck of the Year.
These vehicles and many others will be on display at the Mercedes-Benz
exhibit during the New York International Automobile Show at the Jacob K.
Javits Convention Center.
SOURCE Mercedes-Benz of North America, Inc.
