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Documentary Analysis: America Screams

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There’s an old documentary about amusement parks called America Screams which aired on PBS in 1978. It was an hour long, but was later whittled down to a half hour when it was released on VHS. This edited version can be seen on YouTube. (The Lagoon sequence starts at the 7:30 mark). It’s a rare glimpse at amusement parks and roller coasters at a time when both were experiencing a major resurgence in popularity. On top of that, it’s narrated by the legendary Vincent Price! The documentary came about when an author and a filmmaker decided to do something that had never been done before. Here’s what the filmmaker, Scott Campbell, told me about how it began and why Lagoon was chosen to be a part of it. “My partner and good friend, Gary Kyriazi, had written a book, The …show more content…

This first clip begins out front at the old Auto Gate when it was located near the west end of Roller Coaster. Also shown are views from the Sky Ride including a great shot of the old Wild Mouse. It ends with scenes of Pioneer Village which were cut for the VHS version. It’s easy to see why Pioneer Village was once called a “living museum” with employees roaming the dirt paths and boardwalks in period clothing. The original broadcast version also includes another treat. This nighttime sequence is a blend of shots from Lagoon and Lakeside Park in Denver set to the ’60s hit song Palisades Park by Freddy Cannon. Most of the closeups of signage are from Lakeside. I’ve marked the shots that I can confirm are from Lagoon in the clip. The Roll-O-Plane and possibly the Skee-Ball game could be from Lagoon as well. Campbell said Lagoon was a “wonderful, friendly park” and shared more about the adventure he and Kyriazi had making America Screams. “Price was a joy to work with…and he loved the parks and ‘rolly’

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