View source for Pirates 4-D

{{Short description|1999 film}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox attraction
<!--GLOBAL STATISTICS-->
| name                = Pirates 4-D
| logo                = <!--Use ONLY the filename, not a full [[File:]] link-->
| image               = [[File:Pirates4D one-sheet.jpg|Pirates 4D poster]]
| image_width         = 200px
| caption             = 
<!--INDIVIDUAL PARK STATISTICS-->
| location             = SeaWorld Ohio
| section              =
| cost                 = 
| status               = Removed 
| soft_opened          = 
| opened               = 10 May 1997
| closed               = 2000 (Park sold to [[Six Flags]] 2001–2003)
| previousattraction   =
| replacement          = 
| location2            = Busch Gardens Williamsburg
| section2             = [[Busch Gardens Williamsburg#Banbury Cross (England)|England]]
| cost2                = 
| status2              = Removed
| soft_opened2         = 
| opened2              = Spring 2006<br>16 July 2011 The Original<br />                                                                        Reopen                   17 December 2011
| closed2              = March 2009<br>2013<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.themeparkinsider.com/reviews/busch_gardens_williamsburg/pirates_4-d/|title=Pirates 4-D at Busch Gardens Williamsburg|work=themeparkinsider.com|access-date=8 January 2017}}</ref>
| previousattraction2  = [[Haunted Lighthouse|R.L. Stine’s Haunted Lighthouse 4-D]] (2003–2006)
| replacement2         = London Rocks
| location3            = Thorpe Park
| section3             = 
| cost3                = 
| status3              = Removed
| soft_opened3         = 
| opened3              = 20 March 1999
| closed3              = 2007<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.memoriesofthorpepark.co.uk/parkpalladium.html|title=Park Palladium & 4D Cinema|work=memoriesofthorpepark.co.uk|access-date=8 January 2017}}</ref>
| previousattraction3  = <!--If there is an appropriate article, this should be linked.-->
| replacement3         = Time Voyagers
| location4            = Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
| section4             = [[Busch Gardens Tampa Bay#Pantopia|Timbuktu]]
| cost4                = 
| status4              = Removed
| soft_opened4         = 
| opened4              = 1. Spring 2006<br />2. 5 August 2010
| closed4              = 1. March 2010<br />2. 7 July 2013
| previousattraction4  = [[Haunted Lighthouse|R.L. Stine's Haunted Lighthouse 4-D]] (2003–2006)
| replacement4         = Opening Night Critters
| location5            = SeaWorld San Diego
| section5             = 
| cost5                = 
| status5              = Removed
| soft_opened5         = 
| opened5              = May 2000
| closed5              = 2003
| previousattraction5  = 
| replacement5         = [[Haunted Lighthouse|R.L. Stine’s Haunted Lighthouse 4-D]] (2003–2007)
| location6            = SeaWorld San Antonio
| section6             = 
| cost6                = 
| status6              = Removed
| soft_opened6         = 
| opened6              = May 2006
| closed6              = 2011
| previousattraction6  = 
| replacement6         = [[Sesame Street 4-D Movie Magic]]
| location7            = Six Flags New Orleans
| section7             =
| cost7                = 
| status7              = Removed
| soft_opened7         = 
| opened7              = May 2000
| closed7              = 2003 
| previousattraction7  =
| replacement7         = [[SpongeBob SquarePants 4-D]] (2003–2005)
| location8            = Noah's Ark Water Park
| section8             = 
| cost8                = 
| status8              = Removed
| soft_opened8         = 
| opened8              = 2011
| closed8              = 2015
| previousattraction8  = SpongeBob SquarePants 4-D (2007-2010)
| replacement8         = Ice Age 4-D (2015-2016)<br>The LEGO Movie: The 4-D Experience (2017)

| location9            = Luxor Hotel
| section9             = 
| cost9                = 
| status9              = Removed
| soft_opened9         = 
| opened9              = 2007
| closed9              = 2009
| previousattraction9  = 
| replacement9         = 
<!--GENERAL STATISTICS-->
| designer            = <!--Should be linked.-->
| type                = [[4-D Film]]
| theme               = [[Pirate]]s
| duration            = 15 minutes and 17 minutes
| height_requirement  = <!--Must be expressed in inches and may contain only numeric characters.-->
| single_rider        = <!--Must be "available" if available.-->
| custom_label_1      =Producer 
| custom_value_1      =Renaissance Entertainment 
| custom_label_3     = Starring
| custom_value_3     = [[Leslie Nielsen]]<br />[[Eric Idle]]<br />[[Adam Wylie]]<br />[[Rodney Dangerfield]]
|custom_label_2=Distributor|custom_value_2=[[Iwerks Entertainment]]
| accessible          = 
| transfer_accessible = 
| assistive_listening = yes
| cc    =
}}

'''''Pirates 4D''''' (also known as '''''Pirates 3D''''') was an attraction film designed to be shown in a specially-built or remodeled theater space in a [[theme park]], featuring in-theater [[special effects]], sometimes referred to as a [[4D film]].

The film itself is a dual strip [[70 mm film|70mm]] [[3D film]] short, featuring [[Leslie Nielsen]] and [[Eric Idle]], written by Idle and directed by longtime theme park film director Keith Melton. It was produced by Renaissance Entertainment and 
[[Busch Entertainment Corporation]],<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0198911/companycredits?ref_=ttrel_ql_5 |title = Pirates: 3D Show (1999)|website = [[IMDb]]}}</ref> and distributed by [[Iwerks Entertainment]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=PIRATES 4-D |url=http://www.simexdesign.com/content/pirates-4-d-2/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701160851/http://www.simexdesign.com/content/pirates-4-d-2/ |archive-date=2017-07-01}}</ref> It was released in 1999, and first shown at [[Sea World Ohio]] (then owned by Busch), at two [[Busch Gardens]] parks, and at [[Thorpe Park]] in England, then owned by [[The Tussauds Group]], which was the earliest overseas venue.

== Venues ==
The film was produced exclusively for theme park usage. It was formerly shown at [[Sea World Ohio]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-09-21 |title=A Brief History of Sea World Ohio |url=http://www.rollercoasterfreak.com/Geauga_Lake/Sea_World_History.html |website=rollercoasterfreak.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2016/03/sea_world_ohio_old_photos_of_c.html |title = Sea World Ohio: Old photos of Cleveland's forgotten theme park|date = 2016-03-14}}</ref><ref name="auto1">{{Cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0198911/reviews |title = Pirates: 3D Show (1999)|website = [[IMDb]]}}</ref> in [[Aurora, Ohio]], [[Busch Gardens Williamsburg]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pirates 4D (1998 to 2001 or Later, 2006 to 2009, 2012 & 2013) |url=http://parkfans.net/thread-2001-post-70019.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202023308/http://parkfans.net/thread-2001-post-70019.html |archive-date=2017-02-02 |website=parkfans.net}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Pirates 4-D at Busch Gardens Williamsburg |url=http://www.themeparkinsider.com/reviews/busch_gardens_williamsburg/pirates_4-d/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171204114605/http://www.themeparkinsider.com/reviews/busch_gardens_williamsburg/pirates_4-d/ |archive-date=2017-12-04 |website=Theme Park Insider}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.buschgardensvablog.com/pirates-4-d-returns |title=Pirates 4-D Returns {{!}} Busch Gardens in Virginia Blog |website=www.buschgardensvablog.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716001149/http://www.buschgardensvablog.com/pirates-4-d-returns |archive-date=2011-07-16}}</ref> in [[Williamsburg, Virginia]], [[Busch Gardens Tampa Bay]] in [[Tampa, Florida]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pirates 4-D at Busch Gardens Tampa |url=http://www.themeparkinsider.com/reviews/busch_gardens_tampa/pirates_4-d/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180823105516/http://www.themeparkinsider.com/reviews/busch_gardens_tampa/pirates_4-d/ |archive-date=2018-08-23}}</ref> [[Thorpe Park]]<ref name="auto1" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Park Palladium/ Palladium Theatre & 4D Cinema |url=https://memoriesofthorpepark.co.uk/parkpalladium.html |website=memoriesofthorpepark.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Total Thorpe Park – Features – History |url=http://www.totalthorpepark.co.uk/features/history.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223185300/http://www.totalthorpepark.co.uk/features/history.shtml |archive-date=2020-02-23}}</ref> in [[Chertsey]], [[Surrey]], England, [[SeaWorld San Diego]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2000-03-02 |title=Batten Down the Hatches Pirates Invade SeaWorld May 2000 |url=http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/news/archives/march00/stories/030200_03.shtml |website=ultimaterollercoaster.com}}</ref> in [[San Diego, California]], [[SeaWorld San Antonio]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Information About Sea World of San Antonio, Texas |url=http://traveltips.usatoday.com/information-sea-world-san-antonio-texas-11504.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240305011124/http://traveltips.usatoday.com/information-sea-world-san-antonio-texas-11504.html |archive-date=2024-03-05 |website=[[USA Today]]}}</ref> in [[San Antonio, Texas]], [[Hansa Park]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hapa-historie.de/shows-events/fantastic-cinema |title=Fantastic Cinema - 4D-Kino im HANSA-PARK - HAPA-Historie |website=www.hapa-historie.de |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150311182158/http://hapa-historie.de/shows-events/fantastic-cinema |archive-date=2015-03-11}}</ref> in [[Sierksdorf]], Germany, Aquapulco Piratenwelt of the [https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurotherme_Bad_Schallerbach Eurothermen Resort Bad Schallerbach] in [[Austria]],<ref>{{Cite journal |title=EurothermenResorts Bad Schallerbach: Das neue Aquapulco |url=https://www.eap-magazin.de/Magazine/Ausgabe-5%3A-September-Oktober-2011.html |journal=EuroAmusement Professional |publication-date=2011 |issue=5 |pages=52–55}}</ref> [[Mirabilandia (Italy)|Mirabilandia]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2004-07-26 |title=Pirates 4D |url=http://www.screammachine.net/rideinfo.php?ridecode=4193&active= |website=screammachine.net}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-02-22 |title=Mirabilandia Cinema 4D |url=http://www.riminibeach.it/notizie/mirabilandia-cinema-4d}}</ref> in Italy, [[Six Flags New Orleans]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Unofficial Six Flags New Orleans Information Park Map |url=http://sfno.com/SFNO_map.html |website=sfno.com}}</ref> in [[New Orleans, Louisiana]], [[Noah's Ark Water Park]]<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=59615 |title = Photo TR: Noah's Ark (First one on TPR!)| date=26 June 2011 }}</ref> in [[Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin]], [[Enchanted Kingdom]] in the Philippines,<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=48951 |title = Photo TR: Enchanted Kingdom| date=2 February 2009 }}</ref> the [[Luxor Casino]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=IMAX and 4D movies at the Luxor – Las Vegas Forum – TripAdvisor |url=https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g45963-i10-k97457-IMAX_and_4D_movies_at_The_Luxor-Las_Vegas_Nevada.html |website=[[Tripadvisor]]}}</ref> in [[Las Vegas, Nevada]] and [[Phantasialand]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fantastic shows |url=http://www.phantasialand.de/en/park/fantastic-shows/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190702201956/https://www.phantasialand.de/en/park/fantastic-shows/ |archive-date=2019-07-02}}</ref> in [[Brühl (Rhineland)|Brühl]], Germany. It is still open at [[4D AdventureLand]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sentosa 4D AdventureLand |url=https://www.sentosa.com.sg/en/things-to-do/attractions/sentosa-4d-adventureland/ |website=Sentosa}}</ref> on [[Sentosa|Sentosa Island]], Singapore, as of 2025.

The show at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay was closed in March 2010 to make way for Sesame Street Film Festival 4-D, but due to guest demand, the attraction returned on August 5, 2010 and featured three showings a day after three showings of the "Sesame Street" film. On 7 July 2013, Busch Gardens Tampa announced that Pirates 4-D had closed again in Timbuktu (now Pantopia) along with Timbuktu Theater to make way for a new show and Pantopia Theater.

== Synopsis ==

Davie ([[Adam Wylie]]), a cabin boy who was betrayed and marooned by the nasty Captain Lucky ([[Leslie Nielsen]]) on Pirate Island, escapes the captain's trap and sets up booby traps with the help of a monkey named Chester to catch Lucky and his crew when he returns to the island to recover a treasure he buried there. The captain, with a French pirate named Pierre ([[Eric Idle]]) as his first mate, returns soon after, along with his new crew. Two of the pirates are caught in a trap involving crabs. The next pirate has a bee hive dropped on his head, while the next is hit in the back by a cactus. Pierre is caught in a trap involving pigeons, which defecate on him. After the booby traps leave all the pirates behind except for the Captain and Pierre, Lucky leads Pierre into a dark cave on the island where his treasure is hidden. Upon entering the cave, Pierre encounters a giant spider and various bats, before running into the skeletons of Lucky's former crew, having been hung by shackles to the cave's walls. Lucky approaches Pierre, menacing him with "To me...or not to me". The captain finds his treasure chest, which now holds a booby trap. After the captain begins caressing the chest's treasures, the chest locks him with shackles and drags him out of the cave and into a lake, past the pigeons. Meanwhile, the pirate crew discovers Davie, and prepare to attack him, before Pierre shows up with the skeletons of Lucky's last crew. Lucky eventually escapes the shackles and begins to have a sword fight with Davie, whom he disarms. They all return to the ship, where the crew makes Lucky walk the plank, and Davie is named as the crew's new captain. As the screen begins to close to black, Lucky appears in front of it and spits out water, telling the audience "I'll be back" before the closing screen bonks him and knocks him out.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0198911/plotsummary?ref_=tt_ov_pl |title = Pirates: 3D Show (1999)|website = [[IMDb]]}}</ref> The film trailer may be seen on [[YouTube]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0de2J4fmbo|title=Pirates 4D &#124; Trailer|via=www.youtube.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA6gTVoTYow|title=Thorpe Park – Pirates 4D Teaser|via=www.youtube.com}}</ref> An additional sequence featuring Rodney Dangerfield was only included in the Busch/SeaWorld Attractions.

== Effects ==

Viewers of the film wear [[polarized 3D system|polarized 3D glasses]] in order to experience the film's 3D effects. The 4-D effects are of two general types:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.simex-iwerks.com/Default.asp?id=13&l=1 |title=SimEx-Iwerks - 4D Theatres & Attractions |website=www.simex-iwerks.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716071846/http://www.simex-iwerks.com/Default.asp?id=13&l=1 |archive-date=2011-07-16}}</ref> in-theater special effects, such as water cannons,
and specialized seating, with built-in effects and audio.<ref name="auto">{{cite web |url=http://www.simex-iwerks.com/Default.asp?id=21&l=1 |title=SimEx-Iwerks - 4D Seats |website=www.simex-iwerks.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131011232109/http://www.simex-iwerks.com/Default.asp?id=21&l=1 |archive-date=2013-10-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=4-D Theater Seats |url=http://www.aetfx.com/4-dtheaterseats.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201203194313/https://www.aetfx.com/4-dtheaterseats.html |archive-date=2020-12-03}}</ref>

The in-theater effects packages were sometimes produced by different manufacturers. Busch Entertainment Corporation (BEC) developed its own package for its initial installations, as did Thorpe Park. Later installations most likely utilized a more common package which was the early Iwerks 3D/4D FX Theatre System.

Thorpe Park's package was developed by Technology Design Associates (TDA),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.technology-design.com/ |title=Technology Design Associates |website=www.technology-design.com |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010922131438/http://www.technology-design.com/ |archive-date=22 September 2001 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and integrated by Advanced Entertainment Technology (AET).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.aetfx.com/index.html|title=HOME|website=www.aetfx.com}}</ref>

Each package differed somewhat as to which effects were included, and the specific application of each, however, there were many similarities, driven by moments built into the film. For example, at the end of the film, after Captain Lucky walks the plank, he surfaces and spits water into the camera. Simultaneously, one or more large water cannons are discharged from below the screen, sending a water spray out into the audience. The guests in the front rows were often soaked.

The specialized 4D film seating featured in-seat sound, vibrators, water squirts, bursts of air and wires which push against the viewers' feet.

== Technical information ==

The film was released as a 70&nbsp;mm/5 perforation dual print polarized 3-D attraction film 17 minutes in length,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0198911/technical|title=Pirates: 3D Show (1999) – IMDb|via=www.imdb.com}}</ref> and was directed by Keith Melton,<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k2Ajw-EEOEkC&pg=PA160 |title = 3-D Revolution: The History of Modern Stereoscopic Cinema|isbn = 978-0-8131-3611-0|last1 = Zone|first1 = Ray|date = 2012-07-06| publisher=University Press of Kentucky }}</ref> and written by Eric Idle.<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZTAFAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA182 |title = Monty Python: A Chronology, 1969–2012, 2d ed|isbn = 978-1-4766-1311-6|last1 = McCall|first1 = Douglas|date = 2013-11-19| publisher=McFarland }}</ref> It was in Eastman Color, and was filmed by 3-D Cinematographer [[Peter Anderson (cinematographer)|Peter Anderson]] in a 2.1:1 [[Aspect ratio (image)|aspect ratio]]. It featured [[Dolby Digital]] sound, although this was usually not used.

The Iwerks seating was an early version of a product now called Simex-Iwerks 4-D Seats.<ref name="auto" /> This early version was far less capable than the current model, with the major difference being the lack of the current [[motion simulator]] base (3 DOF) capabilities.

The BEC seats and the TDA/AET seats were quite similar. Both featured the following effects: water spray, wind effect, bats effect, seat speakers and seat vibrators. The BEC seats were installed at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and replaced an earlier prototype at Sea World Ohio. The TDA/AET seats were used at Thorpe Park.

Besides the water cannons noted above, the in-house effects included a "[[bird droppings]]" effect, consisting of a burst of warm water sprayed on the audience from the ceiling when the birds are released on the pirates, a large [[smoke ring]] effect, discharged over the audience when the ship's cannon is shot toward the camera, and a glittering gold lighting effect around the proscenium when Lucky's treasure is revealed.<ref name=":0" />

The audio for Pirates 4-D was usually stored on an outboard device, and synchronized to the film. The early SeaWorld/Busch Gardens venues used an 8 channel [[Tascam]] DA-88<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tascam.com/jp/product/da-88/top|title=生産完了品|website=TASCAM (日本)}}</ref> [[Digital Audio Tape]] (DAT) deck, while the Thorpe Park installation used a 12 channel [[Alcorn McBride]] Digital Binloop.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Industry standard for theme park audio reproduction – Digital Binloop |url=https://alcorn.com/products/digital-binloop/ |website=Alcorn McBride Inc.}}</ref> This was necessary because the Dolby Digital format had only six tracks available for audio, and all were used for the cinema speakers. Busch used the seventh channel for the seat speakers. Thorpe Park used four channels for the seat speakers, one for a point source speaker for Justa, its [[Animatronic]] pirate parrot, and the twelfth for the preshow.

== References ==
{{Reflist|3}}

== External links ==
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=k2Ajw-EEOEkC&pg=PA160 ''3-D Revolution: The History of Modern Stereoscopic Cinema ''], page 160
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZTAFAgAAQBAJ&q ''Monty Python: A Chronology, 1969–2012''], 2nd edition Douglas McCall – 2013 – Performing Arts, page 182 item 2251 May 10, 1997

{{Busch Gardens Williamsburg}}
{{Busch Gardens Tampa Bay}}
{{SeaWorld San Diego}}
{{SeaWorld San Antonio}}
{{Six Flags New Orleans}}
{{Thorpe Park}}

[[Category:1990s 3D films]]
[[Category:Amusement park films]]
[[Category:Busch Gardens Tampa Bay]]
[[Category:Busch Gardens Williamsburg]]
[[Category:SeaWorld San Antonio]]
[[Category:SeaWorld San Diego]]
[[Category:2006 establishments in Virginia]]
[[Category:2013 disestablishments in Virginia]]
[[Category:Amusement rides introduced in 1999]]
[[Category:Amusement rides introduced in 2006]]
[[Category:Amusement rides that closed in 2004]]
[[Category:Amusement rides that closed in 2007]]
[[Category:Amusement rides that closed in 2009]]
[[Category:Amusement rides that closed in 2013]]
[[Category:3D short films]]
[[Category:4D films]]