Vistavision

A variant of the 35mm motion picture film format created by Paramount Studios in the 1950s. The film is run horizontally, as in a still camera, with a width of 8 perforations per frame. This gave a wider aspect ratio of 1.67 against the conventional 1.33, and a sharper image.

The format never really caught on, however, as it required new or retooled equipment all the way across the supply chain, from the camera to the theater projector, as well as twice as much film. In the end, Vistavision lost out in the general market to the less expensive anamorphic[?] systems and the more capable 70mm format. Since 1977 the format has enjoyed a renaissance as an intermediate format used for shooting special effects, thanks to the reduced grain and easy adaptability of compact still cameras.