7 Wonders of the World on AllMovie

Mantz; Walter Thompson) X It would be pointless to telecast the Cinerama travelogue 7 Wonders of the World on the tiny TV screen--at least, until widescreen digital television becomes the norm. This third feature-length Cinerama effort was produced by Lowell Thomas, who also narrates. The plotless film starts off with an overhead view of Manhattan, then hopscotches between 32 different countries. Among the sights soaked in by the triptych cameras are the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, the Sphinx, the Pyramids, St. Peter's Basilica, a Benares temple and the Rio de Janeiro Mardi Gras celebrations. Five directors collaborated on the film, including the late, great stunt coordinator Paul Mantz. Though undeniably impressive, 7 Wonders of the World seems primitive when compared to the mixed-media IMAX presentations of the 1990s.