Breakthrough Films

Yes, I've visited that site as we've had past discussions about wide screen.

Incidentally, the 3-D final roller coast scene in "Man in the Dark" was the only memorable thing from that Edmund O'Brien film noir. Of course, "This Is Cinerama" also included a roller coaster to give the audience a virtual ride!

In sound, of course, it's "The Jazz Singer" but "The Robe" was the first film to incorporate multi-channeled stereophonic. Even the speaking parts were floating across the screen which if reproduced on television is rather disconcerting (as all modern films have one front channel for dialogue).

I agree

re Vietnam films try "Coming Home"

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077362/

1978- Tie!

I believe by just a few months that "Coming Home" beats them all.

However, to be fair even though it's a rather pathetic film, "The Green Berets" with John Wayne is 1968.

Now maybe the above mentioned Vietnam films were the first with a "counter-culture" slant, but hold on,"The Green Berets" was 1968.

Also, was Martin Sheen in "The Subject Was Roses" a Vietnam vet? -- don't remember (1968)

"Coming Home," "The Deer Hunter" and "Apocalypse Now" were really late in coming, consider it took ten years to react on that particular film which basically glorified our involvement in Vietnam! The novel, "The Quiet American" by Graham Greene was also made into an older black-and-white 1958 movie and was also negative about the foreign involvement in the region. The recent Michael Caine version made the American as unctuous as in the original novel.

(Not that The Green Berets was breakthrough)

A2K Mind Meld!

Yea, and I even trumped "The Green Berets" because "The Quiet American" pre-empted them all in addressing American involvement.

As only you could, Light!

Jurassic Park was also the first to use DTS sound (won Oscar for Best Sound).
Clockwork Orange was the first to use Dolby Noise Reduction.
A Star Is Born was the first to use Dolby Stereo.
Apocolyse Now was the first to use Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound (won Oscar for Best Sound).
Return of the Jedi was the first to be shown in THX certified theaters.
Batman Returns was the first to use the Dolby Digital that we still use today.
Last Action Hero was the first to use Sony's SDDS.
Star Wars Episode One, the first to be shot and shown in digital format and use Dolby Digital EX.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Forrest Gump were also breakthroughs for special effects.