Duo-Vision

Duo-Vision was a gimmick used for the film Wicked Wicked. It was the brainchild of writer-director Richard L. Bare, who got the idea for the Duo-Vision gimmick while driving one day, when he noticed the line that divided the road. "As I glanced from one side of the freeway to the other, I noticed how my mind was taking a picture over here, then another over there," Bare later stated.[1] "Why not tell a film story with two simultaneous images?"[1]

The idea stayed in Bare's head for two years before he decided to pursue it. "I had a script I had written called The Squirrel which had been on the market but hadn't sold, so I just cut it up and patched scenes together here and there to make two parallel scripts."[2] The script pages were divided in half, with each half of the page corresponding to what was to appear on screen. Finding a typewriter that could accommodate these unique needs proved challenging for the writer. "My first problem was finding a typewriter with a carriage wide enough to take a legal-size piece of paper sideways, so I could type parallel scripts," Bare said.[2] "Then I had to find a duplicating machine that would do the same thing."

Once completed, Bare brought the script to William T. Orr, his former boss at Warner Bros. Together the pair formed a production company, United National Pictures,[3] and brought the project to MGM. Within 48 hours, they sold it.[4]

References

1. Thomas, Bob (December 24, 1972). "Duo-Vision -- Two Movies for the Price of One'". Oakland Tribune.
2. Taylor, Robert (April 22, 1973). "'Alamedan Offers Duo-Vision'". Oakland Tribune.
3. "'Wide Talent Search By Orr'". The Post-Crescent. March 5, 1973.
4. "'No, You Haven't Seen Everything'". Florence Morning News. December 22, 1972.