SC Johnson's Award-Winning Film 'To Be Alive!' Returns to Theater

SC Johnson's Award-Winning Film 'To Be Alive!' Returns to Theater

Celebrate the Joy of Life with Your Family

RACINE, Wis., June 20 /PRNewswire/ -- The Academy Award winning documentary "To Be Alive!" will be reintroduced at the SC Johnson Golden Rondelle Theater in June 2005, celebrating the film's 40th anniversary. This vivid presentation of people and events, which characterizes the joys of living, dazzled the world with a message of "peace through understanding" at the 1964 World's Fair in New York City.

A Decision for the Brave

In the 1960s, third generation SC Johnson leader H.F. Johnson, Jr., made a bold, marketing move amid the social turmoil of the time. He told executives SC Johnson would create a film and build a pavilion for the 1964 World's Fair. Not a film about the company and its products -- but about the simple joy of being alive. The other company executives questioned the idea, and after hearing all of their concerns, H.F. replied, "Some decisions are only for the brave."

With that, the film was made and shown in the Johnson Wax pavilion at the Fair. This brave move was the right decision for SC Johnson, as "To Be Alive!" quickly became one of the fair's most popular exhibits.

"My grandfather, H.F. Johnson, Jr. wanted to counter the negativity that was so apparent during this period of American history. He succeeded, bringing a new generation a message of hope and optimism," said Fisk Johnson, SC Johnson Chairman and CEO. "The film has been technically restored over the past two years keeping with my father, Sam Johnson's vision to capture the original artistry and bring its positive message to yet another generation."

Fourth generation company leader Sam Johnson worked with filmmaker Alex Albanese, who faced both creative and technical challenges ranging from a deteriorated negative to an unusable soundtrack. Using contemporary digital technology, the film's three-screen format was restored, and Albanese created a new soundtrack that features a full orchestral score, surround effects and Phylicia Rashad's rendition of the original narration.

Film Comes to Life

The original version of "To Be Alive!" was the creative genius of director Francis Thompson and Alexander Hammid. Given no restrictions on their inventiveness, the pair traveled across Europe, Africa and the United States for 18 months, capturing the thrills and intimate expressions of everyday life around the world.

The result was a masterpiece of artful editing, projecting images from three cameras on separate 18-foot screens. It was viewed by more than 15,000 visitors per day during the Fair's two-year run. It's estimated that 90 percent of all Fair goers passed through the exhibit, some waiting up to two hours to see the 18-minute film.

The Rondelle Theater was originally commissioned as the Johnson Wax Pavilion for the 1964 World's Fair. After the fair closed, the Rondelle was dismantled and shipped to Racine, Wisconsin to be rebuilt on the campus of the

company's global headquarters. It was redesigned by Taliesen Associate Architects from the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture.

High Honors

In addition to winning a 1965 Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject, the film was recognized by the New York Film Critics, the National Conference of Christians and Jews and was shown at the United Nations Pavilion at Expo 1967.

"It's the best documentary we ever saw ... out of simple goodness of heart, the 'Johnson' people have built a pavilion with a 500-seat theater, commissioned the documentary, offered it free and omitted all advertising. Result? You come away with a warm glowing feeling," said The New Republic.

Five million people saw "To Be Alive!" at the fair, including U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower, who called it "a most imaginative film and very beautifully done. It shows the world through the children's eyes, where there is no room for prejudice or arrogance. It is a perfect expression of the people-to-people spirit."

"To Be Alive!" will join "Carnauba: A Son's Memoir," another SC Johnson family film shown at the Rondelle Theater every Friday. "Carnauba: A Son's Memoir" tells the story of the travels of Sam Johnson and his sons, Fisk and Curt through Brazil in a replica 1935 Sikorsky S-38 plane, retracing his father's search for the rare carnauba palm. The palm provided a sustainable source of wax which was the main ingredient in Johnson's Paste Wax, one of the family's first successful household products. Albanese produced "Carnauba: A Son's Memoir" as well.

The two films will be shown at the Golden Rondelle Theater every Friday starting June 24, 2005. For more information, contact the Theater staff at 262.260.2154 or visit http://www.scjohnson.com/

SC Johnson is a family-owned and -managed business dedicated to innovative, high-quality products, excellence in the workplace and a long-term commitment to the environment and the communities in which it operates. Based in the USA, the company is one of the world's leading manufacturers of household cleaning products and products for home storage, air care, personal care and insect control. It markets such well-known brands as EDGE(R), GLADE(R), OFF!(R), PLEDGE(R), RAID(R), SCRUBBING BUBBLES(R), SHOUT(R), WINDEX(R) and ZIPLOC(R) in the U.S. and beyond, with brands marketed outside the U.S. including AUTAN(R), BAYGON(R), BRISE(R), ECHO(R), KABIKILLER(R), KLEAR(R), and MR. MUSCLE(R). The 119-year old company, with more than $6.5 billion in sales, employs approximately 12,000 people globally and sells products in more than 110 countries. http://www.scjohnson.com/

Source: SC Johnson

CONTACT: Therese Van Ryne, +1-262-260-3709, for SC Johnson

Web site: http://www.scjohnson.com/

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