Le Mondial SAQ 2004
Montréal International Fireworks Competition Report

France Wednesday July 21^st, 2004 Cinema: Silver Screen, Endless Nights

Société Lacroix-Ruggieri [Gold Jupiter, 1985, 1990 and 2002] Designed by Jean-Paul Costes, Pyrodigital firing; Show Director choreography; ~2300 cues

In 1739, the Italian Ruggieri brothers embarked upon their glamorous career as fireworks experts to Louis XIV. The Lacroix company, for its part, was founded in 1848 in Toulouse, France, by Étienne Lacroix. In 1997, the destinies of these two great fireworks firms crossed and they became Lacroix-Ruggieri. This summer, the firm will delight us with "Cinema: Silver Screen, Endless Nights", a fabulous pyromusical epic during which skypainters will take viewers on a history of the movies.

Perfect summer weather with clear skies and warm temperatures was the setting for the penultimate contestant in this year's competition. The oldest fireworks company in the world created two twelve metre high triple-legged towers at either side of the display area and the display promised to be something special, recalling the famous millenium display in Paris where the Eiffel Tower was used so effectively. A capacity crowd listened enthusiastically to the French Cultural Ataché speak of the magic of cinema, the glorious septième (seventh) art.

Part 1 to music from the film James Bond titled On Her Majesty's Secret Service by Propellerheads. A two minute narration explained the theme of the display and the history of cinema from old black and white movies to the modern era of high-tech special effects. After the narration was over, the display began with huge mines of titanium salutes. Barrage after barrage of these were fired and then pale gold glitter mines were fired in sequence from the roof of ramp 4. After these, large deep blue mines to the left and right with red mintes in the centre and cakes of meteor-headed crossette comets above. These were followed by crossed comets bursting to kamuro bombettes and mines of kamuro comets turning blue. Sequenced comet shots came from the two towers with the blue and red mines continuing in front. After these, bombardments of red, white and blue shells. These were followed by crackling mines with red bombettes above and also cakes of crackling glitter. More and more crackling glitter cakes fired and then comet shots came from the towers as shells of silver kamuro burst above. A return to barrages of red, white and blue shells and then shell-of-shells and huge crackling mines, bringing the segment to a close.

Part 2 to music from the film Mission titled Miserere by E. Morricone. Nautical flares turning to strobes opened up in the lake. A willow bombette cake fired at the left, presumably out of place as shells of strobes fired above, but with a presumably incorrect shell of silver comets. Then a line of silver fountains opened on ramp three with the sides of both towers also firing out silver fountains. Meteor-headed silver comets at various angles from the left and right fired in sequence with a fan of meteor-headed silver comets in the centre on ramp 4. Comet shots from the left of tower 1 and the right of comet 2 fired as the silver fountains on ramp 3 continued. Then a flight of silver girandolas rose into the air as cones of rockets burst into beautiful bouquets of flowers with a barrage of large shells above bringing the segment to a close.

Part 3 to music from the film Pirates of the Caribbean titled Gabriel's Oboe by E. Morricone. A line of willow bombette cakes, except for the one which fired by mistake in the previous segment, began this segment. Then larger weeping willow bombettes above these followed by even more willow bombette cakes. Above these, large shells of blue stars and gold comets followed by shells of green strobes and glitter comets. Glitter comets at the front were augmented by more willow cakes behind with large shells of comets turning to glitter above and then large glitter mines on ramp 4. The segment came to a close with a volley of large gold kamuro shells.

Part 4 to music from the film Amistad titled Dry Your Tears, Afrika by J. Willians. A flight of beautiful double-ascension gold glittering girandolasrose up and down in the air as a line of gold glitter fountains fired in front. Then screaming serpent candles fired as mine blasts came from the sides of the towers. In front of these, meteor-headed comet candles and then yellow-headed meteor comets bursting into bright yellow shells. Angled comets with bombettes above were followed be shells of stars and comets and then shells of multi-coloured stars as serpent mines fired on ramp 4. The segment came to a close with large willow to silver shells.

Part 5 to music from the film Le peuple migrateur titled Le Planeur by B. Coulais. Very low-angled colour-headed meteor comets fired from the left and right as upward comet shots on the notes fired in front. Then very nice kamuro comet mines fired with the same in shells above. The kamuro mines continued below as a cones of rockets bursting to clusters of stars brought the segment to a close.

Part 6 to music from the film E.T. titled Flying by J. Williams. A line of silver wheels (actually cycle wheels - see this picture) started to turn as the sides of the towers began to twinkle with strobes. An incorrectly placed star cake fired at the right as silver comet shots angled left and then right fired in front. Above these, cakes of silver comet bombettes with silver kamuro shells above. Silver comet shots came from the towers as large comet shells fired above and serpent fans rose from ramp 4. This theme continued with more large comet shells and serpent fans on ramp 4, the segment coming to a close with cones of rockets bursting to silver.

Part 7 to music from the film Spiderman titled Main Theme by D. Elfman. Large multibreak red spider shells burst above as screaming serpent candles fired below. The multibreak red spider shells continued above and were followed by large farfalle shells with serpents and comets in. The serpent candles continued below as more huge farfalle shells with stars and comets fired above. These were followed by cakes of crackle and salutes with shells of salutes above. These bombardments continued and were followed by cakes of yellow stars and crackle with shells of salutes and tourbillons above, the segment coming to a close with a volley of huge farfalle shells with comets and stars.

Part 8 to music from the film Twin Peaks titled Falling by A. Badalamenti & J. Cruise. Alternating mines of pink stars and glitter fired on the bass notes of the familiar music. These note-synchronized mines continued as a flight of the beautiful gold glittering double-ascension girandolas rose and fell and then rose again in the air. As the mines continued, another flight of the same girandolas. The mine theme continued as charcoal comet fans trailed from ramp 4 and from the left and right of ramp three on the notes. Then weepeing willow shells burst above and were followed by shells of gold broccade turning to blue stars. Shells of broccade crossettes burst at a low level and were followed by shells of weeping willow turning to blue as the segment came to a close with the note-synchronized mines.

Part 9 to music from the film The Fifth Element titled The Diva Dance by E. Serra. Shells of strobes and a mis-placed silver kamuro shell were followed by more shells of silver strobes and crossed charcoal comets turning to fireflies as the strobe shells continued above. Then strobe mines and more shells of strobes and then strobe bombettes as well. The silver strobes were then replaced by green strobe shells, this theme continuing until the segment came to a close with large mines of strobes.

Part 10 to music from the film The Last Samurai titled Spectres in the Fog by H. Zimmer. A line of gold fountains lit up on ramp three as bursts of glitter comets fired on ramp 4. A line of colour star cakes fired, except for the one that fired earlier by mistake. Then star shells to the left, middle and right followed by volleys of very large tourbillon and star shells above, except for one which flowerpotted. This barrage continued and then cakes of silver crossettes turning red and shells of silver turning to red were followed by large meteor-headed crossette comets above and an out-of-place weeping willow shell, virtually invisible against the bright crossettes. The silver comet crossette shells continued, then red-headed crossettes and then silver again, with massive barrages of these bringing the segment to a close.

Part 11 to music from the film Gladiator titled The Might of Rome by H. Zimmer & L. Gerrard. Nautic fountains lit up in the lake and then shot comets up into the air at the end of their burn. Large fans of silver comets fired on ramp 4 and were augmented by crossed fans of silver comets on ramp three. Then fans of gold comets on ramp three followed by cones of rockets bursting to red stars above. These were followed by "Z" cakes of crackle on ramp 4, then a pair on ramp three and then more and more, getting wider and louder. These were augmented by fans of firefly comets bursting to bombettes of the same as silver kamuro shells fired above. The silver kamuros continued and barrages of salutes were fired as well. Large mine fronts with shells of crossettes were followed by very large silver kamuro shells with pistils, bringing the segment to a close.

Part 12 to music from the film Shaolin Soccer titled Underwear by R. Wong. A sequence of mines was followed by colour-headed meteor comet fans on ramp 4. Then shells of oranged-headed crossettes and cakes of green crossettes on ramp three as the shells of orange-headed crossettes continued above. Then large fat dazzling yellow-headed comets bursting to yellow shells as comets of fireflies fired below and then a return to crossette shells above. Shells of blue and orange stars, kind of half and half and shells of comets fired and were followed by shells of blue and yellow and then a return to the yellow shells. These were followed by very nice cones of rockets bursting to blue clusters followed by fronts of mines below. Then bombettes in red as shells of red and blue burst above and then shells of crossettes. More mines of very bright comets were followed by the large farfalle and comet shells, bringing the segment to a close.

Part 13 to music from the film Harry Potter titled Hedwig's Theme by J. Williams. Strobes lit up at the back of ramp three, then a line of fountains also at the back. Silver fountains lit up one by one on the front of ramp three as silver kamuro shells burst above. Then candles of serpents with silver kamuro bombettes above. Charcoal comets turning to white fireflies fired on ramps three and four as the serpent candles continued and shells of white strobes fired above. This theme continued with firefly comets on ramp four with shells of comets turning to strobes above, bringing the segment to a close.

Part 14 to music from the film Evita titled Don't Cry for Me Argentina by A. Lloyd Webber. Gold glittering nautic fountains lit up in the lake as very serene crossed gold firefly comet candles opened up on ramp 3. Then weeping willow shells fired at a medium height. These continued and then became large and higher. This theme continued and then larger and larger weeping willow shells. The segment came to a close with very large gold broccade shells, trailing through the air. c

Part 15 to music from the film Titanic titled My Heart will Go On by C. Dion. Fans of stars came from the tops of the towers as fans of serpents fired on ramp three. Above these, broccade shells and then weeping willows. These were followed by the nice kamuro comet mines and the same in bombettes and then in shells above. These became larger and larger and included star pistils. Then multi-break shell-of-shells bursting to blue as comet fans fired on ramp three. More shell-of-shells in comets with fans of firefly comets below. Then shell-of-shells in red, then in comets and then strobe bombettes below. These were then augmented by strobe shells above, the segment coming to a close with the huge farfalle and comet shells as the music moved seamless into:

Part 16 to music from the film Batman titled Batman Theme Reprise by D. Elfman. Shells of yellow comets and salutes began. The yellow theme continued and then suddenly became blue as the salute continued. Then the same but in silver comets. Dazzling silver star fans fired on ramp 3 to the amazement of the audience as the bombardments above increased in intensity. Huge silver kamuros stared to fire with barrages of salutes at all levels. The pace increased and the volleys of shells and salutes became thunderous, filling the sky and causing me to write WOW in big letters. Huge shells of tourbillons and comets and shells with pistils also came into the mix as a final volley of salutes brought the display to an end to cheers from the audience.

This was a very enjoyable display with some fabulous product, particularly the wonderful gold glittering girandolas and the cones of rockets. Also beautiful crossette and farfalle-and-comet shells. The two towers were interesting but not as effective as I thought they might be, often obscured by other things on ramp 3, plus tower two caught fire on the right hand side which may have stopped part of it working. As much as the display was good, it was marred by just a few too many small errors, from the wrong cakes in the wrong places, to some of the cakes running on into the next segment and the couple of places where the wrong shells were fired. The two minute narration to dark sky at the beginning was, I felt, too long. Since the theme was cinema, it might have been a good idea to start the display immediatetly after the countdown with, say, the 20th Century Fox fanfare to some shells, then move to flickering strobes for the narration, emphasizing the early beginnings of cinema, all in my humble opinion.

Thanks to the public relations people of La Ronde for the official press release material, shown in white.