Tomorrow marks the release of SPY KIDS: ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD in 4D. The fourth dimension is actually smell, not another entirely different dimension. So yes, audiences can watch the film in Aroma-Scope, where the viewer is handed a card with eight scents, and when a number flashes on the screen, the corresponding slot on the card is scratched and the scent is inhaled. The fragrance aligns with a scene and the aim is to submerge the audience in the moment through scent. It sounds unusual, yet it is a playful experiment in cinema that tests how much scent can add to a moving picture. In honor of this aroma focused approach, the piece revisits a handful of films from earlier eras that might become even more memorable if a scent could travel from the screen into the theater.
MONTE CARLO – The film is a visual feast of luxury and culinary pleasures, a world where gold gilt, elegant fabrics, and high-end dining fill the frame. In Aroma-Scope terms, the tasting notes and party atmospheres could be reproduced as a parade of scents: fresh pastry from patisseries, roasted coffee, citrus zest, cream, champagne, and the faint bloom of expensive perfume beneath the sunlit terraces. The aromas would weave with the glittery visuals, deepening the sense of wealth and spectacle. The scents would intensify the fantasy of affluence, turning a sunlit terrace into a multisensory invitation to indulge. The effect could approach sensory overload in the most delightful way, making snacking and sipping an inseparable companion to the on-screen glamour. This kind of multisensory pairing would heighten the fantasy of a life lived in style, inviting viewers to not only see but almost taste the good life. Cite: film studies on sensory cinema and luxury imagery.
CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS – A world where weather literally drops food would be a scented dream for aroma seekers. Standing downwind from a gargantuan pizza would be a humorous, delicious overload, with olfactory notes of melted cheese, garlic, oregano, basil, tomato and crust drifting through the aisle. The scent would swirl with the cartoonish energy of the film, turning kitchen misadventures into an immersive aroma driven adventure. The premise invites audiences to sniff along as the storm treks from street to street, letting the aroma of oregano and pepperoni linger as a signature memory of the moment. It would be a playful reminder that food can be theater in itself, and that smell can be a powerful enhancer of visual gags and heartwarming moments. Cite: sensory cinema discussions on food laden scenes.
MARIE ANTOINETTE – The period piece thrives on lavish meals and decadent desserts, a century and a half of opulence presented with ornate detail. A scent track here would likely flood the room with notes of almond paste, candied fruit, sugar confections, rosewater, vanilla, and saffron pastries. Yet the era’s practical realities add an extra layer of humor and texture: deodorants and modern hygiene did not exist, which would temper the aroma and perhaps lend a playful edge as scents mingle with the opulent costumes and marble halls. The result would be a fragrance rich montage that could magnify the sense of decadence and spectacle, even as the camera lingers on gilded chandeliers and velvet drapes. Cite: discussions on historical fragrance and cinema.
RATATOUILLE – Cooking sits at the core of this tale, and a kitchen aroma track would bring the simmering broth, sizzling garlic, fresh herbs, and stock aromas to life in a way that matches the film’s warmth. The broth would bubble, vegetables release their scent, and the aroma would drift through the room as Remy navigates the culinary world. The scent would extend the story by turning shared meals into a communal experience, offering a more intimate sense of place and connection. Then WILLIE WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY – The dream of a candy factory becomes an irresistible scent landscape: vanilla, cocoa, caramel, fruit notes, and the candy shop’s magic would drift through the auditorium, layering the visual wonder with a delectable, tactile delight. It might even spark curiosity about what an imaginary Oompa Loompa would smell like, a playful question that lingers after the lights come up. Cite: nostalgic cinema scent discussions.