“Long before 4DX had cinema goers vibrating in their seats, faces sprayed with water and something tickling the back of the ankles, the children of the 80s and 90s made their own cinema experiences that little bit more immersive all on their own. Or perhaps it was just this small, odd, habitual collection of people.

Either way, it’s a ritual that has been an integral part of film viewings for some ever since. The practice of putting yourself in the character’s position, seeing if you could survive the same odds or if you’d be one of those who would sink to the bottom.

The ritual itself? Holding your breath throughout any and all underwater scenes. Sure, some are akin to holding your breath in a heaving elevator during rush hour in the middle of a heat wave. Easy. But others take an almost-Atlantean amount of effort from the average film fan.

Which are the films in question? Come dive in.”

To read the rest of my write up on underwater scenes in film, please follow this link to Flickering Myth.