If you yearn for the excitement of a hell-for-leather rollercoaster, but get queasy at the thought of actually climbing aboard one, “Thrill Ride” offers an amazing set of substitutes and simulations. Opening Friday at the Henry Crown Space Center Omnimax Theatre in the Museum of Science and Industry, director Ben Stassen’s movie takes audiences on a tour of thrill ride history, from its crude beginnings right up to modern virtual-reality rides. There’s a snippet from the famous super widescreen coaster ride in 1952’s “This is Cinerama,” and samples of state-of-the-art, heart-stopping rides like Las Vegas’ Big Shot and the Kumba and Montu at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Fla. Audiences will also get a taste of new computerized rides such as “Secrets of the Lost Temple,” “The Devil’s Mine Ride” and “Asteroid Adventures,” which allow patrons in mechanized, movable chairs to experience imaginary rides that are projected before their glazed eyes. The Omnimax is at 57th Street and Lake Shore Drive; call 773-684-1414 for show times and ticket information.
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