"Dark, Yet So Illuminating"
Design and Development:
Johann Wilhelm Ritter (1776-1810): Ultraviolet and ultra cool
E "Eddy" Edwards
In short, we can all thank "Johnny" Ritter, physicist, chemist, psoriasis-sufferer (un confirmed) for discovering ultraviolet radiation, better known as "ultraviolet light," still better known as "black light" making it possible for the later development of dark rides and for teenagers around the world to finally cop a feel in the semi-dark and nearly get away with it.
He also invented the dry pile battery, found a way to use electricity to break down water into hydrogen and oxygen and collect the gases separately, and advanced research into electroplating. Not only, but also, he used his mad scientific skills to time travel to 10,000 BC and marry a prehistoric belle, developed the first practical functioning X-Ray Specs, and was the great-great grandfather of Tex Ritter.
Full disclosure: these last three facts are currently being disputed, but I am certain that they will be found to be nearly 100 % almost possibly true-ish at some time in the near future time.
The good die young, and so did JWR, snuffing it at the age of 33 possibly because of his habit of experimenting on lhis own body in the course of his electrical experiments.
From Chojnów, we flash forward 121 years to Cleveland, OH (oh!), to the shores of Lake Erie and the world's famous Euclid Beach Park. With it's commanding view (if you have the right kind of eyes) of Cedar Springs, Shrewsbury, and Erieau — the "Canuck Tri-Cities" — for it was there in 1931 that the efforts of JR "Fightin' Johnny" Ritter would find their purest use and lead the way toward . . . the future, that is . . .
an out-of-home, multi-experiential, immersive entertainment venue!
. . . inside the "Tiffany attraction" of historic Euclid Beach Park, as the key element of Dudley H. Scott's (patented, so watch it!) "rotating barrel" gag in the massive Laff in the Dark dark ride.
Full disclosure II: Electric Boogaloo: That may have been the first use of black light gags in a dark ride. There were maybe some examples of it's use in fun houses before this. Why don't we know more about this? `Cuz The Man wants to keep us from knowing the truth! That, and nobody bothered to, like, record its previous use.
From there, spreading like head lice through a pre-school classroom, black light darkly illuminated the Day-Glo dreams and nightmares where ever there was a need to bring a little magic to the lives of otherwise ordinary people squeezed into little metal cars, the smell of ozone, axle grease, and puke making them ever-so slightly light headed, as they attempt to cop a feel in the semi-dark.
Failing in that effort, of course, that self-same teen would wander home, spark up the last of the cheap goat-urine-scented pot, crank up "The Brandeburger" on their Pioneer Music Centre stereo hi-fi, plug in the black-light they built in 3rd period shop class to illuminate the "War Queen" poster thumb tacked to the back of their bedroom door, and wait for the spirit of Johann Wilhelm Ritter to deliver unto them just a hint of the unseen.
Or maybe that was just me.
Many DeScope thanks to Rick Davis — AKA the DAFE Duck — and George LaCrosse — AKA by absolutely no one as He Who Laffs-in-the-Dark — who's invaluable assistance made this piece possible. Don't blame them, really, for my having posted it.
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