Somehow, Smell-O-Vision Returned: MovieScent Will Release Smells Synced To Your Home Viewing Experience

Theater owners have been trying to use smell as a way to heighten the cinematic experience since before "talkies" came into existence, and from the late 1920s until the early 1960s, many attempts were made to add smell to the mix to make things more immersive and memorable for audiences. There was even a so-called "battle of the smellies" between multiple companies vying to dominate this niche market. One of the contenders, Smell-O-Vision, crashed and burned after 1960's mystery comedy "Scent of Mystery" didn't live up to its potential, and later, the technology was listed on a Time reader survey of the Top 100 Worst Ideas of the 20th Century. 

Some filmmakers, like John Waters and Robert Rodriguez, have leaned into the smell idea, making movies where scratch-and-sniff cards were handed out to audiences as they entered the theater, and Regal's 4DX system currently utilizes a smell component. But now, for the first time, a company called Elevated Perceptions is looking to bring this idea into your home.

MovieScent is a new device that "releases real-time scents based on events and environments within movies, TV shows, televised sporting events and streams," with scents that currently include "Ocean," "Fresh Cut Grass," "Restaurant" (???), "Forest," and "Storm." There's also "Clean Air," which can essentially be used as a palette cleanser to re-establish a normal baseline after one of the other scents is blasted into your room (but "Clean Air" requires you to manually release that scent yourself instead of being automated).

The product comes with those six scents, which can each release over 4,000 times, and will begin shipping next month for $179.99. (If you buy it before September 30, you'll get a discounted price of $149.99.) In the weeks ahead, scents like "Fire," "Jungle," "Zombie," "New Car," and "Blood" will become available, and 40 additional scents are set to come out over the next few months.

This kind of smell-forward technology has actually worked before: If you've ever been to a Disney theme park, you may have ridden one of the variations of an attraction called Soarin', in which riders are strapped into an apparatus and pointed toward a gigantic screen projecting footage of various locations across the world, giving the sense that you're on a hang glider and soaring over gorgeous landscapes. The attraction pumps in smells of oranges, rose blossoms, grass, and more to correspond with the visuals, making for an admittedly memorable experience. But there's a big difference between riding a theme park ride on vacation and opting into smelling everything you watch at home.

And the way in which this technology works seems a little suspect. According to their press release, here's how MovieScent functions:

Compatible with every movie and game ever made as well as a wide range of devices including all TVs, PCs, mobile phones, tablets, gaming systems and virtual reality (VR) headsets, MovieScent can be used anywhere someone is watching content. The process begins with its state-of-the-art adaptor that captures audio in real-time through HDMI, 3.5mm audio jack, or Optical audio cable connections. Audio is then processed by proprietary AI technology, which identifies key cues and events within the content. The AI-identified scent is then released from the scent atomizer, creating an instantaneous and synchronized sensory experience.

OK, so this whole thing is based on ... sound cues? I understand how the distinct sounds of an ocean or a jungle or maybe even a fire might be enough to trigger those specific smells, but what about for scents like "Blood"? How would the tech be able to differentiate between liquids on screen? I'm not convinced an AI-driven, audio-only approach will result in a seamless experience, nor am I convinced there are enough people out there who are interested enough in this to actually fork over nearly $200 for a novelty. 

But hey, I have no financial stake in the future of this company, and who knows? Maybe I'll be proven wrong and MovieScent will sweep the globe and redefine how we all interact with all movies, games, and VR at home. Time will tell if this company ends up inhaling the sweet smell of success.

I spoke more about this on today's episode of the /Film Daily podcast, which you can listen to below: