June 16, 1984
Grand Canyon: The Hidden Secrets is a 34-minute short IMAX documentary film that was theatrically released on June 16, 1984. The film was created, directed, and written by American filmmaker Kieth Merrill and was produced by Destination Cinema. The music is composed by Bill Conti.
The IMAX film was followed by The Making of Grand Canyon: The Hidden Secrets, a 24-minute making-of documentary short released on January 11, 1999, but produced by Destination Cinema in 1993.
Skywalker Sound (then known as Sprocket Systems) provided Post-Production Sound Services; Randy Thom served as the Sound Designer albeit uncredited. Gary Summers was the Re-Recording Mixer and Ken Fischer was the Sound Editor.
Storyline
The film covers the human history of the Grand Canyon area, being from a home to indigenous tribes to a major tourist destination. It portrays reenactments of the "Anasazi" people, European explorers, and the first expedition led by Major John Wesley Powell.
Much of the film was shot from a helicopter flying throughout the Canyon. The ending features a flight sequence following a lone, orange ultralight aircraft.