Just in case people think I'm not working on bringing some new stuff to this site to keep the long dark winter months from getting us all down, I'm happy to announce, as part of the general "surprise" package, a video for you to download. This is a real treat for finale fans: a full six minutes 47 seconds of a classic Italian finale. Just don't ask me when and where it was filmed And for the person who I know will recognize it, please don't give the game away.

Point your media players to: http://mixed-messages.net/Downloads/italian-display.avi

Enjoy!

Paul.

p.s. sorry the sound quality is not great

Paul,

Thx! That's a nice mini surprise, especially since I'm a huge finale fan, like everyine else! Are you still planning on making a video section?

Pierre, you should check this out! And Enkil, here's something else for your video!

Trav.

Paul,

Hehhehheh.............I think I know who this is....... It looks so familiar. Actually, I do know who it is! After watching it twice, I think I know!

Before I slip, I just wanted to say that it was amazing! Really AMAZING!!!!!!!! However, it's a real shame about the sound. I wanted to hear those salutes at the end, not to mention the whole thing!

Enkil, I strongly recommend that you add this to your video and we redownload on the weekend. It's up to you, but I think it will really make it the "full package"!

Regards,

Trav.

Just to be really clear, that video was not recorded at le Mondial SAQ.

Glad to hear you enjoyed it though and yes, it was a pity about the sound, though no recording comes close to the experience of being there in person.

Paul.

yeah, the sound is kinda bizarre

but great video nonetheless

Smoke, this time i will sent u an email Friday night, but like always, u can start downloading at 11:30

did anyone realized that the final resembles a lot of Panzera's?

i know that Panzera is an Italian firm since i know it has something to do with the late Giovanni Panzera, i imagine its hes company (?)

this also brings me up the question, has the Panzera finales always been the same type, meaning at the very end, when they launch all the while salutes and the lower part, cuz as far as i know, the last 2 years have been the same

Thank you SO MUCH Paul!!! Oh God.....this is amazing.......an Italian finale!!! Just a problem though. Is it normal that I cannot see the display and that I can only hear the sound? The sound quality is quite good actually, but I can't see the display. I have Media Player and I only get those weird spirals and electronic stuff to see, but no fireworks

By the way, Hello to everyone! I am SO excited about this new clip. Trav knew that I would love this one very much...what can I say, I am a HUGE finale fan who loves them LOADED with salutes

I can hear the salutes very clearly, specially in the last minute....God I wish I could see the video....what am I doing wrong? Please, Help!!!!

u need DivX 5 to see it
u can download it here http://www.divx.com/divx/download/

its just a codec

Enkil,

You don't have to worry about the delay for the download this time. Send me the e-mail Friday night, or whenever, and I'll download anywhere just after 11:30 the following day.

Do you truly think that this will be the last time you have to do any modifications?

Regards,

Trav.

a part of me hopes it doesnt stop, but another part of me wants it to end

Pierre,

I totally agree with you. I knew you would like it, especially considering that it's a Italian finale! I was amazed of the intensity, and I can see that they used a lot of those "shell of shells," or multi-breaks, if I'm using the correct terminology.

I was also surprised to learn that it was not recorded at the Mondial SAQ, as Paul mentioned. I mean, that really looked like Mondial SAQ finale standards and qualifications! To tell you the truth, since you did not see Italy that day, I can tell you that the finale was like that one in the clip, maybe even more intense! I still feel terrible that you missed it!

As for you having difficulty with viewing the clip, did you try "save target as"? You recommended this to me when I had trouble watching your finale clips.

Enkil proposed DivX application to see it, but I think real One works, too. That's where I watched it.

Let me know if there's still trouble. You will see it!

Regards,

Trav.

Enkil,

I know what you mean!

This will be the third time! I think I now know what you meant when you were hoping that no one posts any more clips!

Regards,

Trav.

WAIT A MINUTE

this wasnt recorded at Mondial SAQ? not at La Ronde?????

then i wont add it to my collection, Smoke

if it doesnt come from La Ronde, my collection must only come from La Ronde, thats a law of mine that i put in

but isnt that the Jacque Cartier bridge, in the background?????????????????

Don't forget that the Mondial SAQ only started in 2001.

I think you can infer the rest without me saying any more.

Paul.

ok sorry, it is from La Ronde, i saw it the ferris wheel and i know that is our bridge, is this some sort of secret?

im now confused, isnt this from the 3 July 2004 display?

if not, then how r we suppose to know which Italian display presented? in what year?

why is it kept as a secret?

Guys, I am still shaking inside.....yes, I just watched the new Italian clip.....WOOF!!!

Now, I will sound like the winners at the Grammy awards, with their million thanks. LOL

Thank you Enkil, for letting me know about having to download DivX5 to view the clip....you know what? IT WORKED

Thank you Trav. , for trying to help me too and for offering further help if needed. I had already tried "save as target" because it is about the only trick I know about computers....LOL

Thank you Paul, for giving all of us the opportunity to view such a SPECTACULAR clip with a finale LOADED with salutes. To tell you the truth, I just watched it three times and I still can't believe the intensity of the finale!!! While sitting at my computer, I am sure I looked, acted and sounded like a kid who had just been given his favorite candy I will never say it enough: I LOVE FINALES, packed, loaded and bombarded with salutes. There are no words here, to express how much I feel when I view this clip, but somehow, I know that you guys, know exactly what I mean. I can only imagine what it was like, to watch that display in person.
Was it from the Benson & Hedges years? This has to be from IPON, for sure. Is this from their 1997 performance at La Ronde? Sorry guys, I have to go watch this clip again.....I am totally addicted to it by now.....LOL

Talk to you later

Pierre

well, one thing is for sure its from Benson & Hedges

but i dont know which year and id like to know.....

maybe i have to search in Pauls reports and try to match it?

Hehehe, that's the idea Enkil. All the information you need is here on the site somewhere. As for Pierre, well, I have a sneaking feeling that you may be having deja vu when you watch the download. Don't say anything though I want Enkil to do a bit of detective work.

There will be more exciting surprises to follow too!

Paul.

I'm going to do some detective work, too!

All I have to say is that's definitely IPON's handy work! But which year?

Trav.

Paul,

NOW, I know which display it is....LOL.....I must be blind or I have no memory at all....LOL

Nope, I am not saying anything. I'll let Trav and Enkil do their detective work

Wow, what a finale!

Pierre

ok here r a few facts, Smoke

its certanly not the 2000 one, becuz the 2000 final is in this site

ill just say, it was recorded by Paul, becuz the video on this site resembles to this one

now i must start searching...

i think i found it

can i say it?

I'll take a guess.................

IPON of 1998, perhaps? When Paul had said that it wasn't recorded at the Mondial SAQ, I got confused, because I saw the ferris wheel and the bridge, so I interpreted that there's no way that could've been recorded elsewhere. Plus, it was a finale of Montreal competition standards! So, I can conclude that it was recorded from the Benson and Hedges time period, OBVIOUSLY!! And if I recall correctly, I know IPON of 1998 did an excellent and breathtaking finale. I remember it well! I also know for a fact that it couldn't have been in 1994 because I recall Italy had a powerful thunderstorm at the time and it was a lightning vs. fireworks event and I was taking shelter under the bridge on De Lorimier! In the clip, there was no storm.

I'm confident that it was IPON of 1998! Its gotta be! If not, I'll figure it out after I've completed my homework.

Regards,

Trav.

yup, im also guessing IPON of 1998

but in fact, i have no idea if i saw that one

here how i found it:

1. theres a clip on this site, IPON 1998
cant view the clips cuz its svcd, but i convert it to vcd i burned that clip on a cd, but i dont feel like going thro my cds, but i believe, its the same type of quality and the way we see the ferris wheel

2. "Next, mines of charcoal comets which turned to silver and went hissing into the lake, followed by huge weeping willow shells which turned to silver completely filling the air"

that quote goes exacly like in the clip

Pierre,

I'm happy to know that you've finally seen the clip! I thought that you might react like that to the finale, since I know that you're a big IPON and finale fan, as well as me and everyone else, I'm sure.

As you say, those loud and bright salutes in the end were very nicely done! I know for a fact that it's very typical in Spanish and Italian finales. They rock! And as a huge finale fan, like you, I couldn't agree more about that clip! I'm so happy that we're getting so many surprise finales! Thx, Paul! Although, as I said before, it's a shame about the sound quality. That would've been great to hear those loud booms at the end!

Jeeze, I feel as if I'm giving another report on the competition!

See ya, Pierre.

Regards,

Trav.

Enkil,

Its gotta be Italy of 1998. I agree with your quotes and I've come to my conclusions! I'm still trying to remember all the Italian finales in the past since 1990, but that one sticks out the most.

I hope we're right. I'm still doing some research on the sight beofre I'm 100%, but I feel safe to say that it was there performance.

Trav.

Congratulations! It was, indeed, IPON in 1998. I'm happy that my report was accurate enough to help you identify the clip

Let's see if there are any more surprises coming up in the next little while

Cheers,

Paul.

How could I have not guessed this one in the first place.....IPON on June 6th, 1998, the best finale I have ever seen in person!!!!

I will reply to all your messages guys, tomorrow....I have to go to bed and dream of this finale that has been haunting me for years.....

Good night

Pierre

Paul,

To tell you the truth, I managed to figure it out by using my own memory! I tried to remember IPON's best finales, and that one was similar to the clip and the one I remember in 1998. It still lingers in my mind! As I said before, I remember Italy in 1994, which was spoilt by that heavy thunderstorm. Once I remembered that, I knew right away that it wasn't then, although that year they had an incredible finale! That then brought me to 1998. That's how I guessed it.

As for Pierre, I look foward to your comments tomorrow. Keep dreaming about those finales and share your thoughts with us!

Good night,

Trav.

Good evening my friends

Well done Trav and Enkil !!! You both impress me with your detective work and your memory too I should take lessons from you. Even though this was the best finale I have ever seen in person (IPON 1998), for some reason which I will explain here, I did not realise it was my favorite display shown in this clip. I just thought it was IPON, but from the year 1997 when they won the Gold Jupiter. With loads of salutes in the finale, it had to be IPON for sure. The reason why I did not think it was from 1998, is that I have watched this display in person from a totally different angle while in person, back in June of 1998. The multiple barrages of salutes looked very different from my angle, because they were all aligned in a straight horizontal line, which we cannot see on the clip. Probably what we see on the clip, is the tip of that straight line (seen from the side).

That "straight line" of salutes kept flashing right underneath the exploding shells. I remember standing there, being mesmerized by that thick and long horizontal line, making a thunderous noise every few seconds, as my eyes were filling with tears of pure pleasure and emotion. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach. The intensity kept increasing until the very end and finally, a HUGE explosion of billion of salutes, almost cracked the planet in two, and in a split second, it was total silence. I was left out of breath and totally moved by this finale. Paul described it perfectly in his report. His words fit exactly what the scene was, much better than what I can say here. Yes, I was shaken after this finale and I had to wipe the tears from my cheeks, as I was walking toward the nearest metro station. I want to see another finale like this......SOOOOO MUCH!!! IPON, please come back in 2005.

I just can't tell you how much I regret missing this years's July 3rd's display from IPON. All I could remember from 1998, was that Italy was the country who provided us with such a great finale, but I did not pay attention to the firm's name or anything back then and even during the 2004 season, until I knew what I have missed....I will check the firm's names in the future!

Paul, keep on surprising us the way you did.....I love it and really appreciate your hard work


Enkil, thanks again for your help for viewing the clip

Trav, thanks for your help and because you always have a nice word for everybody

Pierre