My buddy Jeff Joseph is putting this on:
World 3-D Film Expo to Unspool at Egyptian Theatre With Over 30 Classic and
Rare Feature Length Treasures and Over 20 Short Subjects, All Screened
Using the Original Polaroid "Double-Interlock" 3-D System
September 12 - 21, 2003
Hollywood - Sabucat Productions will present the largest 3-D tribute show
ever mounted anywhere in history, from Friday, September 12 - Sunday,
September 21 at the Egyptian Theatre (6712 Hollywood Boulevard) in
Hollywood. The 10 day festival, which celebrates the golden era of 3-D
filmmaking, will include many of the best known 3-D titles of the 1950's,
such as HOUSE OF WAX, KISS ME KATE and CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON, but
will also offer fans of the format an opportunity to see some of the more
obscure 3-D movies, many of which have not been seen in 3-D in over 50
years! Some of these titles include: I, THE JURY, JESSE JAMES VS. THE
DALTONS, GOG, and GLASS WEB. In all, 33 features and 21 short subjects
will be shown along with a "rarities" show consisting of rare, wonderful,
stereoscopic images, many of which have never been seen in a public
setting. In person guests will speak at selected screenings. Guests will be
announced as they are confirmed. All prints will be 35mm and run in the
"double-interlock", Polaroid System, the original method (and still the
best method) for showing true 3-D.
Festival organizer Jeff Joseph says, "Many of the prints that we're running
are the last in existence... and in some cases the original negatives no
longer exist. Due to the complexity of projecting these films in the in the
stereoscopic format, this may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to
experience these movies the way they were meant to be seen."
Daniel Symmes, noted 3-D historian and 3-D filmmaker, is working with Jeff
in organizing the technical aspects of the Expo, as well as providing
background information on the films. "This is a totally unique event in
film history," says Symmes. "It is my dream come true to see all this
wonderful, stereoscopic art at one time. Nobody has ever seen all these
films together - not even when they were originally released."
It has been over 50 years (November 26th, 1952) since BWANA DEVIL, opened
at the Paramount Theater in Hollywood. While not the first 3-D feature film
(which was POWER OF LOVE, U.S.A., 1922), the popularity of BWANA DEVIL was
the direct cause of the production of over 60 3-D films from 1952 through
1955, often referred to as the golden era of 3-D.
The 3-D format is often thought of as "gimmick" filmmaking. While it was
one of the many mid-20th century inventions of the motion picture industry
to give audiences a big screen experience to compete with the new
phenomenon of television, for the most part 3-D, (like the Cinemascope
format for example), was used to great effect in high quality studio
productions with some of the most talented industry professionals behind
the camera. Such producers/directors as George Sidney, Alfred Hitchcock,
William Cameron Menzies (THE MAZE), Budd Boetticher, Raoul Walsh, Ross
Hunter and Douglas Sirk photographed films in the third dimension, as did
cinematographers like John Alton (I, THE JURY), Karl Struss and Lucian
Ballard (INFERNO). They often utilized depth as an integral aspect of the
dramatic narrative. Seeing these films flat today on television or home
video totally diminishes the impact of the original stereoscopic
cinematography. The filmmakers composed, designed and intended these
movies for 3-D presentation, and that's the way in which they should be
seen. This unique series will give audiences that opportunity.
The presentation of 3-D has garnered a bad reputation over the years,
mostly due to anaglyphic (red/blue) presentation, poor projection, lab
problems, and so on. Actually, when shown with proper (Polaroid)
presentation, good prints, professional projectionists, and so on, 3-D from
the 1950's looks spectacular. The feeling of depth actually tends to suck
you inside the action. It is not just a function of "coming at you" scenes
(such as when objects are thrown at the audience), but is also used
effectively in smaller, more intimate settings, such as in Hitchcock's DIAL
M FOR MURDER.
This once-in-a-lifetime retrospective will give fans, historians and
critics the unique opportunity to re-assess one of the most unjustly
maligned aspects of cinematic history. Due to an awful succession of
gimmick films throughout the 1970's and 80's, as well as poor quality
re-issues of the older films in the inferior red/blue anaglyph system on
television, 3-D movies of the 1950's have basically gotten a bad rap.
Detailed information about the festival, film schedule, etc. can be found
at:
http://www.3dfilmfest.com