05.11.06

World 3D Film Expo II in September

Posted in Cinema, Events, 3D, Cinema History, World 3D Film Expo II, 2006 at 9:19 pm by Spencer

Man, am I psyched! I turn 40 this August (not exactly psyched about that, but it’s cool), and my present to myself is spending 10 days in Hollywood in September gorging on classic and new 3D movies at the World 3D Film Expo II! My utter glee is doubled (as ’twere) by the fact that I missed the first one in 2003 (not knowing about it until after the fact) and, moreso, because those responsible swore up and down it would never be repeated. But, as festival organizer Jeff Joseph put it in the May 1 press release, “some film elements were discovered, some studios started to be very helpful, one thing led to another…and here we are.”

The schedule is comprised of 35 features and more than 20 shorts, including programs of Soviet and British films never before shown in the US. Almost all of the features have accompanying shorts, just like the good ol’ days. (I really miss that…er, tho I’m barely old enough to remember.) All of the films are being projected in 35mm double-interlock polarized format, with zero anaglyphic (red/blue or red/green) prints. While this does exclude some notable films (particularly the early Audioscopics films produced by Pete Smith in the early ’40s [two of them currently available in Super 8 from Derann in Britain] and The Mask, a personal favorite even if it is only partially 3D), this is not only excellent news — anaglyphic is grossly inferior to polarized — it also means we’ll be seeing original prints the way they were meant to be seen. In widescreen, no less!

All the big classics are being screened: Creature from the Black Lagoon, Revenge of the Creature (especially rare in 3D), It Came from Outer Space, House of Wax, Phantom of the Rue Morgue, Robot Monster (bubbles!), Dial M for Murder (another super-rarity in 3D) — plus tons of others. One film I’m looking forward to, among many, is Cease Fire! which was shot in the combat zone during the Korean War. It has not been shown since its original release, some 50 years ago.

Amazingly, there will be a couple of new and restored prints — Paul Morrissey’s (aka Andy Warhol’s) Frankenstein, a new and uncut print of softcore perennial The Stewardesses, and Charge at Feather River (1953), regarded as one of the best of the golden age features. Not surprisingly, a number of sole surviving prints will be shown, notably both of the only two 3-strip Technicolor 3D films (that means 12 strips of film rolling!) ever made.

Also, there will be what’s touted as the “World Polaroid projection premiere” of the new Night of the Living Dead 3D (2006), a non-Romero remake, or “re-imagining” as the makers put on the official web site. I’m rather curious about this, since a Q&A on the film’s site states categorically that it was shot in “red & blue anaglyph projection, the same process that Robert Rodriguez’s Spy Kids movies were released in.” [sic: only one Spy Kids film was released in 3D.] So, given the cost and complexity of producing in even one 3D format, I’ll be pleasantly surprised if we actually get a polarized screening. (The premiere screening was originally scheduled to be in June at the Fangoria convention, but it had to be postponed [for the second time] apparently due to post-production complications. Hopefully, third time’s the charm.)

There are also several programs of short films, including all of the surviving golden age cartoons on a single bill (including the previously lost Popeye Ace of Space), the afforementioned Soviet and British bills, and a drool-inducing “rarities” program.

Blah blah blah. Once in a lifetime! You should go! You’d be crazy not to! Here’s the full film list as announced at this time — click away, as many of the feature listings include downloadable Quicktime preview trailers:

Features and Feature-Length Programs:

Animation 3-D Show
British 3-D Shorts
Bwana Devil
Cease Fire
Charge At Feather River
Creature From The Black Lagoon
Devil’s Canyon
Dial M For Murder
Diamond Wizard
Flight To Tangier
Frankenstein
French Line
Glass Web
Gog
Gorilla At Large
House Of Wax
I, The Jury
Inferno
It Came From Outer Space
Jivaro
Kiss Me Kate
Mad Magician
Miss Sadie Thompson
Money From Home
Night Of The Living Dead 3-D
Phantom Of The Rue Morgue
Rarities In 3-D II
Revenge Of The Creature
Robot Monster
Russian 3-D Shorts
Sangaree
Second Chance
Stranger Wore A Gun
Taza, Son Of Cochise
The Bubble
The Maze
The Stewardesses
Those Redheads From Seattle
Wings Of The Hawk

Short Films and Cartoons:

Adventures Of Sam Space
Boo Moon
Carnival In April
Doom Town
Down The Hatch
Hawaiian Nights
Hypnotic Hick
Lumber Jack Rabbit
M.L. Gunzburg Presents 3-D
Melody
Motor Rhythm
Pardon My Backfire
Popeye, The Ace Of Space
Sea Dream
Spooks
Stardust In Your Eyes
Working For Peanuts

Permalink