Golden Age 3-D Features

[Interdimensional]

Originally Posted by Robert Furmanek

Sixty-four years ago, on November 26, 1952, Arch Oboler's African adventure had its world premiere in Hollywood and Los Angeles at the Paramount theatres. Produced on a modest budget and photographed in dual-strip Natural Vision, this 3-D attraction was a tremendous success.


The 3-D craze was a quick one, but fondly remembered by those old enough to have experienced it first-hand. During the brief period from the premiere of Bwana Devil to November 1953, there were forty-eight features photographed in 3-Dimensions, and one final title, Revenge of the Creature, went before the cameras in July of 1954 bringing the Golden Age total to fifty features.

Shout Factory almost released a 20 year old standard definition flat transfer on Blu-ray last year. Thankfully, public outcry convinced them to cancel the release. Hopefully, a savvy distributor will acquire the rights and release this landmark production as it was meant to be seen.

Fans of stereoscopic cinema can thank Arch Oboler for taking a chance with a format that no major studio would touch. Happy anniversary to Bwana Devil!

The 2d-only release would've been more than a bit pointless, and potentially could have doomed further releases by creating the impression that no one was interested. When actually we are interested, interested in seeing Bwana Devil in the same dimensional format that audiences flocked to see in packed theaters in 1952. We want to see the version of this film that created a sensation.

Considering what a massive hit it was in its day, it'd be a shame if the current owners were unwilling to reinvest the tiny fraction of that gross that it would take for an outfit such as the 3-D Film Archive to create a digital 3-D master. What was accomplished with this film 64 years ago was so much more difficult and demanding, and now that we have the technology to present what they achieved, flawlessly every time, it's really past time this was done to honor the work of pioneers like Obler and Gunzburg.

It'd be ideal if they could work something out in time for the 65th anniversary.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by T. Warren Scollan

We have to remember that Bob really can't say a lot. The reason he knows things is because he is well known in the business for keeping his mouth shut. And he needs to know these things. We want to know too, but we don't really need to know. So we have to be satisfied for now to know that stuff is coming, if not what and when. That comes later, right Bob?

More than happy just to know I can look forward to more stuff next year and beyond. That will do for me!

[Robert Furmanek]

HARMONY LANE will have its US premiere on December 9 in Los Angeles as part of the 13th Annual LA 3-D Movie Festival! http://ejkdreamer.wixsite.com/13th-3d-fest/harmony-lane

[revgen]

Is there any parking lot nearby the Velaslavasay Panorama?

[Robert Furmanek]

I would imagine so but I've never been there!

[revgen]

Just got back from the September Storm premiere tonight.

Learned quite a bit about the films the 3-D Film Archive has cooking up in the pipeline.

1) According to Bob, he's in discussions with the company that owns I the Jury (1953). He says that they do want to preserve the film, but more talks and meetings have to occur to "grease the wheels" before anything can happen. We've all heard this story before. Hopefully, this one has a happy ending.

2) There's a US 3rd party distributor with a relationship with Universal who doesn't want to distribute Taza, Son of Cochise (1954) because they deem Rock Hudson portraying a Native American to be "controversial". This is the same distributor that didn't think 3-D Rarities was worth investing in.

3) Kino will be releasing September Storm (1960) for general release in March 2017.

4) Money From Home (1954) is currently be held hostage by another distributor who holds the license. That license will end in about two years.

[punkskins]

Originally Posted by revgen

Just got back from the September Storm premiere tonight.

Learned quite a bit about the films the 3-D Film Archive has cooking up in the pipeline.

1) According to Bob, he's in discussions with the company that owns I the Jury (1953). He says that they do want to preserve the film, but more talks and meetings have to occur to "grease the wheels" before anything can happen. We've all heard this story before. Hopefully, this one has a happy ending.

2) There's a US 3rd party distributor with a relationship with Universal who doesn't want to distribute Taza, Son of Cochise (1954) because they deem Rock Hudson portraying a Native American to be "controversial". This is the same distributor that didn't think 3-D Rarities was worth investing in.

3) Kino will be releasing September Storm (1960) for general release in March 2017.

4) Money From Home (1954) is currently be held hostage by another distributor who holds the license. That license will end in about two years.

So Mad Magician (Jan), Ape (Feb) and now September Storm (March ) nice start to the year

[BleedOrange11]

Thanks for sharing.

1. That's fantastic. John Alton is one of the greatest cinematographers to ever live. I'd be ecstatic to see his 3D.

2. I'm not surprised. I know they like Douglas Sirk, but does said distributor have any interest in The Glass Web or Wings of the Hawk? To be honest, I'd rather have those first.

3 & 4. Kino rocks

[revgen]

@BleedOrange11

Sadly, The Glass Web has music rights issues that have to be cleared for home video or streaming. Until Universal can tackle that problem, no home video release of The Glass Web will happen.

[BleedOrange11]

Wow, these releases are so complicated.

[Interdimensional]

Originally Posted by revgen

Just got back from the September Storm premiere tonight.

Learned quite a bit about the films the 3-D Film Archive has cooking up in the pipeline.


2) There's a US 3rd party distributor with a relationship with Universal who doesn't want to distribute Taza, Son of Cochise (1954) because they deem Rock Hudson portraying a Native American to be "controversial".

I wouldn't disagree with that perception, but at this stage we're talking about a 60+ year old film. The target audience at this point is mostly cinephiles and 3-D enthusiasts, and much of the interest is of a historic nature.

But aside from that, didn't Disney have Johnny Depp portray native character Tonto for their Lone Ranger film just a few years ago? Depp claims to have a drop of native blood from a great grandmother, but never took the steps by which this alleged ancestry could've been easily verified. That was a high-profile release from a company as image conscious and controversy averse as Disney. I would think a catalog release like Taza would be under a lot less scrutiny.

Perhaps a European or other distributor could step in if US labels won't touch it. I presume the reason a third party distributor was involved in the first place was because Universal won't touch it themselves for much the same reason.

Disappointed to hear about The Glass Web, but thrilled to hear that negotiations for I The Jury are progressing. I hope they're not just giving Bob the runaround.

[revgen]

Bob tried to get Panamint to take interest, but they passed on it. The big problem with a European release is that Taza has already been released in 2-D in Germany.

The only other company that in the US that has a relationship with Universal is TCM Vault, and they've released Charlie Chan films in the past. The problem is that they've never released a 3-D Film on Blu-Ray and it's hard to know if they'd be interested or not.

[robtadrian]

That's interesting about the reluctance over Taza. At the screening at Film Forum writer Foster Hirsch spoke about how Sirk knew about Hudson's love life and was trying to show of the conflict of Taza as a native trying to negotiate with the cavalry as a code of Hudson trying to navigate society and the studio system as a closeted man.....I wonder if the distributor knows of Twilight Time's pending release of Gun Fury (a probable success which would feed a market for another Hudson 3d western).

[punkskins]

Taken from http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/

During the Q & A afterward, Bob Furmanek confirmed that the 3-D Film Archive will be working with Kino on most of the Paramount 3-D titles. In addition to the already-announced Those Redheads from Seattle they'll be doing Jivaro, Sangaree, Cease Fire, Flight to Tangier and -- hooray! -- William Cameron Menzies' horror opus for Allied Artists, The Maze. WIth those titles, plus Mad Magician and Gun Fury from Twilight Time, nearly a third of the 1950's 3-D features will be available on Blu-ray. -- Gary"

[robtadrian]

With those titles, plus Mad Magician and Gun Fury from Twilight Time, nearly a third of the 1950's 3-D features will be available on Blu-ray. -- Gary"

Great news! With the 10 already out (DMFM, CFTBL, HOW, MITD, Inferno, DS, KMK, Gog, MST and ICFOS) that's 18.. more than a third of the fabulous 50!

[Rampage09]

I just picked up Dial M on Amazon based on what I read on your webpage. Great site. Looking forward to seeing it. Never have I seen it before.

[Robert Furmanek]

The perfect Christmas gift for that special person in your life. Everything you've always wanted to know about ROBOT MONSTER!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1539636631?pldnSite=1

ROBOT MONSTER DIARIES Book Trailer - YouTube

[Robert Furmanek]

We are thrilled to announce that our new 3-D, widescreen, stereophonic sound restoration of THOSE REDHEADS FROM SEATTLE will premiere on the big screen at the TCM Festival in April and the 3-D Blu-ray from Kino Lorber is coming soon! http://filmfestival.tcm.com/programs...-from-seattle/

[Interdimensional]

The TCM page should really link back to the 3-D Film Archive Redheads from Seattle page. After going through all that info again I have major anticipation for the bluray release. For anyone going to the TCM festival, a pretty good case is made for why you should see this film, and why you should see it in 3-D.

Of the vintage 3-D titles already announced for this year, looks like Redheads might be the most visually gorgeous and almost certainly the most colourful.

Edit: I see they've now added the link.

[jtchance]

I for one will definitely pre order THOSE REDHEADS FROM SEATTLE. Does anyone know when Twilight Time is going to release Raoul Walsh's GUN FURY? I ordered the MAD MAGICIAN for 1/17/17 but noticed no 2d release scheduled for February.