The Maze 3D Blu-ray (1953) [Region A Locked]

[OceanBlue]

Originally Posted by Interdimensional

Do not hesitate.

A very lucky thing it is still available, as I understand Paramount are no longer licensing their movies to independent labels. Most other Golden Age 3-D Paramount titles are sold out and cannot be had for any amount of money. I presume that being a popular title, Kino did an extra print run of The Maze, otherwise it'd be long gone.

Once your order has been placed, avoid reading about this film at all costs, as it has a rather wild twist ending that people just can't seem to resist spoiling. I'll never know what my true reaction would have been if I hadn't known this ahead of time. Unfortunately, people think nothing of spoiling old movies, - why audiences have had seven decades to watch the movie and apparently that's plenty of time!

I have my principles, and one of the things I would never do is spoil something for someone. And if I did say something, it would be by accident and unintentional (compared to some fellow classmates at secondary school a long time ago who spoiled something for me which I didn't want to know).

The director of The Maze 3D, did they direct another 3D film? I'm sure I saw it mentioned the other day when I found out about The Maze, but have forgotten what it was.

Thanks for your advice and help.

[OceanBlue]

In addition, when I was trying to remember the name of this film while searching for an existing discussion thread, I got it confused with The Mask 3D.

[Interdimensional]

Originally Posted by OceanBlue

The director of The Maze 3D, did they direct another 3D film? I'm sure I saw it mentioned the other day when I found out about The Maze, but have forgotten what it was.

yes and no. 3-D Film Archive website is the place to go.

There is a myth that turns up from time to time, that his previous film Invaders from Mars was filmed in 3-D. Which would've been fun, but it didn't happen.

It would seem that William Cameron Menzies did shoot 3-D sequences for another film, but nothing much came of it.

THE 3-D FOLLIES was announced as a "five-unit variety show in color" that began production by Sol Lesser at RKO-Pathe Studios on January 9, 1953. It was to be the "first musical feature in 3-D." Photographed with the Stereo-Cine camera and slated for release on May 23, 1953 as a 90 minute feature by RKO, the film was never completed.

William Cameron Menzies directed the next two segments.

Filming began February 16 on ACROBATIKS with the Apache dance trio The Appletons in a Paris rooftop setting. They performed their popular nightclub act with knife-throwing, breakaway props and mayhem.

FUN IN THE SUN - a "sports subject presenting ace athletes in action" - began filming in Palm Springs on February 24. The cast included tennis player Gussie Moran, golfer Ben Hogan, Olympic swimmer Pat McCormick and Olympic athlete/comic diver Harold "Stubby" Kruger. Charles Farrell narrates and had a bit part in the segment with Gussie Moran, feeding her tennis balls that she hits into the audience.

Originally Posted by OceanBlue

I have my principles, and one of the things I would never do is spoil something for someone. And if I did say something, it would be by accident and unintentional (compared to some fellow classmates at secondary school a long time ago who spoiled something for me which I didn't want to know).

once you learn the secret of The Maze, you will want to express some sort of opinion on it, whether you think it is a stroke of genius, or total nonsense.

But that's what spoiler tags are for:
[SPOILER ] twist [ /SPOILER]

[Show spoiler] so easy

[OceanBlue]

Originally Posted by Interdimensional

yes and no. 3-D Film Archive website is the place to go.

There is a myth that turns up from time to time, that his previous film Invaders from Mars was filmed in 3-D. Which would've been fun, but it didn't happen.

It would seem that William Cameron Menzies did shoot 3-D sequences for another film, but nothing much came of it.

once you learn the secret of The Maze, you will want to express some sort of opinion on it, whether you think it is a stroke of genius, or total nonsense.

But that's what spoiler tags are for:
[SPOILER ] twist [ /SPOILER]

[Show spoiler] so easy

I've lost count how many times I've used spoiler tags, as you can never be too sure if something you've posted in say a mini-review/review contains something another person would class as a spoiler. It can happen from time to time (and if it did, it was unintentional), where I've forgot to use spoiler tags.

Are there any other films with a similar plot/storyline to The Maze which was also shot in 3D? I've come across a couple of other 3D films from a few decades ago (hopefully there is a thread for both, if they've had Blu-ray releases (I know one of them was also released by Kino Lorber).

Thanks for your help and replies about The Maze 3D and it's director. I've decided to get Kino's Blu-ray release.

[Interdimensional]

It's one of a kind, as far as I'm aware.

With spooky scenes of characters walking down dark corridors by candlelight, it seems like there should've been many such films. It's the only old dark house classic 3-D movie, and the ending puts it in a somewhat different category. It's great that there were 50 Golden Age 3-D movies, but I wish there'd been hundreds. Certain genres can seem underserved.

Incidentally, even a simple google search of The Maze 1953 will give away a major spoiler. As does the one sentence synopsis on Rotten Tomatoes (which I think is outrageous).

[Telegram Sam]

Everyone who sees this movie should be

[Show spoiler]fully kermitted to keeping its mad secret.

[bavanut]

Originally Posted by Telegram Sam

Everyone who sees this movie should be

[Show spoiler]fully kermitted to keeping its mad secret.

As an inveterate punster, I wish to goodness I had come up with that one, Telegram Sam.

I absolutely affirm every good thing that's been said about The Maze. I've been privileged to see the film several times in a nice theatre in dual-strip 3-D with very receptive audiences. It's a definite crowd-pleaser, no kidding. And I can bear personal witness to the profound care that went into its preservation and restoration by the 3-D Film Archive. All Bob Furmanek's powers of diplomacy, persuasion and alliance-building were in service of this project. And while it may be easy to take Greg Kintz for granted, given that every project he handles looks golden, The Maze looks especially marvelous under his hands. I'll bet Menzies and the rest would be very proud of the Kino Lorber disc.

As for the film's infamous ending...

[Show spoiler]...you might say it is absolutely "ribbitting"-- er, riveting.

[Telegram Sam]

Originally Posted by bavanut

As for the film's infamous ending...

[Show spoiler]...you might say it is absolutely "ribbitting"-- er, riveting.

Heh heh!

[Show spoiler]Toad-ally! Even if it was a tad polarizng...

[Astrostic]

Excuse the self-promotion, but I wanted to alert New York 3D aficionados to a fortuitous pairing coming up in a few weeks. As many of you are already aware, The Maze will be screening at Film Forum on October 2. By lovely coincidence, this showing takes place only five days before the New York Film Festival screens my new 3D short film, Laberint Sequences, which pays homage to Menzies's film. In case anyone here wants to indulge in this double bill, tickets go on sale for all NYFF screenings tomorrow (Sept. 19) at noon EST.

For a bit more info on my film, as well as the film it's paired with (Deborah Stratman's Last Things), you can head to NYFF's film page here.

[Todd3D]

I watched this again last night for the first time in a couple of years. This is definitely a film I'll never watch flat. It's use of depth is one of the best of the Golden Age, almost rivaling Inferno and Gun Fury. Of course, the ending is just plain silly, but I really like this film. I'll always be grateful for any film that the 3DFA rescues, but I'm really grateful for this one.