A*P*E 3D Blu-ray (1976) [Region A Locked]

[Paul H]

Originally Posted by Joe D.

the 3D (which unfortunately did have its share of terrible ghosting)

Sorry to hear you experienced ghosting. The Blu-ray 3D encode has no crosstalk that I noticed and great clarity.

[Joe D.]

Originally Posted by Paul H

Sorry to hear you experienced ghosting. The Blu-ray 3D encode has no crosstalk that I noticed and great clarity.

Hi Paul,

There was only a short period of ghosting. Came toward the end when there were close ups of the apes face and green was all around him. Perhaps it wasn't 3D ghosting as it was just bad production effects I mistook as part of the 3D?

[T. Warren Scollan]

OK, a lot of you are going to hate me for this one:

I thought it was horrible. Absolutely horrible. And not fun horrible or campy horrible, say like Ed Wood's movies. In addition to being so poorly done, it was long and boring, full of a lot of "fill time" shots where nothing was happening or they would just repeat a shot of the same thing happening over and over again. A lot of Cr*p very Cr*ppily produced. At least most of the 3D was pretty good, but that wasn't nearly enough to save it. I don't regret buying it, but I do regret having to buy it. I do that for all classic 3D restorations, trying to encourage the continued release of this kind of stuff, hopefully in the future something that will be 3D AND good! In the meantime I will add it to "The Stewardesses" in my list of 3D movies I will never f**king watch again!

[Paul H]

Originally Posted by T. Warren Scollan

OK, a lot of you are going to hate me for this one:

I thought it was horrible. Absolutely horrible.

It was the commentary track that made it entertaining for me.

[Robert Furmanek]

Thanks for taking one for the team, T. Warren!

[Zivouhr]

Originally Posted by Joe D.

Just watched it. Obviously not a great movie for its genre but not a ridiculously bad film. I expected to be laughing throughout the film but instead found myself more entertained by it, admittedly because it was saved by the 3D.

The story line wasn't all that bad. Not having high expectations made me admire the good points of the screenplay and overlook the periodic poor ones and mediocre moments of acting (people running away wasn't that convincing).

Thought went into the overall screenplay. Having the wind blow the gas away from the ape was clever. I think some of the lines that came out funny were meant to be, unlike Plan Nine and other Ed Wood classics. The closing line was corney, however.

There were three real bad production goofs. One was hearing the director yell "cut" at the end of the scene and another was the American Colonel's hair sticking up toward the back. But I wonder how a single, stationary camera can follow action blocked by two walls with its stars running down steps and further out of sight?

This was an inexpensive production and must be taken in consideration as to why, outside of the 3D (which unfortunately did have its share of terrible ghosting), the special effects were mostly poor even though admirable in concept. That of course was when the hillarity came in. The ape costume itself was bad. But one thing, this ape had better animation by the man inside the suit than Rick Baker was able to achieve with the delaurentis production.

So it was typical of a low budget production by B level producers. But it wasn't so bad as to make me laugh, which was what I expected. Would not have bothered watching it except for the 3D. But the 3D made it a fun film to enjoy when looking for something to just relax and keep simple.

Nice review and for the 3D, thanks Joe!

I hope I get mine this week. I had it pre-ordered for awhile now but the free shipping deal usually means slow shipping.

[Joe D.]

Originally Posted by Zivouhr

Nice review and for the 3D, thanks Joe!

I hope I get mine this week. I had it pre-ordered for awhile now but the free shipping deal usually means slow shipping.

Hi Zivouhr,

Thanks so much. Sorry about the free shipping delay - got mine within a week with free shipping anyway. But it wasn't a pre order.

It's a fun film to watch in 3D when one just needs to unwind and relax.

[Jbug]

Originally Posted by Joe D.

Hi jbug,

Ah, you just spoiled the picture for us!

Good one Joe!

[Joe D.]

Originally Posted by Jbug

Good one Joe!

Hi jbug,

You are forgiven.

[Zivouhr]

Originally Posted by Joe D.

Hi Zivouhr,

Thanks so much. Sorry about the free shipping delay - got mine within a week with free shipping anyway. But it wasn't a pre order.

It's a fun film to watch in 3D when one just needs to unwind and relax.

Thanks Joe. Cool news, it arrived tonight so I'll watch it the next chance I get. Looking forward to it.

[Joe D.]

Originally Posted by Zivouhr

Thanks Joe. Cool news, it arrived tonight so I'll watch it the next chance I get. Looking forward to it.

Hi zivouhr,

Hey, glad you got it. Please let me know what you thought of the movie.

[Damon1281]

Originally Posted by Joe D.

Hi Damon,

You're right. Blame me and spell check working in coordination.

Actually, it was just me keeping in line with the film's high production standards.

I saw in a wiki of some sort explained this way: Attacking Primate MonstEr

[Joe D.]

Originally Posted by Damon1281

I saw in a wiki of some sort explained this way: Attacking Primate MonstEr

Hi Damon,

That's what I saw too and then messed up the intent of the second capital letter in the last word.

[Zivouhr]

APE 3D Review:
I very much can see why Ape 3D was chosen by Kino Lorber and restored by 3-D Film Archives. The 3D is awesome.

3D Layering: 10/10. Strong to very strong 3D.
3D Pop Outs: 10/10. Lots of them and very strong 3D pop outs many times.
3D Framing: 10/10. Many well framed 3D shots to maximize the 3D. People's heads are kept within frame too.
3D Creativity: 10/10. This movie was made with 3D in mind and many shots creatively think of ways to showcase the 3D.
3D Total: 10/10. Ape 3D belongs in every 3D fan's collection.

Details:
For avid fans of Godzilla and King Kong, Ape 3D is a fun, low budget tribute to those films with absolutely stunning 3D. Ape 3D was made for 3D and it shows.

The 3D layering in APE 3D (1976) is strong and beautifully framed. Pretty much every shot is framed to get the most of out the 3D objects within the frame, whether it be trees or buildings in the foreground, mid ground or background. There's a perfect example in a city near the end of the film that showcases Ape smashing buildings in the background, while in the mid and foreground, more buildings are expertly framed for maximum 3D effect. Outstanding, and most shots frame the 3D for this great effect.

The film offers many 3D Pop outs, with objects intentionally being aimed at the camera, often piercing through and out of your screen, into your home entertainment room. From tossed rocks to firing rockets, the amount of pop outs pile up as the film progresses. Pop out fans should love this. The restoration is very nice as far as the coloration and alignment of the 3D elements as well.

Regarding the movie, any true fan of the 60's through 80's classic Godzilla films should find plenty of entertainment in APE, where a giant ape who stampedes across the South Korean countryside, destroys everything in his path from giant Jaw sharks, slithering tree snakes, and troublesome buildings that get in his way.

Many humans perish at his hands, until the army and its Colonel finally decide to get serious and bring in the heavy artillery. Starring the attractive Joanna Kern from Growing Pains, Ape 3D is a must have for any fan of Giant Monster movies and amazing 3D. Extras include several 2D trailers and an informative Commentary track.

I had a lot of fun watching this and was reminded of many of the 70's martial arts Saturday afternoon movies I would watch on TV growing up. This has the same over the top, fun style and it was confirmed when an actual Kung Fu scene appeared in APE 3D to my surprise. I'll definitely watch this again in 3D.

[Joe D.]

Originally Posted by Zivouhr

APE 3D Review:
I very much can see why Ape 3D was chosen by Kino Lorber and restored by 3-D Film Archives. The 3D is awesome.

3D Layering: 10/10. Strong to very strong 3D.
3D Pop Outs: 10/10. Lots of them and very strong 3D pop outs many times.
3D Framing: 10/10. Many well framed 3D shots to maximize the 3D. People's heads are kept within frame too.
3D Creativity: 10/10. This movie was made with 3D in mind and many shots creatively think of ways to showcase the 3D.
3D Total: 10/10. Ape 3D belongs in every 3D fan's collection.

Details:
For avid fans of Godzilla and King Kong, Ape 3D is a fun, low budget tribute to those films with absolutely stunning 3D. Ape 3D was made for 3D and it shows.

The 3D layering in APE 3D (1976) is strong and beautifully framed. Pretty much every shot is framed to get the most of out the 3D objects within the frame, whether it be trees or buildings in the foreground, mid ground or background. There's a perfect example in a city near the end of the film that showcases Ape smashing buildings in the background, while in the mid and foreground, more buildings are expertly framed for maximum 3D effect. Outstanding, and most shots frame the 3D for this great effect.

The film offers many 3D Pop outs, with objects intentionally being aimed at the camera, often piercing through and out of your screen, into your home entertainment room. From tossed rocks to firing rockets, the amount of pop outs pile up as the film progresses. Pop out fans should love this. The restoration is very nice as far as the coloration and alignment of the 3D elements as well.

Regarding the movie, any true fan of the 60's through 80's classic Godzilla films should find plenty of entertainment in APE, where a giant ape who stampedes across the South Korean countryside, destroys everything in his path from giant Jaw sharks, slithering tree snakes, and troublesome buildings that get in his way.

Many humans perish at his hands, until the army and its Colonel finally decide to get serious and bring in the heavy artillery. Starring the attractive Joanna Kern from Growing Pains, Ape 3D is a must have for any fan of Giant Monster movies and amazing 3D. Extras include several 2D trailers and an informative Commentary track.

I had a lot of fun watching this and was reminded of many of the 70's martial arts Saturday afternoon movies I would watch on TV growing up. This has the same over the top, fun style and it was confirmed when an actual Kung Fu scene appeared in APE 3D to my surprise. I'll definitely watch this again in 3D.

Hi zivouhr,

Glad we wound up on the same wavelength. Nicely reviewed. Exactly the type of​ film one needs when stressed out and in need of unwinding.

[Zivouhr]

Originally Posted by Joe D.

Hi zivouhr,

Glad we wound up on the same wavelength. Nicely reviewed. Exactly the type of​ film one needs when stressed out and in need of unwinding.

Thanks Joe. It was entertaining and the 3D did not disappoint. The movie itself has a sense of humor in addition to the humor resulting from the lower budget effects. Fun movie IMO.

[GKintz]

Originally Posted by Zivouhr

Thanks Joe. It was entertaining and the 3D did not disappoint. The movie itself has a sense of humor in addition to the humor resulting from the lower budget effects. Fun movie IMO.

I'm glad you enjoyed the feature, Zivouhr! It will certainly never be mistaken for being the Citizen Kane of 3-D, but still has some redeeming qualities. Being shot in Space-Vision was the primary plus, with A*P*E suffering from none of the chromatic issues or softness that plagued many of the 80s 3-D features. Colonel Bernier knew his optics when it came to Space-Vision, although a variable I/A option really would have come in handy showing what should be a gigantic A*P*E at proper scale. But then again, that too is now part of the film's charm. Without a doubt, A*P*E is just as much a 3-B (3 beers) movie as it is a 3-D movie.

Along with going through the feature shot by shot to ensure an eyestrain free 3-D feature, we addressed drastically faded and mistimed color and absolutely horrible splices. (Bob jokingly commented "Did they use an axe to cut this??") So we addressed 99% of the left eye top splice lines, as they really were awful. We also cleaned up dozens of frames, just to find and tackle more with repeated viewings. Likewise with frames of black.. which have been present in all elements. Some films we've dealt with have had a few frames total in a typical 90 minute feature. This one was easily seconds worth. All now addressed (knocking on wood).

And in the end, while looking better than ever after clean up, it's still the original A*P*E in all of it's 3-Dimensional (shooting on a shoe string budget) glory. Case in point - Bob was always on the same page when I said "We HAVE to keep the opening credits as-is", as besides some much needed color correction, the opening credits still retain their status as being some of the most ..umm.. "unique" in 3-D film history. If one is able to view A*P*E in 3-D, you already know.

Here are some "before" samples that are after preliminary color correction, but before final grading and clean-up.

[kidglov3s]

Originally Posted by GKintz

I'm glad you enjoyed the feature, Zivouhr! It will certainly never be mistaken for being the Citizen Kane of 3-D, but still has some redeeming qualities. Being shot in Space-Vision was the primary plus, with A*P*E suffering from none of the chromatic issues or softness that plagued many of the 80s 3-D features. Colonel Bernier knew his optics when it came to Space-Vision, although a variable I/A option really would have come in handy showing what should be a gigantic A*P*E at proper scale. But then again, that too is now part of the film's charm. Without a doubt, A*P*E is just as much a 3-B (3 beers) movie as it is a 3-D movie.

Along with going through the feature shot by shot to ensure an eyestrain free 3-D feature, we addressed drastically faded and mistimed color and absolutely horrible splices. (Bob jokingly commented "Did they use an axe to cut this??") So we addressed 99% of the left eye top splice lines, as they really were awful. We also cleaned up dozens of frames, just to find and tackle more with repeated viewings. Likewise with frames of black.. which have been present in all elements. Some films we've dealt with have had a few frames total in a typical 90 minute feature. This one was easily seconds worth. All now addressed (knocking on wood).

And in the end, while looking better than ever after clean up, it's still the original A*P*E in all of it's 3-Dimensional (shooting on a shoe string budget) glory. Case in point - Bob was always on the same page when I said "We HAVE to keep the opening credits as-is", as besides some much needed color correction, the opening credits still retain their status as being some of the most ..umm.. "unique" in 3-D film history. If one is able to view A*P*E in 3-D, you already know.

Here are some "before" samples that are after preliminary color correction, but before final grading and clean-up.

I find it astonishing how well you and your team were able to manage the splicing issue.

[Joe D.]

Originally Posted by GKintz

I'm glad you enjoyed the feature, Zivouhr! It will certainly never be mistaken for being the Citizen Kane of 3-D, but still has some redeeming qualities. Being shot in Space-Vision was the primary plus, with A*P*E suffering from none of the chromatic issues or softness that plagued many of the 80s 3-D features. Colonel Bernier knew his optics when it came to Space-Vision, although a variable I/A option really would have come in handy showing what should be a gigantic A*P*E at proper scale. But then again, that too is now part of the film's charm. Without a doubt, A*P*E is just as much a 3-B (3 beers) movie as it is a 3-D movie.

Along with going through the feature shot by shot to ensure an eyestrain free 3-D feature, we addressed drastically faded and mistimed color and absolutely horrible splices. (Bob jokingly commented "Did they use an axe to cut this??") So we addressed 99% of the left eye top splice lines, as they really were awful. We also cleaned up dozens of frames, just to find and tackle more with repeated viewings. Likewise with frames of black.. which have been present in all elements. Some films we've dealt with have had a few frames total in a typical 90 minute feature. This one was easily seconds worth. All now addressed (knocking on wood).

And in the end, while looking better than ever after clean up, it's still the original A*P*E in all of it's 3-Dimensional (shooting on a shoe string budget) glory. Case in point - Bob was always on the same page when I said "We HAVE to keep the opening credits as-is", as besides some much needed color correction, the opening credits still retain their status as being some of the most ..umm.. "unique" in 3-D film history. If one is able to view A*P*E in 3-D, you already know.

Here are some "before" samples that are after preliminary color correction, but before final grading and clean-up.

Hi G,

You guys did a great job. Talking about horrible splices, am I right that in one instance we heard the director yell "cut"? My reaction, however, was this was not due solely to poor editing as to the director prematurely calling to stop filming while the scene still had a few seconds to finish up. Of course, the audio could have snuffed that out. But goofs aside, the movie still had professional values to it and not to be laughed at but enjoyed.

[the13thman]

Mine arrived yesterday, I hope to watch it tonight.

Without even having watched a single frame I already know I'm going to love everything about it. Except the region locking of course. That doesn't stop me watching the film on my plasma but it does stop me taking the film home and watching it on my OLED with my family.