May 09, 2003
World 3-D Film Expo!
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 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
3-D Festival
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. There is a printable version of the schedule on the website. Tickets will go on sale on May 1, also on-line. Tickets are $10 with the exception of the rarities show which is $15. A festival pass ($320) includes admission to all 33 shows, plus a festival souvenir booklet.
The festival can be reached at: Phone number: 661 538-9259 Fax number: 661 793-6755
*Special note: Although at the Egyptian Theatre, this festival is not a program of the American Cinematheque.
