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3D An Advance Look at "3-D Rarities" from the 3-D Film Archive and Flicker Alley (1 Viewer)

Peter Apruzzese

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As announced here:

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/topic/329559-natural-vision-3-dimension-and-3d-rarities-flicker-alley3d-film-archive-in-2014/


Bob Furmanek gave me the opportunity last night to preview the final (almost - the menus are unfinished) version of the "3-D Rarities" Blu-ray release that's scheduled for early summer from the 3-D Film Archive & Flicker Alley and said it would be OK to post a few words about it. Source was a Sony player feeding a new Panasonic 8000 projector on about an 8-foot wide screen.


The breadth of material is remarkable - ranging from shorts as early as 1922 and going up to the animated Boo Moon, featuring Casper the Friendly Ghost. Some of these films have been shown at the 3-D Expos in California and Suffern, NY, but a lot of it is making its debut here. Having personally run some of these on dual-35mm projectors (and also having seen many of them on 35mm and earlier test video transfers) I can say with absolute confidence that they have never looked better. Bob's technical director Greg Kintz has performed, literally, miracles with some of the faded and mis-aligned footage. With so much on-board I can only recount a few highlights, one being a terrific "Pennsylvania Railroad" promotional piece, another being the best-ever version of the stop-motion "Motor Rhythm." Test footage from the Lumiere Brothers is here along with American pioneers, four Norman McLaren animated shorts licensed from the National Film Board of Canada (presented in stereophonic sound), "Sam Space," Marciano vs. Walcott title fight, trailers, "Doom Town," burlesque, Slick Slaven, Beany & Cecil, etc. etc. An embarrassment of riches.


Nearly 2 1/2 hours long, this program is an essential addition to the collection of anyone interested in vintage 3-D films. Plus there's bonus material including audio commentary by Jack Theakston and Thad K. on several shorts, ViewMaster reels, comics, and even footage directed by Francis Ford Coppola.


NOTE: Fans of 3-D "Pop-Out" should play portions of this disc every single time they fire up their systems: tons of off-screen effects are present. And almost all of it better than anything you'll see in a modern 3-D film.
 

Bob Furmanek

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Thanks, Pete. It was great finally watching the material assembled into one complete program.


Greg Kintz has done an absolutely outstanding job on the restorations. I've seen many of these films - in many different versions - for several decades now. They have never before looked this good.


And several of them - such as New Dimensions - were rescued in the nick of time. That precious bit of 3-D history (the first domestic color 3-D film from 1940) is badly deteriorating and shrunken with vinegar syndrome.


Thad Komorowski did the excellent commentary track on Boo Moon.


Release date is June 15!
 

ThadK

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Thanks, Bob, I rarely get the opportunity to pontificate about Famous Studios (hah!), so I relish any opportunity.


I've seen a lot of this material, up close and personal, via screenings at MOMA, Bob's place and doing digital restoration. So I'm probably biased, but this set is going to be a milestone in home video presentation—3-D or otherwise.
 

Rob W

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I don't have a 3D set yet but have purchased all of Bob's discs as I believe in what he is doing and want to support his efforts. Of course, everything so far has also had a 2D version included.

Since most of these films exist primarily to show off 3D, will there still be a 2D option included in this set? ( I plan to purchase this anyway, so don't be afraid to give me the truth... )
 

Mike Ballew

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I am so overjoyed to hear this wonderful update.


The very minute I see my opportunity to pre-order on Amazon, I'll order two copies.


I will never get tired of thanking you, Bob, for all you have done, but also Greg, Jack, and others I may not know about who have also done their part to preserve our stereoscopic film heritage. Thanks to you all.
 

RolandL

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David M. Ballew said:
I am so overjoyed to hear this wonderful update.


The very minute I see my opportunity to pre-order on Amazon, I'll order two copies.


I will never get tired of thanking you, Bob, for all you have done, but also Greg, Jack, and others I may not know about who have also done their part to preserve our stereoscopic film heritage. Thanks to you all.

+1
 

MitchellD

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I was also at Bob's almost finished preview last night, and I have to say wow. This is a 3D collectors dream. I had previously seen the 35mm source material for some of these shorts, and I have to say they looked as good, and in some cases better, than the 35mm originals. It is a great and diverse collection of material flawlessly mastered. It's a long show to watch from begining to end, but there is nothing I would cut.


Good work, Bob and Greg.
 

Ejanss

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View-Master reels? I'm buying. :cool:


(No, seriously, I don't usually blind-buy vintage 3-D titles without at least familiarizing myself with them first, but this sounds like such a diverse grab-bag, I may just do it. Besides, I've already seen Boo Moon in 2-D, and remember Beany & Cecil from when they used to show it on the 80's anaglyph broadcasts.)
 

Ejanss

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RolandL said:
Are the ViewMaster reels from any movies? I know Bob showed one for Ulysses on another thread.

And are they just still-galleries on the Bonus extras?
 

Bob Furmanek

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There's a 3-D image gallery with scenes from two Sam Sawyer outer space View-Master reels. The character was designed in 1950 by Paul Sprunck, the man who wrote and directed The Adventures of Sam Space!


SS2.gif
 

Stephen_J_H

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Funny; when I was watching KMK, the first thing that came to mind in scenes where we are looking at the stage with the audience in front of us was ViewMaster reels. The separation of depth levels looks a lot like that.
 

Brandon Conway

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This is easily one of my most anticipated releases in 2015. Looking forward to the formal announcement, presumably in the next couple weeks. :thumbs-up-smiley:


Bob, do you know if this will be streeting with any other Flicker Alley (not necessarily 3D) Blu-ray release? (Don't know if you'd be able to say yes to that even if you knew).
 

Bob Furmanek

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Thanks very much, Brandon. I'm not sure if Flicker Alley has another release in June.


The restoration of this wide range of material has certainly been Greg's most challenging work - to date!


Nearly every film had unique problems and what I've said is true: I have never seen this archival footage looking this good. Greg has worked some real magic on this one!


For instance, the source material (and only existing 35mm elements) for THE ADVENTURES OF SAM SPACE is a faded, Deluxe color print from 1960. The frame-grab below will give you an idea of how it will look on 3-D RARITIES..
 

Danoldrati

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Any Movie trailers on your New Rarities release? I have "It Came From Outer Space" and "The Maze" trailers on a dvd from the 3D expo and their very good.

Are we going get them on the new 3D Blu ray? I think the "The Maze" has been mentioned.

Thank You
 

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