3D Meet Bob Furmanek: HTF Golden Age 3-D Consultant (2 Viewers)

[Bob Furmanek]

Our 3-D restoration of TAZA, SON OF COCHISE will premiere at New York's iconic Film Forum on Sunday, November 5. Following the second show, Foster Hirsch and yours truly will discuss the painstaking restoration of this widescreen stereoscopic gem from Douglas Sirk and Russell Metty. Don't miss it!

https://filmforum.org/events/event/taza-son-of-cochise-qa-november-5

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Seventy years ago on November 10, 1953, Columbia Pictures fifth 3-D feature THE NEBRASKAN had its gala world premiere at the 1,081 seat State Theatre in Omaha, NE.

The film was available to exhibitors in both 2-D or 3-D versions and bookings were mixed throughout the country. For example, New York and San Francisco opened it in 3-D while Chicago and Los Angeles played it flat.

The December 18, 1953, engagement in San Francisco is noteworthy for the violent reaction it provoked from one agitated moviegoer. See the clipping in this post for all the gory details.

Sony Pictures Entertainment has done archival preservation from the original left/right 35mm Eastman color camera negatives. Unfortunately, they have not yet created a restored digital 3-D master which would allow both 3-D Blu-ray release and DCP availability for theatrical bookings.

Let's hope that situation changes very soon so that we can once again enjoy "The Last Savage Raid of the Mighty Sioux” in Perfected 3-D - as it was meant to be seen!

 

[Robin9]

I hope The Nebraskan eventually gets a 3D Blu-ray release. I'd buy it immediately, no messing about!

 

[Bob Furmanek]

I agree. It’s a well-made film and would sell on 3-D Blu-ray plus having a DCP for 70th anniversary screenings would be advantageous. We definitely would have booked it for this current Film Forum series.

 

[Interdimensional]

I agree. It’s a well-made film and would sell on 3-D Blu-ray plus having a DCP for 70th anniversary screenings would be advantageous. We definitely would have booked it for this current Film Forum series.

... maybe they can get something together for the 75th.

I don't suppose anything is likely to happen unless there are internal changes at Sony and whatever scuppered Kino's deal with them is sorted out. Which would be very welcome.

The advertising here doesn't make a big deal of it, but Lee Van Cleef is in this film. I'd love to see it in 3-D.
If they dump it out in 2d-only, I'll go on the warpath, John Novak style.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Five days ago, I discovered a previously undocumented Golden Age 3-D title. I am pleased to share the exciting news and asked our good colleague Mike Ballew to write the announcement of this important discovery.

Seventy years ago, a long-forgotten 3-D feature hit an ad hoc distribution circuit of churches and faith-based organizations across the United States and Canada. Premiering November 6, 1953, at Calvary Baptist Church in New York City, THE BURNING ANSWER told the story of a young college instructor who goes to France to pursue his doctorate. There, he, and his wife discover that opera singer Jean DuBois, presumably an old friend, has fallen under the sway of political forces contrary to their spiritual ideals—Communism. Publicity blurbs promised audiences that “the fast-moving action involves the couple in mystery, arson, and murder before they finally discover what has become of Monsieur DuBois.”

Floyd A. Ramsdell had been involved with 3-D motion pictures in one way or another for almost 20 years when his Worcester Film Corporation supplied its proprietary system (billed here as “Cinemagic 3-D”) to the producers and crew of THE BURNING ANSWER. Back in 1948, Ramsdell and his colleague, Walter Nichols, had assembled two “L-configuration” 3-D camera units. The lenses and film magazines came from Eastman Kodak, but the 16-millimeter camera bodies and drive mechanisms were built from scratch under Ramsdell’s direct supervision, to meet his exacting standards of precision and accuracy. Ramsdell was a firm believer in conservative 3-D with a carefully limited parallax gamut. But some of Ramsdell’s 3-D instructional films drew raves from doctors, professors, and other specialty audiences who saw them. THE BURNING ANSWER, filmed in color, was a two-strip film and its exhibition probably involved the use of 16mm dual-projector units engineered by Ramsdell and Nichols. While we can only guess whether the film offered any off-the-screen "gimmick" effects—and knowing Ramsdell, the likely answer is no—we can all but promise no one ever complained of eyestrain watching it.

Lead actor Noel Reyburn had appeared in a 1948 play, THE STONE JUNGLE, alongside Lloyd Bridges, Dickie Moore, and a young “Rusty” Tamblyn, before graduating to small supporting roles in films like THE LAWLESS (1950) for Pine-Thomas Productions and FLYING LEATHERNECKS (1951) starring John Wayne. He became something of a star in evangelical religious films in the 1950s, including GREAT DISCOVERY (1950) and TWICE CONVICTED (1952). Anton Marco, the singing voice of Monsieur DuBois, had been lead baritone with Carlo Moresco’s San Carlo Opera Company, but a conversion experience in 1951 inspired him to lend his talents to numerous evangelistic outreach campaigns in the years that followed.

Mere months after the release of THE BURNING ANSWER, producer Paul E. Freed founded what would become Trans World Radio, an organization that to this day uses broadcast airwaves and other media to reach avid listeners with the Good News of the Christian Gospel. The film itself was produced at Chester Springs, Pennsylvania, by the staff at Good News Productions, the very same folks who went on to create THE BLOB (1958) and 4-D MAN (1959).

Several early showings of THE BURNING ANSWER were held in the heart of Tinseltown, not far from the very studios where 3-D had been such a hot item through most of 1953. On November 21 of that year, THE BURNING ANSWER played at the Church of the Open Door in downtown Los Angeles, under the auspices of pastor Dr. J. Vernon McGee. Some will recognize McGee as the voice of THRU THE BIBLE, a daily radio broadcast that even today, 35 years after his passing, takes listeners on a guided tour of the Holy Bible, seasoned with winsome gentleness and good humor.

We have not seen THE BURNING ANSWER for ourselves, and we have not yet encountered anyone alive who has. 3-D Film Archive founder Bob Furmanek only recently uncovered the film’s remarkable history in the course of his tireless continuing research. But we are on the hunt. If and when the 3-D Film Archive finds a surviving copy, perhaps all of us will have our opportunity to see and learn THE BURNING ANSWER.

Mike Ballew is the author of CLOSE ENOUGH TO TOUCH: 3-D COMES TO HOLLYWOOD. Please watch this page on our website for updates on this definitive tome: https://3dfilmarchive.com/close-enough-to-touch-3-d.../

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Please share and help us find this lost film!

 

[Interdimensional]

That sounds wild! I had all kinds of theories about this, but I never would have guessed.

Communism vs Christianity against a colourful French backdrop “the fast-moving action involves the couple in mystery, arson, and murder "

What an unexpected Cold War curiosity. I'd love to see it.

 

[pinknik]

Just a little 3-D related something I found on the youtubes:

 

[Artanis]

Just a little 3-D related something I found on the youtubes:

Very cool!

 

[pinknik]

My first 3-D Restoration Youtube channel FT Depot uploaded an open scan of this, so I tried to make a version of it that your Over/Under on your TV could show. Turned out okay.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Seventy years ago on November 24, 1953, two important and prestigious 3-D films had gala world premieres: HONDO opened at the 2,081 seat Majestic Theatre in Houston, TX and CEASE FIRE opened at the 2,600 seat Criterion Theatre in New York City.

Both films are significant stereoscopic productions and these two detailed articles on our former website are essential reading:

https://web.archive.org/web/20220117004613/http://www.3dfilmarchive.com/cease-fire

https://web.archive.org/web/20220117002833/http://www.3dfilmarchive.com/home/hondo-3-d-release

3-D Film Archive has restored CEASE FIRE. The 2017 Kino Lorber 3-D Blu-ray is now out of print as the licensing period has expired. Secure a copy while you still can! https://www.amazon.com/Cease-Fire-Roy.../dp/B075DXZS8V

HONDO has been beautifully restored by the John Wayne Estate and a 3-D DCP is currently available for theatrical booking. Unfortunately, the Blu-ray that is available at this time is flat and there are no plans currently for a 3-D Blu-ray release.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

One of these days, I'll get to see Hondo in 3D.

 

[Interdimensional]

One of these days, I'll get to see Hondo in 3D.

I wonder how many more chances there will be. Maybe there'll be some 75th anniversary screening. Great distances might have to be traveled.

For a long time I was hoping Kino could somehow put together a deal with Batjac and Paramount for the title, but I don't see any cause for optimism. I think it would sell well as UHD/3D-Bluray special edition. I'm ready and waiting to pay top dollar to any label that can put it out on 3D-Bluray.

 

[Artanis]

Blows my mind how we get bombarded with 25+ different editions of countless titles, yet we can't get a single 3D blu of so many excellent 3D movies.

 

[RolandL]

Blows my mind how we get bombarded with 25+ different editions of countless titles, yet we can't get a single 3D blu of so many excellent 3D movies.

Because so many people want the DVD, Blu-ray, Criterion, 4K, etc. of 2D titles. Oh wait, they also want the 4K version of titles released in 3D.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Seventy-one years ago, at 8:30 on the evening of November 26, 1952, Arch Oboler’s groundbreaking 3-D feature BWANA DEVIL had its history making world premiere at two Paramount Theatres in Los Angeles and Hollywood.

3-D Film Archive is currently restoring this landmark stereoscopic motion picture from 4K scans of the original left/right 35mm Ansco Color camera negatives. It will truly look better than ever before.

Watch for this essential 3-D Blu-ray release in 2024 from Kino Lorber!

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Thrilling Ansco Color!

 

[Artanis]

Thrilling Ansco Color!

Another Bronson Canyon location shoot?

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Looking for the perfect gift this holiday season? Here's 53 minutes of why ROBOT MONSTER is ideal for that special person on your shopping list!