When I saw Shrek-3D at Costco for $15.99, I decided to go ahead and get it. The movie has the aspect ratio of 2.20:1 and is anamorphic widescreen. Only 16 minutes long including about 5 minutes of credits. It comes in a two-pack box and the 2nd film with it is the original "Shrek" movie that is in 1.33:1 Full Frame only. Both movies have their own keep cases. Since I already have the first "Shrek" movie in widescreen, I'm going to give the unopened one to charity. The 3-D picture is not as good as IMAX 3-D that would use polarized glasses, but there are many scenes that capture the IMAX 3-D visual effect, and this says a lot, when you are using Red and Cyan glasses. Using these same kind of glasses for "Spy Kids 3-D" IMO, was far less rewarding and displayed a soft focus for the 3-D portions. The glasses made the color in Spy Kids, almost non existent, (seeming more like black and white). The animated digital picture in Shrek-3D is pristine. This must be what is giving the 3-D more clarity and the colors a better pallet for the eyes. Though still not perfect, my eyes could pick up the vibrancy. Just a surprisingly better 3-D image than what I'm used to while using these kind of glasses. The movie comes with four pairs of red and cyan glasses. The Shrek-3D disc gives you the choice of viewing it in 3-D or 2-D and even in 2-D makes a nice continuation of the first movie. The Sound choices are English 5.1 or 2 channel surround and French 5.1 or Spanish 5.1 Chapters can be reached by the DVD player, but no "Scene Access" from the menu. Paul
I agree, it's better than expected. Sure, it's not field sequential or uses polarized glasses, but this is definitely visually better than Spy Kids 3D. It's not perfect, but probably the best I've seen in this type 3D on DVD. The big problem is having to buy the full screen version of Shrek to get this widescreen short. Mike
Thanks for the info Paul, especially about the 4 pais of glasses. However, Shrek was rendered at 1.66:1 so it is not Full Frame but Pan & SCAM.
I know the folks at DreamWorks read this forum. I would like to suggest that the studio eventually release this title as a single purchase. I realize that DreamWorks must have felt that a 16-minute video would not make for an attractive purchase on its own, but I really feel the studio is taking the wrong approach as to how it is releasing this 3-D title. To box it with a PAN & SCAN version of the original film makes it a totally unecessary purchase for those of us that one, already own the first film and two, have strong reservations about purchasing anything that is released outside of its original aspect ratio. Actually.... The smartest thing DreamWorks could have done was to WAIT....wait for the release of Shrek 2 on DVD this fall. They could have easily sold more gift sets that included this 3D feature -- especially since I suspect the studio will release both widescreen and full-frame in the same package. It's a shame. I'd love to own this 3-D DVD, but will never consider purchasing it as packaged. Let's hope they consider other ways of getting this well-reviewed 3D title into our hands.
I for one was not impressed at all with SHREK 3-D on my 16X9 set. IMHO the SPY KIDS 3-D DVD or Rhino's THE BUBBBLE discs worked much better. The enclosed glasses don't have a dark enough blue filter, so the images don't cancel out well and there was a lot of ghosting evident. I tried some other anaglyph glasses and got results that were marginally better. I then checked out the DVD on my computer screen and it worked quite a bit better. Due to the higher resolution and more stable colors, the ghosting was noticably reduced, and the stereoscopic effect was more pronounced. I'd recommend that you watch it on a computer if possible for best results. Still, anaglyph is a terrible way to experience a 3-D movie and SHREK 3-D did nothing to change my mind. Even at its best, the image is still ghosty with distorted colors and blurry images. A true HD broadcast might be even better; but it will still be the same old "3-D comic book" technology. BLECHH! Is this the same film that Universal has been showing at the themepark in polarized form? If so, too bad the film's reputation will be so tarnished by this inferior anaglyph conversion. Save your money and go see NASCAR 3-D in IMAX instead...
I have to agree with you completely, Ron. I got the very first Shrek DVD release, the 2-disc set, upon release, and that one is packed to the brim with everything. Then they have the nerve to re-release it just as a single disc in P/S format, then re-release it with a bonus disc that is a 16-minute short film? If this had been a 3-D version of the original Shrek - in widescreen - along with the 3-D short film, then I would have picked it up for my stepdaughter. But this release is not a good idea at all. I'm passing on it completely.
I too would have bought this release if it were an individual DVD without the pan and scan disc. I already own an OAR version of Shrek, and would never pay to get an additional disc of P&S.
What I don't understand is: Who the heck doesn't already own the original release of Shrek, which included widescreen and fullscreen versions? I thought everyone bought this. Actually, wasn't Shrek's fullscreen version recomposed in the digital realm? I don't think it's pan 'n' scan. Anyway, count me in as someone else who won't buy this until it's either sold seperately or packaged with Shrek 2.
Steve Phillips wrote:This is excellent advice. Both Shrek 3-D and Spy Kids 3-D were first viewed by me with a Macintosh G4 using a 23" Cinema HD Display monitor. The results were what I described in my first post. Next, I viewed the disc on a 34” 16x9 HD television, using a lite-on 2001 DVD player that upconverted the picture to 1080i using progressive component out (3 cables) for “excellent quality” and the second best connection mentioned on the DVD. The results were what you described in the first quote above. “Images don’t cancel out well”. The third time I saw this movie, I used a Bravo D1 DVD player that upconverted the picture to 720p before using its DVI out, to a DVI in on a Marantz S2 projector and projecting it onto a 110” Stewart Firehawk screen in a dark home theater room. The result was the best 3-D experience I’ve had at home. The 3-D was so fluid, that only IMAX 3-D with Polarized glasses would have been better. (Note: I’m not familiar with field sequential 3-D). Using the front projector system, I still remember the soft focus, almost on the fringe of blurry look, of Spy Kids 3-D, with a pale & sparse color pallet, and I would closely compare it to black and white 3-D; a notable difference to the clarity and color of Shrek 3-D.
Apparently so, which surprises the hell outta me. I guess Universal figures it won't hurt their theme park attraction too much to release it on DVD.
So they are letting the Shrek 3-D stay at 2.20:1 but cropping the actual movie from 1.66:1 to 1.33:1? What a genius marketing move. This way, Dreamworks can get both the widescreen and "no black bars" crowds upset.
Same thing, minus the preshow footage and Magic Mirror entry spiel - why they didn't include those as a bonus I'll never know. For DVD credits have been added over the opening and closing curtain shots and the new for DVD totally silent end credits are almost funereal in their bleakness. (Where was SmashMouth when you needed them? I guess they didn't want to pay for any music rights.) As glad as I am to have this on DVD - you really do miss all the in-theater effects that go along with the movie. I also miss the digital projection the park has here in Hollywood - makes the older Disney theme park films (like "Tough to be a Bug" and "Honey I Shrunk the Audience) look antique.
