3D THANK YOU, TWILIGHT TIME, FOR A MAN IN THE DARK (1 Viewer)

[Dick]

Way more appeal than Man in the Dark!

While that is true, the fact that we are still getting 3D releases with less intrinsic "appeal" is wonderful, and I hope MAN IN THE DARK eventually sells out. A fair number of the as-yet-unreleased (on Blu-ray 3D) forty or so classic titles qualify as having "less appeal," except that these are being scooped up by 3D aficionados such as myself, who will purchase any and all golden-age titles that various labels can pump out. Thus, SEPTEMBER STORM gets a very successful kick-starter campaign, and 3D Archives keeps working to bring us these restorations before the format dies on home video (hopefully, not for a very long time -- but we need to keep pushing LG to continue with 3D inclusion in their OLED sets, and putting pressure on the ever-unresponsive but possibly -- hopefully -- sympathetic Disney to improve on their faltering 3D software support, which I do via e-mail and phone calls regularly).

It's okay by me (and most of us, probably) that some 3D releases in the past few years have been included as "bonus features" on sets promoted primarily as 2D (CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON, KISS ME KATE), as long as we can acquire them at all. Perhaps this can continue with, say, a sci-fi set from Universal that would include THIS ISLAND EARTH, THE LAND UNKNOWN, THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN, THE MOLE PEOPLE, COLOSSUS, and the 3D version of REVENGE OF THE CREATURE along with the 2D.

There are truly not many have-to-own 3D Golden Age titles left for me at age 67. HONDO and ROTC would certainly be up there, along with some desirable cartoons and short subjects, and if Mr. Snooze-You-Lose Wade Williams ever breaks free from his stubborn stance regarding his catalog titles, CAT WOMEN OF THE MOON and ROBOT MONSTER would be fun as hell to have (but if you're reading this, Mr Williams, better hurry -- the home 3D format is in jeopardy, and simply supplying 2D upgrades of these films has probably already lost its appeal). BWANA DEVIL would be nice to own if only because it was the first commercial 3D feature film.

JIVARO is rumored. THE MAZE is rumored. GUN FURY is apparently coming. We're actually doing pretty damn well with these releases, considering what a niche market 3D is in-home. I won't mention (except that I am doing exactly that now) the 70's-80's 3D revival titles (A.P.E., THE STEWARDESSES, JAWS 3D), which are also slowly being dribbled out. I don't care for those much anyway, but I will buy them, just to support to whole 3D thing. As for the current and very healthy flow of 3D contemporary releases (including some instant classics like THE WALK, LIFE OF PI, GRAVITY, THE MARTIAN, and a number of superb CG animated films), if the respective studios don't abandoned us, we'll be seeing additions to our collections for years to come.

We need to let our voices be heard on this. If we are complacent (as too many of us were during this year's election), we are going to lose out.

 

[Mike Ballew]

Respectfully, Dick, I was anything but complacent in November.

But I like your style and your spirit, and I agree that those of us with a passion for 3-D ought to speak up, loudly.

Having said that, I hope those with a shameful propensity for gloating will exercise common decency and restraint going forward. It's a hard enough fight without our brother enthusiasts turning on us, as several have done.

 

[John Hermes]

While that is true, the fact that we are still getting 3D releases with less intrinsic "appeal" is wonderful, and I hope MAN IN THE DARK eventually sells out. A fair number of the as-yet-unreleased (on Blu-ray 3D) forty or so classic titles qualify as having "less appeal," except that these are being scooped up by 3D aficionados such as myself, who will purchase any and all golden-age titles that various labels can pump out. Thus, SEPTEMBER STORM gets a very successful kick-starter campaign, and 3D Archives keeps working to bring us these restorations before the format dies on home video (hopefully, not for a very long time -- but we need to keep pushing LG to continue with 3D inclusion in their OLED sets, and putting pressure on the ever-unresponsive but possibly -- hopefully -- sympathetic Disney to improve on their faltering 3D software support, which I do via e-mail and phone calls regularly).

It's okay by me (and most of us, probably) that some 3D releases in the past few years have been included as "bonus features" on sets promoted primarily as 2D (CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON, KISS ME KATE), as long as we can acquire them at all. Perhaps this can continue with, say, a sci-fi set from Universal that would include THIS ISLAND EARTH, THE LAND UNKNOWN, THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN, THE MOLE PEOPLE, COLOSSUS, and the 3D version of REVENGE OF THE CREATURE along with the 2D.

There are truly not many have-to-own 3D Golden Age titles left for me at age 67. HONDO and ROTC would certainly be up there, along with some desirable cartoons and short subjects, and if Mr. Snooze-You-Lose Wade Williams ever breaks free from his stubborn stance regarding his catalog titles, CAT WOMEN OF THE MOON and ROBOT MONSTER would be fun as hell to have (but if you're reading this, Sir, better hurry -- the home 3D format is in jeopardy, and simply supplying 2D upgrades of these films has probably already lost its appeal). BWANA DEVIL would be nice to own if only because it was the first commercial 3D feature film.

JIVARO is rumored. THE MAZE is rumored. GUN FURY is apparently coming. We're actually doing pretty damn well with these releases, considering what a niche market 3D is in-home. I won't mention (except that I am doing exactly that now) the 70's 3D revival titles (A.P.E., THE STEWARDESSES, JAWS 3D), which are also slowly being dribbled out. I don't care for those much anyway, but I will buy them, just to support to whole 3D thing. As for the current and very healthy flow of 3D contemporary releases (including some instant classics like THE WALK, LIFE OF PI, GRAVITY, THE MARTIAN, and several CG animated films), if the respective studios don't abandoned us, we'll be seeing additions to our collections for years to come.

We need to let our voices be heard on this. If we are complacent (as too many of us were during this year's election), we are going to lose out.

I just bought a new BenQ 1080p projector exclusively for 3D which should arrive tomorrow. My old ceiling mounted projector will stay where it is as it puts out a fine 2D picture. Almost everything I like is old stuff so I see no need for a 4K display at this time. My House Of Wax, Inferno, It Came From Outer Space, etc. 3D BDs have been sitting around for a while now, so am excited to be able to finally see them in 3D soon!

 

[Bob Cashill]

You're going to love it! Nothing beats projected 3D.

 

[Keith Cobby]

I like the 1950's 3-D features but have no interest in watching contemporary films in 3-D. I can therefore understand why 3-D will remain very niche.

 

[StephenDH]

I saw Wade Williams in the latest episode of Elementary. He was very good as a psycho kidnapper. I hope he isn't quite as scary in person.

 

[Dick]

Respectfully, Dick, I was anything but complacent in November.

But I like your style and your spirit, and I agree that those of us with a passion for 3-D ought to speak up, loudly.

Having said that, I hope those with a shameful propensity for gloating will exercise common decency and restraint going forward. It's a hard enough fight without our brother enthusiasts turning on us, as several have done.

Thanks for the comments!

The gloating of which you speak is not uncommon. When people see their dire predictions come to pass with any topic, even if they themselves are going to suffer for it along with everyone else, human nature often dictates that we maintain an "I told you so" position. I certainly agree that members here should be more thoughtful about damning the 3D format simply because they aren't into it personally or it isn't doing well, since, when it comes down to it, we are all passionate about our collecting hobby/obsession.

I suspect there are as many as hundreds of enthusiasts for 3D here on HTF, and reading from fellow members -- who have not heavily invested in it (or even at all) -- that a veritable World War III against 3D from soft- and hardware manufacturers is going to kill it off (and soon), especially when it comes across as gloating, is not helpful. I have personally posted a number of panic-mode messages reflecting my fear that we 3D collectors are being abandoned by the very forces that led us down this rather expensive path, but I so far seem always to find hope in the work Mr. Furmanek and Co. and the continued support from most studios.

As I have said elsewhere on HTF, we should try to be encouraged by the fact that 3D has survived as long as it has. Theatrically, it seems to have finally stuck after many failed attempts in past decades. I guess we can thank the technological advances since the 50's for that. But, for whatever reasons (the inconvenience of glasses, the expense of having to purchase those as well as t.v.'s and players, the loss of brightness, etc.), this enthusiasm has not necessarily ported over to home theater.

And, so, we struggle to keep Blu-ray 3D alive. And I hope that, even among non-3D enthusiasts here on HTF, there can be continued support from all of our members, because we all represent the film collecting phenomena, and in solidarity we might well stave off the encroaching death of this incredibly delightful format.

P.S. I like your avatar. If you can sharpen the "M" to more closely match the "B," it would be awesome!

 

[RolandL]

I’m not worried about 3D. It will never be dead. Someone will be releasing 3D titles in some format.

Back when all we had was the field sequential 3D system (the 1990’s?), there were more catalog titles released than we have now. Titles from the:

1950’s - House of Wax, Dial M for Murder, The French Line, It Came From Outer Space, Hanna Lee, Cat Women of the Moon, Taza Son of Cochise, Gog, Creature From the Black Lagoon, Dial M for Murder, the shorts Spooks, Pardon My Backfire

1960’s – The Stewardesses

1970’s – The Chamber Maids, Prison Girls, Love in 3-D, International Stewardesses, Domo Arigato, Andy Warhol’s Frankenstein, Surfer Girls, Dynasty, A*P*E, Revenge of the Shogun Women, Capitol Hill Girls

1980’s – Comin At Ya, Treasure of the Four Crowns, Parasite, Friday the 13th Part 3, Rottweiler, Spacehunter, Metalstorm, Jaws 3D, Chain Gang, Venus, Silent Madness, Emmanuelle 4, Starchaser, Transitions

were all available in 3D on DVD. The PQ was not that great but a lot better than anaglyph 3D.

So, if all TV manufacturers decide to drop 3D and all we have is 3D projectors and other methods of seeing 3D, 3d titles will still be released on Blu-ray IMHO.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Most of those field sequential releases were un-licensed bootlegs.

 

[Todd J Moore]

It is true that those field sequential releases were bootlegs, but they were also all we had at the time. That said, it has been my delight to keep tossing those bootlegs as they get legit 3-D Blu Ray releases.

It's also worth mentioning that we're actually not that bad off in terms of vintage 3D releases. Almost a third of the 80s titles are now out, all but three of the 60s titles (Paradiso, Playgirls and the Bellboy, and Frankenstein's Bloody Terror) are out, and there are now more 50s titles available or coming in 3D than any other time in the history of home video. Mad Magician makes 11, Those Redheads from Seattle 12, and Gun Fury will be 13. More Paramounts are rumored and I wouldn't be too surprised if Revenge of the Creature makes its 3D Blu Ray debut this year, too. The 70s 3D movies are lacking on 3D Blu Ray, but one can argue that they're lacking in general anyway! Though Captain Milkshake and Magnificent Bodyguards might be amusing to see.

At any rate, I have no special complaints about the state of vintage 3D on Blu Ray. It's certainly in a better place than it was six years ago, and in a better place than any other time in video history.

 

[Jesse Skeen]

"So, if all TV manufacturers decide to drop 3D and all we have is 3D projectors and other methods of seeing 3D, 3d titles will still be released on Blu-ray IMHO."

Hypothetically, could future displays be modified to display 3D if they can't do it on their own?

 

[RolandL]

"So, if all TV manufacturers decide to drop 3D and all we have is 3D projectors and other methods of seeing 3D, 3d titles will still be released on Blu-ray IMHO."

Hypothetically, could future displays be modified to display 3D if they can't do it on their own?

I'm thinking there might be an attachment to the TV that can do this. Similar to what we had with the field sequential systems that were attached to the old tube TV's.

 

[RolandL]

The 70s 3D movies are lacking on 3D Blu Ray, but one can argue that they're lacking in general anyway!

From the 70's I would like to see Andy Warhol’s Frankenstein, Dynasty, and Revenge of the Shogun Women. I know Bob had contacted Paul Morrissey about Andy Warhol’s Frankenstein. Paul wanted Bob to do the restoration for free so, that's probably never going to happen.

 

[revgen]

It's on sale at Screen Archives for $19.95. It's "low quantity" right now, so once it's sold out at Screen Archives, it's gone forever.

 

[3D Projectionist]

If its any help to anyone in the UK I have a unused Man in the dark, Christmas came twice by mistake.

This particular 3D gem is kept in my special box and a particular favourite of ours.

 

[John Sparks]

Just ordered my copy from SA before it goes away!

 

[John Hermes]

Thanks for this and the upcoming Gun Fury in 3-D!

 

[Dick]

I saw Wade Williams in the latest episode of Elementary. He was very good as a psycho kidnapper. I hope he isn't quite as scary in person.

Did you read his now-locked conversation in a thread from over a year ago? He's scary.

 

[Jimbo64]

I agree, that whole discussion was just bizarre. It would be a real shame if those films languished under his care especially now with 2 and 4K scanning lower in price and the tools to make them look like new (or close to it) being so readily available and offered to him.