3D Top Ten Vintage 3-D on Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Bob Furmanek]

HUGO is my favorite of the past five years. Scorsese's love for vintage 3-D came through in every shot.

 

[disctrip]

Would like to see a 3-D release of William Castle's "Fort Ti". My dad took me to the movies when I was a child to see this one and I loved it.

 

[Todd J Moore]

Bob:

I know for a fact that the 3D TV version of The Mask was shorter than the 2D version I saw on TNT not quite 10 years later. That version also showed on AMC and (I believe) TCM has had it as well. Here's the differences I remember, all of which stuck out since I had seen the 3D version numerous times:

[*]The opening credits are longer. Not sure how much longer, but it may be almost 30 seconds additional
[*]The 3D TV version opens with a shot of the Mask itself, then cuts to the sceaming girl. The 2D version opens straight with the screaming girl.
[*]The suicide of the patient is a little longer. In the TNT version, the landlady comes back, finds his body, and screams.
[*]After the landlady screams, the first of two scenes in the police lab take place. This scene is our introduction to Lt. Martin. Amusingly, I think he was munching on donuts while the lab guy explained something.
[*]There's a slightly longer version of Barnes stealing the Mask back from the museum. I also tend to think the chase that preceded that scene was slightly longer, but I could be mistaken.
[*]There's a substantially longer version of the scene where Lt. Martin questions Pam. The 3D TV version starts in the middle of the scene, but in the 2D version, the scene opens with Pam alone. Her doorbell rings and it's Lt. Martin. As he questions her, she becomes more and more uncomfortable
[*]There's a second scene in the police lab where the forensics guy tells Martin there's no match for the fingerprints in the museum. I think it's Martin's partner who blows off Barnes as a suspect, but Martin is not so sure of his innocence.
[*]Not sure if this was my station that showed it in the 80s or 3D Video Corporation, but there's a very slightly longer version of the scene where Pam confronts Barnes after he's stolen the Mask back (the silly drug analogy scene). The Rhino version, which appears to be the 3D Video Corporation version, had the full version of that scene.
[/list]
That's all I can remember for now. That may or may not account for 12 minutes. There may be even more that I'm not remembering.

What I don't know is who made the cuts. Someone once suggested that 3D Video Corporation had the 1970s reissue version, called Eyes of Hell, with The Mask title on it. It's just as reasonable to think that 3D Video Corporation edited the film itself to include the four Mystic Magic segments with Harry Blackstone, Jr. I know those four segments give the film a somewhat over 90--might even be 95--minute run time. At any rate, I know for a fact that the differences listed above were all in the 2D version on TNT and not in the 3D version being broadcast. I think there's also supposed to be a prologue to the film (similar to the prologues to movies like The Mole People), but I've never seen that.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Thanks, Todd.

Yes, there is a prologue to the film with Jim Moran.

I suspect these cuts were made by 3-D Video Corporation and when the Blackstone segments were added, it brought the total running time up to 95 minutes.

Our version is the 83 minute U.S. theatrical release which is the complete film. We have the master 35mm fine grain which was used for all versions post-1982.

In conclusion, there is no 95 minute version of THE MASK as a standalone film.

 

[Todd J Moore]

So your version has the prologue and all the scenes mentioned above?

 

[Bob Furmanek]

We haven't transferred it but I'm sure it does.

The TNT master was made from an ancient one-inch transfer of the 35mm fine grain.

 

[DavidJ]

Bob, I'm glad that you started this list. It does make a nice companion to Ron's list. I too hope we can soon have a full ten or more.

 

[StephenDH]

Agreed with Hugo. Life of Pi is pretty great 3D photography as well.

"Life of Pi" looked good but the story was idiotic.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Now this is an INCREDIBLE list! And a wonderful companion to Ron's fun, frequently referenced HTF Top 30 Must Own 3D Titles thread. Might be nice to link (somewhere) to the official HTF reviews of these titles to see just how highly these titles are thought of by the review staff!

Thanks, Bob!

You mean this?

 

[StephenDH]

Would like to see a 3-D release of William Castle's "Fort Ti". My dad took me to the movies when I was a child to see this one and I loved it.

British TV showed an anaglyph copy of "Fort Ti" in either 1982 or 83. If they were trying to demonstrate how bad anaglyphs look on TV they succeeded remarkably well. Disappointing was the kindest thing one could say about it.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

I agree. Those 1980's anaglyph conversions for TV were horrible.

Sadly, for decades, many people believed that's how the films looked in 1953.

 

[Brandon Conway]

"Life of Pi" looked good but the story was idiotic.

It's a story that splits audiences. You either love it or hate it. I'm in the former category.

 

[Matt Hough]

I agree. Those 1980's anaglyph conversions for TV were horrible.

Sadly, for decades, many people believed that's how the films looked in 1953.

I agree. I was so excited to see Gorilla at Large in 3D, but the anaglyph was simply terrible. I kept thinking something must be wrong with my set because this just isn't working right!

 

[bgart13]

Bob, have you seen PROMETHEUS? I'm pretty sure it was a conversion, but the 3D knocks me out in it (and I like the movie a lot too).

I saw HUGO flat recently, for the first time, and I'm really looking forward to seeing it in 3D sometime very soon. It was very magical in 2D, so I can only imagine the 3D version being even more striking.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

No but I plan to check that one out. It sounds promising!

I'll be a guest on Hollywood Time Machine with Alicia Mayer tomorrow at 6:00, EST.

http://www.aliciamayershow.com/guests-announced-for-november-22nd-show/

 

[Jimbo64]

It's a great weekend for 3D at my house, both Inferno and The Bubble arrived on Friday! Thank you for all your hard work in getting these 2 Blu Rays out to the public again!

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Just ordered my copies of Dragonfly Squadron and The Bubble. Should be here just before Christmas.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

So Dragonfly Squadron has arrived and is under the tree for Christmas. Anxiously awaiting The Bubble.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

HOUSE OF WAX becomes the first 3-D motion picture added to the National Film Registry.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-national-film-registry-movies-20141217-story.html

 

[Lou Sytsma]

I'm expecting arrival of House of Wax for this weekend. Looking forward to seeing it for the first time ever in any d.

Very excited based on the reactions from everyone here.