3D Films -A Short History

Welcome all my three dimensional maniacs, to another journey into fear. This blog concerns the history of 3D horror films and its surging comeback into todays theaters. Back in the early 50s there was a rash of horror films released in the newest technology, 3D. Films such as House of Wax with Vincent Price, The Maze and The Creature from the Black Lagoon were early examples of this newly found audience pleaser. Theaters had to come up with a stategy to compete with a budding innovation called television. How could they coax the general public into abandoning their TV sets and go to the local moviehouse? They found the answer in 3D format. While this technology had been around since the 1890s, it took years to perfect. By the early 1950s it had evolved into an easier and more practical form, and it exploded into theaters much to moviegoers amazement. Other films such as It came From Outerspace, and the OUTRAGEOUSELY BAD cult classic Robot Monster were playing all over the country. Even "the master" Alfred Hitchcock jumped on the bandwagon with a 3D version of his thriller Dial M for Murder in 1954. In 1961 Canada released its first ever 3D horror film called The Mask which I was lucky enough to find on VHS some years back. This was a little known "gem" that came with a pair of 3D glasses in the cassette box. It worked surprisingly well on the small home screen. During the 1960s and 1970s , 3D films were very scarce until it made a comeback in the early 1980s , with such titles as Jaws 3-D , Amityville 3-D, and Friday the Thirteenth 3-D. By the early 1990s , 3-D films were once again hard to come by. This seemed to be a trend that was developing in Hollywood, and it apppeared that 3-D was finally dead at the box office. Cable networks began broadcasting old horror 3-D films in the 3-D format, and audiences were once again craving for this nostalgic brand of entertainment. Their cries did not go unanswered. Coming to the rescue was a little studio called Disney which ushered in the 21st century with their own lineup of 3-D films, but this time they were animated! Monster House was one of their biggest domestic hits and Disney also utilized the 3-D effect in it's theme park attractions.

Most recently, Lionsgate Films released a remake of the 1981 slasher flick My Bloody Valentine which is now available on DVD. With a new interest in this innovation , movie audiences can be assured of many more 3-D films to be produced in the near future. Well thats all for now. Until the next time we cross paths on the highway to horror, HAVE A BLOODY GOOD DAY!

From Novel To The Screen Part Two

Hey all you denizens of demonic lore, and welcome to part two of my anaylsis of the film adaptation of William Peter Blatty's novel The Exorcist. In part one I discussed the difficulties that arose in depicting scenes from the novel in the big screen version . As far as the book is concerned it was impossible to put down. From the opening sequence to the shattering climax, it kept me enthralled ; all 403 pages of it!

Director William Friedkin stayed true to the books storyline as best as any filmaker could. Subplots involving Karl's drug addicted daughter and Father Karras's mother were barely mentioned. But these omissions had no ill effects on the final screenplay. In fact, the screenplay was so flawless, that it garnered Blatty an Oscar for "best screenplay adapted from another medium" in April of 1974. " The Exorcist" also won for best sound that year. Listen to it on a home theater system and you'll see why! But unfortunately I feel the cast of the film got a bum rap. All of them from Ellen Burstyn to Linda Blair , gave incredible performances, yet were snubbed at Oscar night. Many felt it was the sensational subject matter that did the actors in. But my theory is , that back then horror movies were overlooked by the academy, no matter how good they were. That would finally change in 1991 when " Silence of the Lambs" would sweep the golden statuettes big time. One bright note was that Ellen Burstyn , an incredibly gifted actress and my personal favorite would eventually win a well deserved Oscar two years later for " Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore".

"The Exorcist" took over two years to complete. This was due mainly for two reasons. One , the difficulties of the special effects, and more interestingly, because of the so called " strange events "that plagued the production sets. Fires, floods, untimely deaths and other inexplicable happenings. Could the Devil be behind it all ? Was the set haunted because the crew members were dabbling with something they should't have ? We may never know, but it only enhances the films appeal.

Well that wraps up another mummy...ahemmmm.. I mean another installment to all things sinister. Until next time, HAVE A BLOODY GOOD DAY!