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Encounter In The Third Dimension

1999, Movie, NR, 45 mins

Encounter In The Third Dimension: Review

ENCOUNTER IN THE THIRD DIMENSION
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Sure, it's technically stunning. But this 3-D IMAX spectacular — which purports to tell the history of 3-D in a fun and engaging fashion — gets way too wrapped up in the bells and whistles. The conceit is simple: An eccentric scientist (Stuart Pankin) who's dedicated his life to stereoscopic imagery plans to transport Elvira, Mistress of the Dark (Cassandre Peterson) to his cluttered laboratory via some mysterious inter-dimensional technology. Why he doesn't just call her agent — the fact that she's in this picture is pretty solid evidence that she's available — isn't the point. The point is that she gets lost in inter-dimensional limbo, and while figuring out how to get her back, our host runs through the history of mankind's attempt to create the illusion of three-dimensionality in two dimensions. The development of renaissance perspective gets a nod, 19th century viewing devices (stereopticons et al.) get the obligatory run-through, and a collection of silly clips represent '50s 3-D movies. There's a segment dedicated to the liquid metal spider monster created for the Universal Studios spectacular Terminator 2: 3-D, and a virtual roller-coaster ride that will try the patience of viewers over the age of ten. Then it's back to the lab, where Elvira is successfully materialized and sings the novelty song "Haunted House" while bio-morphic 3-D skeletons make like the June Taylor dancers. Made by the same team responsible for the large format THRILL RIDE: THE SCIENCE OF FUN, this movie's 3-D images are nothing short of spectacular. But the content is an odd and infelicitous mix of the pedantic and the juvenile — or maybe it's not infelicitous, at least on a marketing level: Kids roped into seeing it on school trips will probably enjoy the 3-D hijinks, while teachers console themselves that it's educational. leave a comment --Maitland McDonagh
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