A quantum leap from 1950s 3-D
The new "Journey to the Center of the Earth" may be a milestone in the evolution of 3-D film technology - but it owes a great big comin' atcha high-five to a long line of films from the goofy-glasses past. Without a hideously disfigured Vincent Price diabolically sculpting his wax figures decades ago, there would be no hunky Brendan Fraser cavorting in the bowels of the planet today. Here are 10 3-D movies to check out:
HOUSE OF WAX (1953)
The first feature produced by a major studio in 3-D. Its director, André De Toth, was blind in one eye so could not get the effect.
CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON (1954)
The Creature was supposed to do in one of the characters by picking him up and throwing him into the camera for maximum 3-D effect. But wires used to do the actual lifting kept breaking . . . so the expendable unfortunate ended up being strangled instead.
DIAL M FOR MURDER (1954)
3-D, 2-D, 3-D: Released in 3-D, the movie soon went to a conventional release, then was reissued in 3-D in 1980.
JAWS 3-D (1983)
Advertising slogan: The third dimension is terror.
GHOSTS OF THE ABYSS (2003)
The first feature directed by 3-D master James Cameron after his blockbuster (non-3-D) film "Titanic."
SPY KIDS 3-D: GAME OVER (2003)
Slogan: 3rd Mission. 3rd Dimension
THE POLAR EXPRESS (2004)
The first mainstream film to be simultaneously released as a 3-D
ALIENS OF THE DEEP (2005)
Director Cameron was joined by a team of NASA scientists and marine biologists.
BEOWULF (2007)
Nearly 300 cameras were used for this animated film, compared with 64 to 72 for "The Polar Express," by accounting of visual effects supervisor Jerome Chen.
HANNAH MONTANA/MILEY CYRUS: BEST OF BOTH WORLDS CONCERT TOUR (2008)
The biggest money-making opening to date for a digital 3-D release.
Source: IMDb
