NIGHTMARE in 3-D

By: Brian Thomas
Date: Saturday, October 14, 2006

Tim Burton's THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS was an instant hit with me when it was released in 1993, and not only because I love Burton's work and Danny Elfman's music and animation and horror movies. But for years I'd been disgusted by how the creeping commercialism of the "Holiday Season" had been sneaking into society earlier and earlier in the year. Just visit any store today and you'll see what I mean: Xmas decorations are already going up in October. The only thing holding it in check was Halloween, and by the early '90s, the growth of conservatism was threatening to eliminate the holiday altogether. Now let's get something straight I don't hate Christmas. Or Hannukah for that matter. But I do believe in taking each holiday in its turn, with the exception that I will accept birthday gifts at any time (Listening, Sony? How are you selling any of those 60" HiDef SXRD monitors without my recommendation?). NIGHTMARE brought this issue into the limelight with a movie about the conflict between Halloween and Christmas with an amicable outcome for all concerned, with the possible exception of Oogie Boogie. It may be coincidence, but in the past 13 I've noticed that Halloween has become a much more popular (and commercialized) holiday. It doesn't have as much of the same outlaw flavor because kids aren't allowed to run all over town in the dark unsupervised due to the urban myth of razors in apples and whatnot, but a lot more mainstream venues are making an effort to get scary this time of year, and a lot of malls feature special Halloween stores. All of which has the effect of keeping the Xmas stuff in the back room for a few more weeks.


Another thing I love is 3-D movies. A lot of people can't stand 3-D because they've only experienced poorly executed presentations. I understand that I still have a copy of a VHS cassette issued years ago of ROBOT MONSTER supposedly in 3-D. The transfer actually had one image framed above the other, which might actually work if you watched it sideways. But when 3-D is presented well, as it is in IMAX theaters and other venues where they know what they're doing, the effect is amazing, creating a wonderful new film format. And contrary to the views of many producers, 3-D actually works best when it's not used on roller coasters or other carnival rides. Seeing a few people sitting around a table talking can take on startlingly immediacy in 3-D, and it doesn't turn your stomach. Well, by a painstaking digital process, they've now taken the original NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS and made a 3-D version. I'm told they did it by printing a remastered version of the film for the left eye, and then recreating a new digital view of each frame from a few inches to one side for the right eye view (click here to preview what it might look like in black & white). Disney is already starting to "shoot" their CGanime features like CHICKEN LITTLE with an added camera view so they can create a 3-D version on the fly, and there's a device sold by Razor 3-D which allows you to watch specially processed black & white movies on DVD in a facsimile of three dimensions, but this is the first time such an established classic has been processed in this way. I know what you're thinking. It's only a matter of time before a certain Mr. Lucas reissues a certain space opera using the process. But as a special event it might be fun, and NIGHTMARE is certainly a good choice to try it out. Long live Halloween!

SPOTLIGHT OF THE WEEK

In theaters this summer on DVD before Halloween! Coming next week: MONSTER HOUSE.

(O) OVER THE HEDGE (DreamWorks/Paramount) Hungry forest pals get beyond the landscaping to invade suburbia in this hit CGanime comedy. Widescreen and "fullscreen" editions include commentrak, bonus short "Hammy", featurettes, games, DVD-ROM activities and more.

NEW DVD RELEASES

Here's a rundown of the constant stream of anime comin' at ya on DVD from around the world:

(O) BOB THE BUILDER: Bob's Hard At Work (Fox) Bob tears out your kitchen cabinets, then leaves them that way for six weeks while he starts other jobs.
(O) ELEMENTAL GELADE Volume 3: Teamwork (Geneon) A battle between Ren and Cou is interrupted when enemies attack.
(O) GATCHAMAN Collection 9 (ADV) Includes:
(O) GATCHAMAN Volume 17: Future Kill (ADV)
(O) GATCHAMAN Volume 18: Final Justice (ADV)
(O) GENESHAFT (Bandai) An Anime Legends release. Delayed from last week.
(O) KAMICHU! Volume 3: Discovery (Geneon) urie must find the time to communicate with an old war-vessel, run for student office at school and locate Matsuri's missing little sister. Her hands already full, she is then requested to attend a god convention in order to learn more about her godly responsibilities.
(O) KODOCHA Volume 9: Fixing Friends (Funimation) Kawaiiii!
(O) LITTLE ROBOTS: Big Adventures (Fox) Tiny, Sporty, Noisy & co. play music, race each other, and program themselves to destroy all humans.
(O) MOON PHASE Phase 1 (Funimation) Kouhei is one of the most renowned paranormal photographers in the world, although he's never actually seen a ghost! When he tries and fails to capture a hauntingly beautiful young girl on camera, curiosity drives him into the arms of a seductive vampire and into a world he cannot comprehend. The vampire, having waited years for someone to finally set her free, proves unwilling to part with her unwitting hero and follows him home, promptly adopting his life as her own. As the adolescent vampire wreaks her own flavor of havoc, mysterious forces conspire to reclaim the life that was lost. Also available in a "starter set" with interview, postcards, binder and more.
(O) NICK JR. FAVORITES BOX SET (Paramount) Includes volumes 1-3.
(O) NICK PICKS DVD COLLECTION Volumes 1-3 (Paramount) Includes volumes 1-3.
(O) NOEIN Volume 1: Your Other Self (Manga/Anchor Bay) In the near future, a violent battle takes place between the dimension La'cryma (protector of humanity) and the dimension Shangri-La, bent on the annihilation of all space-time. A group known as the Dragon Calvary is dispatched through space and time, searching for the only thing that can stop the invasion: the Dragon's Torque. In the present, twelve-year old Haruka and her friend Yuu are contemplating running away from home when they meet a member of the Dragon Calvary named Karasu (Crow). He believes that Haruka possesses the Dragon's Torque and claims to be Yuu from fifteen years in the future... Sounds like a spacier version of X, but Manga usually has superior stuff. With interviews and more.
(O) SABRINA THE ANIMATED SERIES: The Very Best of Sabrina (Shout Factory) Includes only Sabrina's most outstanding features. 14 episodes on two discs.
(O) SHOOTFIGHTER TEKKEN: The Tough DVD Collection (Central Park) High school ass-kicker Kiichi in all three action packed adventures.
(O) SPIRAL Complete Box Set (Funimation) The wheel of fate turned when Kiyotaka Narumi vanished. On that night, Kiyotaka's younger brother, Ayumu, was forever changed. Ayumu found himself thrust into the baffling mystery of the Blade Children. Includes all 25 episodes, commentrak, outtakes and more.
(O) TENCHI MUYO! RYO OHKI Volume 2: Target Tenchi (Funimation) Follow-up series continues. The initial plot about finding a Jurian bride for Tenchi basically stops and two new stories begin. Go figure.
(O) TOM & JERRY TALES Volume 1: Ho Ho Horrors (Warner Bros.) First collection drawn from the new TV series includes 12 episodes.


And be sure to check back next weekand every weekfor CINESCAPE's Anime Avalanche! And check in every Tuesday for the latest DVD Shopping List!

Anime Avalanche (© 2006 Brian Thomas) is our weekly animation column. Brian Thomas is the author of the massive book VideoHound's DRAGON: ASIAN ACTION & CULT FLICKS, available now!

Questions? Comments? Let us know what you think at DVDShoppingList@cinescape.com.