Product Details

• Actors: Stuart Pankin, Jasper Steverlinck, Kyoko Baertsoen, John Boyle, Cassandra Peterson
• Directors: Ben Stassen, Sean MacLeod Phillips
• Writers: Ben Stassen, Kurt Frey
• Producers: Ben Stassen, Sean MacLeod Phillips, Caroline Van Iseghem, Charlotte Huggins, Kim Nelson Fry
• Format: Animated, Box set, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD, Live, 3D, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (DTS 5.1)
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 3
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Sling Shot
• DVD Release Date: October 30, 2001
• Run Time: 274 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005QW5S
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #53,534 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "The Ultimate 3-D Collection (Haunted Castle / Alien Adventure / Encounter in the Third Dimension) (Large Format) (Includes H3D Viewing System)" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Without question, 3-D technology has come a long way since the days of red and green cardboard glasses, and The Ultimate 3-D Collection is ample proof. Included in the set are three roughly 30-minute animated features (Alien Adventure, Encounter in the Third Dimension, and Haunted Castle) and the H3D "i-glasses" hardware you need to enjoy them: a small processing box to insert between your DVD player and your TV, two sets of viewing goggles, and all the cabling you need to put it together. By and large, the sense of real depth conveyed by each feature is astoundingly convincing, especially during the many point-of-view fantasy sequences; crags and dinosaur limbs seem to jut halfway between the screen and your viewing position. Be warned, though, that the discs' image and color resolutions vary from poor (Alien Adventure) to mediocre (Encounter in the Third Dimension) to quite good (Haunted Castle).

Encounter, originally produced to showcase "large-format" 3-D (i.e., a towering IMAX screen), features fun snippets of old films and even a few stereographic still photos. None of these fills the screen or lasts very long, however, and the process reverts to standard 2-D imaging in pause mode. While more live-action footage would have been great, Haunted Castle is a real treat. The only disc with an actual story line (a rock & roll reworking of the Faust tale, with credible music to boot), Haunted Castle creates the most convincing sense of depth through real-life elements like trees and torches. The sound on all discs is excellent, enhancing the sense of depth with seamless DTS surround mixes that work well even in headphones. This is an impressive set, and with 3-D technology this good, there's a strong chance the included goggles and processor will see more 3-D action going forward. --Michael Mikesell

From the Back Cover
Transform your living room into a multi-dimensional adventure filled with eye-popping digital effects, live-action thrills, and gravity-defying races. This first of its kind Collector's Edition includes everything you need for the Ultimate 3-D Experience! 3 DVDs plus a complete 3D Home Theater Video Viewing System.

HAUNTED CASTLE:
"...delivers 3D thrills and eye-catching surreal effects" --NY Times
"A razzle-dazzle visual feast!" --Hollywood Reporter
A young musician is summoned to his mother's castle in accordance with her final wishes. Upon his arrival, Johnny quickly discovers that things are not as they appear. The castle begins to come alive as materializing spirits lead him to Mephisto (voiced by Harry Shearer), the ghoulish henchman to Mr. D (also Harry Shearer), who makes Johnny a tantalizing offer. The same offer that his mother accepted over twenty years earlier: surrender your soul in exchange for fame and fortune. Experience a whirling visual thrill ride as Johnny explores the underworld of the castle to the explosive climax where Johnny confronts Mr. D and fights to free his mother's spirit.

ALIEN ADVENTURE:
Steadfastly moving through the galaxy, a group of aliens head toward planet Earth in hope of establishing a new home for their people. Little do they know, they're in for the ride of their lives when they land in the middle of "Adventure Planet," a new hi-tech amusement park not yet open to the public Join the Glagoliths in this first full-length digitally animated giant-screen 3-D film and become immersed in a succession of eye-popping adventures NOT for the weak of stomach.

ENCOUNTER IN THE THIRD DIMENSION:
Join Stuart Pankin and Elvira Mistress of the Dark on a groundbreaking venture into the realm of 3-D filmmaking, where captivating computer generated imagery mixed with live action thrills abound. Encounter early incarnations of the third dimension, from a recreation of one of the earliest 3-D movies ever made to classic clips from Hollywood's 3-D heyday during the 1950s to modern creations such as James Cameron's theme park attraction, Terminator 2: 3-D. Experience the wildest 3-D adventure ever created for the giant screen!

3-D Home Theater Video Viewing System includes:
2 Pairs of Shutter Glasses
Video Synchronization Box
RCA Video Extension
Power Supply
Instruction Manual with easy plug-and-play instructions

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 3-D That Actually Works!!! You Won't Believe Your Eyes!, December 3, 2001

By	"dfminer" (Tustin, CA United States) - See all my reviews

I've always been fascinated with the idea of 3-D movies. I remember my first experience was when a TV station broadcast one of the red/green 3-D films when I was a child, and I convinced my folks to go get the silly cardboard glasses at the store that was promoting it. With great anticipation, I sat down at the appointed time, put the glasses on over my own, and squinted at the TV.

Didn't work. Not at all.

Still, I couldn't get away from the idea. Some folks have eyes that are more easily fooled by this sort of 3-D, but I don't.

Then one day many years later, I saw that IMAX was advertising a 3-D movie, and I thought I'd try again. This time, I was handed special glasses that had LCDs that alternately blocked out the vision of either eye, to ensure that only the correct images got through.

Wow! It worked!!! I was finally able to experience the true 3-D effect, and it was great.

Believe it or not, this product actually includes two pairs of glasses (that my own glasses comfortably fit over) with the same LCD technology, a simple box that connects between the Video Out of your DVD player and the Video In of your TV (using the simple RCA jack connections) to synchronize your glasses to the DVDs, and three different DVDs to get you started (Encounter In The Third Dimension, Alien Adventure, and Haunted Castle). The DVDs even have director's commentary tracks! In addition, the first of these three titles provides a fun introduction to the history of 3-D in still photography and film.

If you have any interest at all in 3-D, you have to own this. The people at Slingshot Entertainment have managed to put this product together and make it work in your home, and I have to say that I have NEVER been happier with any DVD purchase I have ever made (and I've made a few.)

This would be a wonderful gift for anyone that loves DVDs, 3-D, the technology of film, or all of the above. There's nothing even remotely like it. Buy it--you won't be sorry.

95 of 101 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Be warned!, February 9, 2002

By	M. Stockton "megadume" (Spring, Tx United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The i-glasses system included in this package is not compatible with digital TV's. The system is only able to sync up with the old style analog TV's (which most people own). If you have an HDTV or an HDTV ready TV, this system simply won't work.

39 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nothing Else Like It!!!!, March 30, 2002

By	Brett Persing - See all my reviews

Turn out the lights, don your 3-d glasses, and get ready for an AMAZING experience that is unlike anything you have ever seen in your living room! Let me start out by saying the glasses are top-notch technology...complete shutter 3-d glasses...no old-fashioned red and blue cardboard here! And for those of you that are amusement-park goers, darkride fanatics, and basically fans of blockbuster entertainment...you will LOVE this box set!! Start off with the introduction to 3-d with "Through the 3rd Dimension" and let your eyes relax and start focusing on how 3-d brings the illusion to reality! Although it's got some corny dialog and b-movie acting, you'll be treated to oldtime movies and clips from when 3-d was invented, some clips from theme park attractions like T2 and Mine Cart, and a whole simulator ride that lasts for a few minutes!! Next you've got "Haunted Castle", a 3-d visual darkride! Now ignore the pointless story and look at the incredible visuals because this is an adventure that truely brings you INTO the scene...once you step through the door after hearing the "devil" give you his offer of fame and fortune GET READY for breathtaking graphics, loud 5.1 surround sound, and twists and turns that take you through everywhere from haunted churches, spooky caves, and dungeons filled with 3-d realistic skeletons that are locked in cages that actually LOOK like actual cages...the depth is there and everything!! Over 25 minutes of dropdead 3-d visuals and maybe 10 minutes of lame filler...still an AMAZING RIDE!! And then last but not least is "Alien Adventure" where once again the story is stupid but the actual simulator rides are INCREDIBLE! You are treated to 4 different rides at this new high-tech amusement park...an Artic ride that shoots you down a crazy tobaggan ride through the snow...a Magic Carpet ride that takes you through a magical journey inside of dark tunnels and Indiana Jones-type passageways complete with incredible 3-d effects and splendid music...a simulator ride on a kid's roller coaster that he built in his room complete with toys, loops, MASSIVE details, and lift hills with realistic inclines and stomach churning drops...and finally an underwater ride that is complete amusement park real! Starting in an actual amusement park complete with lights, a ferris wheel, carousel music, and signs on both sides of the car! After dropping into the water you'll experience a trip through a pirate ship, bubbles that can FEEL, a tiki island with a roller-coaster-like hill, and 3-d DETAILS that bring you into the scene...there is so much amazing visuals on these dvds that you can watch them over and over and see different little details you missed before!! PLUS all in computer-generated 3-d theme park style!! It's quite an amazing journey and the glasses just make it even better...if you lift them during one of the rides and take a look at the screen you'll see just how flat the regular tv screen looks! This is a 3-d adventure that everyone out there should experience and it's somewhat pricey but the visuals you'll watch more than make up for it!!! Pick this up and get ready for an INCREDIBLE 3-D RIDE EXPERIENCE!!!!