Odyssee 3D - Aufbruch in die 3. Dimension

So who cares if the plot's sketchy and repetitive, and the dialogue childish? It's the spectacle here that counts. And it really works; the superbly detailed CG chamber where the action takes place, the lighting and textures are lovely and highly detailed and the animation is excellent - especially during the phenomenal roller-coaster ride to the centre of the earth simulator sequence. On the downside, there is a lot of strobing on some fast moving scenes (lack of motion blur), and not all of the elements hold together (but these are minor complaints). Topped of with a suitably wacky number from Elvira, it's easy going fun with 3-D that benefits from the visually all-encompassing IMAX format.

I've seen many 3d movies - some of them on IMAX screens - but "Encounter in the Third Dimension" is the absolute best (as of 1998) in CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) and 3D. A must-see!

Strictly for fans of 3-D stereo home video. Requires LCD-shutter glasses connected to a home controller driven by the composite video-out signal; there are several such systems available.

I viewed this DVD in 3-D on a 35" TV with an S-video connection, using "3-D SPEX" LCD glasses I already owned, from NuVision. The picture was quite good, despite the loss of color caused by the glasses. Note that this should only be viewed in a dark room.

This was transferred from the original IMAX film, and that causes major problems. It was designed to fill the enormous IMAX screen with large amounts of CGI detail, which become overly miniaturized when transferred to video. For example, at one point there is an inset showing examples of some early 3-D movies, but the inset is so tiny that they are mostly lost. In Elvira's few scenes, she mostly appears as a small doll lost in the middle of the screen (the producers are idiots for hiring her, and then making so little use of her unique talents).

The script's attempts at humor are hideously bad, and appear to have been aimed at bored 6-8 year olds; adults will probably find themselves suffering. The failed tries at cuteness are very typical of this entire genre, unfortunately; its scary to think that the producers may actually find it amusing. Its like they were TRYING to drive IMAX into its eventual bankruptcy.

Once you get past the many problems, there is some quite interesting 3-D history, and examples of 3-D stills and movies. Unfortunately the stereo separation is flawed, and the depth is usually badly exaggerated. On the other hand, the numerous examples of CGI stereo are impressive, particularly the "Journey to the Center of the Earth", which was presumably taken from a motion-simulator ride.

The 3-D in this film is phenomenal as is the history of stereoscopic imaging. Samples of turn-of-the-century stereocards, 1950's B movies, and recent attractions at Universal Studios and elsewhere give a tantalizingly brief overview of the art, the technical hurdles and how they have been overcome. The finale with Elvira is superb. A roller coaster ride through the center of the earth is also memorable. My only regret is that the film was not twice as long.

Encounter in the third dimension is my first IMAX-3D film I've seen and it was great I loved Elvira's Song Haunted House and the 3-D was amazing. The story was interesting and the little robots were very cool everyone in the theatre even stayed for the credits. Go and see this movie soon!