Vincent, one of Tim Burton‘s earliest animated shorts, will be converted to a stereoscopic 3-D form and will open theatrical screenings of Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas 3-D this October, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Made in 1982, the six-minute stop-motion short is about a boy named Vincent who imagines he’s like Vincent Price. Price narrated the black-and-white film, which was based on a poem by Burton, who sites Price as an influence.
Vincent and NBC, which will play on an estimated 1,000 3-D-ready digital-cinema screens, will be the next 3-D releases scheduled for the Walt Disney Co.
This news comes just as Disney’s animated Meet the Robinsons, which grossed domestically $7.1 million on 581 3-D-ready digital-cinema screens, earned the largest 3-D opening to date.
Disney recently entered a partnership with Robert Zemeckis to create performance capture 3-D animated films at the studio. Zemeckis‘ animated feature Beowulf could appear on nearly 1,200 3-D digital-cinema screens by the time of its release this November.
“(3-D) is being sought out by the public; they are making a conscious decision to go to the 3-D screen first,” said Chuck Viane, president of Disney’s Buena Vista Pictures Domestic Distribution. “It’s always about the movie and story and creativity first; as an enhancement, the 3-D give the public another reason to choose that movie.”
Why is it that Hollywood dusts off 3-D every 20-30 years? There are only two films originally made in 3-D that seem to be agreed to be fairly memorable: Hondo (a John Wayne western) and the original House of Wax (a Vincent Price horror film). Let’s just hope that we don’t have to sit through the equivalent of “Amityville 3-D”, “Jaws 3-D”, and “Friday the 3th: Part III (in 3-D)” this time around.
Comment by Dr. Geek, Ph.D. — April 3, 2007 @ 8:55 am
I think Tim Burtons films would translate well to a 3D media. The stop motion films he creates already have a very good 3Dish feel to them on the screen.
I just hope 3D isn’t used for too many films as just a gimmick though.
Comment by Gordon — April 3, 2007 @ 7:52 pm
I think you’re missing the irony here. Vincent is a film about a boy who thinks he’s Vincent Price, an actor in a classic 3-D movie. Make a short, about a boy who thinks he’s an actor from a 3-D movie, into 3-D.
Comment by Stone — April 3, 2007 @ 11:53 pm
Dr. Geek,
“Dial M for Murder”, Alfred Hitcock’s plunge into 3D, works both as 2 and 3D. Thanks to Hitchcocks oevre. And it is a memorable film, too. There was also “Kiss Me Kate”, but that was a musical, altho that shouldn’t hinder the longevity. In any event, I am in agreement that 3D should be used more often, providing the third dimension is taken into account (focal point, depth and composition) and in the hands of real film makers, not, as mentioned, the shlockmeisters.
Comment by 3D is me — April 4, 2007 @ 12:21 am
Vincent is boring
Comment by Acronyms — April 4, 2007 @ 2:26 am
Can anyone please tell me exactly what poem or story in which ‘Vincent’ was adapted? Also, are there any strong links between this and Edgar Allen Poe’s the Raven? (strong enough to be classified as an adaptation/appropriation?). Please help! Thanks in advance.
Comment by thuy — April 12, 2007 @ 9:06 am
Thuy, you can read the entire poem HERE, which Burton wrote. The movie was done in 1982 and had a limited release. There are references to Poe’s The Raven, but it’s not an adaptation. The special edition DVD for The Nightmare Before Christmas includes the Vincent movie.
Comment by Empress Eve — April 12, 2007 @ 10:19 am
Thanks Empress Eve!!! Does anyone know any short films that are an adaptation of one of Poe’s short storier/poems?
Comment by thuy — April 12, 2007 @ 8:07 pm
Thuy, there’s this:
The Edgar Allan Poe Collection Volume 1: Annabel Lee (2001)
In the description, it says:
Hope that helps!
Comment by Empress Eve — April 12, 2007 @ 9:42 pm