3-D Rarities II (2020) - full transcript
(whimsical orchestral music)
(bright orchestral music)
- [Narrator] Ladies and
gentlemen, this picture
must be viewed through
the colored spectacles
that were presented to you
when you entered the theater.
Be sure the red lens
is over the right eye.
This might be called looking at the world
through rose-colored glasses.
(whimsical orchestral music)
What a vacation spot.
Peace, fresh air, and quiet.
And at a reasonable rate, too.
Wanna bet?
Anyhow, here's ma and the two kids
fresh off of the train,
and I do mean fresh.
That's the hired man in the front seat.
What is he so happy about?
Too much peace and quiet.
Smell that fresh air.
(coughing) Pardon me,
little too much fresh air.
Well, vacation time, and soon the cries
of happy children sound over
the peaceful countryside.
And here we are at the
Chateau le de France.
No wonder they said reasonable rates.
Come shall we, the luggage.
Oh boy, you'll never play for Brooklyn.
Hey, take it easy.
Ouch, my corn.
Gee, I guess I shouldn't
mention corn around here.
Early to bed, early to rise, that's silly.
I wonder if they have modern
plumbing in this joint.
(bright orchestral music)
Come on in Butch, get a load of this.
Whoops, I bet you thought
that was an accident.
A smith, a mighty man is he,
but just between us folks,
he's muscle-bound above the ears.
Oh that's hot!
Ah take off that beard, we know ya.
What a character, horseshoes he gives 'em.
Nah, that's for sissies.
Yeah but wait a minute, they got an idea.
What a build up.
Imagine what they can do with a pool cue.
(bright orchestral music)
William Tell had nothing on him.
You just know what's gonna happen.
Ooh, I can't look!
(horseshoes clanging)
Now all he needs is a horse's tail.
Ah, here they are, the
Katzenjammer Kids.
Just out for an innocent
walk in the country.
(birds chirping)
(bright orchestral music)
Say, I might learn to
like this country life.
Ah come on now girls,
that tickles, now stop.
Another one, all right, all right,
so you got six more veils.
Come on, we're running out of film.
(whimsical orchestral music)
Come on kids, get out of here now.
Now stop that, give the girls a chance.
We want the girls.
(imitates gorilla screaming)
Come on in, the water is fine.
Hey, I just remembered I can't swim.
(whimsical orchestral music)
(chickens clucking)
What is this, magic at a time like this?
The guys will never learn.
Exactly.
Look, made a funny, made a funny.
This is known as seeing eye to eye.
I'll bet he doesn't eat
scrambled eggs for a long time.
What's so rare as a day in June?
Blue skies, trees, apples.
Inspiration, and what a panorama.
That reminds me, what happened
to those dancing girls?
Ah, the Rover Boys.
Inspiration moves them, maestro.
Hey, look out with that brush!
(bright orchestral music)
Just a few more deft strokes of the brush
and another masterpiece will
be ready for the ash can.
(apples thudding)
Eh, never touched me.
A little clean fun and a quick getaway.
They can't do that to you, Rembrandt.
Honest, mama, we were just walking along
and minding our own business
when this fink runs up
behind us with a big brush.
They're here again.
(bright orchestral music)
That's right honey, keep kissable.
(cows mooing)
Ah, confidentially, do
you use that green stuff?
Everything is all set here
and they go right into
the arms of pickle puss.
Get away from us, you pest!
Ah, you missed me.
You've been waiting for this.
That was the farmer's daughter.
Ah, they're gonna make dairy, huh?
Well folks, this is
gonna be a tight squeeze.
It's efficiency, that's what it is.
Direct from the manufacturers to you.
(bottles thudding)
Ladies and gentlemen, the
motorcar of the future.
Think it'll work?
Hey, come back here!
(engine revving)
All we need in this
picture is a hitchhiker.
Some fun.
Wow, watch that pickup.
(horn blaring)
That was a beaut.
(playful orchestral music)
And it's Seabiscuit by a nose.
One side, her leg off, look out!
(horn honking)
Come on, grab the wheel.
Head's up, watch it!
(horn blaring)
(cars thudding)
Ow, that hurt.
Ah, shut up.
Hey, mom!
This picture is coming to no good end.
(tender orchestral music)
- [Prince] Benno.
Benno.
Benno.
Benno.
- [Narrator] How changed it is.
This was not always the
home of owls and bats.
Here, Prince Siegfried came
to meet his betrothed, Odette.
Here, Siegfried my friend, was snared
by Rothbart the Enchanter,
who changed his own daughter
into Odette's lovely form.
There Odile, the enchantress,
danced with Siegfried, luring him on.
Whilst in vain at the window
the real Odette besot him to remember her.
The sorcerer's art banished Odette,
and blinded by his ecstasy,
Siegfried promised to marry Odile.
Then he saw Odette, too late.
The enchanters Roth destroyed them
in a mighty storm.
(solemn orchestral music)
(majestic orchestral music)
(dramatic orchestral music)
(gentle orchestral music)
(flourishing orchestral music)
(tender orchestral music)
(gleeful orchestral music)
(gentle orchestral music)
(dramatic orchestral music)
(frantic orchestral music)
(gentle orchestral music)
(dramatic orchestral music)
- [Hillary] Hello, this is Hillary Hess.
Welcome to our little jaunt
through time and space
to a lesser known facet
of golden age of 3-D.
One that seemed to leap off movie screens
and into the hands of
many photo enthusiasts.
It started with the introduction
of the Stereo Realist camera in 1947.
Actually preceding 3-D
movies by five years.
And unlike its bulky predecessors
used miniature 35 millimeter film,
allowing the same portability
as any snapshot camera.
The film of choice for the Realist
was the legendary Kodachrome.
Its bright palette perfectly capturing
the optimistic post-war era.
In 3-D it provides us with the most vivid
and immediate portrait of
mid-century American life,
which with the passage of time
often seems as exotic now
as the fantastic 3-D spectacles
offered audiences back then.
So let us begin our journey.
As mother looks on, this
boomer baby reaches out
from across the decades to bring us
into their knotty pine world.
Let us take his hand and visit the sunny
16 side of their lives.
On the slide mount is written
"All the kids at Christmas, 1948."
And it's wonderful to see examples
from the early adopters still figuring out
composition and depth.
I like that the tree was
too tall for the room,
so the top is laying on the mantle.
And as is often the case,
I wonder if any of the
children are still alive.
This one was entitled "On route, 1951."
America on the go, taking
us into the nifty '50s.
Today we'd hardly think to
take a photo of a gas stop,
but we can be glad these folks did.
It is a great example of
something seemingly routine
becoming special with the passage of time.
This cleverly composed slide
emphasizes the hazards
of construction work
in more ways than one.
Shot in Los Angeles,
that is the Pacific Mutual Life Insurance
building in the background.
And that big clock makes me think
of silent movie comedian
Harold Lloyd in "Safety Last."
A title which probably would not
be endorsed by Pacific Mutual.
By this time, however, Lloyd was himself
enthusiastically shooting stereo slides
by the many thousands.
Construction came in all scales.
In this case as a pastime
in this very professional-looking slide,
featuring a father and son forming a bond
over the building of a model airplane.
A bond nearly as strong as one can achieve
from that tube of
tester's glue right there.
It should come as no surprise
3-D was a pastime unto itself,
with many dimensions.
Movies, photography, and 3-D comics,
which enjoyed its own popularity.
Here, combining two of those,
we get to look at this
woman looking at 3-D in 3-D.
Okay, maybe not everyone
was enthralled with 3-D.
While Junior appears to be taking a break
from binge watching View-Master reels,
he gives the stereo
camera an adorable smile.
However, grandma looks forlorn,
as if she'd rather be anywhere else.
Perhaps grandma would like to trade places
with this tanned woman
at a roadside stop in Florida
standing among low-priced shells, corals,
various alligator goods,
and a flock of decorative
lawn ornament flamingos.
Or if one prefers live birds
to the ornamental variety,
she could stop at Parrot Jungle.
This slide is imaginatively entitled
"Five Parrots on May" and must have been
the required pose of every
tourist visiting Florida
who wanted to get the most color
out of their Kodachrome.
Speaking of color, here we see the huge,
first generation RCA
color television camera
aimed at the parade queen's float
during the New Year 1954
Tournament of Roses parade.
A suitably chromatic subject
for the first coast-to-coast color cast.
From big time broadcasting
to the quaint charm
of early local TV, as
regional hillbilly band
The Blue Ridge Boys performs
for the black and white cameras
in a cramped studio for a
short-lived Pennsylvania station.
More spectacle could be found
at General Motors' traveling
auto show called Motorama,
featuring fanciful concept cars.
Finding ourselves at
the 1956 extravaganza,
we see the futuristic Pontiac
Club de Mer in the spotlight.
Thanks to professional
photographer Jack Laxer,
who also took the previous slide,
we get a privileged, unobstructed view
of this sporty Club de Mer,
along with the great
mid-century style display
framing it and other dream machines.
Ford had its own concept cars,
and here is the most
famous, the Lincoln Futura.
It would later gain greater fame
after being transformed into
the 1960s television Batmobile.
But only those who see this slide today
can get a sense of what it was like
to stand in front of it during its debut
at the 1955 Chicago Autoshow.
Best known for their popular movies,
the comedy team of Abbott and Costello
had their own TV show from 1952 to 1954,
around the time this slide was taken.
In a publicity shot, possibly
promoting Wisconsin cheese
with some unidentified pageant winner,
Bud Abbott hams it up while Lou Costello
looks like he just woke up.
Halloween fun in 1959 with big brother
dressed as a spaceman, giving
his little sister Cinderella
a peak into the jack
o'lantern in an adorable pose.
Elevating it further is how wonderfully
the costume colors harmonize
with those of the kitchen.
Late in 1955 Kodak introduced
its own stereo camera
with features and price aimed
at greater mass sales than the Realist.
This ad enticed potential customers
to visit Kodak dealers with the lure
of seeing how much more impact
the featured photo will
look in three dimensions.
And the difference is profound.
If you notice other
more subtle differences
within the image that
is because each dealer's
stereo slide was an original
to provide best quality.
It also means those models were posing
for a long, long time.
Of course, once the
customer was on the line,
a few more slides to reel them in.
Thanks to Kodak, Christmas
1955 was recorded
in Kodachrome stereo by
many more enthusiasts.
And we have many more stereo
slides to enjoy today.
If, in 1953, you took
Groucho Marx's advice
and visited the De Soto
Plymouth dealership
during Christmastime,
this is what you'd see,
showroom showmanship.
The latest models vie with the decorations
for the most sparkle and shine
in an evocative nighttime holiday stereo.
Here, stereo enhances Suzy's excitement
on Christmas day in 1950.
Sitting on her new tricycle
in probably a new dress,
Suzy is cute enough to
be mistaken for a doll.
There is plenty of lead tinsel
to fill in the tree's
rather spindly branches.
The boys had to get dressed up
for their Christmas pictures, too.
This young man's excitement
is equally evident,
and no wonder.
Among the shiny new trucks
he got his own Mr. Machine,
which would likely date this slide
to the early to mid-1960s.
Kids may anticipate Christmas,
but the Bobby Darren-esque Joe here
was looking forward to New Year 1961,
where on the stroke of midnight
he proposed to Dot, his
very own Sandra Dee.
Cake already on hand, so
the answer was a done deal.
Good thing she didn't say no,
that would have been awkward.
When it's time for the wedding
the seasoned pros would
take a large format
black and white album photos
and get first dibs on the best angles,
while the stereo cameras
were given to the new guys,
who often had to become equally creative
to get their shots in any way they could.
This great slide shows both,
along with the pro's shiny pants.
Delightfully illustrating
what many might imagine
the wedding couple to be thinking about
their first night together,
the groom looking up from the sex manual
offers a sly wink, while
the bride's faux shock
contains a hint of anticipatory grin.
Remember, it's the '50s.
She cannot seem too eager.
After the wedding, in
a pose and composition
worthy of Norman Rockwell,
this bride shows off
her ring to her party,
all taking a smoke break.
The junior bridesmaid in
pale yellow is too young,
so must enjoy her smoke secondhand.
Embarking on their journey
as a married couple,
bride and groom are showered
with well wishes and confetti.
A wonderful fleeting moment
frozen in time and space,
though it's an odd feeling
when viewing such slides,
realizing their future is now in the past.
Remember May, she of the five parrots?
That's her in the front,
sitting with some newlyweds on honeymoon
at the Castaways Wreck
Bar in Miami, Florida.
With decor to suggest a sunken ship,
patrons are encouraged to drink like fish.
In that spirit, hubby holds
his drink aloft for the camera
while wifey is already giggling.
May's husband was also motivated to record
the unattended Castaways'
back bar for posterity.
Through the cigarette smoke
we see all kinds of details,
including an emaciated merperson
and hotel swimmers through
bubble-like windows.
Hey, we really are under water.
Now here's a back bar that looks like
it was populated by central casting.
The woman preparing the drinks
appears ready to crack wise,
while the bartender is glaring
as if he's ready to bounce
us for having one too many.
Hey buddy, we only see double
when we take off our 3-D glasses.
And for a panoramic swimming view
of a more organized fashion,
nothing beats the mermaid
show at Weeki Wachee Springs,
a favorite Florida attraction since 1947.
This slide shows how sublime
an already great view
can become when photographed in stereo.
Of course the traditional
honeymoon spot is Niagara Falls,
and here we find ourselves
taking the Cave of the Winds tour
on the American side in 1956.
Even the narrow format
of the Realist slide
can offer an epic view given
the right location and angle.
High above the water in
the Disneyland sky ride
we look down and see
the Chicken of the Sea
pirate ship restaurant
as it appeared in 1961.
Both attractions are gone,
making this view impossible,
but for this slide.
While the Disneyland sky
ride kept riders safe
within its buckets, in
Banff, Alberta, Canada,
the only safety measure
for this ski lift rider
seems to be a tight grip.
Fortunately the deceptive angle
only makes it appear he might fall
into the vastness of the Canadian Rockies.
Elsewhere in the Rockies,
Charles takes a creative self portrait
in the reflecting ball at
the Chateau Lake Louis Hotel,
also seen in the reflection.
In 1952, everyone gets dressed up
to take pictures by the lake.
A much larger orb, the Unisphere,
here brand new as the centerpiece
of the 1964 New York World's Fair.
Standing on the base
used for the Perishphere
from the 1939 fair, we really get a sense
of the scale of the giant globe
thanks to stereo and the
boys in the foreground.
A place has been prepared for
us at Bob's birthday party.
Quite the formal affair
for children of the era,
let's just pull out the
chair and have a seat.
The good china wisely
remains in the cupboard
in favor of more appropriate dinnerware.
Bob will have to blow out the candles
before anyone is allowed
to reach for their cupcake.
This youngster is taking
to the suburban sidewalk
in the ever popular pedal firetruck,
while the man in the background
may be guarding his '53
Dodge from the riding toy,
which looks like it has seen
its share of collisions.
It's probably a hand me down
from the boy standing behind,
who is now too big for it.
Now here's a familiar Big Boy
outside one of his coffee shops
in a superb nighttime stereo
by professional photographer Jack Laxer,
who used the medium to show off
his architect client's
work to best advantage.
Another Laxer stereo of
Bob's Big Boy Coffeehouse.
This view, also taken from outside,
shows us the texture of the
environmental-style exterior,
as well as the mid-century
modern interior.
Mr. Laxer was a master of getting the most
out of his stereo camera
with almost tangible results.
On to Fremont Street in Las Vegas.
A city with visual appeal
best appreciated at night.
Posing in 1958 by a cool Olds convertible,
this man is showing us he
hasn't lost his shirt yet.
Now he's ready for some
hot action at the slots.
Vegas by day at the
Thunderbird Hotel in 1955.
All kinds of vintage goodness here,
and good 3-D by bringing the
misses closer to the camera.
I wonder if it was a coincidence
the colors of her outfit
match the hotel perfectly.
A few years before hitting Vegas himself,
a young Jerry Lewis spends some quiet time
opening his mail and enjoying a beer.
Taken in the early 1950s,
this is a study in contrasting patterns,
making excellent use
of the Kodachrome film.
An avid photographer,
it comes as no surprise
Mr. Lewis would be featured in stereo.
But for a real break from modern life
there is nothing like nature.
Taken in the Finger Lakes
region in New York state
in the fall of 1959,
one can almost smell the crisp fall air
as we get the photographer in this scene,
which he himself is photographing as well.
We end on a slide with
a serenity of its own.
Entitled "Sis", taken Christmas week 1956.
On furniture protected
by a plastic slip cover,
Sis, in polka dots and Mary Janes,
watches what I imagine
to be a local broadcast
of school children
singing Christmas carols.
A tricky existing light
shot perfectly distilling
that which inspires nostalgia for the era.
Thank you for joining me
in this unique photographic journey.
I hope you found the vivid imagery
as transporting as I do,
and share my appreciation
for those who left behind
this rich visual record
of the mid-century.
Farewell.
(upbeat music)
(whimsical music)
(person vocalizing)
(majestic music)
- [Man] Let him in, let him in,
let him in (speaking in gibberish).
(whimsical music)
- [Narrator] Gaze through the
magic glasses, if you dare.
You are now entering the world
of new wide-screen motion
picture third dimension.
Where beings who only lived
before in man's imagination
now come to realistic,
full-dimensional life.
You are about to see the
most amazing assortment
of monsters and fantastic creatures
that the 3-D screen has yet presented.
And they will come right over to you,
emerging from the screen into the audience
as they claim their latest victims.
Are you ready to face them?
The strange story which is about to unfold
concerns creatures not of flesh and blood,
but of darkness, evil, and horror.
Those tormented souls, branded
with the mysterious plague
of the Castle of Frankenstein.
They who have lived mortal lives before,
but now bear the curse of the undead.
The mark of the werewolf.
The Frankenstein family castle is cold.
Its lifeless stone walls
carry their secret well.
It is of the full moon,
the bite of the wolf,
and the name Wolfstein, which
marks the forbidden castle
as the tomb of the hideous
beast who once walked as a man.
But years have passed, and
many people have forgotten
about the castle and the
creature buried in its crypt.
Maybe it was all a legend.
Maybe there never was
a Frankenstein Castle.
Maybe the curse of Wolfstein isn't real.
Maybe a living wolf monster doesn't exist.
Or maybe he lives now
and wants your blood.
(flourishing orchestral music)
(suspenseful music)
- [Narrator] The summer of 1983
is the summer of 3-D.
This summer you will
enter a magical world.
A world of comedy.
- [All] Hello.
- [Narrator] Chills, thrills,
adventure, spectacle,
and enchantment.
If you want to enjoy all the
greatest 3-D movies ever made,
this is the one to see.
"The 3-D Movie", the greatest hits of 3-D.
(person whistling)
(tense electronic music)
- Boys.
- Musicals were never
so dramatic.
♪ I'm gonna pop all the corn in Nebraska ♪
- [Narrator] Horror was never so much fun.
(woman screams)
Romance was never so touching.
- Mostly like so.
No women so pretty any place in the world.
Skin like amber velvet, soft
and smooth to the touch.
They can drive a man out of his mind.
- [Narrator] Action never hit so hard.
(suspenseful electronic music)
From Adolf Hitler to Marilyn Monroe,
♪ Heat wave ♪
- [Narrator] From Salvador
Dali to Jerry Lewis.
From the early experiments
of the great Lumi?re,
to the technology of tomorrow.
From the four corners of the Earth,
even from behind the Iron Curtain.
"The 3-D Movie" is an entertainment event
that took 100 years to make.
(whimsical orchestral music)
For high tech achievement
"The 3-D Movie" represents
the state of the art and beyond.
The greatest hits of 3-D,
it's coming out, all the way, this summer.
"The 3-D Movie".
It makes everything else look flat.
(upbeat music)
(bright orchestral music)
- [Narrator] Ladies and
gentlemen, this picture
must be viewed through
the colored spectacles
that were presented to you
when you entered the theater.
Be sure the red lens
is over the right eye.
This might be called looking at the world
through rose-colored glasses.
(whimsical orchestral music)
What a vacation spot.
Peace, fresh air, and quiet.
And at a reasonable rate, too.
Wanna bet?
Anyhow, here's ma and the two kids
fresh off of the train,
and I do mean fresh.
That's the hired man in the front seat.
What is he so happy about?
Too much peace and quiet.
Smell that fresh air.
(coughing) Pardon me,
little too much fresh air.
Well, vacation time, and soon the cries
of happy children sound over
the peaceful countryside.
And here we are at the
Chateau le de France.
No wonder they said reasonable rates.
Come shall we, the luggage.
Oh boy, you'll never play for Brooklyn.
Hey, take it easy.
Ouch, my corn.
Gee, I guess I shouldn't
mention corn around here.
Early to bed, early to rise, that's silly.
I wonder if they have modern
plumbing in this joint.
(bright orchestral music)
Come on in Butch, get a load of this.
Whoops, I bet you thought
that was an accident.
A smith, a mighty man is he,
but just between us folks,
he's muscle-bound above the ears.
Oh that's hot!
Ah take off that beard, we know ya.
What a character, horseshoes he gives 'em.
Nah, that's for sissies.
Yeah but wait a minute, they got an idea.
What a build up.
Imagine what they can do with a pool cue.
(bright orchestral music)
William Tell had nothing on him.
You just know what's gonna happen.
Ooh, I can't look!
(horseshoes clanging)
Now all he needs is a horse's tail.
Ah, here they are, the
Katzenjammer Kids.
Just out for an innocent
walk in the country.
(birds chirping)
(bright orchestral music)
Say, I might learn to
like this country life.
Ah come on now girls,
that tickles, now stop.
Another one, all right, all right,
so you got six more veils.
Come on, we're running out of film.
(whimsical orchestral music)
Come on kids, get out of here now.
Now stop that, give the girls a chance.
We want the girls.
(imitates gorilla screaming)
Come on in, the water is fine.
Hey, I just remembered I can't swim.
(whimsical orchestral music)
(chickens clucking)
What is this, magic at a time like this?
The guys will never learn.
Exactly.
Look, made a funny, made a funny.
This is known as seeing eye to eye.
I'll bet he doesn't eat
scrambled eggs for a long time.
What's so rare as a day in June?
Blue skies, trees, apples.
Inspiration, and what a panorama.
That reminds me, what happened
to those dancing girls?
Ah, the Rover Boys.
Inspiration moves them, maestro.
Hey, look out with that brush!
(bright orchestral music)
Just a few more deft strokes of the brush
and another masterpiece will
be ready for the ash can.
(apples thudding)
Eh, never touched me.
A little clean fun and a quick getaway.
They can't do that to you, Rembrandt.
Honest, mama, we were just walking along
and minding our own business
when this fink runs up
behind us with a big brush.
They're here again.
(bright orchestral music)
That's right honey, keep kissable.
(cows mooing)
Ah, confidentially, do
you use that green stuff?
Everything is all set here
and they go right into
the arms of pickle puss.
Get away from us, you pest!
Ah, you missed me.
You've been waiting for this.
That was the farmer's daughter.
Ah, they're gonna make dairy, huh?
Well folks, this is
gonna be a tight squeeze.
It's efficiency, that's what it is.
Direct from the manufacturers to you.
(bottles thudding)
Ladies and gentlemen, the
motorcar of the future.
Think it'll work?
Hey, come back here!
(engine revving)
All we need in this
picture is a hitchhiker.
Some fun.
Wow, watch that pickup.
(horn blaring)
That was a beaut.
(playful orchestral music)
And it's Seabiscuit by a nose.
One side, her leg off, look out!
(horn honking)
Come on, grab the wheel.
Head's up, watch it!
(horn blaring)
(cars thudding)
Ow, that hurt.
Ah, shut up.
Hey, mom!
This picture is coming to no good end.
(tender orchestral music)
- [Prince] Benno.
Benno.
Benno.
Benno.
- [Narrator] How changed it is.
This was not always the
home of owls and bats.
Here, Prince Siegfried came
to meet his betrothed, Odette.
Here, Siegfried my friend, was snared
by Rothbart the Enchanter,
who changed his own daughter
into Odette's lovely form.
There Odile, the enchantress,
danced with Siegfried, luring him on.
Whilst in vain at the window
the real Odette besot him to remember her.
The sorcerer's art banished Odette,
and blinded by his ecstasy,
Siegfried promised to marry Odile.
Then he saw Odette, too late.
The enchanters Roth destroyed them
in a mighty storm.
(solemn orchestral music)
(majestic orchestral music)
(dramatic orchestral music)
(gentle orchestral music)
(flourishing orchestral music)
(tender orchestral music)
(gleeful orchestral music)
(gentle orchestral music)
(dramatic orchestral music)
(frantic orchestral music)
(gentle orchestral music)
(dramatic orchestral music)
- [Hillary] Hello, this is Hillary Hess.
Welcome to our little jaunt
through time and space
to a lesser known facet
of golden age of 3-D.
One that seemed to leap off movie screens
and into the hands of
many photo enthusiasts.
It started with the introduction
of the Stereo Realist camera in 1947.
Actually preceding 3-D
movies by five years.
And unlike its bulky predecessors
used miniature 35 millimeter film,
allowing the same portability
as any snapshot camera.
The film of choice for the Realist
was the legendary Kodachrome.
Its bright palette perfectly capturing
the optimistic post-war era.
In 3-D it provides us with the most vivid
and immediate portrait of
mid-century American life,
which with the passage of time
often seems as exotic now
as the fantastic 3-D spectacles
offered audiences back then.
So let us begin our journey.
As mother looks on, this
boomer baby reaches out
from across the decades to bring us
into their knotty pine world.
Let us take his hand and visit the sunny
16 side of their lives.
On the slide mount is written
"All the kids at Christmas, 1948."
And it's wonderful to see examples
from the early adopters still figuring out
composition and depth.
I like that the tree was
too tall for the room,
so the top is laying on the mantle.
And as is often the case,
I wonder if any of the
children are still alive.
This one was entitled "On route, 1951."
America on the go, taking
us into the nifty '50s.
Today we'd hardly think to
take a photo of a gas stop,
but we can be glad these folks did.
It is a great example of
something seemingly routine
becoming special with the passage of time.
This cleverly composed slide
emphasizes the hazards
of construction work
in more ways than one.
Shot in Los Angeles,
that is the Pacific Mutual Life Insurance
building in the background.
And that big clock makes me think
of silent movie comedian
Harold Lloyd in "Safety Last."
A title which probably would not
be endorsed by Pacific Mutual.
By this time, however, Lloyd was himself
enthusiastically shooting stereo slides
by the many thousands.
Construction came in all scales.
In this case as a pastime
in this very professional-looking slide,
featuring a father and son forming a bond
over the building of a model airplane.
A bond nearly as strong as one can achieve
from that tube of
tester's glue right there.
It should come as no surprise
3-D was a pastime unto itself,
with many dimensions.
Movies, photography, and 3-D comics,
which enjoyed its own popularity.
Here, combining two of those,
we get to look at this
woman looking at 3-D in 3-D.
Okay, maybe not everyone
was enthralled with 3-D.
While Junior appears to be taking a break
from binge watching View-Master reels,
he gives the stereo
camera an adorable smile.
However, grandma looks forlorn,
as if she'd rather be anywhere else.
Perhaps grandma would like to trade places
with this tanned woman
at a roadside stop in Florida
standing among low-priced shells, corals,
various alligator goods,
and a flock of decorative
lawn ornament flamingos.
Or if one prefers live birds
to the ornamental variety,
she could stop at Parrot Jungle.
This slide is imaginatively entitled
"Five Parrots on May" and must have been
the required pose of every
tourist visiting Florida
who wanted to get the most color
out of their Kodachrome.
Speaking of color, here we see the huge,
first generation RCA
color television camera
aimed at the parade queen's float
during the New Year 1954
Tournament of Roses parade.
A suitably chromatic subject
for the first coast-to-coast color cast.
From big time broadcasting
to the quaint charm
of early local TV, as
regional hillbilly band
The Blue Ridge Boys performs
for the black and white cameras
in a cramped studio for a
short-lived Pennsylvania station.
More spectacle could be found
at General Motors' traveling
auto show called Motorama,
featuring fanciful concept cars.
Finding ourselves at
the 1956 extravaganza,
we see the futuristic Pontiac
Club de Mer in the spotlight.
Thanks to professional
photographer Jack Laxer,
who also took the previous slide,
we get a privileged, unobstructed view
of this sporty Club de Mer,
along with the great
mid-century style display
framing it and other dream machines.
Ford had its own concept cars,
and here is the most
famous, the Lincoln Futura.
It would later gain greater fame
after being transformed into
the 1960s television Batmobile.
But only those who see this slide today
can get a sense of what it was like
to stand in front of it during its debut
at the 1955 Chicago Autoshow.
Best known for their popular movies,
the comedy team of Abbott and Costello
had their own TV show from 1952 to 1954,
around the time this slide was taken.
In a publicity shot, possibly
promoting Wisconsin cheese
with some unidentified pageant winner,
Bud Abbott hams it up while Lou Costello
looks like he just woke up.
Halloween fun in 1959 with big brother
dressed as a spaceman, giving
his little sister Cinderella
a peak into the jack
o'lantern in an adorable pose.
Elevating it further is how wonderfully
the costume colors harmonize
with those of the kitchen.
Late in 1955 Kodak introduced
its own stereo camera
with features and price aimed
at greater mass sales than the Realist.
This ad enticed potential customers
to visit Kodak dealers with the lure
of seeing how much more impact
the featured photo will
look in three dimensions.
And the difference is profound.
If you notice other
more subtle differences
within the image that
is because each dealer's
stereo slide was an original
to provide best quality.
It also means those models were posing
for a long, long time.
Of course, once the
customer was on the line,
a few more slides to reel them in.
Thanks to Kodak, Christmas
1955 was recorded
in Kodachrome stereo by
many more enthusiasts.
And we have many more stereo
slides to enjoy today.
If, in 1953, you took
Groucho Marx's advice
and visited the De Soto
Plymouth dealership
during Christmastime,
this is what you'd see,
showroom showmanship.
The latest models vie with the decorations
for the most sparkle and shine
in an evocative nighttime holiday stereo.
Here, stereo enhances Suzy's excitement
on Christmas day in 1950.
Sitting on her new tricycle
in probably a new dress,
Suzy is cute enough to
be mistaken for a doll.
There is plenty of lead tinsel
to fill in the tree's
rather spindly branches.
The boys had to get dressed up
for their Christmas pictures, too.
This young man's excitement
is equally evident,
and no wonder.
Among the shiny new trucks
he got his own Mr. Machine,
which would likely date this slide
to the early to mid-1960s.
Kids may anticipate Christmas,
but the Bobby Darren-esque Joe here
was looking forward to New Year 1961,
where on the stroke of midnight
he proposed to Dot, his
very own Sandra Dee.
Cake already on hand, so
the answer was a done deal.
Good thing she didn't say no,
that would have been awkward.
When it's time for the wedding
the seasoned pros would
take a large format
black and white album photos
and get first dibs on the best angles,
while the stereo cameras
were given to the new guys,
who often had to become equally creative
to get their shots in any way they could.
This great slide shows both,
along with the pro's shiny pants.
Delightfully illustrating
what many might imagine
the wedding couple to be thinking about
their first night together,
the groom looking up from the sex manual
offers a sly wink, while
the bride's faux shock
contains a hint of anticipatory grin.
Remember, it's the '50s.
She cannot seem too eager.
After the wedding, in
a pose and composition
worthy of Norman Rockwell,
this bride shows off
her ring to her party,
all taking a smoke break.
The junior bridesmaid in
pale yellow is too young,
so must enjoy her smoke secondhand.
Embarking on their journey
as a married couple,
bride and groom are showered
with well wishes and confetti.
A wonderful fleeting moment
frozen in time and space,
though it's an odd feeling
when viewing such slides,
realizing their future is now in the past.
Remember May, she of the five parrots?
That's her in the front,
sitting with some newlyweds on honeymoon
at the Castaways Wreck
Bar in Miami, Florida.
With decor to suggest a sunken ship,
patrons are encouraged to drink like fish.
In that spirit, hubby holds
his drink aloft for the camera
while wifey is already giggling.
May's husband was also motivated to record
the unattended Castaways'
back bar for posterity.
Through the cigarette smoke
we see all kinds of details,
including an emaciated merperson
and hotel swimmers through
bubble-like windows.
Hey, we really are under water.
Now here's a back bar that looks like
it was populated by central casting.
The woman preparing the drinks
appears ready to crack wise,
while the bartender is glaring
as if he's ready to bounce
us for having one too many.
Hey buddy, we only see double
when we take off our 3-D glasses.
And for a panoramic swimming view
of a more organized fashion,
nothing beats the mermaid
show at Weeki Wachee Springs,
a favorite Florida attraction since 1947.
This slide shows how sublime
an already great view
can become when photographed in stereo.
Of course the traditional
honeymoon spot is Niagara Falls,
and here we find ourselves
taking the Cave of the Winds tour
on the American side in 1956.
Even the narrow format
of the Realist slide
can offer an epic view given
the right location and angle.
High above the water in
the Disneyland sky ride
we look down and see
the Chicken of the Sea
pirate ship restaurant
as it appeared in 1961.
Both attractions are gone,
making this view impossible,
but for this slide.
While the Disneyland sky
ride kept riders safe
within its buckets, in
Banff, Alberta, Canada,
the only safety measure
for this ski lift rider
seems to be a tight grip.
Fortunately the deceptive angle
only makes it appear he might fall
into the vastness of the Canadian Rockies.
Elsewhere in the Rockies,
Charles takes a creative self portrait
in the reflecting ball at
the Chateau Lake Louis Hotel,
also seen in the reflection.
In 1952, everyone gets dressed up
to take pictures by the lake.
A much larger orb, the Unisphere,
here brand new as the centerpiece
of the 1964 New York World's Fair.
Standing on the base
used for the Perishphere
from the 1939 fair, we really get a sense
of the scale of the giant globe
thanks to stereo and the
boys in the foreground.
A place has been prepared for
us at Bob's birthday party.
Quite the formal affair
for children of the era,
let's just pull out the
chair and have a seat.
The good china wisely
remains in the cupboard
in favor of more appropriate dinnerware.
Bob will have to blow out the candles
before anyone is allowed
to reach for their cupcake.
This youngster is taking
to the suburban sidewalk
in the ever popular pedal firetruck,
while the man in the background
may be guarding his '53
Dodge from the riding toy,
which looks like it has seen
its share of collisions.
It's probably a hand me down
from the boy standing behind,
who is now too big for it.
Now here's a familiar Big Boy
outside one of his coffee shops
in a superb nighttime stereo
by professional photographer Jack Laxer,
who used the medium to show off
his architect client's
work to best advantage.
Another Laxer stereo of
Bob's Big Boy Coffeehouse.
This view, also taken from outside,
shows us the texture of the
environmental-style exterior,
as well as the mid-century
modern interior.
Mr. Laxer was a master of getting the most
out of his stereo camera
with almost tangible results.
On to Fremont Street in Las Vegas.
A city with visual appeal
best appreciated at night.
Posing in 1958 by a cool Olds convertible,
this man is showing us he
hasn't lost his shirt yet.
Now he's ready for some
hot action at the slots.
Vegas by day at the
Thunderbird Hotel in 1955.
All kinds of vintage goodness here,
and good 3-D by bringing the
misses closer to the camera.
I wonder if it was a coincidence
the colors of her outfit
match the hotel perfectly.
A few years before hitting Vegas himself,
a young Jerry Lewis spends some quiet time
opening his mail and enjoying a beer.
Taken in the early 1950s,
this is a study in contrasting patterns,
making excellent use
of the Kodachrome film.
An avid photographer,
it comes as no surprise
Mr. Lewis would be featured in stereo.
But for a real break from modern life
there is nothing like nature.
Taken in the Finger Lakes
region in New York state
in the fall of 1959,
one can almost smell the crisp fall air
as we get the photographer in this scene,
which he himself is photographing as well.
We end on a slide with
a serenity of its own.
Entitled "Sis", taken Christmas week 1956.
On furniture protected
by a plastic slip cover,
Sis, in polka dots and Mary Janes,
watches what I imagine
to be a local broadcast
of school children
singing Christmas carols.
A tricky existing light
shot perfectly distilling
that which inspires nostalgia for the era.
Thank you for joining me
in this unique photographic journey.
I hope you found the vivid imagery
as transporting as I do,
and share my appreciation
for those who left behind
this rich visual record
of the mid-century.
Farewell.
(upbeat music)
(whimsical music)
(person vocalizing)
(majestic music)
- [Man] Let him in, let him in,
let him in (speaking in gibberish).
(whimsical music)
- [Narrator] Gaze through the
magic glasses, if you dare.
You are now entering the world
of new wide-screen motion
picture third dimension.
Where beings who only lived
before in man's imagination
now come to realistic,
full-dimensional life.
You are about to see the
most amazing assortment
of monsters and fantastic creatures
that the 3-D screen has yet presented.
And they will come right over to you,
emerging from the screen into the audience
as they claim their latest victims.
Are you ready to face them?
The strange story which is about to unfold
concerns creatures not of flesh and blood,
but of darkness, evil, and horror.
Those tormented souls, branded
with the mysterious plague
of the Castle of Frankenstein.
They who have lived mortal lives before,
but now bear the curse of the undead.
The mark of the werewolf.
The Frankenstein family castle is cold.
Its lifeless stone walls
carry their secret well.
It is of the full moon,
the bite of the wolf,
and the name Wolfstein, which
marks the forbidden castle
as the tomb of the hideous
beast who once walked as a man.
But years have passed, and
many people have forgotten
about the castle and the
creature buried in its crypt.
Maybe it was all a legend.
Maybe there never was
a Frankenstein Castle.
Maybe the curse of Wolfstein isn't real.
Maybe a living wolf monster doesn't exist.
Or maybe he lives now
and wants your blood.
(flourishing orchestral music)
(suspenseful music)
- [Narrator] The summer of 1983
is the summer of 3-D.
This summer you will
enter a magical world.
A world of comedy.
- [All] Hello.
- [Narrator] Chills, thrills,
adventure, spectacle,
and enchantment.
If you want to enjoy all the
greatest 3-D movies ever made,
this is the one to see.
"The 3-D Movie", the greatest hits of 3-D.
(person whistling)
(tense electronic music)
- Boys.
- Musicals were never
so dramatic.
♪ I'm gonna pop all the corn in Nebraska ♪
- [Narrator] Horror was never so much fun.
(woman screams)
Romance was never so touching.
- Mostly like so.
No women so pretty any place in the world.
Skin like amber velvet, soft
and smooth to the touch.
They can drive a man out of his mind.
- [Narrator] Action never hit so hard.
(suspenseful electronic music)
From Adolf Hitler to Marilyn Monroe,
♪ Heat wave ♪
- [Narrator] From Salvador
Dali to Jerry Lewis.
From the early experiments
of the great Lumi?re,
to the technology of tomorrow.
From the four corners of the Earth,
even from behind the Iron Curtain.
"The 3-D Movie" is an entertainment event
that took 100 years to make.
(whimsical orchestral music)
For high tech achievement
"The 3-D Movie" represents
the state of the art and beyond.
The greatest hits of 3-D,
it's coming out, all the way, this summer.
"The 3-D Movie".
It makes everything else look flat.
(upbeat music)