Total Film magazine features Superman Returns Lenticular Cover

The July 2006 issue of Total Film magazine (Issue 116) features a Superman Returns 3-D lenticular image.

The cover art is designed to look like the front page of a newspaper. The images changes from a view of the late Christopher Reeve as Clark Kent into a view of Brandon Routh as Superman.

Total Film magazine is an extremely well done publication featuring glossy pages and hundreds of exclusive photos. Irreverent humor abounds in the articles and captions.

Magazine Contents

• Superman Returns
  The full history of the greatest superhero ever.
• Omen 666
  At least that was its name when the magazine’s cover went to print.
• Poseidon
  Wolfgang Petersen continues his obsession with water. Hollywood continues its obsession with epic disasters.
• United 93
  A chat with director Paul Greengrass about the year’s bravest movie...
• Action Heroes
  In 1991, a man called Sly, an Austrian bodybuilder and a balding badass opened Planet Hollywood. Now, 15 years on, it just looks like they’ve been eating there three times a day. What happened?
• Taking a Myth
  Find your falsehoods in the papers and your truisms in the movies, right? Sort of. Still, some films fib (shock!).
• Donald Sutherland
  The Dirty Dozen Special Edition’s DVD is out as of June, so we chatted to the legendary Don about baring his arse, falling out with Joel Schumacher and that sex scene with Julie Christie.

For more information or to subscribe (and get free goodies), visit www.totalfilm.com.

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NeoChroma Envisions a Digital Stereoscopic Viewer for Photography and Mobile Markets

Neochroma is a concept that has the potential to solve the conundrum of mobile phones, cameras, PDAs and other small devices needing screens larger than the device itself. It borrows heavily from the iconic billion-selling View-Master®, which was introduced to the public in 1939.

NeoChroma’s inventor Patrick Amaru believes the small, low-cost, lightweight Neochroma viewer could be built into a mobile phone or digital camera or created as an attachment. As a platform for location-based services, NeoChroma has the added advantage of being ideal for maps and other navigational systems too, so with the growing need for cheaper, high resolution minidisplays this German invention has a viable future in a range of mobile devices.

Amaru says, “the big gamble is whether display technology will continue to evolve as quickly as it did over the last five years. Five years ago, the Nokia 7110 screen was about the best you could get. My bet is that it will, and that it won't cost much to implement Neochroma with VGA or larger resolutions in the near future.” Right now, a phone with VGA screen, the Sharp 904, is available on the Japanese market. “As Neochroma halves the resolution, you get 480x320 pixels for each eye, better than many personal media players today, but much cheaper to produce."

The image can be flat, of course, but it can also be stereoscopic if it has been created accordingly.

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Coraline to be first stop-motion animated 3-D film

Focus Features will distribute Coraline, the first theatrical release from Portland, Oregon animation studio, Laika Entertainment. Coraline represents the first stop-motion animated film to be shot stereoscopically with a dual digital camera rig for digital 3-D exhibition.

Focus is known for producing offbeat movies that win critical attention but often play to niche markets. Recent pictures include Brokeback Mountain, The Constant Gardener and Lost in Translation. Focus is owned by NBC Universal.

Coraline, now in the early stages of production in Laika's Northwest Portland offices, is an adaptation of a spooky 2002 children's novel by Neil Gaiman. Due in theaters in mid-2008, it is the tale of a young girl who wanders into a mirror world, where eerie reflections of her parents seek to imprison her.

Coraline is being directed by Henry Selick, Laika's supervising director. Child star Dakota Fanning will voice the title character and Teri Hatcher, star of TV's Desperate Housewives, will voice a dual role. Rock duo They Might Be Giants will provide songs for the movie.

In addition to Selick, who directed the 1993 animated musical The Nightmare Before Christmas, Laika has hired experienced animators and executives from Pixar Animation Studios and elsewhere. Laika plans to blend the stop-motion animation Vinton Studios was known for with newly developed computer effects.

After Coraline, Laika's next picture is scheduled to be an original work written by Laika animator Jorgen Klubien, named Jack & Ben's Animated Adventure.

Laika has about 170 employees but expects to hire as many as 400 more animators, software engineers and technical experts in the next two years as film production ramps up. The company is seeking larger facilities in the Portland area to house its growing staff.

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Fifth Harry Potter film to be in IMAX 3-D

Warner Brothers Studio has just announced a partnership with IMAX Corporation to bring the fifth installment of Harry Potter to IMAX as well.

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It's a Big, Big World View-Master® offer from Sony

Buy any Sony Cyber-shot® digital camera or Handycam® camcorder direct from Sony Style (online or at retail store) from June 20, 2006, through July 10, 2006, and receive a free Fisher-Price® View-Master® Viewer with an exclusive It's a Big, Big World reel and It's a Big, Big World music CD by mail. While supplies last.

To download the order form, visit www.sonystyle.com/intershoproot/eCS/Store/en/documents/rebates/big_big_world.pdf.

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Classic 1954 3-D horror flick The Creature From the Black Lagoon shows in Augusta, Kansas

A special 3-D showing of The Creature from the Black Lagoon took place on June 2 at the Augusta Historic Theatre, 523 State St. in Augusta. Although touted as a midnight movie it actually hit the silver screen at 10 p.m.

The story deals with Richard Carlson leading a team of scientists in the Amazon who capture a prehistoric Gill-Man (half man, half amphibian) for study. But the creature falls for the scientist's pretty fiancee (Julia Adams) and escapes, taking her with him.

Glasses to bring out the 3-D were be provided thanks to underwriting of Augusta Family Dentistry.

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Superman Returns Wal-Mart Lenticular Gift Card

A lenticular Superman Returns gift card is available at Wal-Mart stores across the nation. Holding the card and turning it shows the first view of Superman about to rip open his shirt and the other view shows his shirt torn open and showing his costume. The 3-D cards are a limited edition item, which could be used to purchase any item in the store up the value assigned to the card.

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Solid Eye Displays 3-D for the PSP (PlayStation Portable)

Metal Gear Acid was one of the PSP's most popular launch titles. It combined stealth action and turned-based strategy with collectible card games for a unique and fun experience. Metal Gear Acid 2 comes out at the end of March and fans of the series are going to get something new with the sequel.

The Solid Eye system is a peripheral that clamps onto a PSP and gives a three-dimensional view of the game. The Solid Eye displays slightly different images in each eye to produce a 3-D effect. Gamers will be able to play Metal Gear Acid 2 in full 3-D and can even watch 3-D movies included in the UMD, such as 3-D cutscenes from Metal Gear Solid 3, and a 3-D version of the trailer for the upcoming Metal Gear Solid 4 for the PlayStation 3.

According to a CNET.com blog, "The peripheral looks really bulky, and we'll have to see for ourselves if it even adds anything to the game. Thankfully, Konami is planning to sell Metal Gear Acid 2, Solid Eye included, for the standard PSP game price of $40, and the entire game will be playable without the Solid Eye attachment."

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Jefferson Stereoptics View-Master® Auctions July 25 and 27, 2006

One of the best places to find View-Master® and other 3-D items for sale is Jefferson Stereoptics regularly held View-Master® and stereoview auctions conducted by John Saddy. The latest collection of View-Master® goodies goes on the auction block on Tuesday, July 25, 2006, featuring lots 1 through 370. The second part of the auction concludes on Thursday, July 27, 2006, with lots 371 through 688.

Subscribers receive John's catalog several times a year. Cost of the subscription pays for printing the catalog and postage to mail it. Each issue of the printed catalog includes photos of some of the most sought after 3-D items featured in each sale.

Some of the items in the July auctions:

• Girls Scouts Serve Their Country Reel No. 401
• Never before seen bright white Model G Febelt Jeskrant Diorama Two-Reel Gift Set with two 45-rpm records in gift box. Only sold in Holland and Belgium.
• Model K Space Viewer, Silver with Black Advance. This was sold only on-site at Epcot Center for a limited time.
• Reels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 of the Coca-Cola Co. Bottle Sales Department.
• and much more

The auction items are also listed and all lots are scanned on John's Web site at www3.sympatico.ca/john.saddy.3-D/. The Web site is easily navigated by topic. Each item is grouped in areas of interest such as View-Master® packets USA and Canada or View-Master® packets Television and Movies and so on. You will need to register on the site in order to place a bid online.

John grades each item and includes elaborate descriptions, too. Unlike eBay, sniping is not part of the equation in John's auctions. Lots are closed with a very liberal waiting period. Beginning at the closing time, after 10 minutes with no bids or inquiries, all lots are closed together.

You can contact John via an e-mail link on his Web site to find out about subscribing to the catalog. Jefferson Stereoptics is located in London Ontario, Canada.

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3-D Auction Results

Here are a few 3-D auction results from the past month.

A Stereo Realist branded Perrin camera case sold for $25 with one bid. The case will hold two cameras and two viewers or other accesories.	A Royal Wedding View-Master® H.R.H. Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer on July 29, 1981 sold for $68.54 with nine bids. The item is boxed and contains a special Royal Purple viewer and three reels with 21 images of the wedding day.
This Mascher Stereo Daguerreotype sold for $890 with 14 bids. Invented by J. F. Mascher, this early stereoscope uses two ordinary lenses arranged in such a manner to allow the image viewed to be more lifelike. This daguerreotype features the image of a distinguished gentleman, most likely from the 1800's. When the lid is raised, you look through the dual lenses to view the image, which appears as a single, lifelike portrait. Overall dimensions when closed are 4 7/8" x 6" x 7/8". The portraits have staining or tarnishing, and are somewhat faded and scratched. The gold colored plate with the oval openings also shows some wear and tarnishing. Both the gold colored plate and the glass, which cover the portraits are loose, and not secured in the stereoscope. The case itself shows significant wear on boths sides and the edges, but it is solid and intact. The hinges for the cover are fairly tight and intact, and the case does close and latch securely.