Review of The Ultimate 3-D Collection (Haunted Castle / Alien Adventure

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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.

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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.

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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!!!!

Honest reviews on The Ultimate 3-D Collection (Haunted Castle / Alien Adventure

I first saw "Encounters..." at the local Imax 18 months ago and was so impressed by the 3D that I swore that "one day I would have this at home". Now I have and (apart from not having a 3 storey high TV) am thoroughly satisfied. It is a bonus that the kit works with more than the supplied DVDs :)

The movies are little more than a showcase of the talents of a 3D ride company which is openly acknowledged in the extras. Accepting the nature of the software, you can't fail to be impressed by the quality of the mainly CGI images rendered in screen popping 3D.

But where is the scene with the owl and the police car from the Imax "encounters..."?

One tip I will offer...

Most people sit quite close to the screen to get a more immersive feel after all exceeding your field of vision is the whole idea of the Imax originals.

Everyone I've shown this to has agreed that the 3D improves with distance. So get a headphone extension lead, dim the lights and sit further back. Yeah the picture is smaller, but it's also deeper ;)

Six to Eight Foot (two to three metres) works brilliantly on my 28" TV.

Incidentally, one addendum to the review by megadume and the comment on the official site of the glasses that shutter glasses Don't work with 100hz and/or digital TVs.

I own a Sony KV-28WSU 100hz Digital Plus TV (it says so on the front) and the 3D works brilliantly the above comment delayed my purchase by a few weeks until I had checked it out.

A brilliant pack, a brilliant price, now we need more films!

P.S. There is another.... Ultimate Gs is the fourth 3D DVD

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If you are a fan of 3-D, then get this package!! First off this is not the ORDINARY 3-D you know! There are no flimsy cardboard glasses with the RED and BLUE lenses here. They are shutter-glasses. These glasses are STATE-OF-THE-ART technology! The hook up is very easy. Even if you own a Playstation 2! Make sure you are in a well-darkened room. The reason is you will notice a flicker from the glasses in a lit room. So remember the darker the better...LOL! The 3-D is SPECTACULAR!! And it WORKS!! Now don't let the price fool you.....THIS IS A SERIOUS PIECE OF 3-D HARDWARE! The SOUND is like .....WHOA!!! You have to have Dolby Digital Surround Sound system in order to get the FULL effect of being immersed in the synthesis of the 3-D! Also another suggestion is get a projector! It heightens the effect GREATLY!!!

To begin your 3-D journey I suggest you watch the DVD's in this order:

1)Encounter In The Third Dimension

2)Alien Adventure

3)Haunted Castle

Why? Well, because it will keep you, the viewer, wanting more! And you will want more even when its over...lol The effects in each of the DVD's are AWE INSPIRING!

The first DVD, Encounter In The Third Dimension with Elvira, is a sort of HISTORY of 3-D. This gives you an orientation as to what 3-D is and how it came about. Although the storyline and the acting is terrible, the 3-D massively makes up for it. The opening sequence is astounding! Check out that part where the title comes on.....you'll LOVE IT!! There is also a snippets form amusement park rides. Look at the Terminator-2 3-D ride snippet where the liquid metal mechanized droid blows up and the fragments of it seem to be suspended in mid air! VERY COOOOOL EFFECT!!

The second one, Alien Adventure, goes a step further. The effects in this one are much better! And it shows off more of what this type of 3-D can do! You the viewer are put on various types of simulated rides with your green little partners. There is a rollercoaster, which is very gut-wrenching, a magic carpet ride, and a few more! Hey, I don't want to spoil for ya!! there are some funny moments in it too. The aliens almost look like the ones from the movie Mars Attacks!

Now, the last one, Haunted Castle, is by far THE BEAST out of all 3!! Visually its BEAUTIFUL!! I actually jumped on some sequences!! Absolutely mind blowing! One thing for you to pay close attention to is....once again, the opening title sequence with the bird on the tree! Look at the DETAIL!! You'll know what I mean when you see it!!

Be the envy of all your friends and own this sophisticated 3-D hardware! You can get more DVD's on the web-site printed on your instructions. Your skepticism will be a thing of the past!! BUY THIS.....NOW!!!

Howl's Moving Castle (2004) Review

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(In fact 4.5 Stars) Though 'Howl's Moving Castle' ('Hauru-no Ugoku Shiro') may not be Miyazaki's best film, it is still far more enjoyable than many other films, Japanese or American, animated or not. I for one very much enjoyed watching it, and I love the film for its interesting characters and the rich textures of the designs, especially the fantasy world itself where witchcraft and humans' mundane works can be seen side by side. And the titular six-legged castle that really walks among the wilderness is something you never see except in his films.

Miyazaki's new film is based on a book of the same title written by Diana Wynne Jones. The film's story is told from the viewpoint of a 18-year-old girl Sophie, who is working at a milliner's shop every day. But she can hear the sound of bloody battles from the distance, and it is clear that this beautiful country, where witches and wizards live among humans, is going to see another war sooner or later.

But apparently Sophie is still leading an ordianary life until her uneventful routine days are suddenly broken by one accidental meeting with wicked 'Witch of the Waste,' who turns her into an old woman with a curse. Seeking for her place to live, Sophie goes to the wilderness where, the townspeople say, a young wizard named Howl wanders. In fact, Sophie encounters Howl's Moving Castle in the foggy moutainside, and she decides to hop in. There, forbidden to talk about her curse, she starts a new life with young and handsome Howl, who speaks to her kindly like a prince, but at times acts like a spoiled child.

[MIYAZAKI'S LOVE STORY] You will be impressed with many fantastic and colorful images created by Miyazaki. You might find an anti-war message deep in the film's story, but will find the romantic relations between Sophie and Howl is the most touching and impressive part of the film. Sophie's romantic feeling towards Howl is expressed in a unique way (which I don't disclose here), and Miyazaki, as usual, is very good at drawing the character of this independent heroine. One interesting thing is, probably this is the first case in which Miyazaki attempted to show a love story in his films. And a kiss too.

I must say that not everything works in 'Howl's Moving Castle.' I haven't read the original book, but it is obvious that Miyazaki made changes. Not that I'm blaming them. But the story is sometimes told too hurriedly, and when you think something (actions or whatever) will start, it ends abruptly. Howl's character is full of contradictory traits, that's good, but his complicated personality could have been more effective and convincing with more detailed episodes about, say, his mentor magician (and politician) Madam Suliman or Witch of the Waste.

(If I am not mistaken, 'Howl's Moving Castle' is a rare case for Miyazaki who prefers to use his own stories, and this is the first time he adapts someone else's story in 15 years, last time being 'Kiki's Delivery Service. But 'Kiki's' story written by Eiko Kadono is not long -I know, I read -while 'Howl's' story is, I think, much longer. Maybe these facts have soemthing to do with my complaint.)

Greatly helped by Jo Hisaishi's beautiful score, 'Howl's Moving Castle' is full of imaginative power, with one strong heroine you can relate to (though she is 90-years-old), plus memorable supports including fire damon Calcifer, (not a bad guy at all), and ubiquitous Prince Turnip who always appears at the right moment. Flawed, to be sure, but enjoyable fantasy tale with a healthy amount of humor and lots of imagination.

The review above refers to the original Japanese version. I know the English version includes the voices of Christian Bale, Jean Simmons, and Billy Crystal, but as I have never seen the version, I did not talk about them. Still, as Mr. Miyazaki is not likely to approve any changes done to his films, I hope what I saw in Japan, you will see in your country.

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Not a lot of directors would be brave enough to take on a love story between a girl-turned-old-lady and a wizard missing a vital organ. But Oscar-winning Hayao Miyazaki tackles a new fantasy realm in in "Howl's Moving Castle" -namely, that of fantasy dowager Diana Wynne Jones.

Sophie (Emily Mortimer) is a plain, unhappy young woman working in a milliner's shop -lightened only slightly by a mysterious wizard who rescues her one day. But then the evil Witch of the Waste (Lauren Bacall) comes into the shop, and casts a spell on her, turning her into an ancient old lady (Jean Simmons). Sophie ends up wandering into the Moving Castle, a chicken-legged chaos machine, and encountering the sexy if childish wizard Howl (Christian Bale), smart-aleck fire demon Calcifur (Billy Crystal), and preteen apprentice Markl (Josh Hutcherson).

Sophie appoints herself the cleaning lady and starts whipping the castle into shape, trying to deal with Howl's temper tantrums and the war brewing all around them, and trying to cure her peculiar curse. But when she runs an errand to a castle in Howl's place, she finds that her new boss has some sinister problems of his own -including his missing heart, and impending transformation into a monster.

Don't expect much fidelity to the novel; Miyazaki takes plenty of liberties with the story. As a result, it feels more like his story than Jones', with all the earmarks he usually has -blobby monsters, colorful rural settings, intense anti-war messages, strange machines, and a Jules-Verne atmosphere of Victorian technology. But "Howl's Moving Castle" is very different from the others Miyazaki has done, since he kept the British flavour of the original book.

It's also different because it's a love story -and a surprisingly un-cheesy one. In less skilled hands, having Howl say "I finally found something worth protecting. It's you" would seem inane, but Miyazaki keeps it brief and powerful. And even though Sophie looks elderly through most of the movie, Miyazaki never falls into trite observations about inner beauty. He just lets the story tell us that.

The animation is virtually flawless, from the chaotic absurdity Moving Castle to the breathtaking aerial battles with the bird-man Howl. Tiny details are everywhere, from painted ceiling beams to elaborate doorknobs. But there are also quiet, entertaining moments, such as Sophie attempting to houseclean the entire Moving Castle. Calcifur is the one sore point -he's not done badly, but he looks vaguely artificial. I suppose a fire demon is hard to animate.

There are a few flaws, in that the story could have used a bit more fleshing out -at times the relationships between the characters are sketchy. Not much detail, for example, is given about sorceress Suliman (Blythe Danner) and her relationship to Howl, or why she's so peeved at him. Or about the nature of Howl's increasingly dangerous magic and why he did what he did to lose his heart.

While there are the usual "howls" that the English dubbing is inferior to the original Japanese, the assorted voice actors did exceptional work in the American version. Christian Bale and Billy Crystal are the major standouts -Crystal is funny and dry as usual, while Bale is sultry, sexy, soft-spoken and deep. Except, of course, when Howl runs around the house shrieking that his hair is ruined.

"Howl's Moving Castle" moves on a little too fast in places, but it's still a breathtaking, romantic, colorful ride. A wonderful story, told by one of the few filmmakers who could do it justice.

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Probably many people find the story confusing. I felt the same thing when I saw it in the theater for the first time! The story seemed arbitrary and I couldn't connect the pieces together. But when I watch it again on the DVD, I realize the movie is probably about one thing: personal freedom.

Howl is a free person. He doesn't has a heart and even his home (which is usually characterized as a stable point in one's life) can move :-) He is disguised as different wizards in different counties, and when Sophie asks him how many identities he has, he said "Enough to guarantee my freedom". When Sophie confronts Suliman, she comments Howl as "selfish and cowardly and unpredictable, but he's straight as an arrow. He only wants to be free." But in Miyazaki's world, nothing is black and white. According to Suliman, Howl's power is too great for a person without heart, and he will eventually becomes a monster (some political figures come to my mind).

Sophie, on the other hand, is bounded by responsibilities. She is young, but her heart is old. She refuses the invitation from her friends and keep working at the hat shop. When her sister asks her "Are you going to spend your life in that shop?" She replies "It meant so much to papa. Besides, I'm the eldest.". Even her sister asks her to "look out for yourself".

When Sophie is turned to an old lady, it actually set her free because the good thing of being old is that one has "so little to lose" She becomes more adventurous and takes control of her life. She is very assertive as being the cleaning lady in Howl's castle and even tames Calcifer to cook her food. For Howl, his turning point comes when he refuses to move his castle anymore (I'll leave it to the reader as why he does that) By the end of movie, he regains his heart. He feels terrible because it is like "trapped under a stone". And Sophie says, "Yes, a heart is a heavy burden".

There are other wonderful things in the movie. For example, this is probably one of the few movies that tell me what it is really like to be old. But I do want to highlight the thread about personal freedom as it will help you to tie up the pieces of the story.

Honest reviews on Howl's Moving Castle (2004)

Well before HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE, Hayao Miyazaki had established himself as the finest creator of feature length animated films in the history of cinema. So pointing out that this marvelous film isn't quite as good as his very best work really isn't very illuminative. He has done at least three or four films that are better, but that cannot be said of any other animator. This film suffers only by comparison with his own work, not with that of anyone else.

A number of Miyazaki's films have been set in non-Japanese settings, so this one's being imagined in a vaguely European locale really isn't terribly unique. In every other way, this is an exceedingly typical Miyazaki creation. There is, for instance, the preoccupation with flying, fields of non-identical flowers that wave in the breeze (each drawn separately by hand and not computer), richly detailed landscapes, and eccentrically designed rooms. There is hardly a moment in this film that isn't a delight to gaze upon.

In two ways this film stands comparison with anything that Miyazaki has done. First, he has created a host of astonishingly vivid and convincing characters. What is marvelous about them is that none of them are simple, but are wonderfully complex and often deeply flawed. Howl of the title is a powerful sorcerer, horrified by the absurd war being waged in the land, but in danger himself of turning into a giant bird of prey. He is struggling with sanity, infected by the insanity that he sees throughout the world. The central character, Sofia, begins the movie a young, simple girl who embroiders hats in a hat shop, but who is turned into an extremely old woman by a witch's spell. Through the rest of the film the spell waxes and wanes, sometimes maintaining completely the illusion of her being ancient, but sometimes in sleep restoring her completely to her youth. At times she appears a blend of old crone and young girl. There is also a extraordinarily well-conceived scarecrow that lays claim to be the finest such creation since THE WIZARD OF OZ. There is even an animal, a dog that is the utter antithesis of all the too cute, too loud sidekicks that populate the Disney films. Almost immobile, unexpressive, he can't even quite bark, but can only manage a bit of a wheeze.

The second way the film stands out is visually. With one exception, every aspect of this film is magical and unique. For instance, the scarecrow is fascinating to watch at every moment, despite the fact that except for being able to hop about on its post as if it were mounted on a pogo stick, it is incapable of facial expressions or moving either arms or hands or legs. As usual in Miyazaki, every aspect of nature is vibrant and alive, but even more than in previous films his interiors are stunning. Each room is filled with bric-a-brac and personal items that make them feel actual and lived-in unprecedented in animation.

So why does HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE fall short of Miyazaki's very best work, even while it surpasses the work of most others? There are two reasons. First, Calcifer the Fire Demon, at least in the English version (I have not seen the Japanese original), is both uninventively drawn and poorly voiced by Billy Crystal. The drawing I dislike because in contrast with everything else in the movie, Calcifer is drawn as an orange blob with eyes and mouth, a hunk of poorly differentiated color in contrast with everything else onscreen, which is carefully nuanced and hued. It is one of the least imaginatively executed characters in all of Miyazaki. I love Billy Crystal, and have thoroughly enjoyed his work way back in the days of SOAP to the present, but he just wasn't appropriate for this film. His loud, somewhat brash New York accent simply didn't mesh with all of the others. The second major problem I had the film was the last quarter of the story. At a certain point the story lost both its coherence and its pacing, and failed to maintain pace with the earlier parts of the movie. The movie did not fall apart, but neither did it remain equally marvelous throughout.

One other element in the film was both a delight and a mild disappointment: the Castle itself. Visually, this is one of the most amazing things one will see in an animated film, and the magical door that allows one to exit in any of four places suited it perfect. The only problem is that we don't get to see much of the interior. Virtually the entire action is kept inside one room in which all seem to eat and sleep. I wanted Sophie to explore!

These minor points aside, I enjoyed this film very nearly as much as I have any of Miyazaki's other films. If you are a Miyazaki fan, it is highly unlikely that you will have any reaction other than sheer delight, and if have not seen Miyazaki before and love this one, you will be delighted to learn that he has done even better.

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This movie is superb. Contrary to a few critics who babble out the line "I don't get it" and then proceed to rip on this movie, I think the fact that many parts of this movie are not dumbed down and explained to you word-for-word (one of Director Miyazaki's trademarks letting you use your mind, letting you as the viewer, use your imagination) is what makes it one-of-a-kind. Unique.

Howl's Moving Castle is not only a very entertaining movie, its artwork is pheonomenal. You can see Studio Ghibli's animators' talents in amazing detail from the beautiful landscapes (the studio capitalized on their artists who were trained in impressionistic artwork), gorgeous scenery, and the beautiful color, character drawings that can display so much emotion without words, and creativity that unfortunately cannot be seen in much of mainstream animation today. And I have yet to mention the amazing score by Joe Hisaishi. Music so lovely it will sweep you off your feet.

A warning to fans of Diana Wynne Jones's novel from which this movie is loosely based, and "loosely" is a good word. The story does deviate much from the book. But before those loyal to the novel start screaming in outrage, it is good to note that Miyazaki creates a beautiful story separate of Diana Jones, using her much loved characters, and in my opinion, enhances them, adds a bit of visual magic, and adds to their appeal. And a final note to hopefully mollify the novel-faithful, Diana Wynne Jones herself was very pleased with the outcome of the movie and Miyazaki's rendition of her works.

Finally, the English dubbing. I was horrified with Disney's English dubbing of Spirited Away (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi), Miyazaki's predecessor to Howl. Not only did they add English dubbing that dumbed down the script, the main characters voices were incongruent with the ages of the characters. Disney added a horrific commercialized voice for one of the main characters as well. BUT! I must go against all of my previous beliefs for Howl's Moving Castle. I've seen both the English and Japanese versions, and for once.... I almost feel the English version is BETTER (yes.. never in my life). The voice actors do a great job conveying the emotions of the movie. There is no deviance in the storyline. And if anything does seems confusing, its not due to the script, its more due the fact that it is a busy movie with lots of subplots.

The storyline briefly, is about a young girl, Sophie Hatter, who encounters a mysterious young wizard named Howl. (Chance encounter, or fate?) The jealous Witch of the Waste transforms Sophie into an aged woman. This takes Sophie on a journey where she discovers Howl's Moving Castle, a host of other interesting characters, and Howl himself, the enigmatic wizard to which her fate is entwined....

Watch, enjoy, and use your mind and imagination to figure out the parts you may not understand at first glance, and you may find this movie to be truly delightful. It is really very "heart"-warming.