Man in the Dark

The film noir black & white movie was great and even better in 3D since this film takes advantage of the 3D Format by sending objects so very close to the camera!The trailer with Edmond O'Brien is also well worth the purchase price alone,as is the packaging and it's booklet insert inside the case.An over-all very highly satisfying 3D experience I very highly recommend it!

One of the few thrillers originally intended to be released in 3D, this movie sums up the joined assets of having been made by a respected studio (Columbia), offering good performances by thoroughly good actors - specially Edmond O'Brien who holds most of the film going on-, and raising an interesting if a bit constricted story filled with excitment, mystery and a thrilling action finale at a roller coaster. The first part, beginning with a brain surgical intervention on our leading man resulting in amnesia which will bring him so much trouble, could have been more developed since it offers an interesting contrast to his prior behaviour. The plot is good enough and its relatively sparse settings are counterparted by its technical achievements, dynamic chases and a treasure hunt. Ted de Corsia and his partners and Audrey Totter as a bewildered girlfriend add realism to the story.The 3D effects are wisely combined with the plot. They include bullet shots, a frontal car crash, falls and many other tricks better not to be advanced. Here is where Lew Landers ability as a director is shown, as he does not let the movie loose its rhythm.But aside of these various effects the film is equally interesting watched in 2D version, making it a good noir movie.The Twilight Time restoration is excellent with good image quality, and the much appreciated inclusion of the original (non-3D) trailer, which doesn't reveal anything about the picture but the secrecy under which such innovative productions were then made, intended to create expectation.As for the 3D effect, when first watched on a 3D TV, though, it was quite disappointing, because it was hardly noticeable. Nevertheless, after a meticulous search the right TV was found in one specific Sony HD model, and all at once the 3D magic came to life. You feel like you could grasp the objects on the Psychiatrist's desk, notice many small details in close-ups, and sense the depth in many scenes. I can only share my enthusiasm. Splendid !Be aware that different TV models from the same brand may show strong differences in 3D effects, so don't give in. Wish I had found this information in some other review, it would have been very useful to have it beforehand.A bit expensive, but worth it. Let's hope it sells good enough. and encourages the producers to issue new titles (Bwana, Fort-Ti, and so on). Don't miss other less known 3D jewels as Inferno, Dragonfly Squadron or MGM's Kiss Me Kate while we wait for more !

Never heard of this film before but ordered it blind because there is so little vintage 3-D available (Creature from The Black Lagoon, House of Wax, and Dial M for Murder are pretty much it).. and wanted to check it out for myself.This is a mediocre little crime thriller that really has some fun with the 3-D gimmick... I guess they wanted to make sure audiences felt they got their money's worth experiencing this "new" format. So you'll get a cigar in your eye, a bird flying right towards your face (plus a great rubber spider moment during a dream sequence), cars crashing through the screen, fists punching you in the face, etc. The finale is a shootout between gangsters climbing and running along a roller coaster track while the coaster itself is in motion and there is a real sense of depth, along with some great stunt work.In short, if you're a fan of the 3-D format, particularly classic 3-D from the 50s, you definitely should add this to your collection. It does drag a little in parts, and without the 3-D gimmick would not be nearly as entertaining.The print really is gorgeous to look at it... I dare say it rivals the quality of Creature of the Black Lagoon. Hopefully we can expect more vintage 3-D to come to market.

Interesting to be reminded how unsophisticated we were in the 50s.Lighting, art direction, photography, acting, directing all pretty lacklusterat best...sitandard use of rear screen projection seems so amateurish today even though iy was the standard technique for decades...note ... a glass of beer was 25 cents and unfiltered cigarettes were typical.The picture quality is amazingly sharp and clear with little or no ghosting and a nice sense of depth... There were a few fun "comin at ya" moments... maybe less than one would expect from this studios first 3D picture... The best was the probing surgical instruments during the brain surgery... the startled bird escaping ... gunshots aimed directly into the.camera and a few others for u to discover .The real missed opportunity for 3D was the carnival. .... the roller coaster ... The "laughing lady fun house" ... Ferris wheel .. and all that goes with a carnival...Would be interesting to know total budget.. couldnt have been much!All in all this is a welcome addition to my 3D collection..Still hoping "Bwana Devil" will eventually make it to the 3D scene...

Fast moving suspense film with good 3D. Several scenes, such as at the carnival, showed great depth of field. There were a few flat scenes. Perhaps the 3D was lost or never shot because of a camera problem. However, these 2D scenes were very brief. The image throughout the film was very sharp and the sound was excellent. This may not be the best suspense film ever made but it is fun to watch and very entertaining.

Ok 3D movie, but I can think of many more from the era that I'd rather see get released to Blu Ray. Also, 50 bucks Is WAY, WAY too much to pay for this! It's not worth over 25. However, they only released about 3 thousand copies, so It will become hard to find and very pricey! With all that said I am glad to add this to my 3D collection. It's a neat little forgotten movie with a cop/crime plot. The 3D Is very good, and the restoration Is VERY GOOD as well! Hope they release all the 3D movies from this time period.