INTO THE DEEP 3D - an IMAX film

[Achilles Tang]

Hello fellow reefers...

There is a new 3D movie documentary on reefs and it's an IMAX film... so we can expect good imagery. Anyone keen to watch this tomorrow night at 7.40pm? It's only 35 mins.... and we can follow up with another movie thereafter or go for makan!

Here's are some reviews on the film:

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IMAX's Into The Deep

reviewed by The Self-Made Critic

I may never go swimming again.

This weekend, in a break from the norm, I journeyed into the fringes of the motion picture experience and discovered nature. I mean real life, in your face, duck 'cause here it comes in 3D nature.

I have been to an IMAX theater before. I have seen a 3D movie before. I had never before combined the two experiences. But I have experienced the underwater documentary, Into The Deep, and my life is forever changed.

A brief history. A few years ago, I don't remember exactly, they started building IMAX theaters, movie screens six-stories high, created to show certain films created for this new, exciting format. I saw a production at the Smithsonian a couple years ago, and it's an awe-inspiring sight. Well now, they're making them in a new kind of 3D. Good-bye flimsy plastic geek goggles, hello cool-awesome Devo-retro military night-vision visors. Now we're talking 3-friggin'-D!

So my first foray into this new world was this undersea voyage of discovery. I tell you, there are some things about the bottom of the ocean that man was not meant to know. You ain't lived until you've watched a lobster molt.

OK, let's be honest here, this was a documentary. 35 minutes of some out of work actress doing a voice-over while we watched fish. But damn it, it was captivating. Would it have been as captivating in regular, run of the mill, 2D? Yeah, it would. But when a 4-story Moray Eel lunges at you in 3D, you jump, scream and often times wet yourself.

I want to see what happens when they start making fictional stories for this format on a large scale. There are approximately 150 of these theaters in the world at this time, compared to over 26,000 regular screens in the US alone. But that number will change. The first made-for-IMAX feature, Wings of Courage (with Val Kilmer and Tom Hulce) is already a huge success, and I have every intention of seeing it soon, but IMAX announced last week plans to create an all-new Star Trek adventure with the entire crew of either, Voyager, Deep Space Nine, or The Next Generation. They expect to release it in 18-24 months. Imagine what the hunger for THAT will be!

I tell you, if you have an IMAX theater near you, take advantage of this incredible format and see Into The Deep or Wings of Courage. I mean this is like no other kind of 3D you've ever experienced! Even if you see one of the many 2D versions of an IMAX film, it's still a sight to behold.

About the film itself. Cool. Cool, cool. I have a whole new respect for starfish. When they showed us the mating rituals of whatever kind of squid we were seeing, "Once a year, the Spring Moon brings thousands of these creatures together to mate for the only time that year in an unabashed orgy." I could only think, "Kinda like college." You get to see Sea Lions brushing their teeth, a Sunstar stalk just about anything that gets in its way - sort of like the Alien ships in Independence Day, a Giribaldi Fish do some house cleaning, and a couple of love-lorn Crabs.

Crabs ... cool. They look like something out of a science-fiction movie.

In fact, most of these denizens of the deep are straight out of the most overactive imaginations you can think of. If they haven't been tapped for inspiration yet, they will be soon. Me, I'm gonna make a movie about this all-powerful Sea Anemone, eating away at the fabric of time. Whatdya think, will it sell?

In all, I grant Into The Deep 4 Babylons. Most of those Babylons are as much for the experience as for the film, and for what wonders the future could hold.

Hey Mr. Lucas! You wanna revamp Star Wars one more time? Make it an IMAX 3D flick. Can you imagine...?

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Full Review

Into the Deep is not a good movie to plan your son's sixteenth birthday party around. However, it is a good movie to see on your day off, at an aquarium visit, or if you enjoy 3D films in general.

IMAX devotees will probably have seen this movie, since it's been out for a couple years already. But they may want to check it out again; especially if the movie was seen using 3D goggle that did not employ the LCD electronic shutters.

ITD is a thirty minute undersea exploration. The facts come quickly and often, but one topic is never discussed so thoroughly that the movie loses its appeal. The movie is a little slower than other IMAX films that have opted for the story narrative (rather than the Discovery Channel information fact sheet type narration), but what it lacks in narration it more than makes up in sheer beauty. The technical aspects of this film are incredible in and of themselves (you try filming at the bottom of the ocean using a 100+ pound camera that has to be reloaded with film stock every three minutes), but the shots outshine even those.

The movie explores a coral reef setting, and introduces the viewer to many interesting fish, seals, and crustaceans. If you have a child that is dead-set on becoming a marine biologist, s/he will love this film.

This movie is ideal for school groups, although I would hesitate before trekking an entire class to the IMAX theatre for just one film that's only 35 minutes long... try to catch a double feature with another film if you can.

I would not recommend this movie to groups of teenagers hanging out and looking for a way to spend the evening. I would also not recommend renting it on video, should the video ever become available. You will lose too much of the scenery, as well as the 3D effects that really make this movie.

Recommended

Yes

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Journey to an enchanting underwater world of swaying kelp forests and glowing corals. Swim nose-to-nose with colorful garibaldi, starfish, and sharks; play tag with sea lions; observe the frenzied mating of the opalescent squid and other rarely seen behavior of the creatures of the eternal undersea night. Filmed off the coast of Southern California, "Into the Deep" dazzles, entertains and mesmerizes. 42 min.

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Deep better in 3D

By BRUCE KIRKLAND

Toronto Sun

The IMAX nature film Into The Deep should not be confused with the current police thriller In Too Deep.

The nature movie shows a school of frenzied opalescent squid mating. The thriller shows humans going at it in softcore ###### scenes.

Trust me on this one, the squid are more interesting to watch, especially in 3D.

Into The Deep officially opens today at the Famous Players IMAX theatres in both the Paramount and the Colossus, although unofficially it has been playing for a few days at the Paramount to fill in for another film that was pulled.

The film, directed by marine specialist Howard Hall and shot off the coast of California, made its world premiere in Japan five years ago and is only now being seen in Toronto.

Into The Deep spends 35 minutes exploring the underwater world of giant kelp beds, a remarkable habitat teeming with octopus, morays eels, pelagic jellyfish, bat rays, California sea lions and the aggressive red garibaldi fish, which have an extraordinary mating ritual as bizarre as those opalescent squid.

There is nothing whatsoever innovative about the look and the approach of the film. Nor is Kate Nelligan's narration, written in overly flowery language, of any great insight.

What it does do is show how marvellous the world of nature is when the right equipment is used to depict it. Nothing looks better than when shot with IMAX cameras.

Where Into The Deep really shines is in the 3D arena. You literally feel as if you are there, underwater, floating effortlessly through the giant kelp like a scuba diver.

The freedom in this feeling is exhilarating, even if the film is not that important.

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Hosted by actress Kate Nelligan, Into the Deep is an enchanting tale of underwater adventures. We are swept to the depths of the sea, where many myths have grown up, through the lapping waves and layers of blue, and into a entirely different universe of mesmerizing kelp forests, jungles and corals all colors of the rainbow. The life down there jumps from the screen, making us feel as if we are actually swimming with all sorts of marine life, from garibaldi and starfish to sharks. Sea Lions play a game of tag, virtually inviting us along, and we better turn our eyes and let the opalescent squid mate by themselves! We are here privy to a world usually closed to us land-dwellers, and we are about to find out their world is just as exciting as our own, if not more! For underwater, the night never ends, and it’s always time to play.

"With the pretty pictures and music, it attained what I believed at that time to be the highest calling of the Imax technology." - Howard Hall, CHICAGO NEWCITYNET

"Where Into The Deep really shines is in the 3D arena. You literally feel as if you are there, underwater, floating effortlessly through the giant kelp like a scuba diver." - Bruce Kirkland, TORONTO SUN

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Well, we missed the show we actually wanted to watch...Fortunate mistake!

I had absolutely NO desire to see a movie about water. Or fish. Or a hokey 3D movie for that matter. The red and blue glasses I peeled out of my comics when I was growing up was all a bit too dopey for me...But alas, my cohorts persuaded me the only way anyone could-they paid for my ticket and would not take me home until it was over.

We were the first to buy tickets, and I had no idea what I was getting into since I had never been to an IMAX before. Oversized screen. Yee-haw.

Reserved seats? What is this about?

You are trying to tell me that sitting third balcony up in the middle are the best seats in the house? That is way too far!

What do you mean we are not aloud into the auditorium until 10 minutes before the moive starts? We ran out of things to talk about when I started moaning, and I haven't stopped since we bought the tickets...Maybe if I keep on they will let me go!

So, they open the doors and let us in. I am handed a pair of HUMUNGOUS spectacles that look a bit like safety glasses for constructions workers. This is so bad.

We climb a million stairs and squint in the darkness searching for our row....Then walk ever so slowly looking for our assigned seat. And we only have 10 minutes for everyone in the place to get situated. Why is this? Another not so good sign-these seats are made for averaged size people. The person assigned to the chair next to me hangs completely out of his seat, and what I am assuming to be part of his stomach (please be part of his stimach) is getting way to friendly with my arm. My brother in law is kind enough to trade seats.

So the auditorium lights go down (didn't realize they were "up", and everyone who didn't feel like looking like an idiot earlier, is now forced to put on the workmans glasses since looking at the screen is odd without them. Everything is blurred.

I put them on-and the world has changed...

There is kelp coming at me!!! I tried dodging it, but was late. And I actually had the reaction of checking to see if there was any of it still in my hair. I quickly became engrossed in this 3D world. The images were amazing. Fish, eels and sharks swim up to you and past you with no concern for those whom they have already gone over. I made several attempts to capture some of the smaller fish, but I never prevailed. None of the other spectators walked out with a fish either, although several of us kept sticking our hands out making periodic grabs for them.

This was brilliant. There was so much to see and so much to learn about. The effect is one not to be missed if you can at all help it. And please drag a skeptic friend with you. They may enjoy it as much as I did!!!

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Don't be guided by the onimnously scary title of this 3D film. Into The Deep is a documentary, not a horror and you'll be dissapointed if you expected an adrenaline rush.

However, if you were wanting a nice relaxing 40 minutes of the movie equivalent of going scuba diving - then you'll have a great time.

My first and only word of warning is:

BOOK EARLY AND CHOOSE YOUR SEATS!

I've been to the IMAX before and had great seats (about 2/3rds back and slightly off centre), but this time we were running late and ended up right at the front. The screen is absolutely huge - the entire height of the building. Sat at the front, you not only get major neck ache from staring straight up, but the 3D effects are almost entirely wasted.

You need to be a certain distance away for your eyes to manage that 3D thing. If you take off your special glasses during the film, you can see that the image is made by having at least two images of everything. Your eyes are tricked into converting this into 3D messages. But, if you really are too close, it doesn't quite work! It is too much of a gap between the duplicate images and your eyes struggle to make sense of it. I found that the film seemed out of focus and the 3D bits just blurred more.

After ten minutes we abandoned ship and crept up the centre stairs to sit on them at the top.

This was a much better view and everything seemed sharp. The only drawback was the two handrails, either side of us that were constantly in view!

It actually adds to the 3D effect by being far enough back to see the fish swimming over the audience and obviously it seems more impressive if things jump out of the screen right at you, if they've got further to go!

If you've been following the Blue Planet series, this film can't compete on subject matter, but that is more than made up by the feeling that you really are in the water. Weed floats by your face now and then and you have to stop yourself from brushing it to the side (you'll look a fool!)

The shark is the most impressive 3D fellow but the whole idea of gliding through hundreds of tiny fish is just as captivating.

At £7.00 a ticket, half an hour arrival makes all the difference in the quality of the experience.

If you are a nature lover, this is a must.

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[TanGo]

Why everytime got outing I have to be on duty????

[hotsoup]

Would love to but need to take care of my son and also one more inside my wife's stomach. Woman u know,sigh.... very emotional @ this stage unless I bring them along.

[Tanzy]

Why everytime got outing I have to be on duty????

It means it's time to quit your job and take care of your reef tank 24/7.

[TanGo]

It means it's time to quit your job and take care of your reef tank 24/7.

Cannot quit job..

Quit liao no money to sustain chiller.. Power bills.. Water bills.. Fish food...

So I work for my tank...

[Achilles Tang]

Alright, perhaps we can postpone this to next Friday?

I think one day's notice is too short too...

AT

[Sinn]

where will it be AT ?

[wolfie]

Sinn, I ans 4 AT.

It'll b screened @ GV Great World. The tix prices r $10 and if u haf motion sickness, I recommend u don't go. Additional info, if you buy

[Achilles Tang]

OOps!

I am bringing my livestock to go watch then...

LOL!!! Ok... postponed again... I am sure the movie run will be over by then.

When is a good time guys?

[Cedric]

I have seen the movie quite some time ago. Its $13 pax and really short. IMO, not a very good show, talks about squid and how they mate and some other very general marine stuff. Nothing on reef though. You might want to think twice.

[Sinn]

thanx wolfie ...

cedric

only abt squids mating? i can make them do that to...

so how? still go ahead wiff the plans ?

[spade]

There is a new 3D movie documentary on reefs and it's an IMAX film... so we can expect good imagery.

i've seen it. nothing on reef butta the 3d is great

wondering whether they will do one on the Great Barrier Reef ??

[BarraCudaTM]

dont waste yr $$

all you can see is seafans .. no corals at all