Robot Monster: 70th Anniversary Restoration (IN 3-D) Blu Ray Review

Ever since the dawn of cinema, there have been features that entice us to watch even the strangest and cheesiest of films. Lately, everything is super massive Dolby-DTS-Laser-4D-O-Rama, but decades ago the big thing was seeing humans, robots, monsters, and other creatures popping out of the screen to seemingly attack you from their 2D prisons. 3-D was BIG, and I’m not referring to the recent (seemingly dead) trend of “Hey, James Cameron did this for Avatar, so let’s put it in every movie imaginable until someone barfs – Real 3D.” The old tried but true Anaglyphic red and blue glasses used mainly these days for comic books.

Now, thanks to Bayview Entertainment and the talented team of Bob Furmanek and 3D Film Archive Restoration, you can experience the classic world of 3-D cinema with the brand-new 70th Anniversary Restoration (In 3-D!) of Robot Monster, now available on Blu Ray. As Bob explains in one of the MANY fantastic features on the set (that I’ll be getting to later), the opportunity to work alongside Hollywood Comedy legend, Jerry Lewis, as well as having access to numerous film library vaults eventually led him to the discovery of the right half of the 3-D version for Monster From Mars (the film that would later be known as Robot Monster). From there, 3D Film Archive was born.

If Robot Monster sounds terribly familiar to you, it may be because you’re a fan of Mystery Science Theater 3000. The movie is one of the classic riffs, from the very first season of the show, airing back in 1989 (as well as over three decades later by RiffTrax in November 2022). Outside of riffs, it’s one for its own time… Boy finds Robot Monster, Robot Monster destroys every human on earth (save for 8, and eventually 6), Adult sister of Boy tries to appeal to Robot Monster (after getting shotgun married to love interest), Robot Monster starts feeling human (but gets shut down by Robot Monster High Supreme Leader). Just as all hope is lost… spoiler… Wizard of Oz style ending. Still, in the original intended 3-D, the movie regains some of the original appeal that audiences experienced over 70 years ago.

Speaking of the Blu Ray set, the amazing work of the 3D Film Archive Restoration team is on full display in both the classic Anaglyphic format… OR! If you’re fortunate enough to own a 3D Blu Ray TV and Player (I was not, unfortunately), the film also plays in the aforementioned “3D for the sake of 3D in modern era” format. Even still, the classic 3-D format pops in places and is not distracting or intrusive to eyes. Quite the contrary, I had the movie playing in the dark on my 55 inch 4K television, and it at moments felt like an experience that I imagine may have been similar to how it was in the 1953, when Robot Monster first released in theaters.

As I eluded to at the beginning, Blu Ray set boasts an amazing number of special features, both in 2D as well as in 3D. In fact, I would say that Robot Monster is the main course in the 3-D features, centered around an entire buffet of MORE 3-D features. I’d be amiss by mentioning the open to the 3-D version is essentially a warmup for your experience, titled Stardust in your Eyes featuring Slick Slavin (Trustin Howard) performing various impersonations and singing while featuring the 3-D aspect of the film. The 2-D bonus feature Saving Slick is a documentary by Sean Thrunk where Howard is found years later to reminisce on the original short.

A few more of the special features to note (as again, there are a plethora, too many to name): Trailers From Hell from 2003 where legendary filmmaker Joe Dante discusses the 1956 reissued trailer for Monster from Mars. There’s also 3-D feature Adventures in 3-D with newly restored Golden Age 3-D Comic Books, as well as Memories of a Pooped-Out Pinwheel featuring Greg Moffit (the last surviving actor from the film, who starred as boy Johnny) discussing memories of filming back in 1953.

Pretty fair to say that classic 3-D makes a huge statement on this set. If you want to be like the 3-D, to feel and want the 3-D… make it part of your plan to purchase this Blu Ray! Calculate it into your collection today!

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