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Mel Martin

Robot Monster 2D, 3D, 3D anaglyphic Blu-ray.

Robot Monster 2D, 3D, 3D anaglyphic Blu-ray., George Nader, Claudia Barrett, Gregory Moffett

A perennial on late-night TV, this bad (very bad) movie, originally released in 1953, was made for $16,000, and yet on its first release made at least a million dollars!

Why? Somewhat of a mystery, but likely because it was in 3D at the height of the 3D craze. The story is about the last survivors on Earth after an alien invasion. But it’s not just any aliens. The fellow who conquered Earth looks like a guy in a gorilla suit with a diving helmet on. In fact, that’s just who he is. Well-known (at the time) gorilla suit actor George Barrows plays the Robot Monster of the title. Does he look like an alien? Nope. He looks like a guy in a gorilla suit with a diving helmet, but that’s all the producers could afford.

Robot Monster 2D, 3D, 3D anaglyphic Blu-ray.

The script makes little sense, and the acting is below subpar, but the 3D photography is terrific. The film had been thought to be lost in its original 3D version for many years and it was building up a substantial following of people who really enjoy bad movies. (and I have to admit, I am among them).

Get a crowd of people together, show the movie, and laughter will ensue. It’s a guarantee. The disc comes loaded with extras, the most interesting is an interview with Gregory Moffett, who played the little boy in the movie. He also participates in the disc commentary. Now in his 80s, he’s got some great stories about the filming of this turkey.

The restoration of his movie is terrific, especially with the 3D effects. If you’ve seen earlier versions of this film, then this will be a revelation.

There are 3 ways to watch this cult classic. From the home menu, you can select a regular 2D version. If you’ve got 3D equipment, you’ll get the best presentation of this movie. If you don’t have true 3D, they give you an anaglyphic version which is still quite good. Packed with the disc are a couple of red/blue 3D glasses.

In sort of a strange way, Robot Monster is a very entertaining movie. Yes, the acting and special effects are inept and there are clips from other movies thrown in to increase the running time. It opens with a terrible vaudeville-type act from comedic Slick Slavin, which is also in 3D. He was there to fill out the running time because the movie itself is just over an hour.

The extras are extensive and overall, interesting. Especially if you wonder how a movie like this could ever have been made in the first place.

I think this movie is an excellent buy. It’s unintentionally funny, the 3D is very good, and most people get a lot of laughs out of it. Think Mystery Science Theater without the comments. Bring your own. You won’t be able to resist.

Jim Milton

Deep Impact, 1998, 4K UHD & BD, Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision, 1 hour and 1 minute, Rated PG-13, Paramount Studios.

Deep Impact, 1998, 4K UHD & BD, Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision, 1 hour and 1 minute, Rated PG-13, Paramount Studios., Starring: Morgan Freeman, Tia Leoni, Elijah Wood, Robert Duvall and Vanessa Redgrave

With over 55 days of temperatures over 100 degrees and a lack of moisture here in West Texas, my mind has been preoccupied with disaster movies lately. A string of them came out in the late 80s and early 90s generally centered around volcanoes, ice storms, and of course, a genre unto itself, an overzealous asteroid heading towards Earth.

Deep Impact took time to develop characters and their relationships rather than fill the screen with Jerry Bruckheimer-style effects. This allows the ending of the film to be both somber and poignant. Don’t worry, there are still plenty of special effects, especially with the space crew tasked with blowing up the asteroid. The giant oceanic wave caused by the impact is almost a slow-motion dance of death and destruction that is hypnotic in beauty. The special effects hold up well in this 4K transfer and the sound is explosive when it needs to be.

The acting is excellent with Morgan Freeman, Tia Leoni, Elijah Wood, Robert Duvall, and Vanessa Redgrave. They do transform this film and make it real enough that the viewer will likely contemplate the end times. What would you do if you had one last day before the destruction of mankind? I’m thinking I’d do that LOTR trilogy movie that I have been putting off or a Bach music marathon…but that’s just me.