P3D Re: Iwerks 3d turboride

[bobsmike@xxxxxxxxx (Mike Chew)]

Went to Marine World Theme Park, Vallejo, California, and checked out
the Iwerks new computer animated 3d film, "Escape From Dino Island."
This is a sequel to their 2d "Dino Island" film.  You wear polarized
glasses and sit in a motion simulator chair that moves in quick
synchronization with the depicted 3d film elements.  For the web site,
check out:

http://www,iwerks.com

There's maybe a ten minute preshow explaining the set-up: you are going
to rescue a full-grown Tyranosaurus before Dino Island sinks due to
volcanic activity.  This is shown in 2d on overhead monitors.

Next you enter the theatre and seat yourself on the motion simulator
chairs with your seat belts fastened.  

The 3d film starts and your halftrack is being hauled through the air
through a flock of birds.  It's released and next you are traveling
undersea with a school of fishes.  Hitting land, you dive through the
legs of a herd of Brontosaurus.  Then you meet the snapping jaws of the
Tyranosaurus in 'in your lap' 3d.

There's a digital soundtrack, but it was hard to hear because of all the
screaming patrons.  
It was even hard to enjoy the 3d effects.  I'm used to sitting back in
my chair and enjoying the stereo projection.  I'm not used to watching
3d atop a bucking bronco with six degrees of motion!

The biggest mistake was that Iwerks tried to put the snapping teeth of
the Tyranosaurus right in your lap.  Unfortunately, the dinosaur is
painted a darkish brown, and the backgrounds are not particularly
bright.  When the dinosaur fills up the large screen (not Imax big) to
get close to you, his dark color blackens the screen and he becomes
almost invisible and very hard to make out.   

The 3d film was pretty short...around five minutes.  There were a lot of
quick transitions between scenes and sets and if often lost me
Marine World is a pretty expensive theme park to attend.  I wouldn't
bother going out of my way to see this film.  It is also playing at
LaRonde in Montreal.  I'm sure it wil hit other Iwersks theatres in the
future.

Mike Chew.


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