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Encounter in the Third Dimension

Play trailer Encounter in the Third Dimension 1999 40m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
73% Tomatometer 11 Reviews 64% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
This mix of fact-based documentary and camp comedy focuses on a professor (Stuart Pankin) as he explains the history and technology of 3-D film-making, with the help of his flying robot assistant, M.A.X. Enlisting late-night television temptress Elvira (Cassandra Peterson) to illustrate his new invention, Real-O-Vision, the professor loses control and all goes haywire. In the end, Elvira turns the professor into cardboard and traps M.A.X. inside a TV, debating whether or not to release him.

Critics Reviews

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Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times 10/30/2001
2/4
Watching MAX whizzing about, I reflected that it was done well, but, alas, I did not want it done at all. Go to Full Review Philip Martin Arkansas Democrat-Gazette 03/09/2007
74/100
While the film promises a tour through the history of stereoscopic effects, the survey is pretty cursory, with a lot of old Stereopticon cards and clips from 3-D movies from the form's early 1950s heyday like Bwana Devil (1952). Go to Full Review Film Threat 12/06/2005
3/5
TV Guide 09/24/2005
2/5
Film Threat 12/08/2002
3/5
Herb Lash Big Movie Zone 06/17/2002
The film is ... not so much a satisfying story as it is a fun loving promise of things to come in the world of IMAX in 3-D. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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05/13/2009 It's gonna be great if u see it in IMAX 3D. See more Read all reviews
Encounter in the Third Dimension

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Ben Stassen

Director

Stuart Pankin

The Professor

Cassandra Peterson

Elvira, Mistress of the Dark

Andrea Thompson

Ruth in the Booth

Kim Nelson Fry

Co-Producer

Charlotte Huggins

Producer

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Encounter in the Third Dimension

Encounter in the Third Dimension (1998) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis This mix of fact-based documentary and camp comedy focuses on a professor (Stuart Pankin) as he explains the history and technology of 3-D film-making, with the help of his flying robot assistant, M.A.X. Enlisting late-night television temptress Elvira (Cassandra Peterson) to illustrate his new invention, Real-O-Vision, the professor loses control and all goes haywire. In the end, Elvira turns the professor into cardboard and traps M.A.X. inside a TV, debating whether or not to release him.
Director
Ben Stassen
Producer
Charlotte Huggins
Screenwriter
Ben Stassen, Kurt Frey
Distributor
NWave Pictures
Production Co
Movida, nWave Pictures, Luminair
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 31, 1999, Original
Release Date (DVD)
Oct 16, 2001
Box Office (Gross USA)
$7.2M
Runtime
40m