themediamademecrazy.com

the cover to The Charisse Collection UNCENSORED DVD was designed to emulate the cover for Michael Jackson NUMBER ONES.

because this is technically an endeavor about the role of media in constructing the psychology of self, i figured i should include my most recent exciting media moment. i posted this movie review of coraline (in 3D) on facebook.

“absolutely amazing in 3D. much like speed racer in IMAX, i don’t know if i could give it such an enthusiastic thumbs up had i see in it in standard film format. the 3D effects were used to immerse the audience in the story, instead of simply as a gimmick. well played.”

i don’t usually post movie comments on this site, however, the experience of current 3D technology has inspired me to expand my content. allow me to elaborate on my aforementioned coraline experience…

last weekend was the last weekend to catch coraline in 3D that, according to leonard maltin, “was the best movie [he’d ever seen] in 3D.” although 3D has yet to improve on the mild headache induced by the glasses, i was very impressed with its use naratively in the film. the stereoscopic-ness was employed to create a realistic environment. coraline as a film was exciting and really demonstrated an awareness of creepy family films that came before it (e.g., beetlejuice, nightmare before christmas, pan’s labyrinth).

i suppose i should admit here that i am easily scared and, despite my “grown person” status, i was scared at some point in all of the aforementioned films. with coraline, however, the fear response that i experienced was definitely more visceral due to, i believe, the effect of 3D, and this sensation increased over the course of the film as the narrative heightens the suspension of disbelief.
without spoiling the film, coraline is forced to crawl through a tunnel that looks very much like human intestines; as she is chased through this tunnel, the music, the narrative tension, and the actual perceived depth of the tunnel all combined to create a strangely disturbing experience for a 28-year-old woman in the theater.

then again, i’m the person who cried at lilo & stitch in 2002.

i’m intrigued as to other’s general experience with 3D films - do you actually perceive an increased sense of presence and physicality when watching a film in 3D? independent of the tricks like butterflies flying into and out of the screen, but is the overall experience of the film heightened?

for part 2, click here

this has been a constant topic in my work and life. feel free to read the first rendition written with abran alaniz here and stay tuned for the sample chapter!