3D

3D is all the rage these days, and now that Avatar has made like eleventy bajillion dollars (which is totally a real number), it seems as though it's probably here to stay. This means we can expect all kinds of cool movies to make the jump from boring old 2D over to much more gimmicky 3D.

One such title that appears to be making the move to the third dimension is Ridley Scott's highly anticipated prequel to Alien. Website Shadowlocked.com recently sat down with Roger Christian (art director on Scott's original film), who spilled the beans on plans for the new title.

"Ridley's doing the next Alien in 3D," Christian told the site. "Ridley told me some of his ideas when we were here in Toronto. He has a very clear understanding of where this should go. They kind of stopped dead one of the greatest horror franchises there's ever been, and it had legs to go on. So I'm hoping he'll revive another three. The world certainly wants it, and the fans want it - everybody. "

Now, keep in mind that this is still basically a rumor--the studio hasn't confirmed any of this, and Christian isn't officially involved with the Alien prequel at this point. However, if there's a franchise that could really benefit from using 3D technology, Alien is definitely on the short list. The thought of Xenomorphs popping out of the screen and facehuggers flying directly at me is cool beyond words.

What do you think? Does the idea of a new Alien film being in 3D fill you with excitement over the possibilities or does it make you worry that the gimmick will overshadow what's truly important--seeing nasty monsters eat people's faces? Let us know in the comment section below.

I don't even know what to say anymore. Every bit of horror news that percolates up from the sediment of the internet has '3D' tacked onto the end of it. .We're just going to have to deal with it until it dies down. I imagine that it's a prerequisite for a film to get greenlit. Scripts are probably littering the floors of storage rooms for years, only to be resurrected if they can make an extra buck from its third dimensionification (No, that's not a word. Shut-up.).

Now Simon Crane, an erstwhile second-unit director-cum-stuntman, gets his turn at the helm of a picture, the Peak. Carr has helped steer a number of high adrenaline flicks, as you'll see from his IMDB listings, and his pairing with this premise could make for some thrill-driven scares.

According to our fellow degenerates over at Bloody Disgusting, the facts are these:

"The Peak is a 3-D supernatural thriller set in the Himalayas on the world's most dangerous mountain. Its name is Nanga Parbat, but the locals call it "The Killer Mountain" because they believe it is haunted. Although it is only the sixth-highest peak in the world, more climbers have died on its slopes than even on Mount Everest.

This is the story of an American man who led a rescue up the peak a year ago, saw things that defy explanation, and has refused to climb again. Instead, he hides out, hermit-like, in a Himalayan village waiting for the annual visit of his 10-year-old daughter.

And then his worst nightmare happens: her plan crashes atop the peak. She's alive. But an air rescue is out of the question. He is her only chance of survival - he has no choice but to lead a small team on a climb where no-one dares to tread. "

You probably recognize Peter Straub as 'the guy who wrote 'the Talisman with Stephen King'. That's a fair assessment. You're not alone. That's his big claim to fame, although he does have a storied career in fiction of all sorts dating back to the early 70's. If the Talisman ever makes it to the big screen and is done any sort of justice, expect rapturous shouts from many of the folks here on Horror Squad, myself included. It's been in and out of the Hollywood grinder for a while, so don't hold your breath. Aside from that, film adaptations of Straub's work have been slim. His first dip into the horror pool, Julia, was adapted in the late 70's as Full Circle. One horror fans are likely more familiar with, however, is Ghost Story, starring a dance-free Fred Astaire.

Now, the Pangea Film Group has announced that they're bringing his 1980 novel, Shadowland, to theaters. Shadowland lies in the gray area between horror and fantasy. It's a story of two young teens, Tom and Del, who go to stay with an odd uncle. Oh, and the uncle is a sorceror. PFG describes it as a cross between Dead Poet's Society and the Shining, which is probably the elevator pitch that got some studio exec to fund it.

At the helm is a fellow by the name of Erik Canuel, whom you all know from his work on the eleven episodes of Big Wolf on Campus. And who can forget the fine work of screenwriter Larry Leahy, from those groundbreaking Transformers episodes in the mid 1980s. If that's not enough to sell you, it should be noted that the full title is 'Shadowland 3D'. Now that you've gagged on my snark, discuss. . .

The 3D fad is upon us like a plague. As I've mentioned before, this is what Avatar hath wrought. I'm certainly all for keeping cinema alive in the age of piracy, narrow DVD release windows, and rising ticket prices, but it seems like every other film announced these days is being forged in the third dimension. Why? Just for the hell of it, I suppose. Does it really sell more tickets? Does it enhance the movie in any way? Anyone who has seen their share of 3D horror films knows that more often than not, they're just hurling weapons and body parts at the screen, rather than creating some sort of immersive environment that actually serves the story. I'm sorry. Did I say I wasn't going to rant?

Now the Italians are crashing the party with Hidden. Directed by Mariano Baino, this low budget, English language flick purports to be the first Italian produced 3D film, which leads me to my next point of contention. You see, I have sources. I have contacts. There are people out there, sniffing around and digging up facts. But I also have the Google. It took me all of 90 seconds to find that Nozze Vagabonde is actually the first Italian 3D film. Oh, and that was about 75 years ago.

Screen Daily has some more of the info here, where they lay out a quick bullet about the plot:

The horror/thriller is about an abandoned experimental medical centre that harbours a deadly secret. It only becomes known when a restoration project begins.

Also, here's the synopsis for Brad Anderson's superlative Session 9:

The horror/thriller is about an abandoned experimental medical centre that harbours a deadly secret. It only becomes known when a restoration project begins.

Hidden starts filming this month.

I haven't seen the 1987 Tibor Takács film, The Gate, in its entirety but people either seem to love it or pass it off as a goofy kids flick. Well, the gateway to hell is being reopened by director Alex Winter and in 3D format. Academy Award winning special effects guru, Randall William Cook, is designing the creatures for the remake and new creature design will be done by visionary artist H.R. Giger (Alien). Visiting the Giger Bar in Switzerland is on my list of things to do before I die. Just sayin'.

You probably remember Alex Winter in front of the camera in The Lost Boys and Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, but he made his directing debut with Freaked in 1993 which was soon followed by Fever in 1999. Since then he has been keeping busy with several writing projects, as well as directing music videos, commercials and working on Ben 10: Race Against Time for the Cartoon Network.

After the jump you can check out the full synopsis of The Gate 3D which revolves around two friends who discover the gateway to a demonic world in their own backyard. There's also some more concept art to peek at.

I'm really looking forward to seeing what the newly resurrected Hammer Studios has to offer with The Resident and Let Me In and according to a report from Dread Central they can also add The Woman in Black to that list, in 3D.

The film is being penned by Jane Goldman, who worked on Neil Gaiman's Stardust. There are no other details available yet but if anyone can remake Susan Hill's 1983 ghost story, Hammer can. The story surrounds the people of a small English town who are being haunted by a menacing spectre. According to the local legends, seeing the Woman in Black meant that the death of a child would follow. The story was adapted into a stage play and a 1989 TV movie by Nigel Kneale who is best known for his work on the Quatermass sci-fi serials (a must see by the way).

When I think of films that would make great 3D versions, I don't think of a story like The Woman in Black but I remain open minded. I'm also curious to see if they 'Americanize' the story and maintain the Gothic appeal of the original. The television version of Hill's story was an unexpected success so perhaps history will repeat itself.

Check out the clips from the television version after the jump. The Woman in Black is played by Pauline Moran, an actress with an interesting history. She was the secretary (Miss Lemon) of Hercule Poirot in the British TV series Poirot, played bass for an all-girl band and is a professional astrologer.

The use of 3D in horror needs to be carefully chosen. The recent bit of news discussing the acquisition of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre rights by Twisted Pictures from Platinum Dunes revealed that the newest entry will be in 3D, leading me to believe that 3D technology is being applied willy-nilly to horror films. Although I object to 3D horror films in general, I am looking forward to see the application of the technology to Burst 3D.

According to Bloody-Disgusting, Lionsgate, in association with Ghost House Pictures, has announced that Neil Marshall will replace Daniel Calparsoro in the director's chair for the horror/thriller written Gary Dauberman about a group of strangers stranded in a lodge begin to explode one-by-one, presumably by an unseen malevolent force; which gives us a visual quite appropriate for the 3D technology.

The film will be produced by Sam Raimi and longtime collaborator/producer Rob Tapert, the two men behind Ghost House Pictures, and comes hot off the heels of the success of My Bloody Valentine 3D, another Lionsgate production. The announcement was made in part by co-Chief Operating Officer of Lionsgate Joe Drake, who was also a co-founder of Ghost House Pictures with Raimi and Tapert.