Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #22816 in DVD
• Released on: 2001-10-16
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Animated, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD, Live, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 132 minutes

Amazon.com
Without question, 3-D technology has come a long way since the days of red and green cardboard glasses, and Haunted Castle offers delectable proof. This half-hour digitally animated feature--also available in The Ultimate 3-D Collection, which includes two other films and the H3D "i-glasses" hardware needed to generate the 3-D imaging--tells the story of a young rock star facing the Faustian offer to sell his soul for fame and fortune.

The tale is a foil for the effects, of course, but a decent foil with above-par music and excellent animation and effects, from torches to trees, gargoyles to guitars. The sound is terrific, enhancing the sense of depth with a seamless DTS surround-sound mix that works well even in headphones. --Michael Mikesell

From the Back Cover
A young musician is summoned to his mother's castle in accordance with her final wishes. Upon his arrival, Johnny quickly discovers that things are not as they appear. The castle begins to come alive as materializing spirits lead him to Mephisto (voiced by Harry Shearer), the ghoulish henchman to Mr. D (also Harry Shearer), who makes Johnny a tantalizing offer. The same offer that his mother accepted over twenty years earlier: surrender your soul in exchange for fame and fortune.

Experience a whirling visual thrill ride as Johnny explores the underworld of the castle to the explosive climax where Johnny confronts Mr. D and fights to free his mother/s spirit.

Customer Reviews

Pure 3D Pleasure
One word: WOW! After I got my "Ultimate 3D Collection" assortment (which also included "Alien Adventure" and "Encounter in the Third Dimension" IMAX DVDs), the first movie I had to see was "Haunted Castle", since I love to go ghost investigating when I can get the free time and people to join me. Sure, the movie doesn't even comes close to anything realistic in the field of paranormal investigation, but as a 3D CGI fun ride, it's awesome. I can see that it would be quite boring in 2D, but I watched it with the accompanying Razor 3D shutter glasses (put out by edimensional) and was totally blown away. Got my mother to sit in and enjoy the film as well. We were both loving the dimensional effects, and more importantly, the fantastic music. If it wasn't for "Haunted Castle," I would never have known about "Lunascape". Can't wait to get their "Reminiscence" album, which has the "Lane Navachi" song from this movie on it. "Arid" is also excellent in the movie, though "Little Things of Venom" is really the only good song from their album "At The Close Of Every Day". As for the CGI in the movie, it kind of reminds me of the first two "Myst" games for computers. Really, the only thing that dates it is the globular effect used for when the three knights melt at the beginning of the film. Everything else is still excellent. My only complaint would be that the roller coaster segment doesn't go fast enough and wasn't more like the CGI "Devil's Mine Ride" short film (which can be found on the "Computer Animation Festival 2.0" video, if you can find a copy). If you love IMAX and 3D movies, get "Haunted Castle". You won't be disappointed, unless you don't have a pair of shutter glasses.

IT'S LIKE A RIDE,DUDE!
Indeed the 3D effects in this film make you feel as if you are in a motion simulator at times and it's a very cool experience for the 3d fanatic like myself. I wasn't as enamored of the music as some of the other reviewers here but it wasn't bad.It did need a bit more humor for Harry Shearer ( The Simpsons,Spinal Tap) to work with but it is cool and goth looking and fun for kids except for maybe very young ones.You do need a standard tube set to make it work with the included system but rumor has it that version for LCD and projectors systems are not far off. Untill then this is the best we got.

Dukey Flyswatter

Amazing Stuff
Out of watching about ten different IMAX movies this is my favorite one. The visuals are amazing and the music is breathtaking. The story is ok but for IMAX movie standards its really good. Besides that I think that is a terrific product.