MUST WATCH: Insane STALINGRAD VFX Reel !!

Tim here, and you need to check out insanely impressive, awesome looking STALINGRAD Visual Effects Reel! Something that's even more impressive is the amount of work that went into this VFX Reel just to show all of the layers and work that went into creating the spectacular effects seen in the film. The movie came out in 3D earlier this fall, and is directed by Fedor Bondarchuk with the 3D produced by Steve Schklair (3ality Technica; using their TS-5 rig and SIP (Stereoscopic Image Processor)), and it stars Thomas Kretschmann (KING KONG, WANTED, RESIDENT EVIL: APOCOLYPSE) and Yanina Studilina. The folks at 3ality Technica should continue to be very proud of this movie. The visual effects were done by Main Road|Post, and you can learn more about them on their Official Site: www.mrpost.ru

As of December 8, 2013 the movie has amassed $66,982,391 from the total of its Foreign releases according to Box Office Mojo. The movie is slated to hit the UK February 21, 2014 according to the release schedule of its IMDB Page. Should it nab the Best Foreign Film Oscar Nomination at the 86^th Academy Awards you can expect a North American release to occur before the final votes need to be submitted.

Here's the movie's storyline:
Written by Ilya Tilkin and Sergey Snezhkin and directed by Fedor Bondarchuk, STALINGRAD is set in 1942, when invading German troops were in control of the Volga River. A group of Soviet soldiers finds a young woman trapped behind enemy lines and works to protect her.

impressive VFX Reel IS BELOW:

The movie is performing really well overseas, and is Russia's Official Selection for entry for the Best Foreign Film Oscar Nomination at the 86^th Academy Awards.

STALINGRAD 3D Grabs Over $8 Million More With China Opening - $60 Million Worldwide !

Fedor Bondarchuk’s 3D World War II movie STALINGRAD is posting exceptional numbers overseas. First it set records in Russia and the Ukraine and now it has landed in China. Over the first four days of release, STALINGRAD has gated $8.3 million from 7,013 screens, beating the openings of PEARL HARBOR and WAR HORSE.

Screenings continue in Russia as well, bringing in another $2.8 million making it's take on Russian soil $47.8 million with an additional $3.3 million in the Ukraine.

Total box office to date is ~$60 million and is Russian's entry for Foreign Language Oscar.

I know the folks over 3ality Technica are very proud of the movie and it's continued success! In fact I recently conducted an interview with Steve Schklair, 3D producer on the movie (also CEO of 3ality) and I will have that up shortly for you.

Here's the movie's storyline:
Written by Ilya Tilkin and Sergey Snezhkin and directed by Fedor Bondarchuk, STALINGRAD is set in 1942, when invading German troops were in control of the Volga River. A group of Soviet soldiers finds a young woman trapped behind enemy lines and works to protect her. Thomas Kretschmann and Yanina Studilina star.

Watch the trailer for STALINGRAD 3D here.

Source: Variety

STALINGRAD Sets Russian Box Office Records - Sets Sights On Oscar!

A good friend of mine, Steve Schklair is a co-producer on STALINGRAD which was shot in amazing native 3D. I've seen segments of the movie and was not only moved by the attention to detail, authenticity of the war and acting - but also the 3D. Director Fedor Bondarchuk’s budget was $30 million and it's all on the screen and then some. It was shot on a massive set built outside St. Petersburg and painstakingly brought back to the horror of World War II in Russia.

3ality Technica supplied the 3D systems and technology behind the movie using the TS-5 rigs. I've seen these rigs up close and personal and they are impressive pieces of technology.

I love how artistically the visuals are done, mimicking film stock of the period that has been subsequently colorized. Brilliant. The visual effects are Hollywood class as well, no doubt.

Russia has selected STALINGRAD as their Best Foreign Language contender for the Academy Awards for many reasons, one of which is obviously box office: The movie broke records in opening number one in Russia (1400 screens) and the Ukraine, raking in $17.3 million. I honestly believe it is deserving of the Oscar for its technical and creative triumphs. Sony distributed overseas.

Here's the movie's storyline:
Written by Ilya Tilkin and Sergey Snezhkin and directed by Fedor Bondarchuk, STALINGRAD is set in 1942, when invading German troops were in control of the Volga River. A group of Soviet soldiers finds a young woman trapped behind enemy lines and works to protect her. Thomas Kretschmann and Yanina Studilina star.

Here's what MarketSaw reader 'Katusha' had to say about his experience with the director and his movie:
"This is the best director in russia right now and I highly recommend his other movies which commonly share personal stories against a military historical backdrop. Fedor Bondarchuk's father, Sergei Bondarchuk also directed "War and Peace" in 1960's. His films do have patriotic notes - and there is much to be proud of for the efforts of Russian people to defend their land and families from German invasion, and this film's goal is to show their heroism and sacrifice. Germans were the aggressors, so I wouldn't expect a Russian director to side with them too much."

You've got to see the trailer for this movie if you haven't seen it yet.

If you know your history, then you know that the Battle of Stalingrad was one of the bloodiest battles in the history of warfare. To brush up on the details, click here.

Impressively, STALINGRAD is the first IMAX movie that is non-American and is Russia's first 3D movie. More details when I get it - I working on something special for this...

Sources: Variety | The Moscow Times | The Wrap

MUST WATCH: First STALINGRAD Trailer Released!!

Tim here, and as a fellow World War II history buff we can all rejoice because the first trailer for the insanely awesome looking STALINGRAD movie coming out in 3D this fall is out. Directed by Russian Fedor Bondarchuk with the 3D produced by Steve Schklair (3ality Technica; using their TS-5 rig and SIP (Stereoscopic Image Processor)) and starring Thomas Kretschmann (KING KONG, WANTED, RESIDENT EVIL: APOCOLYPSE) this movie looks like a thrill. Could it possibly be a contender for the Best Foreign Picture category at the Oscars this year?

For those of you not familiar with the Battle of Stalingrad, you can read about it on Wikipedia. The opening paragraph says this:

The Battle of Stalingrad (August 23, 1942–February 2, 1943) was a major battle of World War II in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad (now Volgograd) in the southwestern Soviet Union. Marked by constant close-quarters combat and lack of regard for military and civilian casualties, it is among the bloodiest battles in the history of warfare. The heavy losses inflicted on the German army make it arguably the most strategically decisive battle of the whole war. Afterwards, the German forces never regained the initiative in war in the East.

According to IMDB STALINGRAD is the "first Russian movie made completely in 3D and the first non-American film in the IMAX format." This is a pretty big deal for Russia, and depicting the infamous battle screenwriter Ilya Tilkin studied museum archives as well as the diaries of the Stalingrad Battle participants to write his original script.

MOVIE SYNOPSIS (IMDB written by Ilya Tilkin):

Stalingrad has become hell and paradise for those who were worthy of awards, but the only reward they managed to get was love. How they won, and how they were not defeated, who they were and who was on the other side of the street, what secret they have taken away with them - the movie will tell this story.

Below is the trailer:

It has Russian subtitles, and according to IMDB the movie's language will be Russian and German.

The movie is slated to be released  by Columbia Pictures Fall 2013 on IMAX 3D and RealD 3D screens.

**Editor's note: Jim here, I saw some of this in advance at 3ality Technica's offices and man does it ever look good. We're going to be in for a heckuva story and ride with this one!

Quick Post: "Monsters vs. Aliens" Opens Huge In Russia

Jim here. According to Variety, MONSTERS VS. ALIENS has opening very well in Russia and Ukraine markets earning $6.2 million from 644 locations in those smaller markets - Katzenberg wanted to take advantage of their kid's spring break so it makes loads of sense to do this.

MvsA was the fourth highest grossing animation of all time in Russia - and take note that Russia does not have a great 3D screen penetration as of yet. Heck neither do we. Suffice to say there are far fewer 3D screens in Russia and we all know that the more 3D screens the better for revenues.

From Variety: "Jeffrey has always been very cognizant about having a world view, which is 'let's do the best thing for the movie and release it in the most commercially beneficial time we can,' " said Paramount prexy of domestic distribution Andrew Cripps. "To miss out on a weeklong holiday doesn't make sense."

Katzenberg has made similar moves in the past, including opening 2004's"Shark Tale" first in Australia."

So far so good. Read the whole Variety article here. Looks like a good time for all this weekend!