House of Wax Premieres: Cinema Enters the 3-D Era
Warner Brothers released House of Wax on April 10, 1953, as the first major studio feature filmed in the Natural Vision 3-D process. Vincent Price starred as a disfigured sculptor who murders people and coats their bodies in wax for display. The film used a paddle-ball barker outside the fictional wax museum to launch objects directly at the audience, establishing the "things flying at the camera" gimmick that would define 3-D cinema for decades. House of Wax grossed $23.8 million worldwide, proving that audiences would pay premium prices for an immersive experience. The 3-D fad peaked in 1953 with 27 features released, then crashed when audiences grew tired of the novelty and complained of headaches from poorly calibrated projectors.
April 9, 1953
73 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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