Based on the classic children’s book by E. Nesbit, The Phoenix and the Magic Carpet Director’s Cut (1995) is now available for the first time ever on DVD as of May 3rd 2021. This magic carpet ride to a land of enchantment and fantasy directed by Zoran Perisic (who won an Oscar for making Superman fly in 1979) stars Sir Peter Ustinov (Poirot), Dee Wallace (E.T-The Extra Terrestrial), Ewen Bremner (a year before he starred in Trainspotting). Laura Kamrath, Nick Klein, Timothy Hegeman, Nicole Lengenberg, Maya Zekina and Kenny Andrews.
Three American children discover a golden egg among old junk in their grandfather’s cottage in England. When the egg accidentally falls into the bonfire, a golden bird rises out of the flames and the Phoenix is reborn. So begins an amazing adventure as the Phoenix takes the children on a magic carpet ride to a land of enchantment and fantasy.
The Phoenix and the Carpet was written by Edith Nesbit (author of The Railway Children) and was first published in 1904. It is the second in a trilogy of novels that begins with Five Children and It (1902) and concludes with The Story of the Amulet (1906).
Director Zoran Perisic used the Zoptic process (an advancement of front projection involving placing a zoom lens on both the camera and the projection to simulate changes of speed and perspective) for the flying scenes in the film. The process is a technique that he developed whilst working on the visual effects for Superman: The Movie (1978). Perisic ultimately won three Oscars for this invention, the Special Achievement Award in 1979, the Technical Achievement Award in 1980 and Scientific and Engineering Award in 1988.
Extras: Stills Gallery, Trailers.
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