If it's 3-D, will they come?

One other thing to think about is that going to a matinee for a family of three isn't really any more expensive than buying a new release movie (if you don't splurge on snacks). Off topic, I rarely buy any movies anymore, but I rent a crapload. The last one I bought on DVD was Disney's Pinocchio, and I'm dying to watch it because it's probably the best movie I didn't put in my Top 100, and it's gotta bring tears to my eyes to see how beautiful it is restored with crystal clear picture and sound.


I'm already cryin'.

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Ah yes...someone else who knows what I'm talking about! Anyone remember Fly Me To The Moon 3-D? Exactly. This came out last year as purely a 3-D vehicle. If the movie has no substance and is in 3-D, guess what the gimmick is. I have no doubt that Monsters Vs. Aliens will be a good watch along with Up.

I do remember hearing something about James Cameron's Avatar revolutionizing 3-D as we know it, but that's hearsay.

Only time will tell.

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"I was walking down the street with my friend and he said, "I hear music", as if there is any other way you can take it in. You're not special, that's how I receive it too. I tried to taste it but it did not work." - Mitch Hedberg

Sedai can speak 3-D! I'm truly impressed, having never gotten any further myself than "cardboard frames with red and green plastic lenses." The only modern 3-D I've seen were the films at Disneyland and Disneyworld, and the glasses were indeed clear and polarized in plastic frames. And it certainly was better than the technology of the 1950s.

Which brings to mind something else about the inital 3-D fad--do any of you remember when they did 3-D comic books? I especially recall a 3-D issue of Mad Magazine, but there were probably others where Superman or Batman popped right out in your face.

I never had a 3-D comic book, but there were different variations of publications running 3-D issues. I can't name one off the top of my head, but I remember owning one as a child.

I can't swear it happened but I suspect they did at least one Tales from the Crypt type comic in 3-D. I also remember losing or little brothers tearing up the 3-D glasses, which then meant the book was unreadable! Not a wise investment on a kid's allowance.

I didn't have to deal with little brothers, but I know the pain of losing those paper glasses. It's not like you could go to the store and pick up a new pair. They were far from readily available. Your best bet was to beg for a box of cereal that contained a pair, that or begging for something that came with them.

Cheeze, I'd totally forgotten the 3-D cereal boxes! Ooooh, those were the days!

Indeed they were.

Gotta share with you guys Joe Morgenstern's review of Monsters Vs. Aliens in today's Wall Street Journal. He says the film "is a visual feast and a narrative famine. The 3-D version begins with an optical joke involving a paddle-ball." (I'm guessing that's a steal from the famous short paddle-ball scene in the 1950s 3-D pioneer, House of Wax.)

He reports, "The biggest battle in Monsters Vs Aliens is banality vs. orginality, and banality carries the day." He recommends, "See it only if you need a retro-monster fix, and in 3-D to offset the no-D script."

The most interesting part of Morgenstern's review, however, is his comparision of the animation rivals, DreamWorks and Pixar. He says, "Pixar's emphasis is on storytelling--screenplays as inventive and adventurous as the writers know how to make them--and on the pleasures of characterizaton that flow from a powerful tale richly told. DreamWorks favors raffish scripts, celebrity voices, jokey topical references, and animation that grabs attention with bold design." He then says of MvsA, "It's as if a gaggle of summr interns had been told to sketch out a little script while the DreamWorks animation experts were creating their gorgeous images."

I just now read this and that's pretty much what I took away from it. With Pixar, they're always raising the bar higher with every picture, story AND animation wise. With Dreamworks, it seems like they're just trying to stay afloat. So I totally agree with Morgenstern's comment about how they have interns sketch a little script out while the animators create their gorgeous images.

The paddleball scene wasn't the only one that popped out there. I remember towards the end ducking my head because I felt I had to dodge what I was catching a glimpse out of the corner of my eye of.

After experiencing my first 3-D movie, I can tell you that I prefer the more subtle 3-D compared to the "jump out at you" 3-D. More importantly, I got a big kick out of my wife waiting until the lights dimmed all the way down before fully wearing the 3-D glasses.

3D is the future!

The first film i saw in 3D (excluding Nightmare On Elm Street & Jaws) was 'Journey To The Centre Of The Earth' on 'Blu Ray'. The only reason i rented the film was to see if the 3D was any good. Ok it was the old style (different colour lensed) glasses but i was blown away, how i was sitting in my own living room trying to grab out at things flying from my TV.
I finally got to see 'My Bloody Valentine 3D' at the flicks and even though it was a very poor film (in my opinion) the 3D element made the viewing that little bit more fun and entertaining. The whole reason i go to the cinema is to be thrilled and entertained and bringing in the element of bringing the film to life just adds to that buzz.
The only downside i see is my local cinema doesn't have 3D capability so i have to travel half an hour to a place that does.

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Oh leggie blonde you got it goin on
wanna see you wearin that thong thong thong,
see you get it on till the break of dawn
mermermer... panties on.

You mean Friday the 13th? I don't think there is a Nightmare on Elm Street in 3d...

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Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare had an ending shot in 3D
I would link you to IDM but i am a noob and don't have 10 posts yet

Ah OK, I had given up on the series by then! My bad...

Thing is though, with todays technology even if the 3D movies do work to get people back in the theatres.. now you have a bunch of people with fancy home theatres not being used as much who're wishing they could have their very own 3D projector at home. Due to demand, manufacturers will likely miniaturize the technology - this would've taken 10 years before (just a guess) but now might only take 2-5 years. Film companies may make some deals to get the manufacturers to hold this stuff back as long as possible but eventually someone'll release it and either bootlegs will be released or 3D movies will be for sale and the latest nintendo ds will have a 6x4x6 holographic projector or you might have a folding transparent portable cube that displays the vid inside itself.

So even if the 3D movies help the film companies and theatres take back some of their market.. it's very likely to be only a temporary fix.

That's my 'current' forecast anyway.

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Cliff,
popcorn machines

cliffdodger, I'm a little confused by your post. Are you not familiar with the fact that movies are being released on DVD that are 3-D? Journey to the Center of the Earth is a good example.

So, what would be the need in these fancy home theatres you speak of, to have mini 3-D projectors, when they're not necessarily needed? Sounds to me like it would be a waste of money.

Besides, why would you shell out on a 3-D projector, when what you really want is this.

http://www.play.com/Gadgets/Gadgets/...301&match_type

Click the link, play the video and dream...

It'd be better if that movie didn't suck.

I wasn't aware that the dvd releases were 3D and about the new goggles or until recently the new technology that required different goggles - not as headache inducing as the old green and red one's of course. Theatre projectors require an attachment to play these movies so I assumed tv's or dvd's would require some modification. There's also this:

gizmodo.com
/343109/we-test-drive-the-first-3d-plasma-screen-ever-from-samsung

From seeing things like that 3D plasma screen I was assuming that you needed a new TV to watch the newer 3D movies (if they require the new goggles) I may be wrong. But it would be a mean way by the film production companies to force people into the theatres if they wanted to see the 3D version. That's the train of thought I was running with.

As for portable mini 3D projectors... who doesn't want one? You remember ever playing an impossibly hard sega arcade game about 20 years ago? You could barely see the game cause the room was always too bright. It had a holographic 3 dimensional display. I never played it cause it was $1 a play and when I saw people play it they'd usually be dead in less than a minute.

klov.com
/game_detail.php?letter=&game_id=10124

I was starting to ramble off into the sci-fi realm of hand held 3D gadgets that are years away.

Sorry I've had to cripple the links since I don't have enough posts to add links yet. PITA we have to have rules like that.

They are currently working on trials for 3D TV, if you live in the UK they currently have 3D demos on your Sky + boxset for Sky Sports.

3D is certianly the future.
http://www.techradar.com/news/televi...-sky-3d-495808