3-D movies, slick or shlock?

[davekill]

Rico's "Beowulf" topic brings to mind a new question about the future of movies.

Is this the next great evolution in cinema as silent films was to "talkies" or B\W to color?
Or do you think it's another bad gimmick like a 50's monster movie that won't die?

What do you think...would you pay to see a re-release of "Lord of the Rings" or "Star Wars" in 3-D?

Disney's "Chicken Little" and "Meet the Robinsons" and Tim Burton's" "The Nightmare Before Christmas" all did very well when released in their 3-D versions.

Get ready 6 Major Studio's think so and are making more 3-D movies in hi-def.

(not to mention Samsung's new flat screen televisions with 3-D capability).

[Geekyfanboy]

Well I think 3-D has been around for many years and isn't going anywhere soon. They keep improving the technique. I saw the latest Harry Potter movie where the last 20 minutes of the movie was in 3-D IMAX and I really enjoyed it. It felt like I was actually part of the movie. It wasn't gimmicky with things poking out of the screen or stuff flying at you.. it just made things more real... at least to me.

Also you mentioned would we see Lord of the Rings or Star Wars in 3-D  and my answer is heck yay!!!!  And just for everyones info they are making Star Wars 3-D. I was working at the facility that was actually doing it. They are starting with the second set of movies.. they have been working on them for a few years now. I wasn't able to see anything but my friend did and said it was mind blowing... so will have to wait and see.

[billybob476]

See Kenny, I have the exact opposite view. I also saw Harry Potter in 3D and it bugged me and took me out of the movie. To me it just looks wrong and I find the glasses (which I have to wear over top of my regular glasses) really cut down my field of vision. Additionally, I find having to wait for the "put on your 3D glasses" signal, then seeing it and putting on my glasses really reminds me I'm in a movie theater watching a movie. It takes me out of the action.

Just my 2 cents about it.

[Rico]

I guess I'm looking for it to be more like the holodeck.  To be in an immersive theater where you feel like you are standing right in the scene with everyone else.  Most of these films so far seem to have it sort of tacked on.  It's fun but not that big a draw for me at least.

[moyer777]

Virtual Cinema.

That would be so cool.  Perhaps complimented with smell-a-vision.

It would be expensive, but a total interactive movie experience would be a cool trip.

[Bryancd]

LucasFilm is definately making a bet that 3D becomes more widely accepted and is developing not only new camera technology for capturing 3D images for new releases but, as Kenny mentioned, technology to reverse engineer 2D films into 3D. Having seen some of the better 3D stuff like at the IMAX theaters, I think it is really getting a lot better and ww will see more of it in the future. Ceratinly LucasFilm's backing of Digital films has but them at the cutting edge of this kind on innovation, especially if we see more content like "Beowulf", which I plan on seeing ONLY in 3D.

[jedijeff]

I have only seen a few 3D movies at the IMAX and the Star Trek Borg encounter in 4D. Would like to see a feature film sometime as that would be cool. I might have gotten more out of Beowulf if I had seen it in 3D and read a few reviews where they said it was worth it. I think it will be a good technology for the future, and if they do it right can add a lot to new movies and older ones. But I can see right now, that it potentially can be more gimmicky then immersive depending on how they use it.

[Jen]

I've watched a few films that were made specifically for 3D at an IMAX Theater at Moody Gardens in Galveston. It was one of the most memorable experiences I've ever had... Mind you that was several years ago. I'm certain the technology has improved since then. I heard something about the technology for SW in 3D on the ForceCast. Sounds like it will be a big step up from what you're use to.  I will definitely see the Lord Of The Rings or Star Wars when/if they are released in this format.

I'm sure Beowulf was created with 3D in mind, so it's probably going to be that much better than the 2D version. The ultimate experience, of course, would be a Holovid where you can play a roll in the film...but until then I'm watching the 3D movies.