Mario Anzouni/Reuters-Corbis
Iconic film critic Roger Ebert knows movies and the industry itself nearly better than anyone. Though some seem to think his recent reviews are a bit "out-of-touch", he remains influential, and his recent Newsweek article entitled "Why I Hate 3-D (And You Should Too)" points out all too clearly the reasons why this trend hopefully doesn't become the Hollywood Standard.
His biggest arguments against 3-D? Here they are in a nutshell:
It's a waste of a dimension.
It adds nothing to the experience.
It can be a distraction.
It can create nausea and headaches.
3-D is darker.
It is, in the end, a business centered around making money, at our expense.
Read his article (linked above) to hear his reasonings for each point, but none is more spot-on than his last point. Ultimately, 3-D has been a way of generating more money out of the same old thing, just more of it...think of it like super-sizing your movie experience. It is unclear whether it will be a success or not, but 3-D Televisions have already been introduced and have created quite a buzz. Why? Well, presumably the corporations are searching for what comes after High-Definition...is the next step 3-D?
Here is a local guide to 3-D Television sets available in Michigan now, and some other good information on the 3-D TV influx.
What are your thoughts? Do you enjoy 3-D movies? Are they worth the extra price of admission? Does 3-D at home interest you? Or is this all a passing fad?
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Comments
Dear Ludites:
When talkies came out Paramount studios didn't like them because they thought they couldn't distribute the films world-wide. It's kind of similar to
the excuses you are using today. If they make you dizzy, don't watch them.
If they're too dark turn up the brightness control. What dimension are you looking for the 4th? 3d doesn't let you just watch the movie, it puts you in it.. . 30 30 30
I think 3D is a pointless waste of my time. I have absolutely no desire to see movies in 3D, and if I have the opportunity I always see movies in 2D. It's too gimmicky for me, and I still look back at watching 3D movies in my childhood as cheesy. Why would I pay extra money for it? A good movie is a good movie, and still would be in 2D.
As far as nausea goes I'll add this in: my pregnant sister was NEVER nauseous during her current pregnancy, EXCEPT when seeing Avatar in 3D. Maybe they need a pregnancy warning?
I will say this: Since Hollywood keeps pumping them out, I see a need for 3D tvs. If I can see movies in 3D at the theater, I want to be able to see it at home too.
In my opinion, 3D sucks. It takes away from the richness of the actual movie. It's only a money making ploy that movie studios are looking to recycle from past generations.
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