Monday, November 09, 2009

On 3D Movies

My rant for this week is about the preponderance of 3D movies coming out lately. First a little background. A couple of months ago I got a note from Delta airlines that my frequent flier miles were going to expire. I haven't been traveling at all for work the last few years so my miles have gone stagnant. They offered me some free magazine subscriptions to use up my miles. Kinda cool of them to do that actually. Although, the list of possible subscriptions was not very long. I was determined to use up every last mile so I subscribed to Variety. It is a trade rag for the entertainment industry. I have really enjoyed reading this every week. It comes with a lot more detail about movies and TV etc. than I ever got in the occasional article on MSNBC.com.

So, about the time I subscribed to Variety I had been noticing that there were a lot of movies being released that were including a 3D format. Like way more than usual. There was some kind of trend going on. Then I started reading in Variety why this was happening. To put it in a nutshell it is about money. $$$. Surprised? Yeah, me too ;) To the press, people like Jeffrey Katzenberg and other big name directors and Hollywood wonks were talking up how 3D is the future and how the technology is so much better than it ever has been. Yada yada yada. The only reason there are so many 3D movies being released is because they can charge you 30-50% more per ticket for the movie. More money. In their pockets. That is "all" it is about. Don't let the psychobabble about technology and 3D storytelling fool you. You still have to wear the uncomfortable cheapo glasses. It is a less than ideal experience for watching a movie. I'm going to go out on a limb and claim that 3D is not the future of movies. There will NOT be a day any decade soon where most of the movies released are 3D. Eventually the movie going public will tire of the novelty of this latest run of 3D movies and will stop paying the extra money. The studios will lose their shorts on the extra production costs and will stop making them. There will still be the occasional 3D release but it will go back to topics that make sense for a 3D treatment. Like a Halloween blood fest or an occasional animated release.

The reason I am upset about this latest trend is that they are using the guise of technology and creative storytelling to trick us into paying more for a movie ticket. What these people should be doing is focusing on developing good stories. That's what we really want. That is what I really want!!! I see a LOT of movies. Any given Friday or Saturday if you can't find me go to the local Cineplex and shout my name. That's where I'll be. Most of the movies coming out these days are total and utter crap. I must be stupid to keep going in hopes that somehow something good will show up.
So, Mr. Katzenberg and your 3D loving pals, give up the whole 3D thing! Put your efforts into quality content and you will make plenty of money. More people will go to the movies. More people will rent movies. More people will buy movies. You will be able to continue making movies. Keep up this 3D crap and people will vote with their wallets and their feet. Have you heard of the internet? If you're not careful your days could be numbered.

1 Comments:

At 4:36 PM , Blogger Okie said...

Here here!!!!

3D movies are a NOVELTY. I admit that sometimes it is cool to see a movie in 3D and to be that much more taken into the film (literally)...but the story, the plot, the actual reason I go to the movie...MUST come first.

I am so tired of seeing a movie that looks like it might have potential end up becoming a gimmicky transport for 3D "technology" (which has been around since the beginning of film, btw).

When I see a movie, I'm there for the experience of living out some story alongside the actors...not so I can see the director take every opportunity to have an actor point "right at me" or have something zing "out of the screen" to make me swerve my head.

Looking back, it seems like the movie industry goes through cycles where they try to produce a bunch of 3D movies to prove they can do it. I chalk it up to new studio execs getting the reins and thinking "yeah, so my predecessors failed at the 3D thing...I'll bet I can make it mainstream"

I wouldn't mind there coming a time when every movie is made in 3D...but the 3D aspect should be an afterthought. It should not be the reason the movie is made or the reason a particular camera angle or scene is selected. It should be a bonus feature.

As an added note...my sister in law HATES the 3D trend. She is blind in one eye and as a result she CANNOT see the 3D movies properly. To her, this amazing 3D technology is simply a poorly made blurry film.

 

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