Published: March 20, 2009 04:19 pm      

MOVIES: 3-D films catching on again

By Phil Dzikiy



3-D: It just wouldn’t die. And now, it’s stronger than ever.

Sometimes derided as gimmicky (it’s strange how that character is pointing at the screen for no apparent reason), tacky or outdated, 3-D movies are experiencing another revival due to the advent of IMAX 3-D and RealD 3-D technology.

The first (and arguably only) 3-D film craze arrived in the early 1950s. Some relatively notable films such as “House of Wax” and “It Came from Outer Space” were released into theaters in 3-D, but most of the 3-D offerings of the day were forgettable horror films.

Not resigned to become a mere footnote of 50’s culture, 3-D came back in the 1980s. “Amityville 3-D,” “Jaws 3-D,” and “Friday the 13th Part 3” were all part of the revival, though none of the films did much to dispel any negative notions about the format.

Perhaps the third time is the charm. The old cardboard red and blue glasses, though still endearing, are a thing of the past. IMAX 3-D and RealD 3-D glasses are more like sunglasses, even if they’re not the coolest shades you’ve ever seen.

For years, the IMAX 3-D technology existed, but major feature films weren’t released using the format until 2004, when “The Polar Express” was released. It was a massive success.

Since then, numerous films have appeared in IMAX 3-D and RealD 3-D each year. “Beowulf,” “Journey to the Center of the Earth 3-D,” “Bolt,” “My Bloody Valentine 3-D,” “Coraline” and concert films featuring U2, Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers are all notable examples of recent 3-D theatrical releases.

Of course, most cineplexes don’t have IMAX theaters, or they’re still not properly equipped for RealD 3-D. (Locally, the Regal Transit Center Stadium 18 cineplex on Transit Road in Williamsville can do both.)

But that’s changing. According to an article on RealD’s Web site, the company plans on deploying its technology onto 4,000 screens this year, though that estimate seems far too optimistic. When “Chicken Little” first used the technology in Nov. 2005, only 88 screens were equipped to use the digital 3-D format.

Some of the biggest cinematic releases in 2009 will use a 3-D presentation. Next week, Dreamworks’ “Monsters vs. Aliens” will be released in both IMAX 3-D and RealD 3-D.



Also coming this year:

• The computer animated “Battle for Terra,” to be released in RealD 3-D.

• Pixar’s newest, “Up,” to be released in RealD 3-D.

• The return of the “Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs,” to be released in RealD 3-D.

• “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” to be released in IMAX 3-D.

• “G-Force,” a live action comedy, to be released in RealD 3-D.

• An animated film based on the classic children’s book, “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,” to be released in RealD 3-D.

• Disney’s “A Christmas Carol,” starring Jim Carrey and using performance capture techniques along with 3-D, like “The Polar Express” and “Beowulf.” It will be released in RealD 3-D and IMAX 3-D.

• Last but likely most, James Cameron’s long awaited sci-fi epic “Avatar,” his first non-documentary feature film since “Titanic.” The budget for “Avatar” should be at least $200 million, and possibly $300 million.

One of the reasons “Avatar” was pushed back to December (from May) was to give theaters more time to install 3-D screens.

Considering that companies are already developing 3-D televisions, it’s possible that “Avatar” may lead us into a new world of omnipresent 3-D

It’ll be easier if the filmmakers can continue to use the technology to increase the viewer’s immersion in the film, rather than merely throwing objects at the audience.