3-D entering new dimension as expectations rise
One year after a 3-D film opened Cannes for the first time ever, Hollywood is in the grip of a revolution that has generated billions of dollars and sent cinema-goers flocking back to theaters. But industry heavyweights and analysts have warned that the 3-D bonanza could be jeopardized if studios sacrifice quality in order to cash in on movie-making's most important technological milestone since color films. -AFP Photo
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NEW YORK – With "Avatar" now out of theaters, the industrywide 3-D juggernaut is itself entering another dimension.
The immense box-office success of James Cameron’s sci-fi epic proved the considerable draw of 3-D, and subsequent 3-D releases benefited from the buzz. But the next wave of 3-D films — though still good bets for continued fortune — may not have it so easy. Moviegoers, warming to technical terms such as “convergence” and “stereospace,” have become more aware of the difference between good 3-D and bad 3-D. Critics have weighed in on its shortcomings. And the general aura of novelty was never going to last forever.
Two of the top three post-“Avatar” 3-D releases — “Alice in Wonderland” and, especially, “Clash of the Titans” — were disparaged for their poor 3-D. Each was originally shot in 2-D and converted to 3-D in post-production. Taken together, these events don’t constitute a backlash. “Alice” earned $879 million worldwide at the box office. “Clash” took in $427 million. But seemingly sensing a threat to 3-D’s image, Cameron and DreamWorks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg — the two most prominent 3-D proponents — have publicly chastised “Clash of the Titans” and hasty 2-D conversions.
Studios are remaking their entire production pipelines to benefit from the popularity and premium ticket prices of 3-D films — generally about $3 more than regular tickets.Following dwindling DVD revenues and increased competition from home entertainment, Hollywood sees 3-D as the revolution it desperately needs. But the infrastructure isn’t yet fully established. Theaters equipped for 3-D continue to be added, but 3-D televisions and DVD players are in their infancy. “Avatar” may be the biggest box-office success of all time ($2.7 billion worldwide), but for now it’s available only in 2-D on DVD.
Whether the next crop of 3-D movies — from “Shrek” to “Tron Legacy” — will continue to wow audiences will go a long way to determining if the new 3-D is here to stay, or yet another three-dimensional fad.
Credit:
JAKE COYLE, AP Entertainment Writer
