A movie preview is rarely seen today without the words “digital 3-D” thrown in. But the spectacle of a 3-D movie is being worn out by the film industry and used purely as a ploy to get people to see a movie and for film companies to make more money.
While 3-D effects have just recently become popular with mainstream movies, filmmakers actually began creating 3-D movies in the early 1900s. Back then, it was an uncommon thing to release a movie in 3-D and, as the years progressed, it was still only non-fiction movies that were produced with the 3-D element. 3-D films were a large part of amusement parks such as Walt Disney World’s Honey, I Shrunk the Audience and Universal Studios’ Terminator themed attraction, T2 3-D: Battle Across Time.
Most of the 3-D films produced in the early part of the decade were documentary films focused on expeditions into deep parts of the ocean or looking back at a time when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Seeing a movie in 3-D was a treat, but with the abundance of movies being released in3-D now, it’s just becoming annoying.
“Every other movie being made is 3-D,” senior Lauren West said. “There’s hardly a movie out there today that isn’t getting the 3-D spin added to it.”
One of the highest grossing (and most expensive) films of 2009 was James Cameron’s Avatar, a 3-D movie that won numerous awards including a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Drama. Visually, the movie was extremely appealing, and the 3-D added to the beauty of the film.
Approximately 25 movies were released in 3-D during 2010, and so far, 34 movies have been slated for release in 3-D in 2011. Hollywood is taking something that was once a marvel and turning it into a trite ritual. And yet, people continue to pay the extra $3 for them.
“It’s annoying when you want to see a normal movie but the theater only has it in 3-D,” senior Crystal Sun said.
It seems like filmmakers are just using the appeal of 3-D visuals to pull people in to seeing a movie. Horror movies, action movies, children’s movies: they are all being shot in 3-D. These are not the sorts of films like Avatar that have stunning effects; they are just basic films that probably wouldn’t make much money in the box office if it weren’t for the added 3-D effects.
And the money aspect is probably why there are so many of them being produced. Tickets for 3-D movies range from $9 at a matinee price to $11 after 6 p.m.. The total cost for a family of four to go a 3-D movie before six is around $60, and $65 after six. Charging that much is a good way to bring in revenue, but seeing the same film in 2-D won’t make the movie experience any worse.
Besides being expensive, there are side effects to seeing a 3-D movie. Motion sickness is common for 3-D moviegoers and headaches and eyestrain are problems, as well.
“I have to wear glasses during movies and it’s a problem for 3-D movies when I have normal glasses and 3-D glasses to wear,” senior Kristen Mulvihill said. “It’s very uncomfortable.”
Despite all the health and wallet issues 3-D films cause, they still remain a popular piece of media today and film companies don’t seem to be slowing down on their production yet.
