Well... I put this discussion off for long enough, I think. I've seen Toy Story 3, Legend of the Guardians, My Soul to Take, Saw VII, Megamind, and Ta-- er, pardon my parseltongue-- Rapunzel in 3D. And every chance I've had to comment on 3D, I've never taken it for various reasons. Toy Story 3 was due to not being on Blogspot yet, I talked about other things with nearly everything else, and you get the story.
So I think I've held this for long enough. But... well, here are my thoughts on 3D:
I mentioned in my musing related to Legend of the Guardians that there was a survey that was handed out after the screening that asked us questions about the movie, and questions about 3D products in general. Now, it's been over three months since I took that survey, but I can remember some of my answers well enough to approximate the questions. So I'll talk about a few of the questions and how I responded.
One of the first questions it asked about the movie pertaining to 3D was whether I had gotten extra motivation to see it because it was in 3D. For this question, I replied that I actually would have preferred a 2D screening, even if it was only a yes or no question. This is completely true: I would have seen all of the movies I mentioned above in 2D if they were playing on a 2D screen. Hell, I went to go see How to Train Your Dragon earlier this year in a 2D showing.
Another question it asked at one point was 'would I be interested in getting a 3D TV'. Uh, no. I think 3D movies are fine, but please, I'd like to keep 3D away from my home. My TV functions perfectly without needing to have glasses on, thank you very much. I think I'll survive without the need to put those things on. So no, I wouldn't bring 3D home with me.
It also asked a couple of other questions about what I have at my house and whether I would be buying LotG when it came out on video (to which I said 'maybe not'), but the survey brought to light my opinions on 3D. And for that, I have to say this:
I think 3D is okay, if you're careful not to make it too gimmicky. But honestly? I think 3D is beginning to take over the movie theater, and not in a very good way either. It's interesting how I was able to go to a 2D screening of How to Train Your Dragon, yet I couldn't find a single 2D showing of Saw 3D, Megamind, or Rapunzel at the very same theater just half a year later. This, I find, is a little disturbing, as it means I can't see as many movies in 2D as I want.
But I don't mind 3D if it's done well. And to be honest, most of the movies I've mentioned use their 3D rather well. The one movie I'd say doesn't do a good job with its 3D is Saw VII, and that's mostly due to the justifiable post-production 3D on all the footage that's appeared in the previous movies of that particular franchise.
But if it's too prominent? I tend to count it against the movie.
After all, a gimmick can't hold a movie. If you rely on the gimmick, then people's enjoyment of it depends entirely on how much they like the gimmick in question. The movie still has to have engaging characters, a great story, and good film-making if it's going to be held up at all. This is something I don't think studio heads have realized, and I fear they won't realize it until the money stops rolling when we get tired of 3D all over again (hey, it's come and gone in the past, you know?). But if it works with the movie, then it's all right.
This is Herr Wozzeck Muses. I'll see you guys next time.
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