Ok, let's talk film. Today we are going to talk about the future of cinema visually. The future as you can see in the image above is 3D. Now to explain why cinema will in less than one year be in a 3D frenzy. Yes I did say frenzy. It seems that everything will be 3D infused in the movie watching years to come. Technologically, film making must stay on the cutting edge visually to get the audience excited about going to the theater. I know what you're saying, "But Jeff, you tell us that story and characters get us to go to the theater". That is true FilmFans, yet it is nice to add a visual spectacle that is unique to only movie theaters.

Large LCD screens and enveloping surround systems can replicate the movie experience to a certain degree. As I said yesterday, nothing will replicate a large theater, however, it is hard to argue that today's electronic toys like Blue Ray and LCD can equate the experience to a certain arguable comparable degree. So, how do film makers persuade a tech savvy individual to get excited about going to the theater to see something they can't get at home? Well for now 3D is the answer.

If you have ever watched Gone With the Wind in a movie theater or any movie in that era or before, you would notice that the projected film is square like a TV is now. Back then in the 30's film makers had to come up with something else to draw in viewers. They came up with Academy Flat format which changed the aspect ratio of TV sized film screens to the current WIDESCREEN format you see on your widescreen TV. Yes there is another widescreen format that is even wider, that is called anamorphic widescreen. That is just another option for film makers to use and the most widely used now, however in those days academy flat widescreen was the answer to change.
Now after years of widescreen saturating our homes, film makers have to come up with another way of challenging us to spend 10.50 and not wait for Blu-Ray. The answer they have come up with is 3D film. Leading the charge on 3D film is James Cameron, the acclaimed director of Piranha II the Spawning. He is working on this clever film called Avatar which will place 3D back into all film. How is it going to put 3D back into a lot of films? Well remember Film Fans, Hollywood conveniently forgets what makes film great. I can guarantee that they will forget that James Cameron spent 4 years writing a rich character driven script. They will invariably only focus on the 3D aspect, remember they are execs! So they will see that 3D sells and rush a bunch of 3D films to the market- most of them half assed. We know this is true from Hollywood history.

Dreamworks has already committed all its animated fare to be made in 3D. Disney is catching on also. Quick aside, I remember that Disney fired John Lasseter of Pixar, the man behind CARS and TOY STORY because he wanted to do films in 3D a decade ago. Disney fires Lasseter, yet keeps Eisner, another concrete proof of the narrow mindedness of execs. Its rampant in Hollywood.
Yes there was an influx of 3D films in the 50's but the technology was too expensive at the time to keep up. Now the technology is perfected and ready to take over a lot films in the future.


Final Destination 4 is taking the dip into 3D as we speak. (you see I do know what I am talking about) Now normally I would be very critical of milking the cow in this series, but I do like this trite series. The Final Destination movies are in a way clever films that twist the genre of the slasher film into true suspense if a sequence is done well. Final Destination 2 was alright in that it has gory horror and suspense in that as an audience we waited for the knife to go in literally in a clever way. Number 3 was ok, Mary Elizabeth Winstead was the only gift from that film. So we look forward to the first horror 3D film next year.

The LA times has a great article on Mel Brooks and his involvement with the original Get Smart series and his lack of involvement with the new film. I found it refreshing that he is a guy that makes films with zero ego. When asked about comedy in his films, "My job is to go out and entertain the most people possible. The job is to make people laugh. I don't have a mission. I don't have a torch to burn". That is refreshing to hear from a man who could have a Michael Bay spoiled child ego and yet, does not. Mel is a great entertainer and I have ALWAYS said that The Producers is his best film. ALWAYS said that. Even before the Broadway storm with it. Gene Wilder is HILARIOUS as the guy, can't think of his name. I like that film like Kelli likes the Goodbye Girl. Well maybe not that much, but you know. Until Tomorrow, let's talk film!

http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/080520-140802
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/movies/la-et-brooks20-2008may20,0,4126646.story?page=2
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/indiana_jones_countdown/news/1729814/
http://www.shocktillyoudrop.com/news/topnews.php?id=6070