Sorry if this has been done before. I finally got round to watching a 3D film a few weeks ago (yeah I don’t get out much) – Thor. Really enjoyed the film but found myself getting annoyed by the ‘3D’. Is it just badly implemented in that film or are they all like that? It’s either distracting or you don’t notice it – doesn’t add anything.

It doesn’t really look 3D at all, it just looks like those cardboard cutout pop-up books – flat things on different layers, not truly 3D at all. There were some slightly better looking bits in some of the trailers, but apart from a few ‘woo it’s coming at me’ moments in the POTC trailer, it all looked pretty poor to me.

It’s certainly been massively overhyped imo – I was expecting something a lot better (and I wasn’t expecting that much to start with really). I’m quite a fan of cinematography in films, and I feel the ‘3D’ really spoils traditional cinematography – eg instead of using shallow depth of field from the type of lenses used to concentrate on something, they use a crass effect instead which just makes the whole thing look gimmicky.

I have listened to Mark Kermode rant about this many times and always thought he was probably going way over the top, but I now think he was right all along (based on my massively broad experience of watching one 3D film 😉 ).

I watched TT3D last week… really good. I thought the 3D helped with the sense of speed and terror!

there was a trailer for transformers 9 (or whatever) in 3D… looked shite.

3D where appropriate seems like a good thing… just for the sake of it isn’t going to help a rubbish film…. can’t polish a turd.

Dave

Despite the plot, Avatar was an awesome spectacle in 3D. Also there was a beautiful scene in “Tangled” (latest Disney movie) with lanterns floating over a lake.

The light bike chase in Tron was amazing too, but otherwise they wasted a lot of opportunities in that film i think.

Despite the plot, Avatar was an awesome spectacle in 3D

plot?

The only film I’ve seen in 3D was Beowulf and I loved it. Not sure the 3D added much to the experiance though. Not seen any since, but then I don’t go to the cinema much.

I watched TT3D last week… really good. I thought the 3D helped with the sense of speed and terror!

I’d quite like to see that, though presumably the onboard bits weren’t filmed in 3D and were ‘retrofitted’

I saw Avatar in 2D at home and though it was absolutely terrible – I can’t see it being good in 3D but people tell me the effects were pretty amazing. Is that still the only film truly made in 3D?

plot?

Indeed – i should have preceded it with “lack of”. I’m still excited about the prospect of Avatar 2 though.

I’d quite like to see that, though presumably the onboard bits weren’t filmed in 3D and were ‘retrofitted’

50:50 from what I could see…

they had ‘official’ onboard footage from the actual races, which wasn’t overtly retrofitted… not that i spotted anyway – if they did it, they did it nicely.

they also had a load of footage they had done specifically for the film, and that was great to watch!

I’m not big into motorbikes, but I’d highly recommend it if you can still find somewhere that is showing it – one that is worth paying the dosh to see on a big (3D) screen.

Dave

There are different methods of 3D. Generally, movies filmed in 2D and then subsequently converted suck donkeys. I don’t know what they’ve done with Thor, but the ‘pop-up book’ look would imply a conversion. If they’re designed and filmed in 3D then they’re usually (but not always) considerably better.

I think different people react differently to it, too. Some people complain of headaches, but I’ve never had a problem, even dating back to the old anaglyph outings. I suspect that eyesight irregularities might cause problems also.

I went with the kids to watch Ruthless Romans on stage at the weekend and the 2nd half was 3D and was brilliant my 9 year old was convinced he had been hit by a sword that appeared to come out of the backdrop (no blood so he was ok) – up until that I was not convinced.

hey Avatar had a great plot. It’s called Pocahontas.

It’s called Pocahontas.

Smurfahontas surely?

TT3D used 3D very effectively in parts, the bike heading off down Bray Hill at the start of the film was an excellent shot, but I haven’t seen anything else that really made me buy in to 3D.

grum – Member

I watched TT3D last week… really good. I thought the 3D helped with the sense of speed and terror!

I’d quite like to see that, though presumably the onboard bits weren’t filmed in 3D and were ‘retrofitted’

Some of the onboard footage was filmed in true 3D, can’t remember the name of the rider, but the camera was mounted to a specially prepared Wilson Craig bike, was supposed to be ridden by Guy Martin but he was too busy with other press commitments. All the onboard footage from the races is 3D’d up from the ITV footage.

Cool sounds like TT3D will be worth a watch then.

Generally, yes, they’re crap.

3D is just like 2D, except it costs about £4 more per film.

Yeah my opinion of it is that the directors concentrate on ‘wow’ 3D scenes rather than plots, characters, that sort of boring stuff.

I am sure after a few years and the whole ‘who-ha’ has settled down they will remember to consider such trivialities again.

Gave me a cracking headache when I sat right at the side the other week.

I think because you’re at quite an acute angle to the screen, everything is 3d, but the perspective is a bit odd.

Plus the robbing barstewards charged £1.80 each for the glasses and an extra few quid each for the film.

yes it’s crap, looks like a pop up book! How do you get on if you are wearing prescription glasses? wear two pairs?

Toy Story 3-D was good, aside form that I’d rather watch stuff in 2-D and I’ll avoid ever watching 3-D tv at home as long as I can, real life is 3-D I don’t want to watch normal stuff in 3-D Image the horror of a 3-D Simon Cowell on yout tv of a weekend evening!

I saw SANCTUM in 3D and parts of did look very good and especially with the underwater flaoty feel to it. That said it annoyed the hell out of me in other parts of the film and I found myself having to really concentrate and focus at times. Overall I think it made the film worse

anyone seen any pron in 3d, just wondering like…

yes it’s crap, looks like a pop up book! How do you get on if you are wearing prescription glasses? wear two pairs?

I wear glasses and put the 3D glasses over mine without too many problems.

toby1 – I did see a trailer for some other animated 3D film and it did seem to work a lot better than for the filmed stuff.

Piranha 3D was great 😀

Tron was good in 3d. I dont like the whole 3d thing though as it gives me a sore head. Also I dont feel it adds to much of the viewing experience.

The light bike chase in Tron was amazing too

I didn’t really notice any 3D effect, in Tron or any other 3D film I’ve seen lately. So I’m pretty unimpressed and will seek out the 2D version if available.

But when I were a nipper and 3D specs were still made of cardboard I remember some Raiders of the Lost Ark rip-off that had me wincing and ducking with arrows and stuff coming at you. Filmmakers seem to think that’s a bit gimmicky now but I reckon it’s a bit pointless if you’re not going to do stuff like that.

3D movies suck.
Fact.
End of.

skimmed over most of this, but yes TT3D is a brilliant film and the 3D element genuinely does add to the overall feel, i reckon. although there are some bits that are total “pop-up book”, the onboard 3D stuff is amazing.

Saw Pirates of the Caribean in 3D and really enjoyed. I love Captain Jack x. The glasses are annoying and they charged too much.

At the end of the day, if you watch a film and come out saying ‘ohh the 3D effects were good’ then the film itself will probably have been dire…