8. 3D Will Fade Out And Come Back, But Not With A Vengeance
I may be opinionated throughout this article, but Ive tried to be diplomatic and empathize with the studios who, after all, are a business, but I simply cannot see any pros to 3D. Well, stereoscopic 3D. Rian Johnson made a very valid argument about its use on his tumblr account, but Im afraid I respectfully disagree. Many of my heroes like Werner Herzog, Kenneth Branagh, Ridley Scott, Spielberg and Scorsese have turned, but having seen all their 3D efforts, I dont see what it adds to their films which I have enjoyed despite, not because of, their use of the format. Not a single 3D film I have seen, from Avatar to Piranha 3D, has impressed me or made me believe its the future, or that it is an artform. I greatly admire James Cameron- or at least, the James Cameron who made 'Aliens', 'The Terminator' and 'Terminator 2:Judgement Day'. From the moment it came back in a way, I have been sceptical, and have yet to have my mind changed. James Cameron, whilst an undeniably admirable and multi-talented man, seems to me to be near-draconian with his insistence it is the future, and everything should be 3D and I simply dont respect him for it. Whilst the great pioneers and innovators adopted a similar approach to advance our race- Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Galileo, Da Vinci, Steve Jobs (The last one may be a little bit of an exaggeration, but consider his impact in the last 30 years), this is not the breakthrough we have been waiting for. Its a few layers on the screen, and its a lot darker. I remember seeing a 3D film as a kid where images jumped out of the screen and I was amazed. It was a brilliantly fun gimmick, and nothing more. Nothing jumps out properly now, or sits in your lap. So why would I pay extra? This 3D renaissance happened in the 60s with Hitchcock (!) and again in the 80s then faded away. I am confident it will happen again, only to return and then fade out again- a vicious cycle. And then I can feel really smug about the people who bought a 3D TV, only for it to fall apart not soon after. I can but dream