The New 3-D Technology- A Gimmick For Ticket Sales?

Okay, you have just walked out of your local movie theater, after forking over a hefty $14.00 or $15.00 a ticket, to witness the newest and greatest movie watching experience known to man today- the new 3-D technology, but there’s one problem. The movie was not very good at all (please insert Clash of the Titans here), especially not for that $14.00 or $15.00 you just lost, I mean gracious donated. That’s not even considering the popcorn with extra butter or the soda you were going to buy, but decided you rathersave your money instead. Hmm…could it be that you paid for a gimmick, rather than an actual good movie?

According to the movie industry, 3-D is the next big thing and its here to stay for a very long time. You have already seen its mighty power through James Cameron’s hugely successful film Avatar, which grossed a staggering global total of $1,8437 billion that sunk Cameron’s other blockbuster, Titantic, becoming the highest grossing film of all time world wide. Critics though pointed out that the reason Avatar was such a global success financially and broke so many records at the box office overall, was due to its overpriced ticket prices because it was shot in 3-D. The average movie ticket rate for your basic 2-D movie now is around $8.00, where the price of admission to watch a movie in glorious 3-D adds 6 or 7 dollars more to the experience. Some feel that if Avatar was shot in regular 2-D, the standard form we have been used to watching our movies, then it probably wouldn’t have been so successful.

In conclusion, the 3-D revolution has staked its claim in Hollywood and isn’t going away anytime soon- gimmick or not. Nearly every film that possesses the blockbuster appeal coming in 2010 has been filmed in 3-D and is looking to score big at the box office in their opening weekend, just off the 3-D technology alone, not the actual movie itself. For example, Jackass, the raunchy stunt/gross-out gags driven franchise with Johnny Knoxville and his band of maniacs has decided to go 3-D as well this fall with Jackass 3D. See my point? The real upcoming potential blockbusters filmed in 3-D this year are Shrek Forever After and Toy Story 3 this summer and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I and Tron Legacy that will round out the fall. So next time you go out to the movies and have to make a decision to watch your movie in standard 2-D or the popular upgraded 3-D experience, I wonder, which one will you choose?