3-D gets smarter: literary adaptations in, action movies out
The 3-D orgy that has engulfed Hollywood this year is not letting up, but its proponents are changing. The technology was initially supported by action filmmakers, and we’re surprised by who is jumping on the bandwagon now and who’s getting off. It’s no shock that the Saw franchise or an animated feature like Megamind would go 3-D, but Ang Lee‘s decision to film his adaptation of Yann Martel‘s Life of Pi using the technique seems odd. Lee is a talented and thoughtful director, and Martel trusts him, so it’s possible he’ll push the medium to a more cerebral place. Apparently the director views the technology as the perfect solution to the challenges of a movie set almost entirely in a lifeboat.
On the flip side of the 3-D coin (watch it spin!) is The Dark Knight director Chris Nolan, who has decided to film his next Batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises, in good old-fashioned 2-D. Also opting to go old school are the producers of the upcoming Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1. Both films seem ideal candidates for the extra-dimensional treatment, creating speculation that the medium is a fad on its way out. It’s probably too early to predict 3-D’s longevity; best to just put on the glasses and enjoy the (often nauseating) ride while it lasts.
