In the past few years, Hollywood has become enamored with 3-D movies. It seems these days a movie can’t be considered a big-budget blockbuster unless it’s projected in 3-D.
Allow me to be completely frank about my stance on this trend — I hate it.
What you’ll find below is my humble opinion. I know that 3-D has done some good, like drawing audiences back to theaters and thereby increasing profits. Just look at the top-grossing movies of 2011 so far. Of the top 10, seven were presented in 3-D.
Add to this the fact that last weekend’s re-release of “The Lion King” took in $29.3 million at the box office, making it the fifth-largest September opening of all time, and anyone can see that studios have a huge cash cow on their hands.
The studios are aware of this and are taking every step to capitalize on the 3-D obsession. Disney’s re-release of “The Lion King” is only the beginning, as 3-D re-releases of all six “Star Wars” films, “Titanic” and “Top Gun” are slated for early 2012.
Why, then, do so many directors, studio executives, film critics and movie lovers agree that 3-D is a bad thing? I present our case, by the numbers. 1. It adds nothing to a movie. What’s your favorite movie? Would it really have been made better by 3-D? When I was a kid, “The Lion King” was one of my favorites. I was ecstatic for its return to theaters on Friday, but when I saw the movie, which is only being screened in 3-D, I was extremely disappointed. I honestly think my VHS tape from 1994 showed more visual depth. 2. It can detract from a movie. The next time you see a film in 3-D, look closely. Notice how out of focus most of the picture is. When a film is shot in 2-D and poorly converted to 3-D, it causes only objects in the foreground, most often a character, to be in focus. For a textbook example of this, watch Tim Burton’s “Alice In Wonderland” in 3-D. Movies presented in 3-D can also appear much darker than a director intended. The obvious reason is that seeing a movie in 3-D requires a viewer to wear those bulky glasses, which are fairly dark. This makes as much sense as watching a movie with sunglasses on. 3. It’s been scientifically proven to cause nausea and headaches. Early last year, Reuters published a report that made its way around film circles on the Internet. In the article, two eye doctors reported some moviegoers may suffer from headaches and nausea due to the increased strain on the eyes and brain caused by 3-D. Consumer Reports also published a study that found 15 percent of moviegoers suffer from headaches or nausea after viewing a 3-D film. I found I was part of this 15 percent after being coerced into seeing “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” this summer. The 3-D, coupled with Michael Bay’s explosion-laden directing, made my friends and me leave the theater early and head for the nearest trash can to vomit. 4. It makes going to the movies far too expensive. Everyone knows that seeing a movie in theaters is expensive, especially for college students. Nine dollars for one ticket is already enough, but seeing a movie in 3-D can make it much more expensive — up to $5 more per ticket. You’re probably saying, “That makes sense because it costs more to show a film in 3-D.” Well, you’re right. It does cost more when it’s projected properly. However, many 3-D movies are shown on projectors that were built for 2-D, adding nearly no cost for the theater. 5. It’s already failed before. Talk to your grandparents about 3-D. Chances are they’ll have a “been there, done that,” attitude. Back in the ’50s, Hollywood felt threatened by the growing popularity of television. Studios tried a number of gimmicks to get audiences out of the house and back into a theater, and one of these gimmicks was 3-D. Along with all of the other cheap tricks, 3-D was laughed at and done away with. I will admit, the recent 3-D craze is driven by technology far superior to that used in the past, but the principle is the same – it was a cheap gimmick then, and it’s a cheap gimmick now.
Despite all this, I’m honestly not opposed to 3-D being used as an alternative movie going experience. Some movies, generally action or animated films, can be more fun in 3-D.
My fear is that, along with 3-D televisions, gaming systems and phones, 3-D movies will become so commonplace that audiences will simply accept them.
And that prospect makes me just as sick as the new “Transformers.”
 
Joey Groner is a 20-year-old mass communications sophomore from Baton Rouge, La.
 
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Contact Joey Groner at [email protected]