Dim movies? Blame 3D lenses used with 2D movies

[thewayne]

It's mainly been seen in AMC, National Amusements, and Regal chains that use Sony digital projectors. Apparently Sony rushed their 3D projector to market and got lockins with theaters that they get the projector for free in exchange for Sony commercials being shown before every movie. The problem is that changing the lens from a 3D to a 2D movie is complex, so most theaters don't do it. As a result, the polarizer required for 3D is left in place for 2D movies, resulting in a huge light loss.

I knew there was a lot of light loss with 3D, but I didn't fully appreciate it until I saw Thor in 2D last week, then my wife and I saw it again in 3D over the weekend and I was amazed at how dim it was.

http://www.boston.com/ae/movies/articles/2011/05/22/misuse_of_3_d_digital_lens_leaves_2_d_movies_in_the_dark/?page=full

Comments

[keleos.livejournal.com]

On a side note, we saw Thor in 3D this week, and other than the end sequence right before the credit scroll I have no idea why the damn thing was in 3D. Seeing both the 3D and 2D versions I have to ask you, was it really any better in 3D?

[thewayne.livejournal.com]

IMHO, no, 3D did not significantly improve the movie.

I can't list the movies that I've seen in both 2D and 3D, I just happened to catch Thor in both. Initially my wife wasn't interested in seeing it, I don't think she knew that it was part of the Marvel Comics Iron Man/Captain America/Avengers line up, and when she realized that, she was eager to see it. I happened to be in Las Cruces last week and they were showing it in both, locally they were only showing it in 3D.

[silveradept]

So the obvious solution there is to make the 3D lens play only 3D movies. Assuming, of course, that's even sufficiently profitable, which it will be until someone figures out that 3D is mostly a gimmick and will go back to the 2D style.

[thewayne.livejournal.com]

That's the problem: the numbers would seem to indicate that 3D is profitable.

[silveradept]

Blargh for that - most of the 3D stuff is gimmicky and added on. If we want 3D to be profitable, there should be more Avatar.

[thewayne.livejournal.com]

The problem is that Hollywood is adverse to taking risk. If it was a good story in the 1950's, it'll be a good story today and they remake it. And gimmickry apparently is also profitable. I guess sound systems have evolved past the point of resurrecting Sensurround.

There was a theater in Phoenix that suffered structural damage due to Sensurround. They were showing the film Earthquake and had the sound turned up to high! They had to shut down for a few months until the theater could be studied and reinforced.

Of course, since it was a single screen, it was torn down long ago.

[silveradept]

Quite. "THX: The Audience is Now Deaf."