3D is a short-sighted step sideways

If you go to the cinema – you will almost certainly have found you need glasses to see some of the most recent releases. I went to see this week’s epic, Clash of the Titans last night – and once again I found myself shelling out for 3D glasses as well as the ticket.  And once again I found myself wondering what all the fuss is about.

It seems to me that 3D is taking over from special effects as the number one excuse for not making a decent film.   I have little interest in seeing a computer game masquerading as a film, so I have not been tempted to sit through Avatar.  But I did rather enjoy Clash of the Titans. But not because it was in 3D – which seems to have been bolted on as an afterthought.

Even more amusing was the worryingly awful films I was being tempted with in the trailers.  Killer piranhas in three dimension?  Sorry – that old chestnut leaves me a little cold.  As did the rather farcical looking film about ballet dancers taking on street dancers.  I go to the cinema to escape from Simon Cowell – not to see some of the rubbish he has helped create thrust down my throat yet again,  And Toy Story3 didn’t look any better than Toy Story2 – simply because the superb animation is pretty 3D-ish in the first place.

Oddly the best use of 3D seems to be the adverts.  But then I suppose they have started off with the idea of 3D being central to their existence.  And they only last 30 seconds – not the best part of two hours.

But I come back to my original point. – what exactly the point of the 3D experience?  It seems a monumental step backwards whichever way you look at it.  And we already know from previous experience that 3D is a pain – because of the glasses.  I guess the new glasses are a big improvement on those odd green and red things… but they are still a nuisance.  Especially if you forget to take them with you every time you go to the cinema.