Avatar spurs Hollywood 3D re-launch of films

[Christopher Lefchik]

Hollywood is looking to capitalize on Avatar's success by processing older films for re-release in 3D.

Details here: Avatar sparks 3-D makeover for action classics - Times Online

I do have to wonder how well the technology mentioned works to generate 3D images from 2D originals. It can't be as realistic as a film originally shot and rendered in 3D.

[Andy Wilkinson]

...just another idea to extract money from unwise punters. What next, old B&W spaghetti westerns in "full HD, full colour with surround sound" on Blue Ray! No thanks.

[David Heath]

Originally Posted by Christopher Lefchik

I do have to wonder how well the technology mentioned works to generate 3D images from 2D originals. It can't be as realistic as a film originally shot and rendered in 3D.

This is just speculation, but maybe if the film required a lot of CGI the 3D information used within the computer to render the graphics may still be available. So the "new" films could be made up from a lot more than just a simple 2D print?

[Christopher Lefchik]

Originally Posted by David Heath

This is just speculation, but maybe if the film required a lot of CGI the 3D information used within the computer to render the graphics may still be available. So the "new" films could be made up from a lot more than just a simple 2D print?

If the original 3D models could be still be used to re-render the CGI in 3D, then yes, that would work for those scenes in the film. But even in effects heavy films there is still a good deal of live action photography that was shot using conventional non-3D photography. And I wonder what the scenes combining 3D CGI and 2D photography will come out looking like?

And what about the films produced before CGI was used much (or even available), such as the original Star Wars trilogy?

[John Vincent]

I saw NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS in it's 3D version at a theatre last year and was not impressed. I mean it looked kinda 3D-ish, but no where near as movies actually shot in 3-D, including JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH.

Honestly, not even as good as CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON (which was a true 3D flick when first released).

And NIGHTMARE was a big budget film that yo'd think would be as easy to 3D-afy as any. So bottom line, unless there's a new process invented, I don't have much hope for it.

jdv