We here at Cinema Blend have done our best to accept that 3D is going to be part of the film-going experience for a while. We hope that our To 3D or Not To 3D segments have been helpful for you in deciding which movies will be worth the extra cash, and which ones to just see in 2D. But despite our begrudged acceptance of the format not everyone has taken to the 3D, and a recent study has shown that people in the UK are even more against it than we are here in the US.
According to BBC News, a YouGov poll recently asked film fans what they thought of the added element of 3D in their films and only 19% said that it actually improved the film. This number is staggeringly low considering the amount of films being pumped out in 3D. According to the results, 41% of respondents said that they think the new technology is just a gimmick used to try to reel in more viewers and boost ticket sales. The rest said that 3D doesn't make any difference in the quality of a film. Also worth noting is that 52% of those polled said they would be "more likely to see a 3D film if they did not have to wear the glasses."
The British Film Institute released the figures for box office earnings between this and last year and while those numbers are up, cinema visits are down which means the numbers are being augmented by the inflated 3D ticket prices.
3D is not without its place. The technology thrives in animated features, but live-action conversions like Clash of the Titans just don’t work. It’s this sort of thing that Hollywood needs to realize before it damages the reputation of 3D beyond repair. The technology can and has worked, it’s just a matter of figuring out when to use it.
