3D Movies Available For Home Viewing

 

How many 3D movies can fans expect to be available in the near future for their home viewing pleasure? Judging from the films with confirmed release dates through 2011, there will be plenty for any home DVD library. Major electronics manufacturers both Sony and Panasonic unveiled plans to bring 3D home in a big way at the DisplaySearch TV ecosystem conference in early September 2009. During the event, Panasonic's spokesman Eisuke Tsuyuzaki outlined how digital 3D content can be produced from either Computer graphics or from live action using twin cameras. Like Dream Works Animation's Jeffrey Katzenberg, Tsuyuzaki noted that currently there are 10 to 15 3D movies released annually.

So how soon can avid film fans get quality 3D at home? Currently experts recomMend getting Blu-ray DVD versions of 3D theatrical releases and viewing them at home on high-definition TVs while wearing quality anaglyph 3D glasses with plastic frames, rather than the paper glasses provided with 3D DVDs. Industry experts say this method is expected to be the standard for three to eight years, since the next major developMent, full HD/frame sequential technology, isn't expected to be ready until at least 2015.

Meanwhile, at least 5,000 3-D systems are expected to be in place by the end of 2009. DreamWorks Animation's Jeffrey Katzenberg expects his company will put out 12 to 18 3D feature films by 2010. The near future of cinema clearly centers on 3-D.

This year the 3D releases have included "My Bloody Valentine 3D," "Coraline," "Jonas Brothers: the 3D Concert Experience," "Monsters Vs. Aliens," "Battle for Terra," the marvelous Disney/Pixar film "Up," "Call of the Wild 3D," "Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs," "G-Force," "The Final Destination," "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs," "Toy Story 2," "Toy Story," "A Christmas Carol," "Planet 51," "The Princess and the Frog," and "Titanic" director James Cameron's eagerly awaited epic, "Avatar."

Confirmed for release in 2010 are "Beauty and the Beast in 3D," "Sanctum," Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" featuring Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter, plus the short "Frankenweenie," "How to Train Your Dragon," "Piranha 3-D," "Shrek Forever After," "Toy Story 3," "Despicable Me," "Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore," "Step Up 3D," "Guardians of Ga'hoole," "Alpha and Omega," Dreamwork Animation's "Oobermind," "Rapunzel," and "Yogi Bear."

Among the films anticipated in 2011 are three sequels: "Cars 2," "Happy Feet 2 in 3D," "Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom," plus "Smurfs 3D" and Steve Spielberg's "The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn." This last represents a collaboration of historic proportions. In addition to Spielberg, Peter Jackson and Kathleen Kennedy will produce with a stunning international cast starring Jamie Bell ("Billy Elliot," "Defiance") as Tintin, the intrepid young reporter whose relentless pursuit of a good story thrusts him into a world of high adventure, and Daniel Craig ("Quantum of Solace," "Defiance") as the nefarious Red Rackham. Joining Bell and Craig are Andy Serkis (Gollum/Smeagol of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy), Simon Pegg (Scotty in the recent reboot of "Star Trek"), Nick Frost, Gad Elmaleh, Toby Jones and Mackenzie Crook. So how many movies will be available for 3D home viewing? Answer: Plenty, with lots more to come!

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