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My daughters had a short school break last month so I took them to see Coraline in 3D, and we really enjoyed it. I will commit nerd blasphemy (nerdphemy?) and admit that I am not the biggest fan of Neil Gaiman's novels, so I had not read Coraline. The look and feel of Coraline's world and Mr. Gaiman's typically bleak overtones won me over onscreen, though some people objected to the themes of the plot.
It's true, too, what a lot of reviewers say. The 3D aspect of the film was not overdone. I liked what David Denby said about the use of the effects: "...[M]ost of the time, the writer-director Henry Selick, working with Neil Gaiman’s novel, extends his reach into space as a way of increasing mobility and adventure—as a gift to imagination." That's a great phrase--a gift to the imagination. However, at points I think my imagination was overtaxed, because I found myself examining every corner of the screen and wondering if a stretch of hallway or a bedpost was enhanced. I also never completely forgot I was wearing giant horn rimmed-style glasses. For someone like me, Coraline would be just as enjoyable in 2D, since the 3D aspect kept me one click removed from a story. It's wonderful when you can have those rare experiences in a movie where you are so absorbed you forget where you are.
As casual student of cinema history, I was surprised to learn that the history of 3D movies goes back to the 1890s, as there were early attempts at perfecting a 3D process waaay back then. The golden age of 3D, of course, was the early 1950s, starting with a 1952 film called Bwana Devil, and the fad had fizzled out again by 1956. Of course, 3D never completely disappeared. Jaws 3D was released to acclaim, or at least notoriety, in 1983, and many films have been released for IMAX in 3D. I took my older daughter to see a film last year at our science center that was about rain forest insects, and I admit we almost jumped out of our seats when a spider came spinning down, seemingly right in front of us.
As cool as the return of 3D is, I have to see it for what it is, which is a clever marketing gimmick. Kudos to producers for figuring out how to draw audiences in for an experience that, for most mortals, cannot be recreated at home, and separating us from a couple of extra dollars a ticket to boot. Can this trend last, or will people see a couple and grow tired of it? Are you excited about the return of 3D, or is it a frivolity you can do without in this economy?
Related links:
Star Wars in 3D! Culture Geek feels excitement and dread, while John Scalzi Explains It All
Pullquote calls Coraline Jones the most well-developed female character in a movie this year. I have to agree with that.
