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By Emily Gorton
Staff Writer
10 June 2010
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TIM Burton's blockbuster twist on the Lewis Carroll classic Alice and Wonderland was finally released on DVD last week.
With a fresh new storyline concocted by screenwriter Linda Woolverton and a star-studded cast featuring Jonny Depp and Anne Hathaway, many would expect this innovative feature film to fly off the shelves.
However, whether the 2D DVDs and Blu-ray will capture the amazing visuals, thrilling perspective and enhancing details provided by a three-dimensional cinema experience remains in question.
Many have become concerned about the 3D phenomenon which has swept cinemas for the last few years.
3D used to be considered as a rather tacky invention of the 1980s; a holographic trick included in children's magazines to amuse them for half an hour.
But recently the tides have changed - every new release now seems to boast an added dimension.
Now that this new wave of films has been released on 2D DVD and Blu-ray, sales will certainly show which ones were relying a little too much on the 3D experience.
Why 3D?
Some have claimed that the new revolution is directly connected to the uncontrollable rise in film piracy.
With new file-sharing technology and thousands of sites posting links to download or stream the latest releases, the movie industry is losing a lot of money.
Less people make the trip to the cinema when they can watch it all for free on the internet or buy a pirate DVD for a quarter of the price of a cinema ticket.
3D was the brain-wave of the film-business to get people away from their computers and back in to their local cinemas.
The dizzying and enthralling graphics of these new films simply can't be replicated at home.
It appears, however, that this wave of genius has somewhat backfired as the films which forced people in to the cinema now appear on the shelves in a simplified 2D format.
Some will suffer more than others from this and the success or failure could well depend on movie genre.
Action
The biggest success of the 3D craze falls under this category.
James Cameron's Avatar smashed the box offices when it was released and picked up the best art direction, best cinematography and best visual effects awards at this year's Oscars.
Such was the success of the film that as opposed to plummeting on DVD sales, it has become the best-selling Blu-ray ever since its release in April.
Apparently, many people were prepared to sacrifice the 3D experience in order to journey back to Pandora.
With Blu-ray high definition the film's dazzling visuals will remain largely intact for viewers.
Whether upcoming 3D action movies such as Sanctum (which is also being overseen by James Cameron) will acquire as much success both on the screen and on the shelves remains to be seen.
Horror
Many directors have seized 3D as an opportunity to take the scare factor as well as grotesque goriness to the next level.
3D feature films such as My Bloody Valentine and Final Destination IV have delighted and disgusted viewers everywhere.
However, horror films rely heavily upon their visuals - scripts, acting standards and plots often take a back seat.
It is likely then that for this reason horror films will suffer from their 2D releases.
Piranha 3D is due to hit the screens over the next few months and although it is predicted to do well here, it could also fall victim to the limitations of two dimensions.
Animation
Alice in Wonderland - arguably - falls under the category of animation.
Its bizarre mix of simulation and real action worked wonderfully in 3D with some truly breathtakingly shots.
Although it is doubtful whether the visuals will be as effective in 2D, the stunning beauty of some of the scenes will be diluted rather than lost.
Pixar's first 3D release Up was also very successful in theatres.
Its touching story matches up to Pixar's greatest classics and will undoubtedly have many splashing out for the DVD.
The long awaited Toy Story 3 is due to be released in July and many are expecting another Pixar masterpiece - perfectly accessible in every dimension.
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