Despite the major movie studios' absolute infatuation with 3-D (or perhaps, more accurately, the inflated box office hauls that inevitably accompany 3-D) it seems like its popularity among the general public has once again peaked and is beginning to wane, just like it did 50 years ago when the iconic red-and-blue glasses were still in use.
Sony drove one more nail into mainstream 3-D's coffin this past week when it announced that, beginning next summer, it would no longer be subsidizing glasses for its 3-D films, placing the extra burden instead on movie theaters and—most likely—ultimately the consumer.
This is quite a bold move considering that Sony's summer 2012 tentpole film, ""The Amazing Spiderman,"" is currently being filmed by Madison-native Marc Webb in 3-D. I can't imagine that the deluge of 3-D films will continue if more studios follow suit.
They say these things are cyclical, and perhaps that saying is right. In a few decades, 3-D may come roaring back into style, but in the mean time movie theaters are still facing the onslaught of home televisions larger than 60 inches and a plethora of instant high definition download and streaming services all competing to get your movie bucks.
Theaters have been exploring new ways to make the theater-going experience worth the effort, from cutting-edge digital 3-D projectors, to luxury, fully reclining seats, to in-theater food and bar service. It's all about giving you something that you just can't get at home. To that end, a new high-tech theatrical innovation has been slowly but surely working it's way into American movie theaters and may be looking to pry an extra few dollars from your wallet very soon.
D-Box seats, which have been rolled out to about 100 theaters nationwide, purport to set a new standard for movie immersion. Described by its creators as ""where art meets technology meets cinema,"" a D-Box seat is a ""high-technology motion system"" that is synchronized with a specific ‘Motion Code' for each movie—sort of like a soundtrack, except written to coincide with the movie's action. The seats vibrate, yank and sway like a motion simulator ride in tune with the movie.
Each outfitted auditorium has a few rows of D-Box seats that can be reserved for an extra $8 surcharge that's split between D-Box's creators, the studio and the theater itself.
While the prospect of potentially upchucking your gallon of greased popcorn and jumbo Slurpee may put some off the D-Box, thankfully the seats' creators had the foresight to equip the seats with a self-adjuster so each theatergoer can adjust the intensity of his experience. This freedom of choice in intensity is something that certainly can't be said of 3-D—take the glasses off after getting tired of the 3-D visuals and you'll be even worse off.
While I certainly wouldn't advocate widespread use across all genres, in the right circumstance I can see the potential—as long as the motion isn't abused and overused. If the motion is too drastic, these seats could easily jolt you out of the context of the film and turn the experience into a two-hour Disney World ride.
The experience must be enhancing and not distracting—a balance point which most 3-D movies couldn't find with GPS and Google Maps combined. As is the case with 3-D, just because the technology is available, it's not always appropriate to use. The new ""Fast and Furious"" movie? Sure thing. The new Aaron Sorkin flick? Perhaps not. (I would've loved to be a fly on the wall watching Baz Luhrmann justify shooting the new ""Great Gatsby"" in 3-D.)
Will motion-simulating movie seats be the way of the future or merely the next gimmick to get you to spend your hard earned dollars? While D-Box seats are steadily increasing their market penetration, they have yet to come to any theaters in Wisconsin. However, if you find yourself in Chicagoland or the Twin Cities, you can try them out first hand at either the Muvico Theater in Rosemont, Ill. or the Mall of America theaters and decide for yourself.
Can't wait to have your world rocked by D-Box seats? Let David know at dcottrell@wisc.edu
