Toy Story 1 and 2 have just been released on 3D
3D first originated from the British Scientist Sir Charles Wheatstone in 1839 who thought we could see things from two different viewpoints.
From there on he built a mirror device called the stereoscope to demonstrate his discover using double drawings.
Similar to the 3D glasses that are now given out at the cinema, the stereoscope separates the left and right eye and is a handheld device that cinema fans hold.
The first ever 3D film to be released to a paying audience was in 1922 and was The Power Of Love.
The film was shot using two cameras side by side and was show in Los Angeles.
Colour entered the world of 3D films in 1935 and was originally invented for cars to reduce the glare from headlights in oncoming traffic, which then translated into film
Audiences wore a new 3D glasses known as the polarising glasses, these matched the filters over the double projectors that unspoiled left the right eye movies.
The 3D boom moved over to London in 1951 with a unique 3D cinema being built on the South Bank of the Thames which was home to the Festival of Britain.
This made Hollywood sit up and take interest and with cinema audiences falling rapidly due to the rise in televisions 3D was a way to make the audiences come flooding back.
People queued round the block to see the new ‘Natural Vision’ 3D which was released in the film Bwana Devil in 1952.
Even though the film was slammed by critics, people still wanted to see what was next in store for 3D cinema.
By 1955 fifty or more 3D films had been released and it looked like it would be around forever, however times where changing and it was questionable if we would ever see the return of 3D to the big screen.
Suddenly a slump came in the market and 3D started to lose its appeal with the Golden Era boom going bust it was back to basic for films.
The Cinemascope saw a new widescreen format which seemed to regain the audiences imagination pushing 3D to the back of their minds.
It took nearly two decades to get around the single camera problem and in the 80s audience returned to 3D.
With the release of Comin’ At Ya and Jaws 3D which went on to score one of the top grossing 3D films of all time.
The new IMAX format was introduced to 3D in 2004 with The Polar Express becoming the first feature length IMAX 3d.
The filmed opened on 75 3D screens compared to 2,000 2D screens, and the 3D version went on to outperform the normal 2D version by three to one at the box office.
This Friday sees history being made with Director David Cameron building a totally new type of 3D digital camera for his new film Avatar.
He argued that the old 3D camera was too heavy and to create the film he wanted to make he had to create a new lightweight camera.
The idea of the film had been around since 1994 and would allow him to create a totally believable alien world.
Cameron had to wait for cameras to catch with his advanced ideas so that shooting could begin for Avatar which took a process of four years ago.
With 3D films picking up steam it looks like they are here to stick around and in future we may see films only being released at the cinema in 3D instead of 2D.
Female First Natalie Broxton
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