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What did you think of the 3D Super Bowl ads? (Our verdict: Super Fail)
We went to Target to get 3D glasses, for this? Just before halftime during yesterday's Super Bowl XLIII broadcast, we all donned our paper 3D glasses with great expectations as the Dreamworks Monsters vs. Aliens commercial started up, but sighs of disappointment almost drowned out the raucous soundtrack as the spot unraveled in front of us.
Our super-bright HDTV suddenly seemed to dim to about 10% of its former self as we donned the absurd glasses, and colors were barely discernible. Yes, there were 3D effects, but who cares? The in-your-face moments looked like double images, and the 3D gimmick was more distracting than entertaining. Tempted to find some 3D glasses to experience this groundbreaking visual effect? Don't.
Immediately following that maelstrom of frenetic activity was a 3D "enhanced" SoBe ad, looking somewhat brighter, but then, it was shot with a white background. Alas, it was barely better. To think, these fools spent $7.5 million for this 2.5-minute presentation, not including the cost of all those glasses. Double fail. The emperor has no clothes.
The good news: The CEO of RealD Cinema, the technique in which Monsters vs. Aliens will be shown in theaters when it's release this March, assured us this morning that his effects are much better. "It's important to recognize that today's RealD 3D in theatres is a quantum leap better than what they saw on TV or may remember from years past." The only thing we can gather from that damage control: RealD sucks less.
By Mark Simpson at 1:47 PM ON 02/02/09
To be fair, IMax 3D, with the polarised goggles, is a thousand times better than what can be achieved with TV and the coloured lenses.
Better 3DTV may be achieved using the next generation of 3D goggles, that synch with the TVs that can display at 120Hz/240Hz and show different images to each eye.
Does seem odd to advertise the film with a vastly inferior experience though.
By technologyaddict405 at 1:53 PM ON 02/02/09
Agreed, Mark. Perhaps they should have considered that before broadcasting this trailer to the nation.
"RealD 3D in theatres is a quantum leap better..." Um...quantum = small amount? We're doomed.
By Dvice Reader at 2:01 PM ON 02/02/09
The RealD view of Beowulf wasn't bad at all. Guess you haven't seen it, huh?
By pete3000 at 3:25 PM ON 02/02/09
The glasses i got blurred the blue really bad. so it was fuzzy on the right eye. if you compare this to standard red+blue glasses, it was better, but not quite as good as the 3D I get from my sych'd 3D glasses from tridef.com. for home theater this is great, at this time tho, there is no media to view except for games.
By David at 8:16 AM ON 02/03/09
RealD it's really stunning and impresionant. I think it was too bad to make an anaglyph commercial of something that it's so stuning in RealD cinemas. Is as if you see an advertisement of HDTV on an old low definition VHS tape...
By Lexomatic at 9:31 AM ON 02/03/09
I hypothesize that DreamWorks accepted the downsides of anaglyphic 3D because it's *memorable*. "Oh, Monsters vs. Aliens, that's the one with the Superbowl ad with the glasses." ("Bad publicity is better than none.") The downside is that potential audience members may not realize that the movie uses RealD, a far superior process. They might instead remember the red-blue muddiness of "SpyKids 3D."
By Ron at 3:00 PM ON 02/03/09
Dvice really hates 3D for some reason.
By JP at 1:36 AM ON 02/06/09
Nothing beats the polarizers (regrettable cant go thru TV or PC monitors). These amber and super-dark-blue glasses gave me a monstrous headache just watched a few min i already i'm feeling like i'm off the boat of rough seas
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JP:
Nothing beats the polarizers (regrettable cant go thru TV or PC monitors). These amber and super-dark-blue glasses ...More »