Editorial: 3D retrofitting. A Sinking Ship?

This week, Avatar and Terminator 2: Judgment Day director James Cameron invited specialist press to a special 15-minute demo screening of his latest project, Titanic 3D. Cameron, who has been an advocate of the move to 3D ever since Pandora was but a whisper of an idea, follows Pixar (the Toy Story trilogy) and Disney (The Lion King 3D) in bringing the 3D treatment to his 1997 box-office juggernaut.

And you know what? I simply can’t wait. Far from jumping on the 3D-bashing bandwagon – with snide film critics such as Mark Kermode incessantly welcming its demise – I for one have quite the fond admiration for the added dimension, so much so that a disproportional amount of my wages were invested in the early adoption of a 3DTV. I’m not going to defend such moves as rushing the 3D conversion of films like Clash of the Titans which, understandably, looked atrocious. Although let’s face it; it was a repugnant, horrible, CGI-stuffed mess of a film to begin with. But when done right, 3D can be excellent – whether in bringing you closer to the thickets of organic life in the jungles of Pandora, or bringing intensity and immersion to Tron: Legacy’s spectacular Light Cycle sequence.

Far from being a hack-job, Titanic 3D is costing a hefty $18 million to retrofit – with 300 artists estimated to take 60 weeks on the job – and is due for release on April 6th 2012 which, as any Titanic buffs will know, is the 100th anniversary of the ship setting sail. My love for the film aside, if 3D can force studios’ hands in bringing much-loved, newly-restored and updated flicks to the big screen in a way never before seen then I'm all for it. Now, bring on the Star Wars saga in 3D!  

Watch the Titanic 3D trailer below...in 2D.