They introduced an improved 3D technology to a mainstream audience and influenced filmmakers such as James Cameron to incorporate it in feature films.

Years passed and audiences became tired of the anaglyph glasses, which led IMAX to develop a new rendition of 3D projection and polarized glasses in the 80’s and 90’s to eliminate eye fatigue (Schedeen, 4). This sparked the golden age of 3D filmmaking in the 1950’s. Since then, films have remained black and white until 1952 witnessed the first 3D color film Bwana Devil directed by Arch Oboler (Schedeen, 2). Its presentation utilized anaglyph glasses a device that was similar to the stereoscope but each lens had the opposite colors of red and cyan (Schedeen, 1). This technology led to the first commercial 3D film release in 1922 with The Power of Love (Deverick and Fairall). It needed two films to be projected at once as the audiences watched it through a stereoscope a viewing device that allowed the spectator to see slightly different angled images in the left and right eye to create a sense of dept (Otto, 1). The process is first associated with William Friese-Greene who patented it in the late 1890’s.

Lee refers to the art form as a new language, but the 3D process has been around for more than 100 years. As does Avatar and Hugo, Lee’s Life of Pi shows the director’s enthusiasm towards the 3D art form and states that while he remains “attached to 2D filmmaking is excited by the new language of cinema that 3D provides a filmmaker with” (Kemp, 2). Ang Lee is the sole winner for Best Director and the first to helm that award for a 3D film (Hughes, 1). The three films have a combination of thirty-one Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, and twelve wins. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, known for their prestigious Academy Awards, have recently acknowledged 3D filmmaking as an important art form with films like James Cameron’s 2009 film Avatar, Martin Scorsese’s 2011 film Hugo and Ang Lee’s 2012 film Life of Pi. “3D Filmmaking: Past, Present and Future” is a short analysis of 3D filmmaking its history, benefits and limitations that is influenced by the thoughts of Martin Scorsese, James Cameron, and Ang Lee – some of the few directors who have achieved critical success with this technology.

Bwana devil 3d movie