# Predicting Cameron's Avatar: Waterworld or Titanic? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 1, 2009, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predicting-camerons-avatar-waterworld-or-titanic/519638 "2009-12-01T23:29:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predicting-camerons-avatar-waterworld-or-titanic/519638/61 "2009-12-02T20:27:44Z")
Well, I was just gonna post a “you’re wrong” post but that was better said. ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predicting-camerons-avatar-waterworld-or-titanic/519638/62 "2009-12-02T20:27:49Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > Well, okay, I lie- I will complain, perhaps just a bit. One thing that bugs me about 3D movies is that they always have some sort of “Look! We’re in **3D**!” moment. When I watch 3D movies in 2D, I always find myself wondering why the hero just threw the ball straight at the lens, for example. Kinda takes me right out of the movie to realize that the only reason he did that was to make everyone ooh and ahh over the ball flying right out into the audience. That’s the difference between a great 3D movie and a good one. We just got our DVD of **UP** , and it wasn’t until the end of the movie that I remembered we had seen and greatly enjoyed the movie originally in 3D. Same thing with **Coraline**. But in watching **The Mummy Returns** on cable, (which we hadn’t previously seen at all), I was a little annoyed by the things that were obviously done just for the \*Whiz-Bang-Pow! \*3D effect. That truly sucks big 3D balls. I avoided **Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs** for the same reason - I could tell by the trailer that it would mostly be a _Looka this 3d!!!1!!_ movie, and that simply turned me off. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predicting-camerons-avatar-waterworld-or-titanic/519638/63 "2009-12-02T21:54:28Z")
> [@Tanbarkie](#): > > Why on earth _would_ it? If it’s true that 10% of the population can’t watch 3D movies, then there will always be a market for 2D films. Keep in mind that both blindness and deafness are _less_ common conditions (at \<4% and \<2% of the population, respectively), and the film industry does just fine in making sure they can still win their entertainment dollars. It’s basic economics: as long as people want to see 2D movies, the industry will provide them. They were forced to do so by the Americans with Disabilities Act and pressure from activist groups, not that they wanted to serve a small percentage of the population. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predicting-camerons-avatar-waterworld-or-titanic/519638/64 "2009-12-02T22:07:36Z")
> [@Red\_Barchetta](#): > > And why is “every” theater converting to digital and offering 3D? Because the marketplace is clearly demanding it. They are two different issues that have a small area of overlap. Theater chains and film distributors will move to digital distribution and projection because they will save a huge amount of money by no longer shipping prints, assembling prints, moving prints to different auditoriums in a multiplex, etc. It will save them a huge amount of money. The transition has proceeded slowly because the party that will save the majority of the money - the studios and distributors - don’t want to pony up to help the theater chains, who will also save money, just not as much. Printing and distributing six thousands prints of _New Moon_ obviously costs orders of magnitude more money than digitizing and uploading a single file via satellite. The servers and current state of the art projectors don’t care if the uploaded file is 2D or 3D. I see films in digital when I can because the projection quality is _vastly_ better than even the best film projection. By the way, 3D projection is worse, if only because the image is much less bright because you’re watching the damn film wearing sunglasses. > [@](#): > > That’s not “forcing change.” Again, follow the money. The studios want 3D because they want to increase the average ticket price. Obviously, they want the money. The studio executives want higher grosses to feed their egos as well. The desires of the public barely even figure into all this. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predicting-camerons-avatar-waterworld-or-titanic/519638/65 "2009-12-02T22:10:42Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > Again, follow the money. The studios want 3D because they want to increase the average ticket price. Obviously, they want the money. The studio executives want higher grosses to feed their egos as well. The desires of the public barely even figure into all this. And where does that money come from? The _consumers_, who are paying to view 3D movies. Were they not, we wouldn’t even be having this argument. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predicting-camerons-avatar-waterworld-or-titanic/519638/66 "2009-12-02T22:12:44Z")
> [@BwanaBob](#): > > Biggest mistake is its title. > > My kid was totally confused by the commercial because he thought it had something to do with the animated series, “Avatar: the Last Airbender”. > He’s not interested now. > > I’m sure he’s not alone. I too thought it would be about Aang and the gang and was dissappointed to find out it wasn’t but good news a movie is being made. [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0938283/](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0938283/) and the movie’s site > **[The Last Airbender](https://www.facebook.com/thelastairbendermovie)** > > The Last Airbender. 3,126,298 likes · 39 talking about this. Four nations, One destiny. On the Cameron film I’m sure it will do well but I have no plans to see it. Some day in the future when SyFy shows it on some saturday when I am bored and being lazy I’ll probably watch it. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predicting-camerons-avatar-waterworld-or-titanic/519638/67 "2009-12-02T22:13:09Z")
> [@TheBoltEater](#): > > I’m amused (though perhaps not wildly surprised) that there is already a global consensus that Avatar = great visuals with weak story. Doesn’t Cameron deserve a little credit by now? I’m basing my opinion off the trailer I saw. It seemed so boring and trite that I didn’t even bother to finish it. When even the \*trailer \*makes me yawn, that’s a bad, bad, bad sign. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predicting-camerons-avatar-waterworld-or-titanic/519638/68 "2009-12-02T22:24:12Z")
> [@Red\_Barchetta](#): > > And where does that money come from? The _consumers_, who are paying to view 3D movies. Were they not, we wouldn’t even be having this argument. Again, if Cameron had succeeded in his plan to have Avatar only shown in 3D, the public would not have been offered the choice. The move to digital projection is happening for economic reasons having little to do with consumer preference - a better picture is a “happy accident”. The ability of digital projection to show 3D is a side effect that enables them to raise ticket prices. If there were a burning public demand for 3D, why did it disappear completely for decades? The technology was there. 35mm projectors remained capable of showing old or new 3D films. No, it disappeared because the public saw it as the gimmick is was and remains. It’s being pushed again because of all the reasons I’ve already mentioned. As they saw in Parliament “I refer the learned gentleman to my earlier remarks.” ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predicting-camerons-avatar-waterworld-or-titanic/519638/69 "2009-12-02T22:26:55Z")
The Dark Knight. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predicting-camerons-avatar-waterworld-or-titanic/519638/70 "2009-12-02T22:27:29Z")
It’s not a gimmick. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predicting-camerons-avatar-waterworld-or-titanic/519638/71 "2009-12-02T22:30:45Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > It’s not a gimmick. Something that appears, is heavily promoted, disappears for a long time, re-appears, is heavily promoted, disappears again for a long time, re-appears… What would you call something like that? We’re not talking about color or surround sound. We’re talking about Smell-o-Vision’s slightly more respectable cousin. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predicting-camerons-avatar-waterworld-or-titanic/519638/72 "2009-12-02T22:32:45Z")
60 million U.S. kids age 5-18 will be off of school Dec. 25-31. What movie do you think they will be going to see? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predicting-camerons-avatar-waterworld-or-titanic/519638/73 "2009-12-02T22:33:15Z")
I don’t recall seeing very much fanfare over 3-d. Then again, being sort of out of the loop, I don’t make decisions based on the marketing. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predicting-camerons-avatar-waterworld-or-titanic/519638/74 "2009-12-02T22:34:37Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > 60 million U.S. kids age 5-18 will be off of school Dec. 25-31. > What movie do you think they will be going to see? I know I am going to see it. ---
**Author:** ![Rack-a-Bones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rack-a-Bones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rack-a-Bones)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predicting-camerons-avatar-waterworld-or-titanic/519638/75 "2009-12-02T22:38:53Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > I think the cynical adult geeks may dismiss it, but the teen geeks will go nuts for it, and they (who used to be us) will send its take into the stratosphere. I’m taking the day off to go see it, for my 39th birthday. This thread got off track with the 2D v 3D discussions but back tot he OP I think it’ll recoup it’s money $100 mil plus, opening weekend. Over $800 mil before it is over. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predicting-camerons-avatar-waterworld-or-titanic/519638/76 "2009-12-02T22:45:41Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > It’s being pushed again because of all the reasons I’ve already mentioned. As they saw in Parliament “I refer the learned gentleman to my earlier remarks.” It’s being pushed again because the technology for it is superior. Circularly polarized glasses allow the viewer to tilt their head without disrupting the 3D effect, as was the case before. > [@gaffa](#): > > Again, if Cameron had succeeded in his plan to have Avatar only shown in 3D, the public would not have been offered the choice. They would, actually–they don’t have to go see the movie while it’s in theaters, y’know. If 3D is that large of a detriment (which it obviously isn’t, for most people), you still don’t have to see it in theaters. > [@gaffa](#): > > The move to digital projection is happening for economic reasons having little to do with consumer preference - a better picture is a “happy accident”. The ability of digital projection to show 3D is a side effect that enables them to raise ticket prices. Let’s clear up something right now. Digital Project and 3D are not synonymous. 3D films cost more to make than were they simply 2D. If people were not attending 3D films, the studios would not be able to justify the cost of making them, and they would go the way of the dodo. So far, that hasn’t been the case. In short, 3D is anything but a side-effect. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predicting-camerons-avatar-waterworld-or-titanic/519638/77 "2009-12-02T23:00:51Z")
> [@Rack-a-Bones](#): > > I’m taking the day off to go see it, for my 39th birthday. This thread got off track with the 2D v 3D discussions but back tot he OP I think it’ll recoup it’s money $100 mil plus, opening weekend. Over $800 mil before it is over. I’ll also be going to see it. I don’t know why people are dismissing it so heartily, I’ve seen lamer looking movies be praised to the hilt, and sometimes it mystifies me that my tastes are so different to the majority. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predicting-camerons-avatar-waterworld-or-titanic/519638/78 "2009-12-02T23:10:18Z")
I have not seen so much as a trailer for it. I think I will seek out one and see if it seems promising, BUT… it has to look superbly amazing because of the “Incubus” effect: namely, that band wasn’t the worst out there, but I refused to like them because a band called freakin _ **Incubus** _ should blast your socks off with heavy metal goth rockin’, and they don’t. A movie called _Avatar_ should similarly be made of awesome, or else it will also not justify its surpremely cool name. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predicting-camerons-avatar-waterworld-or-titanic/519638/79 "2009-12-02T23:26:32Z")
For me, I have seen this movie already… actually TWICE. It’s Dances with Wolves AND The Last Samurai. If it was an original sounding story I could get on board… but this… this trite mess- no thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2009, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predicting-camerons-avatar-waterworld-or-titanic/519638/80 "2009-12-02T23:47:23Z")
> [@Rack-a-Bones](#): > > I’m taking the day off to go see it, for my 39th birthday. This thread got off track with the 2D v 3D discussions but back tot he OP I think it’ll recoup it’s money $100 mil plus, opening weekend. Over $800 mil before it is over. Your $100M/$800 is domestic or worldwide? My numbers above were domestic, but maybe I should have offered both. Or maybe your first number is domestic open, and your second is worldwide total. that would make more sense. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predicting-camerons-avatar-waterworld-or-titanic/519638.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/predicting-camerons-avatar-waterworld-or-titanic/519638.md?page=5)