Avatar and My Journey through 3D Cinema
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As the whole world is now all set to sway to the Avatar magic, I just felt its time that I revisited my journey through 3D cinema over the years. To begin with I would like to stress upon the fact here that this is not supposed to be an elaborate analysis of 3D cinema. For that you can have a look over here. This is a simple personal tale of how I look at Avatar and 3D cinema.
The year was 1984, I was not even 10 years old then but the movie bug had already bit me very hard by then. I used to look forward to the monthly movie or two that we would watch in the theatre and the weekly movies on D.D were very much relished irrespective of the language or genre of the movie. At that time a Malayalam movie called My Dear Kuttichathan (MDK from here on ) got released,which was also later on dubbed into Tamil ( by the same name ) and Hindi ( Chota Chetan ). Produced by Navodaya Appachan and directed by Jijo Punnoose based on the script by Reghunath Paleri, this was a movie meant for kids but which reached out to all segments of audience.
It was simple tale of a few children who come across as a ‘kuttichathan’ (a little genie) and befriend him. Thus begins an adventure ride for the kids which includes a face off with an evil sorcerer. Ilayaraja’s soothing music (Aalipazham Perukaam is such a lovely number) and Ashok Kumar’s cinematography also helped the movie tremendously. I still remember salivating over the visuals of the kids eating ice-creams & the other antics all of which got so well captured on 3D. More than a decade later, in 1997 the movie even got re-released in Hindi with some added elements which included a portion with Urmila Matondkar.
After watching My Dear Kuttichathan I was hooked to 3D like the rest of the country. I remember coaxing my parents to buy me 3D comics and was very upset that we couldn’t have a Binatone 3D T.V at home . Around the same time I also got to watch 2 more 3D films in theatre- Magnificent Bodyguards (MB from here on) and Shiva Ka Insaaf. While MB was the first 3D movie to be made in Hong Kong (1978), Shiva Ka Insaaf was probably the first true blue 3D movie to be made in Hindi. I remember watching MB sometime in 1985/86 and how I was completely mesmerized by the action sequences which looked incredible in 3D.
MB is the story of Ting Chung (Jackie Chan) who gets hired to escort a sick person to a doctor. The journey is treacherous as they have to pass through areas infested by criminals. Chung later finds out that the sick man is actually the leader of the criminals and he is actually on his way to reclaim his leadership position from an impostor. Chung also finds out that the truth behind his father’s murder from and then it soon becomes an exciting action adventure all the way. A few years later I even saw a 2D version of the same movie this time under a totally new title which I somehow do not recollect now.
Shiva Ka Insaaf was the typical Hindi potboiler of the 80’s. A small boy is the witness to the murders of his parents. And then the boy is brought up by friends of his father who train him in fighting and combat. The boy is now rechristened as Shiva and he now becomes the messiah of the people and wants to eradicate all evil and hunt down the killers of his parents. Jackie Shroff was reasonably impressive as the caped crusader. I was even hoping that the makers would try to make this an India superhero franchise, but alas that did not happen.
Though 3D emerged with a lot of fanfare, the spirit also kind of died down rapidly after some of these above mentioned movies. People even began to feel that this was just another passing fad & that this was never supposed to be a threat to conventional 2D cinema. In India especially this was felt so even more for sure. So for a long long time there was absolutely no action in this front. Till IMAX (Image Maximum) Theatres came to India and changed things once again for all of us.
Beginning with IMAX specific films like Deep Sea, Space Station etc which were in 3D, one then finally got to conventional films which then started getting showcased in 3D in the IMAX theatres like The Polar Express and Beowulf. I even went on to watch movies like Superman Returns and Harry Potter and the Order of The Phoenix in IMAX theatres just because the movies were partially in 3D. By this time we were well into the mid 2000’s and slowly the interest in 3D cinema started getting revived world wide and this time even India was prepared.
So with the release of Journey to the Centre of the Earth in 2008 the scenario completely changed. By then select theatres and multiplexes across India started investing in 3D projection and enabling the movies to get screened in 3D wherever possible. So one began to see a lot of movies releasing in 3D like Monsters Vs Aliens, Bolt, Ice Age- 3, Up, Cloudy with Meat Balls etc. But even while all these movies got released in 2008 & 2009 there were only a handful of 3D compliant screens in India. For example the whole of South India had only 2 screens- Sathyam Cinemas in Chennai and Prasads Imax in Hyderabad being the only privileged ones.
But one film silently has already taken things to the next level and that is none other than Avatar. While the movie was originally planned for a summer 2009 release, it was then pushed back to Dec 18th to enable more screens worldwide to install 3D projectors. That slowly began to set things in motion. On 28th August 2009 in a very unique case of movie marketing there were special previews held across the world where the select crowd got to see a 15 minute footage of the movie in 3D and the excitement only got all the more pronounced. And so more screens across India started getting ready to embrace Avatar in 3D and now the cities joining the race included places like Coimbatore, Madurai, Amritsar, Cochin, Ahmedabad, Jaipur etc.
The Avatar Experience
16th Dec, 2009- I was among the excited set of people who were all set to watch the premiere show of Avatar. After the first few minutes of the usual nittigritties like getting used to the 3D spectacles and allowing the movie to settle in, I sat mesmerized. What I saw on screen in front of me was so visually stunning that I was once again the same school kid who once saw MDK. It’s an open fact that the use of technology in cinema has reached a new height with Avatar.
I wouldn’t want to spoil anyone’s tryst with Avatar by talking about the plot and certain other mandatory stuff but instead will tell you a bit more about what I felt about the movie. It certainly is visually stunning and very impressive. While there is certainly a decent enough plot, it’s not something all that complicated as its made out to be. At the core lies a simple love story which is backed by great action and some stunning imagery all around. James Cameron has now raised the benchmark so high for the others and for himself that it would be interesting to see whats in store for the coming years.
Sam Worthington continues his good form from Terminator Salvation and will surely make it to the top league with Avatar. That’s good news indeed for his next biggie- Clash of the Titans. Also leaving a good mark on screen is Sigourney Weaver. More than 24 hours after I watched the movie, “I see you” is still buzzing in my ears. Go for it with all earnestness and enjoy the experience. Do watch it in 3D for that’s what would give you the ultimate experience.
I feel with Avatar my association with 3D cinema has just taken a whole new course. I’m looking forward to the way the journey shapes up ahead.
Tags: avatar, IMAX, james cameron, Magnificent Bodyguards, My Dear Kuttichathan, Sam Worthington, Shiva Ka Insaaf, Sigourney Weaver, Terminator Salvation, The Polar Express, UP
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awesome post bro… i onl wish i had the appetite for this genre… remember watching chota chetan at sahakar theater in tilak nagar, chembur, bombay… i hated having to wear spectacles… then a few years hence i became a real ‘chashmish’ and till date i blame chota chetan for the same.
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Hehe Magik- maybe you should wait for the next big revolution in 3D cinema which is likely to happen soon- watching 3D cinema without having to wear the special 3D spectacles.Sahakar theatre,wow!haven’t heard anyone talking about it in recent times
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lol sethu that emoticon is funny..what face is it?
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ABJr tweets: James Cameron is Hollywood’s answer to my favourite director MANMOHAN DESAI!! He could pull of anything. Avatar too is a hindi film at heart.
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also tweets: Best review of the film was by @tarunmansukhani. He said, “its a remake of anil sharma’s GADAR!” Hahahaha too funny.
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ho gaya kalyan
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amazing film, Avatar, and great recollection of childhood tryst with 3D films in India. i watched Chotta Chetan much later, when it was re-released, as u hv mentioned, but i remember watching Shiva ka Insaaf with entire family with so much fanfare, simply because it was the first-of-its-kind experience in film viewing. i especially remember that sequence where jackie places a coin on his shoes and flings it up towards the viewers, and everyone in the theatre unanimously screamed and tried to dodge it!
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of course, wearing a “3D-chashma” was never a comfortable proposition, but its worth the pain with films such as UP and Avatar, which do not use 3D as gimmick-tool, but for actually enhancing the viewing pleasure and integrate it with the film’s requirements. i think thats the true character of a filmmaker, who doesnt make a 3D film for the mere sake of it. case in pont is The Final Destination, which was just an excuse to fling the images at the audience, and was quite disappointing from the perspective of the content.
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Jha- yes Shiva Ka Insaaf was certainly a wonderful experience those days
Very valid points about movies like UP & Avatar not using 3D as a gimmick tool.I purposely avoided mentioning The Final Destination in the post because it was completely a gimmicky venture.
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Is it really so?? I have seen one 3D movie Spy Kids 3D: Game Over and it was terrible experience. The whole world consisted of only Red and Blue, taking away my joy of watching the movie. Finally I removed the glasses but it didn’t help much because it was not something to watch with naked eyes either.
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Jahan- Final Destination is meant just be an adrenaline rush & nothing else.Ah!Spy Kids 3D was also reasonably well noticed.
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Nice Post, Sethu, ekdum nostalgic kardiya dost, that ICE cream wala shot (CC) even i was kind of looking on my clothes if it spilled on me and also the scene when the Pandit! digs the ground it was real scary, i had nightmares man!!
Magic ———-Maine Satya dekhi thi yaaar,,,,Shahkar mein,,,,n da exp was awesome bhai lo ke beech bhai logki pikchur ekdum solid,,, my usual adda 4 all new movies was BASANT mostly in chembur,,, ve spend most of my filmi life there. Maine Chota chetan Ashish mein dekha shayad ya metro mein honestly i dont remember as i had sneaked with a padosi uncle!!!
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Hey!glad you liked the post & good to see you relate to CC as well.I’m sure it was a wonderful experience watching Satya in that atmosphere!!!
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Sethu: Chhota Chetan…3D comics…Binatone 3D TV…Shiva Ka Insaaf…what a nostalgic post, bro! thanks for reminding all of us about those younger days. I watched CC at Apsara cinema in Guwahati…maybe I was in 7th or 8th standard…still remember ducking when the ghost shoots the arrows suddenly in what was the first 3D FX in the film…SKS was a terrible film that wanted to sell itself only on the basis of the 3D gimmicks…
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Utpalda- glad you liked it.Heard a lot about Apsara Cinema in Guwahati & so would certainly pay a visit to this cinemandir whenever I visit Guwahati again.
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i have watched only one film in apsara cinema in guwahati, saif’s ashique awaara. i remember there wud be no seat allotment in the rear stall, and it was a virtual stampede to get insidethe hall, even more than for getting the tkts!
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i remember watching Waqt Hamara Hai around the same time in Pragjyoti (in maligaon area). it had beautiful chandelier work in the entry lobby! alas, i was in guwahati for only one month, during my holidays while my father was posted there for a year!
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Three hours of my life I’ll never get back!
If you judge how good a film is by the amount of CGI and sfx then you are sorted. If you want a narrative to enthrall you or characters to empathise with, then go elsewhere.Cameron – if you were truly concerned with eco politics then why didn’t you use the money you wasted making this drivel to offset your carbon footprint produced from Titanic?
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We saw Chota Chetan in a theater in Hyderabad when the movie was still new. There were four of us — dad, brother, me and our houseowner’s college-going son. Like on most such celebratory occasions, dad was properly drunk and ready to take on the world.
I think I enjoyed the movie a lot, especially the fact that everything on the screen seemed just a grab’s length away. However, there were some interruptions to the enjoyment. Everytime they showed a particular politician on the screen in a newsreel, dad would stand up and pointing his finger at him, give him a sizable piece of his mind. It would then take much persuasion from the people around him to settle him back into his seat. When the movie finally got over, dad refused to return his 3D glasses, saying he had paid for it. He had his way, and to my delight he gave the glasses to me to keep. Later, to my disappointment, I realized that the glasses in themselves were useless without a 3D movie to look at.
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@ Reikes- Wow! that sounds very interesting.Its almost like watching a movie itself.I’m sure such incidents not only make you feel nostalgic but also relives the magic of cinema all the more.
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with no offence to anybody else… awesome post on PFC after a long time… with something to read think and think and kinds… havent seen avatar yet, watched a few 3D flicks… but this post overall was refreshing after a long time…. (tired of reviews and reviews and more reviews and then post mortumed reviews) …. Sethu boss… welcome back!!! and thanks for reviving PFC for me…
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@ PS- glad you liked it dude.I get your point loud & clear
do watch Avatar & share your thoghts.
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Sethu… “weekly movies on D.D were very much relished irrespective of the language or genre of the movie…” and further “I remember coaxing my parents to buy me 3D comics and was very upset that we couldn’t have a Binatone 3D T.V at home..” nostalgic kar diya yaar… Though I have yet to watch avatar, will watch it today or may be tomorrow but as u himself said ur post is not avatar and is more related to those nostalgic moments of past, sahi mein yaar, I went few years back…
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@ Akash- good to know that you were able to relate with the post.Hope you’ve watched Avatar by now & liked it.
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one question….please tell me is the 3D setup for Avatar movie is different for different multiplex chains??? i want Avatar 3D in select citiwalk Saket delhi n i nowhere found any spectacular 3D experience…just 1 or 2 bits in between???
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one question….please tell me is the 3D setup for Avatar movie is different for different multiplex chains??? i saw Avatar 3D in select citiwalk Saket delhi n i nowhere found any spectacular 3D experience…just 1 or 2 bits in between???
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Ideally the effect should be the same.Probably the multiplex you went too had some issues with the projection.Cant think of any other reason as to why you couldnt really enjoy the effect.
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absolutely lovable. so rarely do people talk like that. loved it.
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Nice post Sethu…i am waiting to watch Avatar this sunday in Satyam…unfortunately i never had seen 3d movie before Ice Age 3…must be because i spent my childhood in small towns like Agra, Meerut, ferozepur…which never had a 3D cinema….
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Prashant- I’m sure you’ll have a great time while watching Avatar in either Santham or Serene @ Sathyam Cinemas.I saw it myself @ Santham.
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.Avatar story is good but 3d effects is not good as My dear kuttichathan.
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Good one Sethu.. I watched it in Sathyam. JFYI INOX Chennai and Kanakadhara(central) in Coimbatore have installed 3D projectors. SO we have three 3D theatres in TN now
… I think the dad would ve explained his son based on his MDK experiences and AVATAR had nothing like that…
And coming back to Avatar there was a young father and his kid sitting next to me in the theatre and 10 mins in to the movie the kid started asking his dad..”Appa nothing is coming out of the screen and his dad doesnt know what to answer”
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@ Arvind.R- Hey!glad you liked the post and the experience.BTW there are now 5 3D screens in TN now – Santham and Serene in Sathyam Cinemas and Inox ( all these 3 in Chennai ), Kanakadhara in Coimbatore and Guru in Madurai.And what a co-incidence, I’m just bout to go watch the movie again very shortly in Santham ( Sathyam ) in 3D
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Oh Yeah.. count shud be 2 in Sathyam cinemas alone..
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awesome post!!!
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