Alfonso Cuaron is receiving universal praise for the 3-D visual effects seen in "Gravity," but that isn't stopping him from lambasting the technological craze at large. During a press conference at the Zurich Film Festival, where "Gravity" will screen on Monday, the director said only a "handful" of films use the technique to their advantage.


“The problem now is that they make all these films that are not designed for 3-D and then convert them as a commercially afterthought -- and they are crap," Cuaron said. "They don't follow the rules of 3-D of what does and doesn’t work."


Cuaron acknowledged that 3-D can be an "amazing tool" when used in a "proper way." Reviews of "Gravity," which stars Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, indicate Cuaron's use is one of those "proper" approaches. Critics have almost unanimously praised the film's "astonishing" (Entertainment Weekly) and "beautifully choreographed" (The Hollywood Reporter) visuals.


It appears a good chunk of the moviegoing population agrees with Cuaron's assessment. Shares for RealD, the 3-D technology projection company, hit all-time lows this month after August ticket sales proved especially disappointing. The summer's 3-D offerings, namely lucrative releases such as "Despicable Me 2" and "The Wolverine," were trumped by their 2-D counterparts.


Whether Cuaron will use the technology in his future work is yet to be seen, but he's unlikely to set his next movie in space. “I now want to work on films in which people walk," Cuaron half-joked at the film festival. "I feel very strongly about this. If they walk, lay down, sit in wheelchairs or even swim, that would be fantastic.”


[via ScreenDaily]





Loading Slideshow...



  • "Moulin Rouge!"


    <strong>Originally released:</strong> 2001 <strong>Director:</strong> Baz Luhrmann <strong>Worldwide box office:</strong> $179.2 million <strong>Best 3-D scene:</strong> The "Sparking Diamonds" sequence <strong>How likely is it?</strong> We already know Luhrmann is a fan of 3-D, as "The Great Gatsby" will be released in that format next month. How about a double feature?




  • The "Lord of the Rings" Trilogy


    <strong>Originally released:</strong> 2001—2003 <strong>Director:</strong> Peter Jackson <strong>Worldwide box office:</strong> $3.9 billion collectively <strong>Best 3-D scene:</strong> The siege of Minas Tirith in "The Return of the King" <strong>How likely is it?</strong> It makes a lot of sense. "Lord of the Rings" fans are voracious and would surely dole out the 3-D ticket prices to return to Middle-earth.




  • "The Tree of Life"


    <strong>Originally released:</strong> 2011 <strong>Director:</strong> Terrence Malick <strong>Worldwide box office:</strong> $54.3 million <strong>Best 3-D scene:</strong> The formation of the universe <strong>How likely is it?</strong> Not very. Unlike Luhrmann, we don't expect Malick to be a big fan of 3-D.




  • "Alien"


    <strong>Originally released:</strong> 1979 <strong>Director:</strong> Ridley Scott <strong>Worldwide box office:</strong> $104.9 million <strong>Best 3-D scene:</strong> The chest-bursting scene is an obvious gem here, but we're going to go with Dallas venturing into the Nostromo’s ventilation system to track down the alien. <strong>How likely is it?</strong> "Alien" hasn't nabbed as much of a modern-day cult following as one might expect, but Scott would likely be onboard with the update. "I’ll never work without 3-D again," <a href="http://www.slashfilm.com/ridley-scott-work-3d/" target="_blank">he said at Comic Con in 2011</a>.




  • "Inception"


    <strong>Originally released:</strong> 2010 <strong>Director:</strong> Christopher Nolan <strong>Worldwide box office:</strong> $825.5 million <strong>Best 3-D scene:</strong> The city crumbling <strong>How likely is it?</strong> Perhaps no movie over the past few years would be more exciting to see in 3-D. Give it a few years and a lot of prayers.




  • "The Terminator" and "Terminator 2: Judgment Day"


    <strong>Originally released:</strong> 1984 and 1991, respectively <strong>Director:</strong> James Cameron <strong>Worldwide box office:</strong> $598.2 million collectively <strong>Best 3-D scene:</strong> Motorcycle vs. semi-truck in "Terminator 2" <strong>How likely is it?</strong> Cameron is no stranger to 3-D rereleases, as 2012's "Titanic" reissue grossed $343.4 million worldwide.




  • "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory"


    <strong>Originally released:</strong> 1971 <strong>Director:</strong> Mel Stuart <strong>Worldwide box office:</strong> N/A <strong>Best 3-D scene:</strong> All of the Oompa Loompa sequences <strong>How likely is it?</strong> The aesthetics of "Willy Wonka" may be a bit too archaic for an update, but the classic stature the movie has garnered over the years would likely make it a box office success.




  • "Kill Bill" and "Kill Bill Vol. 2"


    <strong>Originally released:</strong> 2003 and 2004, respectively <strong>Director:</strong> Quentin Tarantino <strong>Worldwide box office:</strong> $333.1 million collectively <strong>Best 3-D scene:</strong> The Bride vs. the Crazy 88s <strong>How likely is it?</strong> Tarantino has yet to dabble in <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/7165045/Quentin-Tarantino-interview-All-my-movies-are-achingly-personal.html" target="_blank">"this whole goddamn 3-D thing,"</a> and it seems rather unlikely he will.




  • "Jumanji"


    <strong>Originally released:</strong> 1995 <strong>Director:</strong> Joe Johnston <strong>Worldwide box office:</strong> $262.8 million <strong>Best 3-D scene:</strong> Animals stampede through the house <strong>How likely is it?</strong> The visual effects are attuned to 3-D adjustments, and there's enough nostalgic interest in both children and adults to sell tickets.




  • "Ghost"


    <strong>Originally released:</strong> 1990 <strong>Director:</strong> Jerry Zucker <strong>Worldwide box office:</strong> $505.7 million <strong>Best 3-D scene:</strong> The only reason to convert "Ghost" into 3-D is clearly the pottery scene. <strong>How likely is it?</strong> "Ghost" has secured its place in pop culture, but this isn't your typical 3-D-qualifying fare.




  • "The Exorcist"


    <strong>Originally released:</strong> 1973 <strong>Director:</strong> William Friedkin <strong>Worldwide box office:</strong> $441.3 million <strong>Best 3-D scene:</strong> Linda Blair's infamous spider walk <strong>How likely is it?</strong> "The Exorcist" will always be a movie that's packed with nostalgia, but Friedkin has said he's <a href="http://www.movieweb.com/news/exclusive-william-friedkin-says-no-to-the-exorcist-in-3d" target="_blank">adamantly against a 3-D reissue</a>. "I don't believe there is any film that I have seen and loved that would have been improved by a scintilla in 3-D," he told Movie Web.




  • "The Matrix"


    <strong>Originally released:</strong> 1999 <strong>Director:</strong> The Wachowski siblings <strong>Worldwide box office:</strong> $463.5 million <strong>Best 3-D scene:</strong> Our first glimpse at <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggFKLxAQBbc" target="_blank">"bullet time"</a> <strong>How likely is it?</strong> The fourth and fifth "Matrix" sequels are reportedly <a href="http://www.nme.com/filmandtv/news/keanu-reeves-reveals-3d-plans-for-the-matrix-4-and/203507" target="_blank">being made in 3-D</a>, so it seems probable that the originals could receive the treatment as well.




  • "2001: A Space Odyssey"


    <strong>Originally released:</strong> 1968 <strong>Director:</strong> Stanley Kubrick <strong>Worldwide box office:</strong> N/A <strong>Best 3-D scene:</strong> The famous <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML1OZCHixR0" target="_blank">opening scene</a> <strong>How likely is it?</strong> It's unlikely any Kubrick movie will receive the treatment, as the notoriously meticulous director <a href="http://www.cinemablend.com/new/A-Message-From-Stanley-Kubrick-To-Projectionists-Showing-His-Films-25500.html" target="_blank">issued specifics</a> about how his movies should be presented theatrically.




  • "Pan's Labyrinth"


    <strong>Originally released:</strong> 2006 <strong>Director:</strong> Guillermo del Toro <strong>Worldwide box office:</strong> $83.3 million <strong>Best 3-D scene:</strong> The dinner scene <strong>How likely is it?</strong> Slim to none. It's a foreign film with a passionate but small following.




  • "Chicago"


    <strong>Originally released:</strong> 2002 <strong>Director:</strong> Rob Marshall <strong>Worldwide box office:</strong> $306.8 million <strong>Best 3-D scene:</strong> "Cell Block Tango" <strong>How likely is it?</strong> The 2013 Academy Awards took care of our lingering "Chicago" nostalgia, and as showy as the Best Picture winner was, it's not quite decadent enough for a reissue -- at least not yet.




  • "Harry Potter" Series


    <strong>Originally released:</strong> 2001—2011 <strong>Directors:</strong> Christopher Columbus (1-2), Alfonso Cuarón (3), Mike Newell (4), David Yates (5-7) <strong>Worldwide box office:</strong> $7.7 billion collectively <strong>Best 3-D scene:</strong> The Battle of Hogwarts <strong>How likely is it?</strong> It seems almost inevitable.




  • "The Sound of Music"


    <strong>Originally released:</strong> 1965 <strong>Director:</strong> Robert Wise <strong>Worldwide box office:</strong> N/A <strong>Best 3-D scene:</strong> Julie Andrews and those famous hills <strong>How likely is it?</strong> It seems more likely that we'd see a normal rerelease instead of a 3-D conversion.




  • "Dirty Dancing"


    <strong>Originally released:</strong> 1987 <strong>Director:</strong> Emile Ardolino <strong>Worldwide box office:</strong> $213.9 million <strong>Best 3-D scene:</strong> The "Do You Love Me" dance sequence <strong>How likely is it?</strong> "Dirty Dancing" is probably more suited for endless repeat TV viewings than it is a 3-D resurrection.




  • The Dark Knight Trilogy


    <strong>Originally released:</strong> 2005 ("Batman Begins"), 2008 ("The Dark Knight") and 2012 ("The Dark Knight Rises") <strong>Director:</strong> Christopher Nolan <strong>Worldwide box office:</strong> $2.46 billion collectively <strong>Best 3-D scene:</strong> Batman is born in "Batman Begins" <strong>How likely is it?</strong> Nolan revealed that <a href="http://screenrant.com/christopher-nolan-imax-3d-cgi-mlee-164945/" target="_blank">Warner Bros. would have loved</a> his "Batman" flicks to be shot in 3-D but that he isn't a big fan of the medium.




  • "Saving Private Ryan"


    <strong>Originally released:</strong> 1998 <strong>Director:</strong> Steven Spielberg <strong>Worldwide box office:</strong> $481.8 million collectively <strong>Best 3-D scene:</strong> The famous opening battle sequence <strong>How likely is it?</strong> We're talking about a movie that's all about war. Not likely.