You would think the film world would trust the vision of certain directors based on their prior output. Many didn’t trust James Cameron leading up to the release of TITANIC or AVATAR and both films changed movies in dramatic ways. Now, Peter Jackson did usher in the modern fantasy epic with THE LORD OF THE RINGS, but he may have burnt many bridges after both KING KONG and THE LOVELY BONES did not meet the majority of expectations. Add his involvement with THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN and you find a director who unnecessarily needs to prove himself once again.
With the recent onslaught of negativity regarding his new 48fps filming on THE HOBBIT, Peter Jackson has actually made a statement to defend his film and vision of the future of movies.
“At first it’s unusual because you’ve never seen a movie like this before. It’s literally a new experience, but you know, that doesn’t last the entire experience of the film–not by any stretch, [just] 10 minutes or so,” Jackson tells Entertainment Weekly. “That’s a different experience than if you see a fast-cutting montage at a technical presentation.”
So what does he say to people who just decide they don’t like the glossy new look of the format he’s using?
“I can’t say anything,” Jackson acknowledges. “Just like I can’t say anything to someone who doesn’t like fish. You can’t explain why fish tastes great and why they should enjoy it.”
It does need to be said that the film will also be shown in theaters in the standard format which will remove the “live TV” feel that those at CinemaCon experienced. Much like when AVATAR was released, many theaters may not be equipped to show the film in the 48fps. But, look at how fast 3D sprang up everywhere after that film was released. Many are still decrying the release of 3D films, but they keep getting released and people continue to buy tickets. Who knows what will happen with this higher frame rate. Does it mean filmmakers are going to switch to all digital? Probably not. Many, like Christopher Nolan, are experimenting with other formats like IMAX, which has been around forever and has never been utilized in quite the same way as Nolan is now.
The times, they are a-changin’. It is time to buck up or shut up. Insert cliche here.