Jon Landau says Titanic 3D will be the first of many classic 3D re-releases
Titanic producer Jon Landau believes that the soon to be released Titanic 3D will be the first of many classic films converted and re-released in the 3D format.
Speaking to The Fan Carpet at a special preview screening of Titanic 3D, Landau, who also produced the multi Oscar-winning Avatar, admitted that both himself and Titanic director James Cameron weren't the only filmmakers intending on converting their previous projects.
"When we're done with the next two Avatar's I think we'll definitely entertain the idea of going back and converting a couple of other films, maybe Terminator 2 or Aliens," he said.
"I know that Peter Jackson is interested in going back on The Lord of the Rings and I've heard that maybe Steven Spielberg is maybe gonna go back on the first Jurassic Park."
With Titanic 3D released this coming Friday, April 6, it's been 14 years since the triumphant picture last hit our screens, and Landau has admitted it's take a lot of hard work, and money, to bring the cult favourite back.
"We had around 450 people working full time on converting the film to 3D. We also spent 18 million dollars on this project, and that's more than some movies cost to be made from whole and we're doing that just for a conversion."
This year marks a century since the Titanic sunk, so a re-release does seem somewhat fitting, and Landau certainly believes 3D is the best way to present the feature, as the 51-year-old is a great advocate and supporter of the format - which many remain indifferent about.
"When we ask an audience to go and see a movie we're asking them for a suspension of disbelief, so when you present something in 3D it's one less thing you're asking them to suspend disbelief on, so their engagement with your narrative storytelling if you do the 3D properly is more engaged. For us 3D is a window into a world, not a world coming out of a window," he continued.
"Everything plays at a heightened stake in 3D. I think when things work, they work better, but when things don't work, they work worse.
If you look at the global 3D numbers, they are bigger than they ever were. I think the smart way to approach it is to give people choices of what they want to go and see. Personally, I'd love to see every movie in 3D."
Having spent much of his career working alongside Cameron on Avatar, Landau admits that he used his experience on the production to help with the conversion of Titanic.
"Avatar is what taught us about 3D and where it's important and where it's not. For example, on an action sequence 3D is not that important because you're cutting fast so people can't take in the 3D, so we learned to lessen the 3D in those sequences, whereas when you're holding onto a shot, at a dinner table or something, 3D is more important because that's where you notice it more," he said.
One of the arguments for the 3D sceptics is the devaluing of the cinematic experience due to wearing glasses, but the passionate and enthusiastic Landau even has a counter-argument for that.
"People talk about the glasses as being a deterrent to 3D in theatres, well I'm going out and challenging glasses manufacturers - how do we take away this stigma?" he continued.
"We've all at one opportunity gone to the beach and wore sunglasses, it's a part of that experience and we accept that. How do we make the glasses cool? How do we make them the added value? Could we do something where we put a USB chip in them where you come back and scan it on your computer and it knows what you went to see that movie and then you get added content? I think there are different ways to do it."
Whether you are a fan of Titanic or not, it remains one of the greatest cinematic love stories of the past twenty years, and is a film that has touched the hearts of millions, and Landau finished with some endearing words for his old project, and one he holds very closely to his heart.
"We believed that this could be one of the last times that an old fashioned Hollywood epic is made, so we went out there and built a set that was 800 feet long and we had thousands of extras on a daily basis.
Going through that process and the trials and tribulations, it took its toll of a lot of people. But the success of the movie is a testament, not just to one or two people who worked on the movie, but to literally thousands of people who were a part of creating what we see up on the screen, so I think Titanic is that type of movie that needs to be seen on the big screen," he finished.
TITANIC 3D IS OUT ON FRIDAY 6 APRIL