It has always been a dream of mankind to be able to simulate the real world in all its wild textures, shapes and depth of motion. Long before the Spy Kids entered the Third Dimension, scientists, artists, photographers and filmmakers had been playing with ways to make the human eye see moving images in a completely life-like fashion, full of palpable structure and form, instead of as a flat canvas or screen.
As early as ancient Rome, artists experimented with techniques to make paintings “pop” and tease the eye with extra depth and dimension. Then, in 1838, came a breakthrough. Physicist Charles Wheatstone created the world’s first stereoscopic viewer, allowing anyone to see pictures in multiple dimensions. Wheatstone based his invention on the scientific reality that our left eye and our right eye see the world from slightly different angles. When we look at an object, the brain magically fuses the two images into one, allowing the viewer to understand depth and distance.
Taking that idea one step further, Wheatstone created a special viewer that could display two different pictures from two different angles simultaneously – one image to the right eye and one image to the left. When viewed together, the two pictures created a “stereo” effect that gave the resulting image a greater sense of dimension. It was as if you were no longer looking AT a picture, but right through it! In 1854, the London Stereoscopic Company was formed, and their breathtaking portraits of Niagara Falls and New York City became inspiration to millions.
In the 20th century, filmmakers became curious about the potential for using stereoscopic principles to make movies more visceral and fantastical. By creating a camera with two lenses about the same distance apart as human eyes – known as the interocular distance, which is about 2.5 inches -- early 3D filmmakers were able to capture two images simultaneously. The only problem was that during projection, the effect was as if the audience was seeing double. This was solved by creating anaglyphic glasses, or glasses with one red and one blue lens. When a person wears anaglyphic glasses, each lens filters out the opposing image, and the brain then fuses the two. The result is the singular sensation that you’re experiencing a movie in three dimensions!
Once developed, 3D caused great excitement in Hollywood, both with directors and audiences. In the 1950s, moviegoers flocked to numerous three-dimensional features, often horror movies, such as “Bwana Devil” and “Creature From the Black Lagoon.” In fact at the height of 3D production, some 30 3D movies were released each year! For much of that time, the application of 3D was limited by technology, and the filmmaking techniques of the day could not overcome the headaches and eyestrain 3D could cause. Even so, filmmakers continued to recognize the potential fun and excitement of the format. In the 80s, 3D was added to give new life to such blockbuster franchises as “Jaws” and “Friday the 13th.”
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