I keep wondering if this newfound love of 3D movies from Hollywood is a fad or if it's going to stick around. It looks like it's going to be with us awhile longer based on the fact that RealD, the company that supports the technology behind most mass-market theater's 3D movies, has decided to partner with Polaroid to bring us "premium" 3D glasses.
According to the press release, the glasses will be distributed to movie theaters, eye doctor offices, and other retail outlets. Since these are listed as premium glasses, I'm curious as to whether these new Polaroid glasses will be dispensed as part of the movie ticket price or if they'll be available for purchase at a premium price. If the majority of movies we are going to are in 3D, perhaps we will begin to bring our own glasses to the theater with us. Maybe that's what RealD and Polaroid are counting on and are trying to cash in on a side market to the 3D experience.
They also mention that the glasses will come in a variety of shapes and sizes for both people who are picky about fashion as well as people like me who have to wear prescription glasses in order to watch every movie they go to. With so many variations on the 3D glasses, I think that lends more weight to the idea that these new glasses are meant to be of the "buy once, wear many times" variety.
I never found the existing RealD glasses very comfortable, especially during long movies like Avatar. If 3D movies are here to stay, I'm glad that we're getting some better options with the eyewear. Let's just hope that if we're going to be charged for these new premium glasses that they'll be more reasonably priced than the concessions in the theater.
