Scott's Adverntue at the 3D Theater

Scott Greczkowski

Welcome HOME!
Original poster
Staff member
HERE TO HELP YOU!
Cutting Edge
Sep 7, 2003
102,504
25,495
Newington, CT
Today we took our soon to see the movie The Croods in 3D at the Loews AMC Theather in Plainville, Connecticut.

We got our popcorn and drinks and headed to our seats. There were about 30 people in the theater for the 11am showing of the movie.

We saw the preshow ads fine, then it was time for the previews. The previews started yet there was something wrong, there was no audio for the previews. I went out and notified someone, sound was restored during the last preview.

Then the movie started. I sat there for a few minutes watching and saying to myself this movie looks strange, and it does not appear to be in 3D. I noticed the stuff that was supposed to be in the back was more in the front and they stuff what was supposed to be in the front was more twards the back. I kept telling me wife something was wrong. After a few more minutes it was starting to bug me... then I had an idea... I took of my 3D glasses and then wore them upside down and then BINGO full glorious 3D!

I told my wife and son to flip their glasses over and they too said it looked much better.

After a few minutes I kept on wondering should I go tell everyone else to flip their glasses upside down so they could see the 3D they were paying for... after a few more minutes I couldn't take it anymore and left the theater and went out and asked for the manager.

The manager a young kid named Kurt came out and asked me what was wrong, I told him that I believe his polarizer on his projector was on the wrong way. He looked at me and say impossible, then asked me why I would say that. I told him because with wearing the 3D glassed the normal way it's not 3D, however flip the glasses upside down and the 3D comes to life.

He then followed me to the theater and I showed him, to which he replied that I had a bad pair of 3D glasses, so he went out and got me another pair of glasses. I opened the bag and put them on... same thing. He couldn't believe it and was wondering if he got a bad batch of glasses. I told him that I though the polarizer on the projector was on wrong. He told me he didn't believe it was but he would go up to the projector and take a look. He took my glasses with him.

A few minutes later I see him up in the projector booth with someone else, and they are both looking out wearing 3D glasses, then I see them flipping the glasses upside down in amazement... next thing I see them looking at the projector. Light was coming from one box on top of another... I see one stand on one side of the projector and the manager on the other... I see them take a glass of one of projections and move it down, then they took the glass for the other projections and moved it up. Amazing they did it without blocking view of the movie. After they did that they put on the 3 d glasses again and watched...

A few minutes later the manager came back down and said "I thought you were crazy when you told me about this issue, but you were 100% correct!" He then went on to say that "the theater has been their dedicated 3D theater for the past 6 months now and nobody has said anything about it." He then thanked me for my help and gave me another pair of 3D glasses and he told me to enjoy the rest of the show. He didn't offer me anything not even a free movie pass, but oh well I was happy that I fixed the movie for everyone in the theater.

I went and sat in my seat and was wowed with the 3D on the screen, the movie was fun and had some very nice 3D effects!

Although I got to admit the thought was in my head how many other theaters had their 3D setup wrong so people were not seeing the 3D like they were supposed to be?

After the movie was done my son went to the arcade and the manager saw me and came over and again thanked me for helping them fix their issue. He again said he was sorry that they didn't notice this issue a long time ago and he was still shocked that no one reported it before.

I wonder if its bad setups like this is helping to give 3D a bad name? Trust me backwords 3D does NOT look good at all.

And that my 3D adventure for the day. :)
 
I can understand the public but what really amazed me is the people running the theater didn't know.

Good call on flipping the glasses, Scott. I recognized the problem right away but I edit 3D every day of the week and have the experience to recognize these problems. I still find it incredulous no theater employee saw the problem. I wonder if someone was messing with the projector just before the showing and put the polarizers back wrong just before your show.
 
I asked him that and he said no, that this theater was their dedicated 3d cinema and they haven't touched it since it was setup 6 months ago.

Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys
 
Scott,they should have at the very least,gave you your money back for the Croods.Anyway,glad you fixed it for them.
 
NY, CT, Mass that would never happen. Surprised the guy even said thanks. People are different in the south. Except maybe Ft. Lauderdale to Miami. They're either from Colombia, Cuba, or the northeast. :D
 
NY, CT, Mass that would never happen. Surprised the guy even said thanks. People are different in the south. Except maybe Ft. Lauderdale to Miami. They're either from Colombia, Cuba, or the northeast. :D

If they are that different Don,I hope I never have to move to the north!:D
 
My wife has caught this a few times at our place. Our old DLP projector uses dlp flash to let the glasses know to open and close and sometimes it will start on the wrong side (right eye seeing what the left eye is suppose to see). Anyways this faux 3D is pretty obvious once you know what you are looking for. Good eye Scott.

I do have one question at any point did you say, do you know who I am :D!!! lol.
 
Out of curiosity I flipped my polarized 3D glasses upside-down the first time I saw a 3D movie just to see the difference. It does look a little weird, but I can also see how it would go unnoticed in a room full of folks that really don't know what they are looking at.
 
***

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Total: 1, Members: 0, Guests: 1)

Who Read This Thread (Total Members: 1)