Alfonso Cuaron, 'Gravity' Director, Calls Most 3-D Movies 'Crap'

Alfonso Cuaron is receiving universal praise for the 3-D visual effects seen in "Gravity," but that isn't stopping him from lambasting the technological craze at large. During a press conference at the Zurich Film Festival, where "Gravity" will screen on Monday, the director said only a "handful" of films use the technique to their advantage.

“The problem now is that they make all these films that are not designed for 3-D and then convert them as a commercially afterthought -- and they are crap," Cuaron said. "They don't follow the rules of 3-D of what does and doesn’t work."

Cuaron acknowledged that 3-D can be an "amazing tool" when used in a "proper way." Reviews of "Gravity," which stars Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, indicate Cuaron's use is one of those "proper" approaches. Critics have almost unanimously praised the film's "astonishing" (Entertainment Weekly) and "beautifully choreographed" (The Hollywood Reporter) visuals.

It appears a good chunk of the moviegoing population agrees with Cuaron's assessment. Shares for RealD, the 3-D technology projection company, hit all-time lows this month after August ticket sales proved especially disappointing. The summer's 3-D offerings, namely lucrative releases such as "Despicable Me 2" and "The Wolverine," were trumped by their 2-D counterparts.

Whether Cuaron will use the technology in his future work is yet to be seen, but he's unlikely to set his next movie in space. “I now want to work on films in which people walk," Cuaron half-joked at the film festival. "I feel very strongly about this. If they walk, lay down, sit in wheelchairs or even swim, that would be fantastic.”

[via ScreenDaily]