1894

3D began it’s life with William Friese-Greene who, in 1894 patented the process whereby two films were projected onto a screen. The viewer then used a Stereoscope to converge the two images.

1922

Then in 1922 the 1st 3D film was shown in Los Angeles for paying customers. The Power of Love was filmed in 3D by the producer Harry K. Fairall, and cinematographer Robert F. Elder, who also created a special camera rig. It was projected dual-strip in the red/green anaglyph format.

1936

Soon after that MGM’s Audioscopics, developed by Joseph Leventhal and John Norling, wins the Academy Award for Best Short Subject.

1952

Then began a three-year period of inovation and creation called the Golden Era of 3D Cinema with the production of Bwana Devil, the first colour stereoscopic feature, produced, written and directed by Arch Oboler.

1953

Two groundbreaking features are released in 3-D: Columbia’s Man in the Dark and Warner Bros. House of Wax, the first 3-D feature with stereophonic sound. Other releases include Dial M for Murder and It Came from Outer Space.

1961

Although 3-D films largely remain dormant for the first part of the 1960s The Mask, is a success. The film, which is shot in 2-D, uses 3-D to enhance the scenes in which the main character puts on a cursed tribal mask.

1970

Stereovision is founded. The company releases The Stewardesses, a soft-core sex comedy, which costs $100,000 to produce, but earns $27 million in North America alone in fewer than 800 theatres, becoming the most profitable 3-Dimensional film to date.

1986

IMAX begins offering non-fiction films in 3-D, starting with the 20-minute National Film Board of Canada production Transitions. Other releases include Jaws 3-D, Amityville 3-D, Friday the 13th Part III 3-D, as well as The Man Who Wasn’t There and Starchaser: The Legend of Orin.

2003

James Cameron’s Ghosts of the Abyss, a 3-D tour of the Titanic wreckage, is released.

Later that year Spy Kids 3-D Game Over is released.

2004

Polar Express 3D was released in the IMAX Cinema

2005 – 2008

Other 3D films were released, but were either analog 3D or re-releases.

2009

2009 Was THE year for 3D Come-Back

This year saw the release of Coraline, Monsters vs Aliens, Up, Final Destination 4 and Avatar

2010

This year is another big year for 3D (with glasses still).

3D without glasses is not quite here yet, but stay tuned..

Alice in Wonderland