Unfortunately,
the anaglyphic process could not accomodate full color
movies and often caused viewers to suffer from headaches.
This led to the development of the Polaroid 3D system
which used two lenses filming, involved lightwaves passing
in perpendicular planes to the other lens. It was this
process that was used in Bwana Devil.
A year later,
the movie House of Wax was released starring Vincent
Price and Charles Bronson. Considered the finest 3D
movie ever made, House of Wax caused a "3D"
craze throughout Hollywood, with most major studios
rushing to show their attempt at the novelty including
Creature from the Black Lagoon, the Nebraskan and Kiss
Me Kate. Unfortunately, even the prospect of Jane Mansfield's
ample bosom being thrust out towards the audience was
not enough to continue the craze. Still mired by a propensity
to cause headaches, 3D movies fell out of favor so much
that two-dimensional versions often significantly outearned
the 3D version. The public rebuke was such that Alfred
Hitchcock's "Dial M for Murder", originally
filmed in 3D, was released only in 2D. The money quickly
and eagerly thrown at participating in the just as quickly
went down the drain.
Since
its initial craze in the 1950's, 3D movies have been
produced very sporadically with moderate levels of success.
The most successful of these was "The Stewardesses",
a soft-core porn movie released in 1969. "The Stewardesses"
became the highest earning 3D film ever, perhaps because
members of the audience were curious to see what would
be thrust at them in 3D.
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