经济学人下载:3D电影举步维艰

3D films struggle
3D电影举步维艰

Flat expectations
预期值过高

3D films, cinema’s great hope, have become niche products
电影公司最大的希望——3D电影——让人失望了

Voldemort looks no prettier in 3D
3D版伏地魔并没有更好看

TEN years after it took off, Hollywood’s biggest film franchise has finally alighted from its broomstick. Between July 15th and July 17th Americans shelled out $169m to see “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2”—a record for any film, in nominal terms. But barely a third of the audience opted to watch the boy wizard battle his snake-faced foe in three dimensions.
十年前首映的好莱坞最大电影系列《哈利波特》，今日终于走向尾声。7月15至7月17日，《哈利波特与死亡圣器 第二部分》从美国人的口袋中掏走了1.69亿美元——这是任何影院都无法企及的记录。但只有仅仅三分之一的观众选择3D版。

Two years ago it seemed as though a new, improved 3D projection system could rescue a film business battered by falling DVD sales. Fully 71% of the box-office spending on “Avatar” on its opening weekend, in December 2009, went on the 3D version. The 3D showings of “Shrek Forever After” (amusing green monsters rather than earnest blue ones) accounted for 61% of American box-office spending. Cinemas generally charge at least $3 more for a 3D showing—far more than the glasses cost.
两年前3D模式看似可以挽救一个被（销量日益下滑的）DVD打得伤痕累累的电影行业。2009年12月，《阿凡达》上映一周就有整整71%的票房来自3D影院。《怪物史瑞克》（滑稽的绿色怪物取代了严肃的蓝色怪物）的美国票房有61%来自3D影院。一般来说，电影公司会向3D影院的观众多收取至少3美元——那副眼镜远远值不了这个价。