... about how the movie studios in the 50s tried to get people away from their TV sets by employing gimmicks such as 3-D! It honestly seems that that uninteresting scrap of trivia is the only thing that that Robert Osborne lite contributes to TCM.
God is subtle, but He is not malicious. (Albert Einstein)
Maybe, but it IS true. When TV first made an appearance (and was responsible for people choosing to stay home), The Moguls brought in wide-screen and 3-D to be competitive.
"You can't HANDLE the truth!" Jack Nicholson, "A Few Good Men."
Do you know why 3D didn't stick around? It seems the system for this film (polarized lenses) is similar to that used in cinemas today.
I do think 3D is far more effective in computer-animated film. Could being limited to live action (or stop-motion, I guess) be why 3D failed?
As for Mankiewicz, I like what he says. I find it hard to imagine someone getting this upset at him.
Ben Mankiewicz is EXTREMELY knowledgeable about movies. I'd love to sit and pick either his brain or Mr. Osborne's just for a couple of days.
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Yes, in the 1950s and 1960s, television was 'the enemy' of the movie studios and movie theaters - I remember movie marquees with "Stop Pay TV" on them in the mid-1960s. After the home-video revolution - VHS, LaserDisc and DVD, TV became the movie studios' best friend, providing additional income.
And now we not only pay for cable television, but the most popular items on DVD are not movies, but TV SHOWS!!!
"In my case, self-absorption is completely justified."