Richard Zanuck and James Cameron spar over Alice in Wonderland

LOS ANGELES—Richard Zanuck doesn’t think much of James Cameron’s opinions about the approach producer Zanuck and director Tim Burton are taking to the shooting of their new 3D film Alice in Wonderland. According to the website Slashfilm.com, Cameron told delegates to the 3D Entertainment Summit held earlier in the week in Los Angeles that “it doesn’t make any sense (for Burton) to shoot in 2D and convert to 3D.”

Zanuck, the Oscar-winning producer of Driving Miss Daisy and whose credits also include The Verdict and Jaws, told a Wednesday press conference for Yes Man, starring Jim Carrey, that Burton was a great choice to direct. “He is doing everything you could imagine if you put him into a world where his vision can run wild.”

According to Zanuck, he and Burton made the choice to shoot in 2D and transfer to 3D because “3D cameras are very clumsy and it would have cost a lot more and would have had more crew involved. We were convinced after seeing test after test of pictures that have been released in 3D and shot in 2D. You can’t tell the difference. I would defy Jim Cameron to see the tests I saw and point out what was 2D and what was 3D.”

Alice in Wonderland is scheduled to open in March of 2010 and stars Anne Hathaway, Johnny Depp, and Helena Bonham Carter.

Comments

2 Comments

Tuula_Olin

Dec 4, 2008 at 6:54pm

I hope the sparring over who's right about shooting in 3D or 2D doesn't disturb the filming. I'm sure the the good producer-director duo know what they are doing. There's no need for verbal backstabbing. I think I can speak for many Alice in Wonderland fans that we'd just like to see the movie soon, it's hard to wait for 2010. So no quarrels about filming methods are needed to prolong the process.

Art Toegemann

Mar 24, 2010 at 9:40am

I have just seen A in W in IMAX 3D. I hope to see it again. The digital 3D is marvelous for a marvelous subject and the rest of the production is as good.
But: do not claim one camera, one lens is as good as two. It ain't.
http://www.youtube.com/arttoegemann