Star Wars, Titanic, and Top Gun Going 3D

For those of us who aren't very fond of the 3D phenomenon, we can likely blame The Lion King for this. The Disney classic's 3D re-release has been raking in big bucks at the box office, which is the likely cause of studios being open to more re-releases.

It comes as no surprise that James Cameron, who's recent 3D film Avatar is the highest grossing film of all time, is bringing the format to his earlier hit Titanic - the second highest grossing film of all time. Cameron has always been a strong supporter of the format, going so far as to co-develop his own 3D camera system.

George Lucas is overseeing the 3D transformation of all six Star Wars films, the first of which - The Phantom Menace - is scheduled to hit theaters next February. Like Cameron, Lucas has always taken advantage of the latest technologies. The director seems to have an insatiable love for computer-generated imagery that's almost as strong as his love for tampering with his own movies.

And then there's Tony Scott, who's working on Top Gun 3D. Unlike the other two, this one is a bit of a surprise, as Scott is more of a straightforward storyteller and less of a technophile than Lucas and Cameron.

While the idea of converting classic films to 3D makes sense financially, as a lover of film, it's disappointing. I've enjoyed 3D films, but like many others, I decry their abundance the focus they've taken away from traditional film elements. If these re-releases are successful, it will only serve to prolong this destructive trend.