James Cameron gives Hugo 3D the thumbs up

Hugo 3D – Martin Scorsese’s latest film – has been getting rave reviews everywhere, with at least one reviewer predicting it will stand the ultimate test of time and become a classic.



There’s also been reports of the 3D rendering being absolutely remarkable, and that Scorsese, who of course never shot a 3D film before, may have in fact reinvented the medium when many were writing it off as a dead tired trend.



Obviously, when James Cameron says your 3D delivers, it’s just got to be great, right?

As Cameron told The Hollywood Reporter, “It is magical to watch. This is absolutely the best 3D cinematography I’ve ever seen.” (Note: Hugo’s cinematographer is Robert Richardson, who also worked with Oliver Stone for many years). 



And as Deadline reported, at a recent screening for Hugo at the Director’s Guild of America, Cameron dubbed the film “a masterpiece,” and reiterated that it had the best use of 3D he’d ever seen – including better than Avatar.

 

And let it be said that Hugo isn’t a gimmick movie. No, Cameron felt the movie fired neatly on all cylinders, with 3D being only “one of those cylinders.” 



“I found that the setting of the story lent itself to the element of space, depth, to use it as narrative,” Scorsese said. “It’s such an exciting chance now for the medium to expand this way.” He even threw out the idea of what Shakespeare could look like in 3D, or even, gasp, Citizen Kane in the format. Then Scorsese caught himself and said, “I’m not saying do it…”

 

Unsurprisingly, already there’s Oscar talk for Hugo, and it will be interesting to see how the movie’s chances will build in the next three months. And, let us not forget how nice it was to see Scorsese finally win an Academy Award for The Departed in 2007 – after being nominated for no less than six movies. 



I mean, If he finally hadn’t won an Oscar the whole scene would have been rather embarrassing, and it would also be nice to see him go home with another little gold guy again for this one. Considering he’s turning 70 next year, it’s also pretty cool to see that some directors can indeed get better with age.