An article today from the Hollywood reporter decided to take a negative angle on a press presentation of HBO's Luck, having been given access for a Q&A with Michael Mann, David Milch, Dustin Hoffman and Nick Nolte. The report said the event had "exceptionally awkward and amusing moments." The PR team for HBO were apparently not on the ball as according to the report they organised Mann and Milch's seats at opposite ends to each other, to the notice of some entertainment writers looking for media fodder, following previous news of discontent between the two men. The creative giants of screen sat up front were perhaps thinking that the event was about the exciting launch of some superb new entertainment, but some writers saw their main news story of what happened behind the scenes.
Nick Nolte was reported to have given quirky personal opinions on 3D TV warning of its negative health effects. I don't entirely disagree. It wouldn't surprise me that if 3D catches on more than it already has, that health reports will undermine any technological advancements in this area. I saw Puss in Boots (with my kids!) in 3D and I had a headache and felt sick the rest of the day! I enjoy the sense of depth and involvement of 3D, but Nolte is right. It isn't a natural function of our eye. My opinion is that holographic cinema in about 50 years will be the replacement media of the future. 2D is not going to disappear yet. But 3D? I applaud the efforts to introduce a new experience for the viewer, but think it falls into the laps of TV makers wanting new features to lure customers into buying replacement TV sets, hence their hype of the technology. TV makers should make less of 3D (if they want to avoid litigation for screwing up the eyes of our children!), and realise that the true potential of TV is in the Smart TV revolution - turning our iPhone into a giant screen and hooked to the internet for movie streaming and social interaction. To this end TV makers have been distinctly lazy and without vision. Apple are forcing the agenda with their rumoured iTV set to launch this year. Finally, the best screen estate in our homes gets intelligent.
I digress. Rather than read my twaddle, see the most recent articles about Luck on these links below:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/tca-luck-nick-nolte-dustin-hoffman-david-milch-michael-mann-281559
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/13/idUS53236655420120113
You can also access the full HBO airing schedule for Luck in the US:
Debut: SUNDAY, JAN. 29 (9:00-10:00 pm ET/PT)
Other HBO playdates: Jan. 29 (10:00 p.m., 11:00 p.m.), 30 (9:00 p.m.) and 31 (11:00 p.m.), and Feb. 1 (10:00 p.m.), 4 (12:45 a.m. ET/9:45 p.m. PT), 7 (10:00 p.m.), 8 (9:00 p.m.) and 11 (10:00 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: Jan. 30 (8:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m.) and Feb. 2 (midnight), 3 (9:00 p.m.), 5 (2:30 p.m., 8:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m.) and 16 (8:00 p.m.)
http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/01/13/luck-debuts-sunday-january-29-on-hbo/116418/
