Movies of the Future

Overview

William Van Doren Kelley, inventor of the Prizma color process, premiered 'Future' in anaglyphic 3D, in New York around Christmas 1922. Two 3-D films, Plasticons (1922) and New York City (1922) were shown under the name Movies of the Future. Originally about 14 minutes long, it is considered the second known public screening of a 3D film after The Power of Love (1922). The name Plasticon was possibly derived from Kinoplasticon, a process popular at the Scala Theater in London around 1913. A second film was made by William Crespinel, formerly with Kinemacolor and now the main cameraman with Prizma, called Thru’ The Trees: Washington, D.C. (1923). These films, although popular, were merely demonstrations and Kelley did not continue commercially pursuing 3D films.