There’s some food for thought in this analysis on Yahoo! News of the high-frame-rate technology that Peter Jackson has deployed in The Hobbit. It may (or may not!) be useful in helping you make your own mind up. Also worth noting that they asked TORn’s Calisuri to expand a little more on his thoughts on HDR from his review.

One thought struck me as I watched the new “Hobbit” movie in the latest super-clear format: “The rain looks fake. It’s not hitting their faces!”

That is just one consequence of filmmaker Peter Jackson’s decision to shoot his epic, three-part “Lord of the Rings” prequel with a frame rate of 48 images per second, double the 24 that cinemagoers have experienced for the past century.

The higher frame rate is supposed to make fast action scenes look smoother, without strobing or other cinematic flaws. But the image is so crystal clear that it can dispel the illusion of the fantasy world.

Jackson used his own money to pursue the new technology, covering the higher production costs involved with adding special effects to twice as many frames.

The studio also backed the format because it creates something new and different that can only be seen in theaters at a time when movie ticket sales in the U.S. are stagnating. For the time being, the new format isn’t compatible with Blu-ray discs, DVDs or Internet video. Many people will buy movie tickets just to see what it’s like.

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