Final answer:
The claim that unlike 3-D cinema was fairly inexpensive is false, as it was inexpensive in earlier periods but not necessarily with the advent of 3-D technology.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cinema was inexpensive during the 1920s, but advancements in technology such as 3-D, CinemaScope, Cinerama, and CGI made the movie-going experience more costly. The introduction of 3-D glasses and high production costs for films with advanced effects add to the overall expense.
The introduction of 3-D glasses in theaters as mentioned in the provided snippet implies an extra cost for the audience. Moreover, significant technological advancements, such as CGI, have ushered in films that are more complex and expensive to produce. The case of Avatar exemplifies a film that, due to its cutting-edge special effects, may have incurred higher production and possibly higher viewing costs compared to traditional 2-D films.
Given these factors, we can say that cinema has gone through phases where it was quite inexpensive, but the launch of 3-D cinema and other advanced film technologies typically made movie-going a more costly experience. This is because the cost of the technology had to be recuperated, often resulting in higher ticket prices for audiences seeking the enhanced viewing experience of 3-D films.