Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Hollywood films to hit the big, big screen

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Topic: Hollywood films to hit the big, big screen

Bob Brown
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 146
From: Grand Rapids, MI
Registered: Apr 2002

posted 11-27-2002 04:47 PM

Well, anyone have any comments?

Hollywood blockbusters will be shown on Imax screens next year, ushering in what could be one of the biggest revolutions in film-going since Cinemascope.

Up to now, the nine giant Imax cinemas in Britain have been limited to showing the small number of films shot using specially adapted cameras, usually mountaineering or adventure epics, educational films or the handful of Walt Disney animated features shot in the format.

But a breakthrough in remastering technology will allow all films to be adapted to be shown on the massive seven-storey-high wrap-around screens. The technique was pioneered on Ron Howard's film Apollo 13, about the disastrous US mission to the moon, and proved a huge hit again this month in the US with Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones.

Although Imax bosses yesterday refused to divulge which film would be first to be seen at the same time as it was released in conventional cinemas, there is strong specula tion it could be the third instalment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy .

Imax's joint chief executive Brad Wechsler said the company planned to release one remastered classic "like Lawrence of Arabia, and two big event-type pictures like Harry Potter III and Lord of the Rings on the same day as the normal release next year".

Imax technicians in Toronto have done tests on Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and the first Lord of the Rings film. Its director, Peter Jackson, said: "This is the way I dreamt my movie would be shown."

Mr Wechsler said if the third part of the Rings were shown, it would not be cut, unlike Apollo 13, which lost nearly a fifth of its length in the transition to the very big screen. Star Wars was also cut, apparently because Imax projector booths cannot handle films longer than two hours. "We will probably have to put in an intermission for the public to recover, it might be a little overwhelming for them. Imax are not like normal cinemas, it's far more full-on," Mr Wechsler said.

He said at between $2m and $4m, the cost of transferring films to Imax was cheap by Hollywood standards. "Putting a film on an Imax screen can turn a good film into a great film, and make a great one better. People will go to see an Imax film long after it has stopped showing in normal cinemas."

Admission prices to see an Imax version of a blockbuster will be a third more than normal cinemas.

It could be five years, however, before the first 3D films are released at the same time as their two-dimensional counterparts in multiplexes. But Mr Wechsler claimed it would be relatively easy to release computer-generated animation films like Toy Story and Shrek in 3D versions. "We could have Buzz and Woody flying around Imax cinemas right now with children reaching out to touch them. In fact, the studios were so impressed with our technology there were worried if they showed them in Imaxes no one would go to see them in normal theatres."

The cost of transferring normal films to 3D is likely to be much steeper, close to $10m. That, however, would not stop them making new films in the format, he said.

Imax cinemas are showing a remastered version of Disney's The Lion King over Christmas with one of their own 3D animated features, Santa vs the Snowman.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 11-27-2002 04:49 PM

This is ridiculous. Just bring back normal 70 5 perf and let normal theaters run it on giant sized screens. IMAX's aspect ratio and general theater design leaves much to be desired with the standard composition of Hollywood movies. Leave IMAX to run IMAX-specific films, the way it should be.

This is also not primarily a manager related topic. Moving thread.

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