Chad R

IMAX Digital Projection System

This week my favorite local theater here in the greater Orlando area, AMC Altamonte 18, added an IMAX screen. The complex has been in operation for four years or so now, so this is a retrofit. I don't remember seeing any major construction, so I'm a little curious as to how this was accomplished. And since there's the caveat that it's a digital IMAX projector has me very curious about it all. I won't be checking it out this week (have no interest in "Kung Fu Panda" which is what they're playing this week), but will next week for "Eagle Eye."

Has anyone had any experience with IMAX Digital? Are the screen sizes the same as traditional IMAX, i.e. is it six stories high?

"If you write a story about a soldier going AWOL and kidnapping a pregnant woman and finally shooting her in the head, it's called searingly realistic, even though it's never happened in the history of mankind. Whereas if you write about two people falling in love, which happens about a million times a day all over the world, for some reason or another, you're accused of writing something unrealistic and sentimental."
-Richard Curtis, Screenwriter and Director

Adam Lenhardt

Re: IMAX Digital Projection System

The IMAX standard has been watered down for several years now, and the experience is far less the early theaters. I haven't experienced the digital IMAX yet, but I imagine it's similiarly watered down.

IMAX wants to aggressively expand into more markets. The problem is, the only way to do that is to dramatically lower its standards.

So I imagine it's better the regular DLP, but no where near classic IMAX.

Chad R

Re: IMAX Digital Projection System

I checked it out today. They did install a new screen, which is bigger than the one that was in there previously, but only about quarter the size of the traditional IMAX on the other side of town. I can't imagine "The Dark Knight" having the same impact on this smaller screen, but it handled "Eagle Eye" nicely. There's two digital projectors running in tandem to give the image extra pop, and I imagine to eventually handle 3D films. Also, the aspect ratio of the screen looks to be about 1.78:1 judging by the negative space above and below the film image.

They did install a new sound system and it does rival traditional IMAX, with the customary 12,000 watts -- so it was very impressive.

All in all, it's a step up from the regular DLP, like Adam said, but not quite as nice as full IMAX. However, since they're not charging as much as the larger IMAX screen, it all evens out to me. If there's a huge event film like TDK that utilizes actual IMAX cameras, I'll head to the larger screen. But for things like "The Day the Earth Stood Still," this will do nicely.

"If you write a story about a soldier going AWOL and kidnapping a pregnant woman and finally shooting her in the head, it's called searingly realistic, even though it's never happened in the history of mankind. Whereas if you write about two people falling in love, which happens about a million times a day all over the world, for some reason or another, you're accused of writing something unrealistic and sentimental."
-Richard Curtis, Screenwriter and Director

Adam Lenhardt

Re: IMAX Digital Projection System

They just opened one of these digital IMAX theaters here in Albany, converting Theater 1 at Crossgates Mall (I believe the second or third largest auditorium in the multiplex) to the new format. From the photos I've seen, it has the same seating and sound as traditional IMAX, but a far smaller screen: only 51 feet wide and 27 feet tall. This is approximately the same width the old screen had, but around six feet taller. The aspect ratio is therefore around 1.85:1 versus the scope ratio screen the theater had previously. I wonder how films like TDK will look that utilize the full 1.44:1 IMAX frame? And at $14, it's just under $4 more than seeing the film on a traditional screen.

I'm definitely going to check it out when a movie comes along that I like, but I have my doubts. I was let down by the 55' x 76' screen at Jordan's Furniture Natick for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire after the 65' x 85’ at the New England Aquarium for Batman Begins (still the best moving going experience I've ever had. And the Aquarium screen is more than one and a half times the width of the Albany screen — and nearly two and a half times as tall!

That all being said, there's still no other screen like that in Albany. The 13-screen theater in the area's other major mall is one of the first in the nation to be completely digital, and it's a great experience that I've gladly paid the premium for. Those screens are absolutely miniscule compared to even the Albany IMAX screen. I wouldn't drive a couple hours for this screen like I would for an Aquarium-sized screen, but as long as it's here I shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth and take advantage of it.

And thanks for sharing your experiences with the new format, Chad. Unfortunately, digital IMAX here is going for $14 (versus $10.50 for conventional DLP and film presentations) instead of $11 (versus $10 conventially) like in your Altamonte Springs theater.