Time to Experience The Movies | Part II

So now we get to the part where you've decided to go see Avatar. That's great, but where are you going to watch it? Certainly not in a rickety old theater with run down equipment, right? Oh no no no, that is just not going to do. You, my friend, need to go see this on something just a little better than that.

I’m referring to how you must go see this in an IMAX certified theater. So much work was put into this movie that not seeing it in all its glory would be complete and utter disrespect to the entire movie production. And we aren’t just talking a small amount of disrespect. This is on par with don’t come back to church until you’ve atoned for all that noise you were making disrespect. But beyond that, it is that simply there is so much about this movie to absorb in all of the details that you would never fully be able to appreciate this movie otherwise. The easiest way to describe it is that it’s one of those movies that after you left, you would have never forgiven yourself had you not seen it right. To bring you up to speed, I’ve got the details on both the sights and sounds that go into making these movies shine.
For IMAX, sound is of the upmost importance. Normally film would encode the sound right into the film strips. This is very similar to what a VHS tape would do for watching a movie. The creators of IMAX saw this as wasting film space. Sound is achieved by using a separate six-channel 35mm magnetic film (the size of conventional movie film). It is synchronized to the movie during playback. Speakers are placed all over the theater to engulf you in sound. Many IMAX theaters place speakers directly behind the screen, as well as distributing the speakers around the theater to create a three-dimensional effect.

But what about that film? This is the secret to what makes these movies great. IMAX film is considerably larger than its “Academy Format” brother. If you get a chance, view a drawing of the comparison in film negative size which will show off just how much more detail can be seen. Another analogy to this would be in how much better the picture quality would be when watching something from a standard DVD or going up to a Blu-Ray disk. With the amount of detail able to be preserved, you are able to not only see such brilliant pictures, but also enjoy them in whole new ways such as in three dimensions.

With respect to Avatar, the IMAX presentation is in 3D. Normally, I wouldn’t be so quick to recommend viewing a movie in 3D because you typically will be watching a movie where the director has less imagination than a comatose squirrel and therefore resorts to creating “gimmick” effects with the technology like making stuff blow up in your face. Avatar is no such movie. It is used to fully enhance the world of Pandora, with most 3D effects taking place from the point of reference of the screen backwards. If you are lucky enough to see it on a truly enormous screen (keep reading to find out), you will genuinely feel like you are in the movie.

Now with all great things, controversy will always find its way in. With respect to screen size, not all IMAX theaters are not created equally. You see, IMAX theater construction also differs significantly from conventional theaters. The increased resolution allows the audience to be much closer to the screen; typically all rows are within one screen height. (Conventional theaters seating runs 8 to 12 screen heights) Also, the rows of seats are set at a steep angle (up to 23 degrees in some domed theaters) so that the audience is facing the screen directly. It is possible to have an existing theater renovated and upgraded to conform to standards, but that doesn’t mean that the actual screen itself you watch the film on will be modified. To placate this issue, a lot of people are wanting theaters to be up front with their screen size so that audiences will know up front what it is they will be getting. And trust me, it makes a HUGE difference.

In Orlando, a few theaters have an IMAX screen, but only one is the genuine deal in that its screen is over 6 stories tall! And since IMAX resolution is so much greater than conventional film, audiences are able to be a lot closer to the screen. I’ve already gone to see Avatar twice in it, and I plan to go again simply so I can be absorbed right back into the story. If you ever are in the Orlando area, I strongly encourage you to check out the Pointe Orlando Regal Cinemas, which has such a glorious screen. To my knowledge, the record is a screen that is 8 stories tall but it’ll involve a little road trip of sorts. It is the LG IMAX theatre in Darling Harbour, Sydney.

Hopefully that provides a little insight into the movie world. And as they say at the closing of the Great Movie Ride (at Walt Disney World), I'll see you at the movies, the stuff dreams are made of.