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Topic: IMAX Multiplex?

Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 03-11-2007 07:48 PM

Are there any IMAX multiplexes anywhere? What I mean by that is a single theater with more than one IMAX screen and equipment.

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Dick Vaughan
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1032
From: Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 03-12-2007 04:07 AM

Not quite a multiplex but Kennedy Space Centre has 2 IMAX 3D
theatres http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/visitKSC/imax.asp

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Mike Olpin
Chop Chop!

Posts: 1852
From: Dallas, TX
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 03-12-2007 08:41 AM

Several "Rides" have multiple IMAX screens including Back to the Future at Universal Hollywood and Soarin' Over Califonia at Disney's California Adventure.

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Joseph L. Kleiman
Master Film Handler

Posts: 380
From: Sacramento, CA
Registered: Apr 2005

posted 03-12-2007 02:20 PM

The following locations have two or more IMAX screens:

San Antonio: IMAX Theater at Rivercenter
Seattle: Pacific Science Center
Kennedy Space Center
Disney's California Adventure
EPCOT
Tokyo Disney Sea
Universal Studios Hollywood
Universal Studios Florida
Universal Studios Japan
Parc du Futuroscope
Shanghai Science Center

Commercial cinema-based multiplexes with more than one IMAX screen - none.

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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 03-12-2007 06:28 PM

Although it may seem like more "DMR" IMAX blow-up releases are happening, I don't think there's a currently a high enough frequency to warrant a commercial theater site having 2 or more IMAX screens. True IMAX 15/70 releases seem even more rare.

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Mark Lensenmayer
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1605
From: Upper Arlington, OH
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 03-12-2007 09:26 PM

I agree with Bobby on this one..there just isn't enough product to justify two screens. In my opinion, there is barely enough product for ONE screen. There needs to be at about 1 release per month for this to be really successful, IMHO.

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Caleb Johnstone-Cowan
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 593
From: London, UK
Registered: Mar 2006

posted 03-17-2007 07:37 PM

Are IMAX venues pretty standardised in terms of physical size and number of seats? If so I could see a situation where if enough DMR titles were issued a multiplex could have a 500-seat and a smaller 250-300 seat IMAX auditorium to move films over.

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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 03-18-2007 02:27 PM

I don't think there is a standard seat count for IMAX theaters. However, the screens are required to be very big. It would be a stupid waste to build any IMAX auditorium where the screen was scaled down to sizes one finds in any typical theater auditorium.

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 03-18-2007 06:08 PM

There definitely isn't a standard seat count. I have seen some teeny-tiny IMAXs. Take the one inside of the Luxor in Las Vegas, for instance. I walked into that auditorium and it was about the size of maybe three of my bedrooms stacked side by side. It was ridiculously small. It had to have only seated about 50 people, max.

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Joseph L. Kleiman
Master Film Handler

Posts: 380
From: Sacramento, CA
Registered: Apr 2005

posted 03-19-2007 04:22 PM

quote: Bobby Henderson
the screens are required to be very big. It would be a stupid waste to build any IMAX auditorium where the screen was scaled down to sizes one finds in any typical theater auditorium.

The MPX at Showplace Buckland Hills in Manchester, CT, is only 23.5x47, with 226 seats.

quote: Joe Redifer
There definitely isn't a standard seat count. I have seen some teeny-tiny IMAXs. Take the one inside of the Luxor in Las Vegas, for instance. I walked into that auditorium and it was about the size of maybe three of my bedrooms stacked side by side. It was ridiculously small. It had to have only seated about 50 people, max.

The Luxor IMAX Theatre's screen is 68x84 and it has 300 seats.

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Brian Michael Weidemann
Expert cat molester

Posts: 944
From: Costa Mesa, CA United States
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 03-19-2007 05:14 PM

MPXs are, after all, designed to be installed into "regular" houses, so far as I understand. The screens may fall short compared to "proper" IMAX screens, but I'll bet they're among the sharpest projected images possible.

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 03-19-2007 06:07 PM

quote: Joseph L. Kleiman
The Luxor IMAX Theatre's screen is 68x84 and it has 300 seats.

It's still the smallest and most claustrophobic IMAX auditorium I've ever seen, and far from impressive (which IMAX is supposed to be, right?)

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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 03-19-2007 06:07 PM

Those MPX screens might be among the sharpest possible...provided they're illuminated with a native IMAX filmed 15/70 image and not some faked DMR blow-up hooey.

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Michael Coate
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1904
From: Los Angeles, California
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 03-19-2007 09:40 PM

quote:
The MPX at Showplace Buckland Hills in Manchester, CT, is only 23.5x47, with 226 seats.

If I did the math correctly, that is a 2.00:1 aspect ratio. How do they handle projecting an IMAX DMR print that is letterboxed around 1.85:1 ("Robots," "Night At The Museum," "Charlie And The Chocolate Factory," etc.) ???

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Joseph L. Kleiman
Master Film Handler

Posts: 380
From: Sacramento, CA
Registered: Apr 2005

posted 03-19-2007 11:30 PM

I've spoken with two people who have seen films there and both have mentioned that on "Polar Express," the top and bottom of the image were cropped.

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