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Author Topic: Nine new Digital IMAX theatres at Regal including Honolulu Claude S. Ayakawa Film God Posts: 2738 From: Waipahu, Hawaii, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 12-05-2008 07:39 PM                        The Honolulu Advertiser reported today of Regal Entertainment's plan to convert one of it's 18 theatres at their Dole Cannery complex in Honolulu with Digital IMAX 3-D as part of the company's goal to put the process in one of their houses in nine cities in addtion to their many others nation wide. At one time, we had two IMAX theatres in the state, the Hawaii IMAX in Waikiki operated by Consolidated (Pacific) and the Polynesian Cultural Centre IMAX on the north shore of Oahu. Of the two, only the north show venue is still in operation but they only play old IMAX travelogues and not the exciting new mainstream Hollywood features our other IMAX theatre in Waikiki used to show. The Hawaii IMAX has been closed for several years and movie lovers like myself have been missing out by not having the opportunity to see such recent films such as BATMAN, THE DARK KNIGHT and other films in IMAX. All that will change when The Dole Cannery will finally have an IMAX house here in Honolulu. I know there is a tremendous difference between a real IMAX theatre with very huge screens compared to the IMAX Jr systems they have been installing in large standard theatres but is the standard system still impressive as the original? I know the screen used for the Jr, system is much smaller but how is the IMAX sound compared to a regular theatre? When these Jr. IMAX theatres play standard digital presentations, how does the image look and how do they sound? I have been informed that IMAX Jr. 3-D is much better than Real D because of the greater output of light and that is great! -Claude  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 12-05-2008 07:57 PM                     2,000 line digital projection might be satisfactory for a Hollywood movie originated on 35mm film or HD video cameras. 2K is no substitute for native IMAX footage with 15-perf 70mm projection. IMHO, IMAX is digging themselves one hell of a hole deep enough to hold the company's coffin with this strategy. I think it is a huge mistake to label a 2K digital projection system with the IMAX brand at all.  |  IP: Logged Mark J. Marshall Film God Posts: 3188 From: New Castle, DE, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 12-06-2008 08:18 AM                    Aloha, Claude! I've been to the IMAX at the Polynesian and the theater was ok, but the movie... eh. It was a movie about a guy that was in love with a dolphin or something like that. Because it was a National Geographic type documentary movie, I didn't get a good sense of the sound system or anything, but it seemed ok. It certainly wasn't the biggest IMAX theater I have ever been to. But I'll bet it's still going to have a bigger screen than the one at the Dole Cannery. You'll have to let us know. Compared to regular 35mm, the sound will likely be exceptional provided the rest of the hardware in the room and the room itself can handle it. But that's the case for all digital cinema, not just IMAX. I still haven't seen Digital IMAX 3-D, but it will probably look a bit better than Real-D since you have two projectors which means at the very least you'll get more light. Bobby is right about the picture not being anywhere near 15/70 resolution. I also think he's right about IMAX digging their own grave. In any case, I'd recommend checking it out anyway.  |  IP: Logged Claude S. Ayakawa Film God Posts: 2738 From: Waipahu, Hawaii, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 12-06-2008 01:51 PM                        Hi Mark, The Polynesian Cultural Centre IMAX opened with a specially produced film for that theatre that told the story of the migration of the first south sea islanders who came and settled in the islands now known as Hawaii. It was one of the best IMAX films I saw and I have seen it several times when I took my out of state friends to the centre. For some reason, they have not been showing it for years. The only other note worthy first run IMAX picture they played beside the original film about the original Hawaiian voyagers, EVEREST the only other first run IMAX film they played did very well. The current film, THE LIVING SEA has been playing there for at least a year in both English and Japanese. The Hawaii IMAX theatre in Waikiki was not very large but it had a huge screen and I enjoyed going there. Before IMAX tied in with Hollywood films, I saw almost all of the IMAX documentary films that had played there when Destination opened the house and offered a tie in membership with my Macy's credit card. With this sppecial promotion, I was able to go to a IMAX showing at this theatre for $2.00.Because of this discount, I have seen the 'in house' film BEHOLD HAWAII at least twenty times when I went to see a film at the Waikiki Theatre complex (#1, #2 & #3) and was early and had time to kill between shows. I also saw almost every short IMAX documentary up until that time in the house. When Pacific took over, and the ticket price was more than regular movie ticket prices, I went less often. The only film I made an effort to see were the specia Hollywood tie in fims such as Disney's Beauty & The Beast", STAR WARS, Episode #5 and 3-D IMAX films. Despite Bobby's low assessment of the scaled down Digital IMAX system Regal will install at their Dole Cannery theatre and eight other theatres, i am really looking forward to seeing my first IMAX film there and will be happy to file a report here. -Claude  |  IP: Logged

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