Rick Pukis experienced a thrilling roller coaster ride at the 1974 Spokane, Wash., World's Fair without leaving the movie theater. Mr. Pukis, an associate professor of communications specializing in television and cinema at Augusta State University, still remembers his first IMAX movie.
"It's a whole other viewing experience," he said. "It plants you like you are there."
The "IMAX experience" could come closer to home for Augusta moviegoers. IMAX and the Regal Entertainment Group plan to open 31 theaters in 20 U.S. markets, one of which could be Augusta's Regal Exchange 20.
IMAX plans to put screens in existing Regal theaters, transforming the largest auditorium by removing the first few rows of seats and installing a slightly curved screen closer to the audience. Auditoriums also will be treated to reduce sound vibrations for clearer acoustics.
IMAX, which stands for "image maximum," features movie screens several stories tall that encompass a viewer's peripheral vision so one sees only the projected image.
Fewer than 300 IMAX theaters exist around the world, according to the IMAX Corp. Web site. The Atlanta area has two of the giant screens -- one at the Mall of Georgia Regal Cinemas and the other at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History.
Many museums and aquariums, including the Chattanooga, Tenn. aquarium, house IMAX theaters to screen educational films ranging from Alaska: Spirit of the Wild to Dolphins and Whales 3D .
The roots of IMAX movies are in educational films about 40 minutes long. In the past decade, IMAX Corp. expanded into Hollywood with such films as Superman Returns and Kung Fu Panda .
The IMAX film projection system developed from demonstrations at the 1967 and 1970 World's Fair Expositions in Montreal and Osaka, Japan. The original innovators, including a group of Canadian filmmakers, set out to see how fast film could move through a projector.
"The speed tricks the mind," Mr. Pukis said. "The mind is perceiving that you are actually there experiencing the movie."
IMAX technology uses 70 mm film turned sideways instead of the 35 mm used for traditional movies. The projectors run at more than 50 mph.
Since the first public showings at World Fairs, modern upgrades have helped improve the IMAX technology. The IMAX 3-D system premiered in 1986.
"A lot of people are now believing that 3-D will save the cinema and draw the people in," Mr. Pukis said.
Increasingly, Hollywood movies are premiering in IMAX theaters. This month, The Dark Knight , which was partially shot with IMAX cameras, contributed to a record weekend for IMAX, according to box office returns.
Michelle Ewart's family, from North Augusta, have seen numerous IMAX movies at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington and the aquarium in Charleston, S.C., which closed its theater in September.
"It's able to show you more," daughter Shelby Ewart said. "You can visualize it better."
Reach Meg Mirshak at (706) 828-2946 or meg.mirshak@augustachronicle.com.
WHAT'S NEXT
Officials plan to open many of the new Regal/IMAX theaters Nov. 21, coinciding with the release of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: The IMAX Experience.
Comments
I really hope that we do get an IMAX screen, here in Augusta. My first IMAX experience was with my son, many years ago, when Fernbank's system had just been installed. The animals of Africa were right there in front of you. I can't wait. You actually become part of the visual envelope.
Trukin, if there are two things we support here it is movie theaters and restaurants.
We probably won't get the IMAX theater in Augusta especially if they're planning to open with Harry Potter. The commission will vote totally against it.
Ya know what....don't hold your breath on this one...we are still waiting for construction to begin on the "Villages at River Watch". Bass Pro Shops is slated to open Fall of 2009, construction has not begun. My guess is this IMAX thing like all the other promised retail growth will not happen. Once these businesses see the commission they would have to tolerate, plans to build skreech to a halt.
My most awesome IMAX experience centered around the famous expedition of the English explorer of the Antarctic, Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton. Among his staff was a professional motion picture pohotographer, a real pioneer for those early days. All these many years later, by adapting the original film stock, IMAX was able to transport audiences back to 1914 in almost lifesize images of Shackleton's icebound ship and crew. So, though IMAX is great for special effects and "comic book" movies, its educational potential is also tremendous. If Regal doesn't bring IMAX here, another possibility might be installing an IMAX theatre at Fort Discovery.
"A lot of people are now believing that 3-D will save the cinema and draw the people in," Mr. Pukis said Since when does cinema need saving? Arent we still breaking records? Didn't this new Batman movie make $300M in record time?
I would have liked to have seen the "Dark Night" in Imax. It is worth the money, of course when I went it was 10.00 a ticket, not sure how they are going to justify 9.50 for a regular theatre it will probably end up being 15.00. I saw 'Happy Feet' at the Imax at Dulles Smithsonian, unbelievable was the way it looked.
I didnt know they had IMAX film in 1914, that must have been one heavy camera! :)
It appears as though this actually WILL HAPPEN.
Went to IMAX.com and this was posted under "New IMAX Theatres Opening Near You":
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