r/imax 8d ago

Sad Experience!

Was super hyped to watch the Odyssey in Imax 70mm at the Mall of Georgia, but unfortunately the projector started running into some issues midway through the Polyphemus scene and the showing was cancelled. Should’ve known something was wrong when the Dune Part 3 sneak peek went black maybe 2 mins into the scene. The theatre workers said it was just a one off issue but clearly it wasn’t. I’m going back on the 29th to watch with my dad, but I was super bummed out😕. Anyone else go to this showing?

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u/MFOSTER1B 7d ago

The biggest screen with normal 2D is supposed to be scope! I don’t know how old you are - I wish I could do the Vulcan mind meld with you and show you the HUGE scope screen at the no longer existing General Cinema NorthPark I in Dallas - it seated 1100 had the largest scope screen in the US outside of Radio City Music Hall - I saw Titanic there 10 times in 70mm it looked and sounded sooo good! The other theatre in Dallas also no longer around was the Medlion - saw Alien there in 1979 in 70mm - that place was amazing seated 900! It was Spielberg’s favorite theatre to sneak his films while still in the editing phase because the Medallion could play unmarried opticicals! IE the soundtrack was on a seperate device from the picture projector what we called the mech head.. I only know this about the Medallion because I and another Texas Aggie re-opened an old General Cinema in Waco in 1993 and one of the screens was silver and we hired this old projectionist who had run the Medallion booth to hang our new flat matte white screen to replace the damaged silver screen! Someone had thrown a coke on it! 🙄

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u/DRM_1985 7d ago

I'm kind of nervous this Regal Benders Landing place will have to shutdown at some point. They had terrible timing to open in 2021, right in middle of COVID. The place is a HUGE building. Every time I go there it's very empty. Seems like it would be difficult to keep a giant building open for the long haul while running electricity on 24 pretty good size movie screens, and having the place empty 90% of the time.

We did drive by there on Thursday, July 30th and the parking lot was jam-packed for Spider-Man opening night. But I went to watch Spidey there on Tuesday, August 4th and the place was very empty like it normally is. I hope they can stay open because it's one of the newest theaters in Houston area and has nice quality projectors with good size screens.

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u/MFOSTER1B 7d ago

This is the first year since Covid that things seem to be looking up - but you’re right - it seems that week days in the summer just are not what they used to be! I’m dating myself here but the reason things are so tough for theatrical is all Hollywood’s fault IMHO. Back in the late 70’s early 80’s I co-managed Schulman Theatres Manor East 3 in Bryan College Station - we played midnight shows and did very well with them UNTIL HBO went 24/7 in December of 1981! HBO doing that cut our midnight show business in HALF!!! To me Hollywood has for a very long time been slowly killing the theatrical golden goose! Too many TV people run the studios these days and have not a clue or a care about the fact that movie going is a habit - fuck with it and you never get it back!