quote: Mark Lensenmayer

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AMC announced in May that they were installing Imax in 5 locations: Kansas City, Detroit, Phoenix, Oklahoma City and Omaha. No mention of Easton anywhere on Google.

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quote: Michael Coate

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Anyway, looks like "Batman Begins" and "Charlie And The Chocolate Factory" are scheduled to be the debut features (staggered showtimes) with the NASCAR film being a possibility in the not-too-distant future.

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quote:

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Starting August 26! Introducing the IMAX Experience at AMC Easton 30!

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I would expect some editorial coverage on it this week.
 

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Posted by Joseph L. Kleiman (Member # 3097) on 08-20-2005, 09:52 AM:
 
We verified the theater with AMC's head of corporate communications. The official PR should be going out on Monday.

www.worldenteractive.com/amccolumbus.htm

[ 08-22-2005, 02:43 PM: Message edited by: Joseph L. Kleiman ]
 

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Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 08-20-2005, 02:34 PM:
 
Joe,

That should be 2004 for the Marcus GT installation.
 

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Posted by Joseph L. Kleiman (Member # 3097) on 08-21-2005, 12:34 AM:
 
Mark,

Good catch. Unfortunately, I'm in SF this weekend (went to the Balboa and saw all four films today)and I can't access our ftp. It'll be fixed tomorrow evening.

Thanks,

Joe
 

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Posted by Joshua Waaland (Member # 287) on 08-22-2005, 09:18 PM:
 
That may be worth the 2-1/2 hour drive to Columbus. However my sister-in-law lives there and we always spend 4-5 days there at Christmas. She has four boys and her other sister has 2 kids. My wife and I usually need a break from all the screaming at some point (we don't have kids). Maybe I could make a trip to Easton then to see that Imax.

That theater is so weird. It is broken up all over the building and you cannot tell where the lobby ends and the stores begin. They are all sort of intermingled. They also have the Mutt Cuts van from Dumb and Dumber there. That was pretty cool!

Went to Cedar Point last weekend and really missed the usual trip to the Imax there. I wish they would not have taken it out. It was pretty impressive. I remember seeing the Space Shuttle film there when I was a kid.
 

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Posted by Robert Stawiarski (Member # 1842) on 08-22-2005, 10:21 PM:
 
With over 950 seats, Cedar Point had one of the largest IMAX auditoriums in the world.
 

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Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 08-22-2005, 11:37 PM:
 
Cedar Point had Imax projector #3. They ran MAN BELONGS TO THE EARTH for 2 seasons on 2 prints in the early years. I was there the opening weekend. THAT was impressive.

Easton AMC is not as confusing as before. When Easton was built, there was a Planet Hollywood in the center of the "Train Station" (Looks like an aircraft hangar to me!) along with an All-Star Cafe. Those were on the main floor, with the escalator going up to the theatre level. The restaurants are now gone, as is the memorabilia. So, getting to the theatre is much easier and less confusing.
 

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Posted by Joshua Waaland (Member # 287) on 08-23-2005, 07:02 AM:
 
I started a thread before about the Cedar Point Imax and someone said they thought it was projector serial #1. It was always a nice break to get out of the sun and into the air conditioning and watch a great film while at Cedar Point.

Like I said on the other thread, I applied for the projectionist job there two years running but never so much as even got a call back. My buddy who is also a projectionist in Sandusky was offered the job back in the early 90's when he was in college but couldn't because his classes ran too late into May. He couldn't make it there in time to be trained by Imax.

Glad to hear they cleaned up that Easton area a little. It was definitely confusing. The box office was out in the middle of the mall if I remember correctly. What happened to the Planet Hollywood? Are they all going under? I was in Chicago again last fall and the one there was gone.
 

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Posted by Joseph L. Kleiman (Member # 3097) on 08-23-2005, 09:02 AM:
 
#1 Toronto Cinesphere 5/71
#2 San Diego Ruben H. Fleet 1973
#3 Haines City Circus World 2/74
#4 Sandusky Cedar Point 1975
#5 Philadelphia Living History Center 5/76
#6 D.C. NASM (replaced by SR) 7/76
 

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Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 08-23-2005, 09:12 AM:
 
Thanks for the information, Joseph. I'll check my records. Cedar Point staff told me it was #3.

Planet Hollywood and All-Star Cafe thought that the atmosphere would overcome the food. But, in the restaurant business, food is why people come back. And the food at both of those restaurants was food people didn't want to eat again. Also, far too pricy for what you got. I think the entire chain went under. That type of celebrity restaurant was a trend for awhile. People would go thinking that the celebrities actually ate there. The space is now a local chain restaurant with very good food.
 

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Posted by Joseph L. Kleiman (Member # 3097) on 08-23-2005, 10:40 AM:
 
There is the possibility that the Cedar Point system was the same one that played Expo 74 in Spokane. If it was, it would have been manufactured around the same time as the Circus World system and could be serial #3. I'm looking into it.
 

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Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 08-23-2005, 11:14 AM:
 
Expo 74 was an aircooled machine the one at cedar point was watercooled
 

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Posted by Joseph L. Kleiman (Member # 3097) on 08-23-2005, 11:28 AM:
 
And now my research is done . Thanks Gordon. Were all of the temporary systems air cooled?
 

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Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 08-23-2005, 12:51 PM:
 
nope a lot were water cooled
 

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Posted by Joseph L. Kleiman (Member # 3097) on 08-23-2005, 01:09 PM:
 
I thought so...that's why this caught me off guard.
 

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Posted by Joshua Waaland (Member # 287) on 08-23-2005, 11:55 PM:
 
Well it seems I have a thing for living next to amusement parks. Now I live near Geauga Lake (formerly Six Flags and Geauga Lake and Sea World). Cedar Point bought it last year. They have a theater in the park that just re-opened this year I heard. It was on the Sea World side of the lake and used to run a pirate film with Leslie Nielsen in it I think. I remember there was a point in the film where you got sprayed with water. I think it was an Iwerks theater. Can anyone confirm?

I think I am going there next month. My wife works for Progressive and they rent the whole place for the company picnic. I would hate to see that bill! Anyhow if no one knows for sure I will try to find out when I go there. I hate that all the nearby large venue theaters go under. I enjoy them.
 

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Posted by Joseph L. Kleiman (Member # 3097) on 08-24-2005, 01:52 AM:
 
The film was called Pirates 4D, was produced by Busch Entertainment and distributed by Iwerks. It played in 5/70. The film originally played at Sea World Ohio, Sea World California, and Busch Gardens Williamsburg and continues to play at various locations throughout the world. It was also featured as part of Crest National's digital 3D presentation during LFCA.
 

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Posted by Dick Vaughan (Member # 540) on 08-24-2005, 03:14 AM:
 
#3 was the Circus World projector. When it was taken out of service we were offered it for display here at the Museum in Bradford but , sadly, we couldn't afford the shipping costs at the time.
I believe it now forms part of the collection of the Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa.
 

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Posted by Dan Suomi (Member # 2585) on 08-24-2005, 04:02 PM:
 
What does this all have to do with AMC IMAX in Columbus.
 

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Posted by Joseph L. Kleiman (Member # 3097) on 08-24-2005, 04:13 PM:
 
I know it's a bit OT - but somehow this has morphed into a discussion about IMAX and Iwerks theaters in Ohio.

If anyone goes to the Easton theater this morning, could you post your comments about how this theater compares with a traditional IMAX theater? Thanks.
 

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Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 08-24-2005, 04:39 PM:
 
Theatre opens Friday. I plan to attend the first available screening.

Wow...saw first Imax at Cedar Point in 1975. 30 years of Imax.

(Digression:ON) First film was MAN BELONGS TO THE EARTH. Still my very favorite Imax film, mainly due to the incredible soundtrack by Don Ellis. I've never heard a track use multiple channels so well. Saw it 4 times in one day. Even sat in the first row.

Remember, the 70's was the day of the shoebox theatre, and seeing an Imax screen for the first time was quite an incredible site. The incredible steadiness of the image still impresses me. (Digression: OFF)
 

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Posted by Joseph L. Kleiman (Member # 3097) on 08-25-2005, 07:46 AM:
 
Has the Easton opening been delayed? The press release has not yet been issued and the AMC website, AMC Columbus phone line, and movietickets.com have no mention of any IMAX films opening at the theater tomorrow.
 

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Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 08-25-2005, 03:34 PM:
 
Movietickets.com has updated the Easton Website. Easton Imax will be showing NASCAR 3D: THE IMAX EXPERIENCE during the day and BATMAN BEGINS in the evening starting on 8/26.
 

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Posted by Jeffry L. Johnson (Member # 453) on 08-25-2005, 04:49 PM:
 

quote: Joshua Waaland

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It was on the Sea World side of the lake and used to run a pirate film with Leslie Nielsen in it I think. I remember there was a point in the film where you got sprayed with water. I think it was an Iwerks theater. Can anyone confirm?

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quote:

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Since June, 1,738 people in 20 western and central New York counties have become sick after they, a family member or a close contact attended the spraypark attraction at the state park, according to figures released today by the state Department of Health.

Tests by the health department found cryptosporidium in two storage tanks that supply water to the spraypark attraction. The state Office of Parks has closed the operation for the remainder of the 2005 season.

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Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 08-27-2005, 08:36 AM:
 
The Easton Imax

I saw NASCAR 3D today at the new Easton Imax theatre. I have seen the film before at the Marcus Imax in Spring, 2004.

The Imax is located in one of the 4 large auditoriums at the Easton 30 complex. (Theatre 14, to be exact) Before Imax, the theatre had approximately 425 seats. The floor seats were removed, leaving only approximately 300 seats in the stadium section. A new screen was installed, approximately 50' across, going from floor to ceiling. It did not go totally wall to wall, as there was a 4' exit on the right side. New carpeting was installed, and a new wall treatment was put in. The theatre looked very, very nice.

The Imax projector is installed about 5 feet to the left (as you are looking at the screen) of the 35mm projector, which remains in place. A video projector sits above the 35mm projector lens for the "pre-show countdown". I got a pretty good view of the Imax projector through the large port glass. (All measurements from here on are approximate). The projector looks to be about 2.5' wide, 6.5' high and 6.5' deep (front to back). The unit is a light gray color, with IMAX on the right side written from top to bottom. The lenses are separated vertically by 2', and there are motorized polarizers that rotate into place when a 3-D picture begins.

To get into the projector, two separate lids are opened, followed by a panel on the right side of the unit. I thought I could see the rotors, and they looked to be about 2' in diameter. The projector makes some noise, but it is much quieter than the unit at Cincinnati Showcase due to better sound proofing. The port into the theatre has a handle so that it can be opened to access the lenses.

There is a control panel located in front of the 35mm projector that is about the size of an average LCD computer monitor.

A small set (smaller than those of the GT setup at the Marcus Imax) of speakers is located in the usual Imax rear positions, with conventional surround speakers lining the ceiling. They were small, but very clean and powerful. This film used the Imax speakers, and they sounded very clean and clear.

The standard AMC pre-show was from the video projector, with the left channel sound missing.

The Imax glasses are very comfortable, and fit easily over my normal glasses. These are much more comfortable than the LCD helmets at some of the other 3-D theatres. 3-D was aligned perfectly and with no eye strain.

The image was very bright and clean. It is not as tall as the original Imax image, but fits the more traditional Hollywood model. There was very little vertical or horizontal vibration.

Sound was VERY good! I always thought the Marcus Imax was a bit timid in the low end. This theatre is very powerful, giving a good chest vibration on the really low sounds. Sound quality was superb. NASCAR is a good test, as it has very quiet sections and some powerful race car noises. A very well balanced system, with almost no distortion.

This theatre does NOT used the dreaded Reserved Seating system as the Springdale Ohio Imax. Thank you, AMC.

I looked back occasionally at the booth, and saw no one monitoring the presentation. This system seems to be designed to be self-sufficient.

Admission is $9.50 for matinee and $11.50 for evenings. The are currently running NASCAR in the afternoon and BATMAN in the evening. There was a 3-D trailer for the upcoming Tom Hanks moon movie, "Magnificent Desolation". I hope they are able to play POLAR EXPRESS...that should be a terrific 3-D experience.

A very nice job by the AMC and Imax folks. I'll be going back.
 

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