Superman goes 3D at Imax
Krungsri Imax, the only theatre in Thailand that shows three-dimensional films, expects to double the number its patrons over the next year after relocating to the Siam Paragon shopping complex and the screening of mainstream Hollywood blockbusters that have been re-mastered into the Imax format.
Starting with "Batman Returns" which will be screened in 3D at the Imax theatre starting today, four animated Hollywood films are lined up for Krungsri Imax throughout the rest of this year starting with "Ant Bully" in August, "Open Season" in October, and "Happy Feet" in November. In addition to Hollywood films, Krungsri Imax will also launch its own 45-minute Imax 3D movies: "Nascar" in July and "Deep Sea" in October. The ticket price for Hollywood movies will be Bt250 and for Imax's 3D movies, Bt160. "We have relocated our Krungsri Imax theatre from our Ratchayothin complex to the new prime tourism destination on the fifth floor of Siam Paragon shopping complex," said Jim Patterson, general manager of Imax, Siam Cineplex Co Ltd. "We had served no foreigners at our previous venue on Ratchayothin as the theatre attracted only local people in the area. With our new theatre at Siam Paragon, we expect up to 30 per cent of viewers to be foreigners, both expatriates and tourists." Patterson said that with 600 seats, the Krungsri Imax theatre on Ratchayothin could accommodate only 200,000 people a year. Now, the company expects its new 535-seat 3D theatre at Siam Paragon to raise the number of viewers to between 400,000 and 500,000. Between five to seven Hollywood blockbusters will be re-mastered into the Imax's "Digitally Mastered Release" (DMR) format each year and launched the same day as in regular theatres. The next Harry Potter instalment "Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix", which will hit local theatres in July 2007, will be also be re-mastered into Imax's system and may be in 3D. "'Superman Returns' will be the first real action film re-mastered into the Imax system. Four different parts in the two-and-a-half-hour film, five minutes each, will be screened in 3D and viewers are required to wear 3D eyeglasses. One of the most exciting scenes is Superman rescuing an airplane," Patterson said, adding that the cost for re-mastering "Superman Returns", distributed locally by Warner Brothers (Thailand) Co Ltd, was about US$2 million (Bt76.9 million) to $3 million. "Between 6,000 and 7,000 tickets for 'Superman Returns' have been already pre-sold. 'Superman Returns' will be shown at Krungsri Imax five times a day and we expect more than 30,000 viewers to watch the film during the next two months," said Patterson, adding that "Superman Returns" will be in the original sound track with Thai subtitles.
Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn The Nation
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