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The biggest cinema in the land has a new screen. The BFI has given us a revealing glimpse behind the scenes as 800kg of perforated vinyl measuring 26m wide and 20m high replaces the old screen, bringing The Amazing Spider-Man swinging into action this week.
Check out the fascinating photos of the new screen’s arrival below.
The new screen was made in Canada, then shipped over to Blighty and delivered to the IMAX cinema at its home in the middle of a roundabout just off Waterloo bridge. The previous screen was sliced to ribbons — an activity which looks like it was quite the guilty pleasure, I must say. Ten riggers were required to haul the new screen up, which was then laced to the frame and left for 48 hours for the creases to drop out.
Once in place, a robot-controlled spray gun splattered the screen with reflective silver paint, ensuring perfect reflection and warding off ghosting.
As well as a new screen, a new IMAX 3D digital projector was installed, allowing the theatre to present old movies that have been embiggened for the IMAX DMR big-o-scope.
New speakers were also added, which were lined up correctly using lasers.
The IMAX cinema has been showing enormo-films for 13 years on the South Bank. IMAX cameras are larger and much noisier than regular movie cameras — and film stock more expensive — so films specifically shot for IMAX have tended to be documentaries, usually about the wonder of nature an’ that.
In recent years, blockbuster movies have got around the difficulties of recording dialogue over the noise of IMAX cameras by shooting action scenes in the IMAX format, starting with six sequences in Christopher Nolan’s Batman sequel The Dark Knight. The forthcoming Dark Knight Rises will have over an hour of IMAX footage — twice that of the previous film — while IMAX scenes also feature in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, and sequels to Star Trek and The Hunger Games.
Are you an IMAX fan? What’s the best experience you’ve had on the IMAX screen? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page.
