Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 20
Cinephiles Cross Borders to Watch 'The Odyssey' in 41 IMAX 70mm Theaters
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 20

Cinephiles Cross Borders to Watch 'The Odyssey' in 41 IMAX 70mm Theaters

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 20

Summary

  • Fans of Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” traveled hundreds of miles and across national borders for opening-weekend screenings in the rare IMAX 70mm format, turning moviegoing into a trip of its own.
  • Only 41 theaters worldwide can project the film in IMAX 70mm, even though the movie is also playing in nearly 1,900 large-screen IMAX venues globally.
  • Viewers said the draw was the format itself: “The Odyssey” is the first feature shot entirely on IMAX cameras, and Nolan devotees described the film-based presentation as a purer visual experience than digital projection.
  • One fan, Zach Weible, went nearly 300 miles from Ocala to Fort Lauderdale to watch it twice, accepting the lack of closed-caption support in IMAX 70mm to avoid missing the presentation.

Insights

Is the IMAX 70mm revival a sustainable trend, or a phenomenon dependent entirely on Christopher Nolan?
Why does cinema's most premium format lack accessibility, forcing fans to choose between experience and inclusion?
Does spectacle now outweigh storytelling, as 'The Odyssey' is praised for visuals but criticized for its script?