RC #37: The IMAX Experience…?

This week we start out with some nice, peaceful good news, such as which television series are getting renewed. Dollhouse will be back! Woohoo! (Note: Terminator: TSCC has been canceled, but we recorded this weeks ago, before it was announced.)

Then we get into some... well, not-so-peaceful discussion. See, they're releasing more and more films in IMAX, and there seem to be more IMAX theaters popping up everywhere, especially in the AMC and Regal theater chains. However, the screens aren't any bigger than normal screens.

Erik takes one side of the debate. Ned takes the other. The gloves come off, and Andrew has to drop by to settle the argument. Check it out!

---

RC #37: The IMAX Experience...?
Download MP3 ♦ Subscribe via iTunes ♦ Subscribe via Email

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Show Notes:

• Weekly Recap
• Erik: Finished Ender in Exile
• Ned: Possible big announcement next week
• News
• Dollhouse gets renewed, though for only 13 episodes and a smaller budget
• Scrubs is coming back, though without Zach Braff
• Castle is getting renewed; Nathan Fillion's bad luck
• Bones is getting renewed too.
• Chuck is back for fewer episodes and a smaller budget.
• Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles is canceled (we'd recorded this show before it was announced).
• Burn Notice and Leverage are coming back this summer.
• Feature: Is the IMAX Experience Really IMAX?
• People are angry, and they want their extra $5 back.
• IMAX explains what IMAX is — it's not the screen size, it's the technical specs and theater design.
• Using the THX certification as an example.
• Shout out to Beegs: Hey man, if you're out there, we miss you!
• Description of the differences between IMAX and normal 35mm prints & systems
• Is IMAX being shady?
• IMAX has built a reputation and brand around the massive screen, regardless of the tech specs.
• They're taking advantage of their brand to get people into the theaters, and they're knowingly being deceptive, even if they're not legally telling untruths.
• Flat-out, it's cheating.
• They should have been upfront by branding this "product" differently. But by calling it the "IMAX Experience," it directly implies something it's not.
• Counterpoints:
• Due to theater redesign, the viewer's field-of-vision is filled, so the screen size is moot. Field-of-vision is the important thing.
• ...but does that still hold true from the back of the theater?
• IMAX has never bothered to explain "it's more than the screen" in the past. Doing it now is a cop-out.
• Regardless, it all boils down to this — IMAX made very bad choices in how they've presented this, and it's going to hurt their branding.
• Ned's Rant: How not to be stupid when posting blog comments.

Comments are closed.