08.04.02
Apollo 13: The IMAX Experience Released This Summer |
(Los Angeles, April 2002) - Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment and IMAX Corporation (Nasdaq: IMAX; TSE) will make motion picture history this summer when the Academy Award-winning "Apollo 13" becomes the first 35mm live-action film ever to be digitally re-mastered into IMAX's 15/70 format using revolutionary, proprietary IMAX(R) Digital Re-mastering (DMR(TM)) technology, announced Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler, CEOs and chairmen, IMAX, Nikki Rocco, president of distribution, Universal Pictures and Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, partners, Imagine Entertainment.
Directed by this year's Academy Award(R)-nominee Ron Howard and starring two-time Oscar(R) winner Tom Hanks, "Apollo 13:The IMAX Experience(R)" will be distributed by IMAX this Summer exclusively to IMAX theatres throughout the world.
"Just imagine the experience of seeing the world's greatest films in super sharp IMAX on screens eight stories high and more than a hundred feet wide," said Gelfond and Wechsler. "When we first saw 'Apollo 13' transformed using this technology, we were speechless. Star fields which were three points of light in 35mm become full galaxies in IMAX. For more than five years one of our key goals has been to marry the best of Hollywood's live action with the world's best visual and audio experiences. Today this goal became a reality."
Added Nikki Rocco, "When we saw a test of what could be done with a few short scenes, not only were we reminded of what a fabulous film Brian and Ron made, we were absolutely blown away by the picture and sound quality of the IMAX version. We are thrilled to be embarking on this history-making venture by joining forces with Imagine and IMAX to bring Apollo back to the big screen -- and I mean, the really big screen."
Grazer said, "When IMAX approached us about having 'Apollo 13' as the first live-action film to be converted for IMAX theatres, we were really excited by the opportunity to be pioneers with them. As a filmmaker who is always exploring innovative ideas, I was completely captivated by this revolutionary technology. I hope our partnership with IMAX will continue and we will find other films, both old titles and new, to bring to audiences in this thrilling manner."
Howard added, "Seeing 'Apollo 13' presented like this, with its clarity of image and staggering dimension, it occurred to me that this is how I had always hoped the film could be seen. I just never imagined that it would become possible less than a decade after we first released it. I give my real appreciation to IMAX not only as a director, but as an audience member. IMAX has truly redefined the experience of movie-going."
Hanks, who stars as astronaut Jim Lovell in "Apollo 13," said "When the test sequences were shown to me, all I could think is 'when can I see more?' To watch a film this way completely immerses an audience and engages all the senses -- it's not the same as any movie-going experience before it, and in a different universe entirely than watching a film at home. Not to mention, it's not just a little terrifying to see yourself eight stories tall."
IMAX sees "Apollo 13:The IMAX Experience(R)" as the ideal film for its premiere commercial and institutional venues around this world as it bridges both entertainment and education. NASA played a very important role in the success of the original release of "Apollo 13" and is partnered with IMAX on their upcoming 3D release, "Space Station" presented by Lockheed Martin.
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