Fantastic Digital EP3 Screening in Florida Posted By Britany on May 23, 2005
Brian writes:
Here's a report from the fantastic midnight showing of Episode III at AMC Pleasure Island 24 in Orlando...
Episode III was playing on 11 screens for 24 hours straight. My friends and family and I attended the midnight showing in theater 19 - the single theater in central Florida with DLP projection and THX sound.
The presentation was fantastic. The picture was perfect and the sound was outstanding. The crowd - many of whom return to this theater for each Star Wars release - was very enthusiastic and respectful throughout the entire event.
There were lines all around the theater complex for the various midnight screenings with fans sitting in their Darth Vader chairs playing Star Wars Monopoly or watching DVDs on their laptops; our line was the only one inside the building.
I got in line about 6:00 (I was about 20th in line) and the crowd was allowed into the theater to take their seats around 9:30 after some final sound and picture checks. Interestingly, even though the screening had been sold out for weeks, only about 75% of the seats were filled by 10:00. The rest filled up as midnight came nearer.
The marketing manager of the theater (a big Star Wars fan himself) gave away Episode III video games, a framed Episode III poster and a Master Replicas Darth Vader light saber before the showing. Several fans dressed up in costume and posed for a picture at 11:00. This AMC also had the $1 hot dogs, soda and popcorn for all attending the Star Wars premier.
Several ILMers and local celebrities were in attendance; the Planet Hollywood right outside the theater had a costume contest and the atmosphere of Downtown Disney, where AMC Pleasure Island 24 is located, is perfect for waiting to see a movie offering lots of food choices, shopping and entertainment while taking a break from waiting in line.
I can't say enough about the DLP projection and THX sound. While not the largest theater in the complex, theater 19 at AMC Pleasure Island 24 offers a presentation that's very, very close to the filmmakers intentions. I'll be checking out a 35mm screening to compare.
The running time of the digital projection was exactly 2:20:10 from the Fox opening logo to the PG-13 rating screen at the end of the movie. A theater spokesperson said he saw both the digital and film versions and didn't notice any differences; he notes that the running time is listed as the same on both versions.
Our Episode III experience was everything we could ask for and I know that at least 3,300 people in Orlando had a great time from midnight to 2:30 this past evening (or morning).
Update:
Jim adds:
The midnight screening for ROTS in Orlando, Florida at the AMC Pleasure Island 24 Cinemas at Disney rocked!
They had the digital projection, and several of us waited 10 - 12 hours to get in! The theatre was amazing, and I even won a Darth Vader FX lightsaber!! Another person won an X Box ROTS game and another person a framed poster!
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