[_] IMAX / Blue Reef Response
Tom Gidden
tom at gidden.net
Fri Dec 18 13:12:01 GMT 2009
On 18 Dec 2009, at 11:35, Alex Francis wrote: > I'm *sure* there were old threads about this, but hey ho - > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/6512691.stm - Imax wasn't > financially viable as a straight cinema apparently, hence the Blue > Reef thing. Probably just bad timing, given the recent resurgence in > 3D films. Ah, but if you read that article you cited, it's not about the IMAX being inviable as a straight cinema; on the contrary, it's about the IMAX (etc.) being inviable as a science centre. There are other IMAXes in this country that seem to be viable as straight cinema, so I don't see why the Bristol one can't be either. However, they seem insistent on it being part of a science museum or educational exhibit of some description. I can see the Science Museum IMAX in London being viable purely for educational use, but the Science Museum is in a completely different league from At-Bristol and, to be brutally honest, anything that can or will be built in Bristol. As we've mentioned, "education during the day, entertainment at night" makes sense. I believe that until At-Bristol / Blue Reef / Whoever realises this reality, the Bristol IMAX will continue to be a white elephant. Tom -- Tom Gidden http://gidden.net/tom