Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is the first feature film shot entirely on IMAX 1570 film, the highest-resolution format. Only 41 cinemas globally can project it, and Melbourne's IMAX is the only one in the southern hemisphere. Fans are traveling from Turkey, Singapore, Malaysia, Germany, and Los Angeles to experience the film as Nolan intended.
Epic Journeys for an Epic Film
Christian Wächter, 45, and his wife Romy Demeter, 42, flew from Germany to Indonesia for work but are heading to Melbourne specifically to see The Odyssey twice on the 1570 screen. "People have asked, why would you take that plane to Melbourne and see a movie? Because it's the biggest 1570 screen in the world," Wächter said. He compared the expense to sports fans traveling for major events: "They spend thousands and we're just paying a small amount, but for a cultural experience."
Technical Marvels and Challenges
The 1570 film reel runs over 17 kilometers and weighs 240 kilograms. During filming, the camera—weighing 180 kilograms—had to be reloaded every three minutes. Nolan worked with IMAX to develop a soundproofing "blimp" to record dialogue for the first time on 1570. Melbourne's IMAX screen is the largest 1.43:1 screen in the world, measuring 32 meters wide by 23 meters high.
Record-Breaking Ticket Sales
When tickets went on sale a year ago, over 17,000 were sold in under 24 hours. More than 30,000 tickets have now been sold, making The Odyssey the eighth biggest film of all time at that venue before its official release. IMAX Melbourne general manager Jeremy Fee said, "We have people who built their holidays around their Odyssey screening."
The Resurgence of Film
The number of 1570-capable cinemas has risen from 30 to 41 since Nolan's Oppenheimer three years ago. Projectionist Dan Drobik compared 1570 to vinyl: "They are both playing you the same song, but one is a much earthier, richer, sort of natural feeling." He monitors every screening closely, listening for any irregularities. Fee noted that younger audiences are increasingly knowledgeable about film formats: "Film formats are almost leading the discussion in terms of where to seek out a film—that is really new."
Fan Devotion
Wächter's grandmother laughed when told about their trip, but he said, "He shoots and finishes his film with this format in mind. This is the way you should watch that movie—nothing else makes sense." Older films like Nolan's Interstellar now sell out more frequently than when first released, as audiences value the rarity of the experience.
