Brendan Gorsalitz said he and his girlfriend drove two and a half hours from Saskatoon to Regina to see The Odyssey. Gorsalitz said his love for Nolan’s work inspired him to make the drive, describing the director’s films as events that demand to be seen on the big screen. “The way he makes movies, it’s an event. So I wanted to come here to the IMAX,” Gorsalitz said. The commitment of fans like Gorsalitz demonstrates the enduring appeal of the theatrical experience and the importance of preserving the art of filmmaking in its intended format.
Other moviegoers didn’t travel as far, but said they still went on a journey. “I feel emotionally wrecked after that. It was different than I was expecting. Epic. Absolutely devastatingly beautiful,” Tyson Liske from Regina said after the screening. “A hundred per cent worth the wait. I can’t wait to get tickets and come right back again,” Liske added. The emotional response of audiences to The Odyssey reflects the power of Nolan’s storytelling and the immersive experience of seeing the film in 70mm IMAX.
The production of the 70mm IMAX film print is a massive undertaking. According to Holota, the reels of IMAX film that make up Nolan’s The Odyssey came in three large aluminum crates and weighed a total of 600 pounds. All together, Holota said, the film is 16 kilometres long. The Odyssey will be showing at the Kramer IMAX Theatre until August 12. The long run reflects the strong demand for tickets, with fans like Blum planning to make the drive again to see the film once more. “Just like how Odysseus went on his own odyssey. Maybe it’s time for me to go on my own,” Blum said.
