Many thanks to Seano in Seoul for this report:
I went to see it yesterday (that's why I was searching for some info on it). Anyway saw it at the theatre in TimesSquare CGV, the screen and cinema is average size with the seats in 4 seater units in 3 columns with about 10 rows. Ticket price is W18,000 (about $16). The experience definitely enhances the 3D and is more than just a gimmick, though there is room for improvement.
The motion effects include the 4 seater unit pitching and yawing along with the expected vibrating and dropping, so in the flight scenes the seats are swaying and leaning with the helicopters and those reptile birds and obviously shaking you about with every explosion. There are individual effects on each seat with a automated brush at ankle level that spins across your legs and a kicker in the back of that feels like the person behind you is kicking your seat when activated.
The wind effects are probably the best and most seamless, tranquil breezes in the forest and gale force when a heli is landing. There's also individual wind effects in the seat with a whisper of air blowing past your ear when an arrow or bullet whizzes by.
The smell effects aren't quite as good as the others, mostly smelling like car and bathroom air fresheners during forest scenes. And the explosions smells are just unrealistic. The same goes for the laser/strobe effects, they were used at the wrong points in the scene and had little impact though admittedly the movie has few opportunities for strobe effects. Maybe in a movie with lots of storms/lightning this would be cool.
The water effect was only used once when the main characters falls off the cliff into the lake below, the effect just involved a few drops of water being sprayed across the seats.
Considering that the 3D version of the movie costs W14000, you're not paying much more for the 3D version and due to the way the seats are arranged (they hydraulically raise up at the start of the movie to allow for the motion effects) you get a perfect clear view of the screen. The cinema is also pitch black with no side lights or even exit signs illuminated which is perfect for watching a film.
Considering that they only have these 4D cinemas in Korea at the moment it's worth going if you happen to be in Seoul.
13 Comments
Isn't this called going to the feelies?
This almost sounds like a hoax report, hehe.
The only time I've ever seen something like this was at the Baltimore aqaurium. It wasn't a good experience - it felt gimmicky and just plain annoying. However, this sounds pretty cool. When it's synced with a real movie (as opposed to the shoddy documentary I saw) and the effects are more subtle, it could be a real treat. I wonder if plans are being prepared to bring this to the states yet.
The movie's 2.5 hours long. What if you have to go to the bathroom?
I went to something like this in Las Vegas once. It was a 7-10 minute ride down a mine shaft, during which I was poked in the back, tipped sideways, sprayed with water, rustled by the wind, and had many objects thrown into my face via 3D. I have no desire to sustain that experience for nearly three hours.
What if there's a shot of someone on a bird veering left and there's a cut to a still area (I'm pretty sure there's something like this; all battles start this way).
Ooh, and during the sex scene, a probe extends and... never mind.
In Sensurround sound in a two-inch wall, I was waiting for the Communist call.
They had a 4D Spongebob Squarepants movie at the Ripley's Believe it or Not museum in Williamsburg, VA. The spray you in the face with water a lot and you get to smell the pickles on the Krabby Patties. It's pretty awesome, you know, for a 10 minute kid's show. Have to imagine it being unbearable at Avatar length.
I bet Catherine Breillat is already raising funds to have "Salo" re-released in 4D.
They have a ride like this at the local amusement park where they show a SpongeBob Squarepants movie in 3-D and the seats move and shake in sync with the action in the film. This ride is 1,000x better than Avatar.
In addition, the effects aren't continuous, there's about 30-40 in total throughout the film, so your not constantly being thrown about or blasted by the AC. Yeah, you probably would struggle to go to the bathroom, the only way to access the rows of seats is from the two sides of the cinema, the scent and air effects units are located in the centre aisles.
This type of thing really is just for kids and those young at heart, but it's really popular here in Korea the show I went to was sold out 4 hours before it started. I doubt 4D will ever be part of mainstream cinema, but it's nice to have options when you go to the movies - for example this same cinema complex has the 4D theatre, 3D theatres and the worlds largest cinema screen (http://cinematreasures.org/theater/30871/). To compete with TV, DVD and bit-torrent these are the type of things that all cinemas will have to offer to stay in business.
"To compete with TV, DVD and bit-torrent these are the type of things that all cinemas will have to offer to stay in business."
Funny how the market works :
----------------- http://www.the-numbers.com/market/
Check out the movie ticket sales. Yay!
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