Hollywood's Cinerama Dome Gets 3D-Avatar

By IBTimes Staff Reporter | December 16 2009 6:35 PM

While Avatar will be released later this week to thousands of movie theaters, with many of those showcasing the 3D technology made especially for the film, a small subset of movie aficionados seeking a more unique movie-going experience will be heading to Hollywood, California.

Sponsorship Link

At 6360 W. Sunset Blvd. in Los Angeles is the Cinerama Dome, a storied movie house which has been around since 1963, due in large part to preservationists and fans who treasure its unique dome, and giant curved screen which was originally meant to display films with a three-projector set up which allowed for unusually wide panoramic views.

“Since its inception in 1963, the iconic Cinerama Dome has never played a movie in 3D format as it was considered technically impossible,” said XpandD, a provider of 3D technology, which today announced a deal with the theater’s owner, Arclight Cinemas, to give moviegoers a chance to see the film in that format.

The company said it was able to “bridge the historical technical 3D challenge” of accommodating a 32 x 86 feet screen and project digital 3D on a giant curved dome.