‘I travelled for miles to see The Odyssey in IMAX to see if I was missing anything

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey was filmed entirely on IMAX cameras for what is believed to be the first time, and there are only three cinemas in the UK that can show the film in the 70mm format

So when word spread that his latest epic, The Odyssey, had been filmed entirely on IMAX cameras — believed to be a first in the history of cinema — Nolan devotees up and down the country had one problem. Only three cinemas in the UK are capable of screening the film as it was truly intended to be seen in 70mm IMAX, two of them in London and one at Manchester Printworks, leaving millions of fans far from the nearest qualifying screen.

For many, the answer was straightforward – make the trip regardless. One such fan is Cerys, a Newcastle-based content creator with a lifelong passion for cinema, who thought nothing of a five-hour journey to the BFI IMAX in London to catch the film in its full, intended glory. But after seeing it a second time back home in Newcastle – this time in 35mm at the Tyneside Cinema – her verdict on the two formats was not quite what you might expect.

Christopher Nolan fans travel for The Odyssey 70mm IMAX experience

She said: “I have now seen the odyssey in both IMAX 70mm and the smaller 35mm format and I think both have differing benefits that I thought I’d share with you in case you’re trying to decide what format to see the movie in. If you can’t see it in 70mm and you’re worried about missing something or if you think it’s worth trying to see it in 70mm.

“I saw it early at BFI IMAX on Tuesday which I had to travel down for and I’ve just come out of a 35mm screening at the Tyneside Cinema in Newcastle which is where I live. So if you’re in a similar position to me and maybe don’t have great access to a 70mm IMAX screening I’m here to explain why there are other benefits to different formats as well.

“The major difference that I noticed when seeing it in two different formats is actually a product of the loss of screen that you get, and how this changed my interpretation of the story.

“The first time I saw it was 70mm and I found myself more focused on the spectacle of it all, which was undoubtedly astonishing, but seeing it in a smaller format allowed me to focus more on the story which I found enriched my understanding further.

“There were a lot of nuances that I definitely missed out on the first time that I saw the film because I was so wrapped up in the scale whereas now that I’ve seen it again in 35mm I found that my focus was more on the plot, the dialogue and the characters.”

70mm IMAX vs 35mm film: How screen formats change the story

Boasting a remarkably stellar cast including Zendaya, Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Travis Scott and Anne Hathaway, The Odyssey weaves together three interlinked storylines — Odysseus’s decade-long voyage home from the Trojan War, his son Telemachus’s search to locate him, and a father-son revenge plot to reclaim their family home. On its opening weekend, The Odyssey took the global box office by storm, raking in a staggering $264m.

Cerys went on to say: “I left both experiences feeling deeply fulfilled just in slightly different ways. Second difference was in the colours and the aesthetics.

“Both looked absolutely gorgeous but I think the grainier all-timely look of 35mm really enhanced the timelessness of this story and solidified the fact that this film will stand the test of time.

“This was honestly my favourite part about seeing it in 35mm whereas I thought the 70mm IMAX looked brighter, which again looked gorgeous, but this added to the spectacle.

“I personally think it’s worth seeing in any and all formats and I do think seeing it in 70mm IMAX was a phenomenal experience that I would definitely recommend.

“It really is great seeing it how it was meant to be seen, but I know it’s quite difficult and if you can’t I hope this video has highlighted the fact that other options are pretty great too.”