HOW many of those who disliked the grey exterior of the Waterfront building ventured into the colourful foyer to buy a ticket for an Imax movie?

At first, only shorts (40 minutes or so) were available. These acted as promotion, but most were comp-letely worthy in my opinion.

For example, if I recall the titles, I was delighted by Flight Down the Nile and Canoe Down the Grand Canyon, while Titanic on the Ocean Floor with its computer-generated Edwardian ghosts, in silent dignity upon the decks (steerage not shown), made for hushed and respectful reflection.

At last, full-length Hollywood features are being released in the gigantic Imax format, but Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch lack a cinema to show the stunning full-size picture.

How widely is it known that, in order to show an Imax movie, Sheridan had to buy a copy. Prices were £20,000 for 2D and £40,000 for 3D.

Bournemouth spent a not inconsiderable sum of money upon a project that the public ventured to judge as having been not necessarily entirely well-considered in respect of its location. Or timing. Or looks. Um...

A modest portion of the same sum of money could have bought copies of all the Imax productions and paid for school trips for all the children to see all the existing shorts and future features.

We need to remember that, at the seaside, part of the ‘wow’ factor is the gradual transition from streets (or gardens) to beach. An Imax auditorium could have found, and could still find, an effective home in the former Winter Gardens location as part of a shopping/dining /dwelling court bridging the Exeter Road dip to the renewed bus station.

Or perhaps there is room at Tower Park?

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