A different type of Odyssey
This week I had a chance to check out the latest Christopher Nolan blockbuster, The Odyssey. It is the kind of spectacle I think is worth watching on the big screen. However, after dropping over $20 for my matinee ticket and sitting through over 30 minutes of previews next to a restless, pungent teenager, my enthusiasm had waned. I enjoyed the film, but I don’t know if I would call it “a must see”, even though we saw it in IMAX.
As we walked to our car, we saw multiple families heading to the theater. With soda and popcorn, it occurred to me that the cost of this experience for a family of four starts to rival that of some FBS games. With that in mind, I wanted to evaluate how Matt Damon playing Matt Damon killing a giant Ogre compares to say JMU upsetting Virginia Tech (Okay, not the biggest upset given the Hokies’ woes of late – but you get the idea).
First, let’s talk about the quality of the product. There’s no doubt this big budget film is comparable to a Power Five conference game, certainly if you see it in IMAX 70mm. However, there are only 25 theaters in the U.S. that have that capability. Just like a big-time game, you may very well have to travel to see the film as intended. It won’t be cheap either ($25 – $50) and you may have to buy your ticket on the aftermarket, as crazy as that sounds. However, it would not cost anything like seeing Texas – Oklahoma which would set you back at least $300 or more.
As for other expenses, the average theater price for a coke and popcorn is about $20. At a stadium, it surprisingly won’t be as much, $15 or less. Even if travel cost is roughly the same, watching the Greeks (the nation, not a bunch of frat boys) mercilessly rape, pillage and kill Trojans (not USC students but rather the citizens of Troy) is going to be far cheaper. While both events will last roughly three hours, a couple of added hours of tailgating can make the FBS ticket prices a little more palatable.
Regardless of what Notre Dame fans will tell you, the rub here is that college football is grounded in reality. It is a live event, and there is no guarantee a power five conference game is going to deliver a winner. Trust me, I sat through a Kentucky – Auburn matchup that was more trying than the suitors courting at the feet of Penelope. With this The Odyessy, I can assure you that it is entertaining. How much more entertaining if you see it in IMAX 70mm? That, I can’t say.
On the flip side, as a biased sports fan, I can’t fathom how any movie can be as thrilling as a closely played FBS power five game. Flutie, Bush, Garrett, Vick are greater than Damon, Hathaway, Holland and Zendaya. You might end up loving The Odyessy but you probably won’t tell your grandkids about it.
Nonetheless, risk and reward fully considered, seeing the film in IMAX 70MM probably gets you more for your entertainment dollars. However, once you drop down a tier, things start to go the other way. The next level is IMAX with Dual Laser. There’s somewhere between 150 to 200 locations, with the museum versions usually having a bigger, truer IMAX experience than theaters. The lowest level is a single-laser, Digital IMAX found in over 300 commercial theaters. Not wanting to drive to DC to see this movie, we slummed it at our local AMC with the weakest level of IMAX. It would take Zeus to convince me this was much better than a regular screen.
There’s not a big discount versus the IMAX 70mm, as you will still pay around $25. Compare this to college football where the non-marquee games average $80, with many games that can be had for $25 – $30. Given a lower concession cost with a similar proximity, seeing an FBS game with family can cost about the same as an IMAX movie. It also has tremendous upside. Even if you were amazed by The Odyssey, you probably won’t gush about it with your friends five years from now. But had you been there, you will probably still recall Appalachian State upsetting Michigan with great fervor on your deathbed. Whether it is joy or heartbreak would depend on your status as a Mountaineer or a Wolverine.
The Odyssey was a fine film, but I can’t help feeling that I could have easily watched it at home on my 65” TV with Dolby surround sound shaking my walls. Honestly, it would probably be better, factoring in jittery neighbors and flickering phones at the theater. Besides, Homer had already told me who had won.
Elsewhere in Sports
zzzzzzz….
Yeah, it’s the slow season. The World Cup is over, we are past the All-Star break, and we still have over a month before the first college football game. Hence, a post on the merits of watching IMAX versus college football. With that I will return to the Herculean task of trying to minimize my airfare budget for my fall schedule.
Try to enjoy the downtime,
Tree