Atlantic Cinemas to offer 3D movies

By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
    WOODSTOCK, N.B. — For many, a trip to the local movie theater provides a few hours of enjoyment or escape from their daily lives.
    And as enjoyable as movie experiences can be, the one thing lacking for those in Aroostook County has been the ability to watch “3D” movies.
    Enter Atlantic Cinemas in Woodstock, New Brunswick. Atlantic Cinemas will unveil its new 3D cinema Friday evening when it shows the family movie “Yogi Bear.”
    “We installed a digital camera with 3D capabilities,” explained Scott Ralston, co-owner of Atlantic Cinemas. “This is the way that the industry is going and we have to keep up with the times. There was a big demand from our customers to provide this service.”
    Ralston said adding 3D capabilities cost $84,000 (Canadian) for just one screen. The cost of installation also varies depending on the size of the screen it is being added to.
    “It’s quite a commitment to invest that much money, but the 3D movie is getting more popular all the time,” he said. “We were seeing a high demand from our customers to provide that service and we don’t want to see our customers drive to Fredericton or Grand Falls to see a show when we can provide that service locally.”
    Mike Hurley, owner of the Temple Theater in Houlton, recently posed the question to patrons via Facebook when he asked if locals traveled to the Bangor area to view 3D movies. Spotlight Cinemas in Orono has been the closest theater to offer 3D movies.
    “We are looking at it regularly and it is a matter of time, but not right now,” Hurley said. “[3D] is not a phase and we expect digital cinema and 3D to be the norm in cinema for the future.”
    While Ralston said the primary focus was to serve his Canadian customers, he hopes Americans will consider making the trip to Woodstook to see a 3D movie.
    “We are hoping to draw some of the American market for the 3D movies for sure,” Ralston said. “I know they have a very loyal customer base to the Temple Theater in Houlton and we respect that. We’re hoping to offer a service to the Houlton customer that maybe they can’t get there.”
    Customers can expect to pay more for the 3D experience.
    “Traditionally, cinemas charge $3 extra for 3D movies,” Ralston said.
    Ralston said movie companies are pushing theaters to make the transition to digital cameras, instead of the traditional reel-to-reel films.
    “The old 35-millimeter film reels are eventually going to be extinct,” Ralston said. “With digital films we simply download the movie.”
    Deciding which movie to offer in 3D will be a challenge, Ralston said.
    “It’s a hard decision for sure,” he said. “We’ll try to feel out what the market wants. You have to plan ahead to see which movies will have the staying power.
    Atlantic Cinemas is a five-screen theater located on 115 Everett Street in Woodstock, roughly 12 miles from Houlton. For more information, visit www.atlanticcinemas.ca.