Ajay Kumar at 14:02, 7 September 2023

2023-09-07T14:02:59Z

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{{Short description|IMAX cinema with the UK's largest screen}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox venue
| name = BFI IMAX
| image = BFI IMAX, Waterloo.jpg
| caption = ''[[Oppenheimer (film)|Oppenheimer]]'' poster at the BFI IMAX in 2023
| pushpin_map = Greater London
| pushpin_mapsize =
| pushpin_map_caption =
| pushpin_label_position =
| address = 1 Charlie Chaplin Walk [[South Bank]] [[London]] {{postcode|SE|1 8XR}} United Kingdom
| coordinates = {{coord|51.505|-0.113611|type:landmark|display=inline}}
| type = Cinema
| genre =
| opened = {{Start date and age|1999|05|df=y}}
| owner = [[British Film Institute]]
| operator = [[British Film Institute]] (1999–2012, 2022–)
[[Odeon Cinemas]] (2012–2022)
| architect = [[Bryan Avery]]
| capacity = 498 (plus 2 wheelchair spaces)
| publictransit = {{rail-interchange|london|underground}} {{lus|Waterloo}} {{rail-interchange|gb|Rail}} [[London Waterloo railway station|Waterloo]]; {{rws|Waterloo East}}
| website = {{Official URL}}
}}

The '''BFI IMAX''' is an [[IMAX]] cinema in the [[South Bank]] district of [[London]], just north of [[London Waterloo railway station|Waterloo station]]. It is owned and operated by the [[British Film Institute]]. From 2012 until 2022, it had been operated by [[Odeon Cinemas]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ukscreen.com/article.htm?article_id=40973|title=Odeon takes over running of BFI IMAX|date=17 July 2012|website=Ukscreen.com|access-date=1 August 2018|archive-date=5 February 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130205041322/http://ukscreen.com/news/odeon-takes-over-running-of-bfi-imax/%23.URCGzn3LdRw|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/news/bfi-imax-operated-bfi | title=The UK's biggest screen, BFI IMAX, to be operated by the BFI }}</ref>

The cinema is located in the centre of a roundabout junction with [[Waterloo Road, London|Waterloo Road]] to the south-east, [[Stamford Street]] to the north-east, [[York Road, Lambeth|York Road]] to the south-west and [[Waterloo Bridge]] to the north-west.

==History==
[[File:BFI London IMAX at night.jpg|thumb|Aerial view at night]]
BFI IMAX was designed by [[Bryan Avery]] of Avery Associates Architects<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.avery-architects.co.uk/imax.html |title=Avery Associates project description |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071009103343/http://www.avery-architects.co.uk/imax.html |archive-date=9 October 2007}}</ref> and completed in May 1999. The screen is the largest in Britain (20m high and 26m wide). It has a seating capacity of 500 and a 14,000 Watt digital surround sound system. Although the site is surrounded by traffic and has an [[London Underground|underground]] line just four metres below, the architects and engineers accounted for this in their design and the entire upper structure sits on anti vibration bearings to prevent noise propagation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.southbanklondon.com/bfi-imax|title=BFI IMAX {{!}} Waterloo {{!}} South Bank London|website=Southbanklondon.com|language=en|access-date=24 August 2017}}</ref>

The cinema won several awards at the time of opening, including a [[Design Council]] [[Millennium Product]] Award<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.designcouncil.org.uk/about-us/Who-we-area-and-what-we-do/Our-History/Millennium-Products/ |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100709230021/http://www.designcouncil.org.uk/about-us/Who-we-area-and-what-we-do/Our-History/Millennium-Products/ |url-status=dead|archive-date=9 July 2010 |title=Design Council website}}</ref> in 1999 and a [[Civic Trust Awards|Civic Trust Award]] in 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.civictrust.org.uk/awards/2000/award.shtml |title=Civic Trust Awards website |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060810042917/http://www.civictrust.org.uk/awards/2000/award.shtml |archive-date=10 August 2006}}</ref>

In 2012, the screen was replaced and a digital IMAX projector was installed alongside the existing 70mm projector. In July 2012, the BFI announced that [[Odeon Cinemas]] had been selected to operate it for the next five years, with the option of termination after three years. Odeon maintained the film programmes, and booking of tickets online and by telephone. This gave customers the opportunity to watch operas on the giant screen. The BFI retained power over the cinema's operation however, including parts of the film schedule, the name and the technical operation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/about-bfi/help-faq/bfi-imax|title=BFI IMAX FAQ|website=Bfi.org.uk|access-date=1 August 2018}}</ref>

To start this move to mainstream cinema, the BFI London IMAX theatre celebrated by having sold 66,000 pre-booked tickets for ''[[The Dark Knight Rises]]'' in just 5 weeks, giving a total sale in tickets of £1,000,000 even before the premiere of the movie.

In June 2022, the BFI announced that its ten year concessions deal with Odeon would end on 19 July 2022, with the BFI regaining control of operations. The cinema closed on this date, with a planned re-opening on 22 July.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/news/bfi-imax-operated-bfi|title=The UK’s biggest screen, BFI IMAX, to be operated by the BFI|website=BFI}}</ref>

==Other IMAX cinemas in London==
[[File:IMAX London.jpg|thumb|Seating in the cinema]]
London has another traditional IMAX cinema at the [[Science Museum (London)|Science Museum]] in [[South Kensington]] and in December 2008 gained IMAX digital cinemas at [[Odeon Cinemas|Odeon cinemas]] in [[Greenwich]] and [[Wimbledon, London|Wimbledon]]. In 2011, a digital IMAX screen was also opened at the Odeon in [[Swiss Cottage]].

==Screen size comparative to other London large screens==
The BFI IMAX is the largest cinema screen in the United Kingdom. It measures 25.9m (85 feet) wide by 19.8m (65 feet) high with a total screen size of 512.8m² (289m² for a 2.39:1 film, 363m² for a 1.85:1 film, 469m² for an IMAX 1.43:1 film).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/news/bfi-imax-relaunches-following-major-upgrade|title=BFI IMAX relaunches following major upgrade|website=BFI}}</ref> Before its October 2022 refurbishment it measured 26.5m wide by 20m high, which meant that if showing a film with an aspect ratio of 2.39:1, only 293m² of the screen will be in use, or 379m² for a 1.85:1 film, or 491m² for an IMAX 1.43:1 film. The auditorium seats 493, including 4 wheelchair spaces.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/whatson/bfi_imax/the_imax_experience/about_the_bfi_imax |title=About the BFI IMAX | BFI |access-date=2 June 2012 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120613235503/http://www.bfi.org.uk/whatson/bfi_imax/the_imax_experience/about_the_bfi_imax |archive-date=13 June 2012}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Large format screens in London by size
! Cinema
! Screen
! 2.39:1 area
! 1.85:1 area
! Projector
! Sound
|-
|'''Cineworld (Empire) Leicester Square'''
|IMAX
|295 m2
|380 m2
|2 x IMAX Laser (4K each)
|IMAX 12ch
|-
|'''BFI IMAX'''
|IMAX
|280 m2
|365 m2
|1 x IMAX single-laser (CoLa) (4K); 1 x traditional 15/70mm IMAX projector; 2 x Christie 2K projector; 1 x Century JJ 35mm/70mm projector
|IMAX 12ch; Dolby Digital; DTS
|-
|'''[[Science Museum (London)#IMAX: The Ronson Theatre (Entrance from Level 0)|Science Museum]]'''
|IMAX: The Ronson Theatre
|247 m2
|319 m2
|2 x IMAX Laser (4K each); 1 x traditional 15/70mm IMAX projector<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-11-25 |title=Science Museum IMAX re-opens in December with latest laser technology and original 70mm projector {{!}} Science Museum |url=https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/about-us/press-office/science-museum-imax-re-opens-december-latest-laser-technology-and-original |access-date=2023-06-02 |website=www.sciencemuseum.org.uk |language=en}}</ref>
|IMAX 12ch
|-
|'''Cineworld, the O2'''
|Superscreen #11
|200 m2
|160 m2
|1 x Christie 2K or 4K (?){{citation needed|date=June 2022}}
|Dolby Atmos
|-
|'''Cineworld (Empire) Leicester Square'''
|Superscreen
|170 m2
|220 m2
|2 x Barco DP4K-32B (4K each)
|Dolby Atmos
|-
|'''VUE Stratford'''
|Xtreme Screen #5
|140 m2
|180 m2
|2 x Sony SRX-R515DS (4K each)
|Dolby Digital 6.1
|-
|'''VUE Stratford'''
|Xtreme Screen #17
|140 m2
|180 m2
|2 x Sony SRX-R515DS (4K each)
|Dolby Digital 6.1
|-
|'''VUE Westfield'''
|Xtreme Screen #6
|140 m2
|180 m2
|2 x Sony SRX-R515DS (4K each)
|Dolby Digital 6.1
|-
|'''VUE Westfield'''
|Xtreme Screen #7
|140 m2
|180 m2
|2 x Sony SRX-R515DS (4K each)
|Dolby Digital 6.1
|}

== Screen size comparative to other UK large screens ==
Refer to the [[List of Premium Large Format Cinema Screens in the UK]].

==See also==
* [[Cardboard City (London)|Cardboard City]] (previous name of site)
* [[List of IMAX venues]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|BFI IMAX}}
* {{official website|http://www.bfi.org.uk/bfi-imax}}
* [http://www.odeon.co.uk/cinemas/bfi_imax/ Odeon London IMAX website]
* [http://www.avery-architects.co.uk Avery Associates Architects]
* [http://www.imax.com/ IMAX Corporation]

{{London landmarks}}
{{coord|51|30|18|N|0|6|49|W|type:landmark_region:GB|display=title}}

[[Category:Cinemas in London]]
[[Category:IMAX venues]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in the London Borough of Lambeth]]
[[Category:Domes]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in the London Borough of Lambeth]]
[[Category:Recipients of Civic Trust Awards]]
[[Category:The Twentieth Century Society Risk List]]

BFI IMAX - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 14:02, 7 September 2023