The moment the forebodingly bowed bass notes of John Williams’ iconic theme filled the theater back in June 1975, Jaws cemented its legacy as the world’s first summer blockbuster.
Whether viewers are long-time fans or newcomers to Steven Spielberg’s iconic tale of a shark terrorizing a New England seaside community, Jaws’ 50th anniversary is cause for celebration. On Aug. 28, the Tennessee Aquarium IMAX Theater will host a special half-century reprisal of Hollywood’s most infamous of marine masterpieces.
And at 66 feet tall and 89 feet wide, the timeless quest to stop the film’s namesake predator might call for a bigger boat, but for once, it won’t need a bigger screen. Chattanooga’s largest cinematic portal also offers a peerless audio-visual experience thanks to employing one of the region’s only IMAX with Laser projection systems.
Big as Jaws was — and remains — however, it’s only the start of a packed film schedule at the IMAX Theater this August.
Classic rock fans and cinephiles alike will discover plenty to love in the run-up to Labor Day weekend.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps begins showing at IMAX on Friday, July 25, and will continue daily screenings through Thursday, Aug. 7. After a pair of films by 20th Century Fox, this hotly anticipated release marks Disney’s first take on the Fantastic Four and the official induction of “Marvel’s First Family” into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
First Steps is set in a 1960s-inspired alternate reality that exists in parallel to the main MCU timeline with which fans are already familiar. In a callback to one of the most famous conflicts in all of comics, the Fantastic Four must confront the planet-devouring threat of cosmic supervillain Galactus and his metallic-skinned herald, the Silver Surfer.
Next in rotation, Dead Heads can celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Grateful Dead with the return to the big screen of The Grateful Dead Movie from Thursday, Aug. 14, to Sunday, Aug. 17. The cult classic follows the psychedelic rock pioneers on what was meant to be their final performances during a five-night run at San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom in 1974. In addition to incredible show footage and mind-bending animation, The Grateful Dead Movie also features the exclusive theatrical premiere of “China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider,” a bonus live performance not included in the film’s initial release.
Cinephiles will once again be shocked and awed by director Darren Aronofsky’s psychological horror film Black Swan when it returns to the big screen for its 15th anniversary for two nights only on Thursday, Aug. 21, and Sunday, Aug. 24. Starring Natalie Portman as Nina, a ballerina cast as the White Swan in a performance of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, the film follows her tragic descent as she struggles to perfect a role at the cost of her health and sanity.
August ends with Prince - Sign O’ the Times. Premiering Thursday, Aug. 28, and continuing through Sunday, Aug. 31, the film captures the visionary pop/funk/rock legend at his creative peak, blending electrifying concert footage with cinematic storytelling and genre-defying sound. Enhanced with IMAX’s precision surround sound audio, the film will offer fans a mesmerizingly epic giant-screen concert experience.
For a complete list of films, daily showtimes and tickets, visit tnaqua.org/imax
Heads up, movie buffs! At the Tennessee Aquarium IMAX 3D Theater, there’s no 30-minute ad marathon to sit through. Films begin approximately seven minutes after their scheduled start time, so don’t be fashionably late unless you want to miss the good stuff!