Across the Sea of Time

I was curious how that format - so impressive at th IMAX theaters - would translate to the regular television screen, so I rented the VHS of this. My answer: it doesn't. One needs a big screen, I guess.....a very big screen, especially when the visuals aren't that good to start with as was the case here.

This is simply a little documentary about New York City, comparing how some intersections and buildings looked back in he early part of the 20th century as compared to when this movie was made in 1996. Interwoven in the presentation is a little Russian immigrant kids story.

It's quite boring for the most part. If you grew up in NYC, especially in spots where this was filmed, this would be a lot more interesting.

It was one boring Sunday afternoon...I had nothing to do so I decided to check out the new IMAX theatre. They played this movie and I almost never recovered after it. Never would I imagine that I would be so moved by a film. I would say this is the perfect movie, both visually and storytelling. I is done with so much emotion. I cried and was completely taken by this experience. It really shows New York in a beautiful way. You can almost smell the city watching this. Beautiful film with mindblowing music by Bond composer John Barry. I immediately bought the soundtrack after I left the theatre. Just incredible! For those people (I can imagine a lot of them) who have not seen this...GO SEE IT! It is most likely very difficult to find nowdays though which is a big shame.

This is undoubtedly the single greatest IMAX film I have ever seen. Its visual effects may seem a little outdated - although this certainly adds to the charm - but it conveys its sweet little plot with a sense of grandeur. Whereas most IMAX films try to make you feel like you're in a theme park, watching some special effects extravaganza, "Across The Sea Of Time" could stand independently as an example of exceptional storytelling, and a great FILM.

I'm shocked and disappointed that it clearly wasn't popular enough to sustain an audience, as it is now virtually impossible to find a cinema anywhere that is showing it. So sad.

If IMAX want to save themselves, they need to commit to getting great filmmakers and allowing them to tell their stories on the big screen, as was clearly their policy when they created this.

Do NOT, under any circumstances, miss this film.

I was left on the cutting room floor when they edited this film. In October, 1995, I brought my parents and aunt to visit New York City for a week. Either Wednesday or Thursday of that week, we went to the Natural History Museum on the Upper West Side. Mid-afternoon, we finished up there and walked down to see Lincoln Center. When we got there, they were filming a sequence where the Minton character was to walk along the retaining wall of the fountain. While they were setting up the shot, someone came up to my father and asked if I would like to be an extra. I said yes and was brought over and placed with a group of three other men. Our duty as extras was to walk around behind the fountain while Minton walked on the wall that faced Broadway. It took four or five takes before we were done. During the set up for one of the takes, the group of us were standing next the young actor playing Minton. One of the group asked him where he was born and he answered "St. Petersburg." The person asking responded "Oh, in Florida?" and the little guy barked back "No, Russia!"

I eventually rented the movie and that entire sequence had been abandoned.

I went along to this one in the now defunct Adelaide cinema just to try out the IMAX experience and was blown away by the brilliance of this piece. Not only was it my first visit to this particular theater, but also my first experience at 3-D IMAX. What a breathtaking introduction.

The New York images were stunning, and beautifully presented around the story of the Russian boy's adventure. In particular, the historical shots of daring construction workers, dangling hundreds of feet in the air to put together New York's skyscrapers were gut wrenching. It's historical value, presenting the beginnings of one of the most exciting cities in the world, is immeasurable.

A genuine, chance-viewing - I'm grateful for my good fortune at discovering it. I only wish I could get a copy for my collection.