MOVIEGOERS will marvel at the new digital technology that has been implemented at The Little Theatre. Starting Friday people will be able to watch Bermuda's first digital 3-D film, an adaptation of Jules Verne's classic novel Journey to the Centre of the Earth at the newly refurbished Little Theatre.

The Mid-Ocean News attended a screening of the adventure film earlier this week to see the new screen, sound and 3-D technology in action.

The brand new screen and digital projector offer a depth and clarity in picture unmatched on the island and the new digital sound system is cleaner than anything else offered before in Bermuda theatres. What this means is that Bermuda has a brand new, state-of-the-art movie theatre that rivals any found in any major city such as Toronto or New York City.

Shandon Easton, owner of The Little Theatre spoke about the new technology and said: "Everything is new in the theatre except the seats and those will be new in October. The digital technology is a year and a half old and the biggest deal about the new technology will be to see things in 3-D. People will see things popping out of the screen and having depth in the actual screen that is akin to looking through a window as opposed to looking at a screen.

"Dolby Digital makes all the 3-D glasses and the software. The new 3-D glasses are not red and blue. They are polarised and what that means is that the shade will focus to your eye instead of your eyes having to focus to the screen.

"People with prescription glasses will also be able to wear the 3-D glasses and enjoy the film as well. The 3-D glasses will be able to adjust through the 3-D glass through the eyeglass lens to the screen and back through the glasses. The technology takes out the horizontal light from one eye and the vertical light from the other and that is what makes it 3-D as the film shows at 248 frames per second.

"Watch the clarity when you see the digital movie. 35mm film is still trying to fight for the rights of the theatres and digital is going to take it right out. Film is a thing of the past and digital is the wave of the future. When you look at what a movie costs to be shipped in and what it costs to go out, it's about a thousand dollars.

"With digital you are saving money on shipping, and you are saving money on a technician to add the trailers and promos and preview the movie to make sure it's running OK. You are saving so much all the way around because putting them together and breaking them down is time and time is money.

"Once I get the digital copy I put it on computer, make up the movie with trailers and promos and then I can schedule the playtime on the computer so you don't ever have to be in the booth again which takes out the need for a projectionist. It is all run automatically or I can network my computer from home and start the movie if I wanted."

Mr. Easton said that making the digital leap was essential to modern day movie going experiences, adding: "At least 90 percent of the films coming to Little Theatre now will be digital. The film will no longer be sent on reels, it will be sent on hard drive. In the future I will be allowed to go to a website and download the film from the distributor."

Some people in the past have expressed they get headaches when they go to a 3-D film and that it makes them sick. But Mr. Easton wants to assure everybody that the new technology has improved vastly from the 3-D films of the 1970s and 1980s. He said: "There are no headaches with the new 3-D technology unlike the old 3-D with the red and blue glasses. The days of red and blue glasses are gone and the new 3-D glasses adjust to the focal point of your eye so there is no more straining trying to look through the red and blue lenses to get focus of what you're looking at."

Along with the media at the screening there were 14 children from the Hands on Fun Camp accompanied by chaperone Rosharonda Trott. The children were excited for the film and enjoyed the experience very much. Some even jumped in their seats as the 3-D special effects looked so real and up close. The campers said the movie was "fun" "interesting" and "scary" and that they "loved the whole experience."

According to the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) males and females under the age of 18 rated Journey to the Centre of the Earth at 7.2 based on 486 votes.

While the movie might not be suitable for small children because of certain moments that could be described as scary, it certainly makes for a good family outing for those that have older children.

Users of the IMDB website said "The money we spent to see the movie with our family was so worth the 3-D adventure.

"It's a fun ride with weird creatures biting at your face and things flying around that you will feel the need to swat at, even though nothing is really there.

"I highly recommend this for a family outing. Kids will love it. No nudity or foul language. Little kids may find some of the monsters scary, but nothing gross happens ... the new 3-D glasses won't make you dizzy or blind ... it is the quintessential popcorn movie and I would highly recommend it for all ages."

The 3-D special effects make this film a must see for those that want to experience the dazzling new technology, however don't expect to the story to be very deep. Brendan Fraser gives his typical happy-go-lucky performance that won't win him any awards, but will keep him busy in the acting world.

All in all seeing Brendan Fraser the Encino Man in Journey to the Center of the Earth is worth watching, especially for all the thrilling jump-out-of-your-seat moments. Journey to the Center of the Earth gets a 8/10. The Little Theatre's new system gets 10/10.

Journey to the Centre of the Earth starts today at Little Theatre. The first showing is at 11:45 a.m.