High Frame Rate Hobbit gets SA screening

Cape Town - Nu Metro has announced that they will be screening The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in its unique High Frame Rate 3D format at Montecasino in Johannesburg - in addition to the standard 2D and 3D versions.

High Frame Rate (HFR), relatively new to the movie industry, marks an advancement in digital cinema technology.

Moving at 48 frames per second, this format used for shooting movies is twice as fast as the traditional 24 frames per second presentations that most cinemas currently use.

This results in the images being projected onto screens more life-like than normal images.

'Moviegoers will be amazed'

Explaining his decision to use HFR for The Hobbit trilogy, director Peter Jackson said via his Facebook page: "I think HFR is terrific. As a filmmaker, I try to make my movies immersive. I want to draw the audience out of their seats, and pull them into the adventure. That is the experience I hope to offer moviegoers no matter which format they choose at the theater. While I personally prefer watching The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in HFR 3D, I can assure you that every format will provide you with an incredible and immersive experience."

Mark Harris, Content & Marketing Executive for Nu Metro Cinemas said that they are "extremely proud" to be amongst the first cinemas worldwide to showcase the first instalment of The Hobbit trilogy in HFR 3D. 

"This new format creates a more realistic movie-going experience as well as more comfortable 3D.  Moviegoers will be amazed at how detailed and incredibly sharp the images will appear in this format at Montecasino," Harris said.

The premiere for The Hobbit in HFR 3D will be held at Montecasino on 10 December.

Bookings have already opened for the first film in Jackson's adaptation of The Lord of the Rings prequel trilogy, which is set to to be released in cinemas locally and around the world on 14 December.

Watch the latest The Hobbit TV spot, giving the first glimpse of Smaug the Dragon, here: