GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Broderick Bebout thought that his biggest problem Thursday morning would be arriving a few minutes late to the 11:00 a.m. showing of Oppenheimer at Celebration Cinema North in Grand Rapids.
"I felt that I might only have one chance in my life to see this," said Bebout. "Why not?"
The 70 millimeter version is showing in only 19 theaters in the United States.
However, when Bebout arrived, he got a surprise.
"I just walk in, and I'm just like, what's going on? And then he tells me it's like, it's like the projectors broken, like or like something like that," said Bebout
Others who were in the theater at the time told 13 ON YOUR SIDE that the movie, about the creation of the world's first atomic bomb, only made it about 20 minutes before the screen went black.
The film, which weighs 600 pounds and is 11 miles in length, was damaged during the Thursday morning showing.
13 ON YOUR SIDE got a behind the scenes look during Oppenheimer's opening weekend to see the gigantic film.
Imax Projectionist John Foley shared just how complex this is.
"So a 70 mm is basically a third of this frame so we have three times as much resolution and this film is almost the size of a playing card so there's so much information there," said Foley.
Celebration Cinema North, is one of only two Michigan theaters showing the film in this format.
"I'm the type of guy that like if I can see something in the best quality possible," said Bebout. "I really go for it."
But it wasn't all bad for Bebout, after being told the film wasn't playing Thursday, he ALSO got to see film reel up close in the projector room.
"What was really cool, is I got to show us the entire projector setup, and how like the actual film itself, that was like my favorite part," said Bebout.
In a statement Thursday night, Celebration Cinema said the film derailed off the projector track causing damage to a small portion of film, about 15 seconds total.
They're working with IMAX to replace the frames and hope to have everything repaired for Saturday's Showtimes.
While disappointed he wasn't able to see the full movie, Bebout says he has no ill-will towards the theater.
"I was frustrated when I was late coming in, I left with the biggest smile I think I could have had," said Bebout.
Friday's IMAX shows are not cancelled.
Instead, the theatre is planning to show the 70 mm film with 15 seconds of picture missing but with the audio intact.
Bebout received a refund for Thursday, and was also given a ticket for an IMAX showing later in August.
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