Breathtaking New 3D IMAX Theatre Film, SHARKS 3D, Presented by Jean-Michel Cousteau, Opens This Friday at the Universal CityWalk IMAX Theatre

Breathtaking New 3D IMAX Theatre Film, SHARKS 3D, Presented by Jean-Michel Cousteau, Opens This Friday at the Universal CityWalk IMAX Theatre

Put On Your Wetsuit and Get Ready for a Close Encounter With the Lions and Tigers of the Ocean

Ocean Explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau and Filmmaker Jean-Jacques Mantello to Address the Media on the Importance of Protecting Sharks During a Special Screening of SHARKS 3D at the Universal CityWalk IMAX Theatre on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2005

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Jean-Michel Cousteau and 3D Entertainment, in collaboration with UNEP, Reef Check and Project Aware, invite audiences to a stunning immersive diving experience with SHARKS 3D, the first-ever shark-themed 3D IMAX theatre film, premiering this Friday, January 28, 2005 at the Universal CityWalk IMAX Theatre. Join the expert international team of ocean explorers that brought you OCEAN WONDERLAND 3D on this unique round-the-globe expedition documenting the life of the ultimate predator.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050127/LATH072 )

The media are invited to attend a special screening of SHARKS 3D on Wed., February 2, 2005 at 11:00 AM at the Universal CityWalk IMAX Theatre. Ocean explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau and SHARKS 3D director Jean-Jacques Mantello will be available for interviews following the screening.

As part of the agreement with exhibitor Loews Cineplex Entertainment, SHARKS 3D will have an exclusive six-week run at the Universal CityWalk IMAX theatre. This IMAX theatre brings SHARKS 3D to life in grand fashion, offering a unique 3D experience from each of its 422 stadium-style seats with high-definition images projected onto the huge, eight story-tall screen and 12,000 watts of pure digital surround sound. Showtimes this week are 12:40 pm, 2:20 pm, 6:30 pm and 7:50 pm daily. The Universal CityWalk IMAX Theatre is located at 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608. To purchase individual tickets, please visit http://www.enjoytheshow.com/ or http://www.fandango.com/ or call 1-818-622-4629 for group sales.

"I am very pleased that L.A.-area residents will now get the chance to share in this truly memorable encounter with the world's great shark species, such as the Great White, Whale Shark and Hammerhead," said Jean-Michel Cousteau, President of Ocean Futures Society. "Watching SHARKS 3D is like pulling on a diving suit and swimming weightlessly with sharks all around. You witness them as they truly are in their natural habitat -- not wicked man-eating creatures, as they are far too frequently depicted in modern feature films, but wild, fascinating and highly endangered animals that have been in existence since a million years before the dinosaurs. If you've ever wanted to know what it's really like to dive with sharks, this film is certainly a must-see."

"The global shark population has experienced an alarming decline of up to 80% for certain species in just a decade, due primarily to over-fishing and for use in shark fin soup," said director Jean-Jacques Mantello. "I sincerely believe that SHARKS 3D, while entertaining audiences, delivers a strong and compelling argument for shark conservation by shedding new light on the urgent need to protect these animals. Ultimately, the film's purpose is to lead people to think differently and positively about sharks. As many fellow conservationists have stated before, we protect only what we love. Therefore, we first need to understand what sharks are really like before there can be a change in public perception. Then perhaps we will begin to protect them."

In addition to its Universal City engagement, SHARKS 3D is now playing at the IMAX Theatre at Tropicana (Atlantic City, NJ), the Audubon Institute's Entergy IMAX Theatre (New Orleans, LA), the Virginia Aquarium (Virginia Beach, VA) and the Luxor IMAX Theatre (Las Vegas, NV). Upcoming film openings include Moody Gardens (Galveston, TX) on Feb. 21, 2005, the CN IMAX Theatre (Vancouver, BC) on Feb. 28, 2005, and the Tennessee Aquarium IMAX 3D Theater [Chattanooga, TN] on March 4, 2005. Audiences in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Indianapolis, Providence, Sacramento, San Antonio and Vancouver will have the opportunity to discover SHARKS 3D shortly thereafter. For a full list of IMAX theatres, please go to http://www.sharks3d.com/.

SHARKS 3D is produced by 3D Entertainment and McKinney Underwater Productions Inc. Directed by Jean-Jacques Mantello, filmed by Gavin McKinney and executive produced by Francois Mantello. SHARKS 3D features an original score composed by Christophe Jacquelin and performed by the Bulgarian Symphony Orchestra, with an original song, "Still Be Blue," sung by Djazia Satour with lyrics by Claudia Philips.

SHARKS 3D is distributed worldwide by 3D Entertainment in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (http://www.unep.org/) and is endorsed and supported by Ocean Futures Society (http://www.oceanfutures.org/), Reef Check (http://www.reefcheck.org/) and PADI's Project Aware (http://www.projectaware.org/).

SHARKS 3D is recommended for general audiences.

Official website: http://www.sharks3d.com/

About 3D Entertainment: Based in London (UK), 3D Entertainment http://www.sharks3d.com/ specializes in the production and distribution of marine conservation and environmental-themed films for the worldwide network of IMAX theatres. The company's mission is to immerse audiences in films that inspire and educate. Their first film, OCEAN WONDERLAND 3D, released in February 2003 at IMAX 3D theatres around the globe and produced in partnership with McKinney Underwater Productions, continues to enjoy great success with over 3.3 million viewers to date. More information can be found at http://www.sharks3d.com/.

IMAX is a registered trademark of IMAX Corporation

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050127/LATH072
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: 3D Entertainment

CONTACT: Paul Zemitzsch of Sequel LLC., +1-314-725-5645,
paul@sequel-llc.com; or Sharon Adcock of The Adcock Group, +1-310-545-5939,
skiadcock@aol.com, both for 3D Entertainment; or Julien Bollee of
3D Entertainment, +1-800-819-7753, jbollee@sharks3D.com, or sharks3D@aol.com

Web site: http://www.projectaware.org/

Web site: http://www.reefcheck.org/

Web site: http://www.oceanfutures.org/

Web site: http://www.unep.org/

Web site: http://www.sharks3d.com/


-------
Profile: intent