Extreme change is coming to Kansas City's Union Station and beginning this weekend, you can follow the yellow brick road to see it for yourself. To celebrate the opening of the brand new Extreme screen, Union Station will be hosting a limited release of Disney's "Oz the Great and Powerful". This will be the first time that a first run Hollywood feature film has screened at Union Station.
The first public screening of "Oz the Great and Powerful" will take place on Thursday, March 7 at 9 p.m., giving Kansas City a chance to see it before the film goes nationwide on Friday. In preparation for the premiere event, Union Station began its transformation on Tuesday morning by lighting up the outside of the building with a green glow. A yellow brick road leads into the main doors fo the station into the Grand Hall, leading visitors to the brand new theatre. Throughout the month of March, families can visit and take advantage of photo opportunities with large 3D stand-up scenes from the movie.
The new Extreme Screen represents a $400,000 upgrade and includes a state-of-the-art 4-K digital projection system that will allow the theater to screen films in a variety of different formats including both 3D and 2D, wide format, cinemascope, computer, DVD, Blue Ray, high-speed Internet, cable and satellite. The equipment is very similar to that used by IMAX, allowing movies to be shown on the brand new 80-ft. wide, 5-story high movie screen. With a seating capacity of only 440 seats, the theatre will allow for optimal viewing no matter where you are sitting.
From director Sam Raimi, Disney's take on the world created within L. Frank Baum's novels focuses on Oscar Diggs, a magician and confidence man from Kansas, who ends up in a magical world caught in a battle between dueling witches. The young wizard is played by Academy Award nominee James Franco ("127 Hours").
"This is the story of how the wizard came to be the wizard," states director Raimi, who helmed the "Spider-Man" trilogy. "It's a story of how a small-time carnival magician, a faker, a charlatan, a selfish man, comes to a fantastic world just in time to save the day. It's the story of how an average, selfish man becomes a great and selfless wizard."
Joining Franco in the cast are Rachel Weisz as Evanora, Mila Kunis as Theodora and Michelle Williams as Glinda. Zach Braff ("Garden State") and 13-year-old Joey King ("Ramona and Beezus") provide voices for two of the movie's notable CGi characters. King voices China Girl, a porcelain child who helps the future Wizard on his journey. Braff actually plays two characters. In addition to voicing Finley, a winged monkey along for the ride, Braff also plays the Franco's circus assistant early on in the black and white Kansas world.
"Oz the Great and Powerful" will be playing five times daily at the Union Station Extreme Screen throughout the month of March. The 3D ticket prices are $13.50 for adults and $10.50 for children. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit Union Station Kansas City online.
Showtimes:
10:45 a.m. 1:30 p.m. 4:15 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 9:45 p.m.
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