If Mother Nature has a double-edged sword in her arsenal, it’s the volcano.
At one turn, these lava-spewing maws are incomprehensibly destructive, capable of tearing chunks out of the earth and coating entire continents in blankets of ash.
But even as volcanoes can take away from the planet, they give back in equal measure by building new landmasses and infusing nearby soil with an abundance of life-giving nutrients.
“Volcanoes: The Fires of Creation” explores the history of volcanoes, a story stretching back to the origins of Earth itself.
It opened June 27 at the Tennessee Aquarium IMAX 3D Theater.
In this stunning new IMAX release, the giant screen experts at SK Films (“The Wild Around You 3D,” “Amazon Adventure 3D’’) have captured footage that places viewers incredibly close to – and occasionally inside of – volcanoes around the world, from the plains of Africa and the slopes of Pompeii to the depths of the ocean.
Along the way, viewers will see never-before-seen imagery of these colossal gateways to the underworld, including footage of the prolonged eruption of Hawaii’s Kilauea Volcano in 2018.
Audiences will be guided on this expedition by National Geographic photographer, filmmaker and adventurer Carsten Peter.
A two-time World Press Photo prize winner, the German explorer is no stranger to danger, but working on “Volcanoes” required some especially perilous daredevilry.
His involvement with the film included visits to acid ponds in Ethiopia, rappelling into craters above fiery lakes of lava in the South Pacific and dodging volcanic “bombs” –masses of molten rock ejected during eruptions.
The Tennessee Aquarium IMAX Theater hosted a special launch party for the film featuring a guest appearance by the film’s director and co-executive producer, Michael Dalton-Smith.
Smith has 17 years of experience filming in some of the world’s most remote and challenging locations.
He’s directed and shot numerous TV series, including “Volcanic Odysseys” and “Nomads of the Serengeti.”
He says the film shows both sides of volcanoes as one of the planet’s deadliest and most-creative forces.
“We often think of volcanoes as being destructive, but they also build and play a beneficial role on the planet,” Dalton-Smith says. “To witness one in action is both beautiful and awe-inspiring. I hope audiences will leave with a better understanding of the forces that shaped the world we know today.”
Dalton-Smith was to be on hand before the film’s screening to meet with guests.
Additional pre-screening activities included photo opportunities with a film standee and an opportunity to wear a heat suit.
Following the film, the director was to take questions from the audience.
Students from Dade County High School also were to be in the theater before the screening to display 3D-printed models of famous volcanoes from around the world, including Mt. Vesuvius, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Fuji and Mauna Kea.
Beginning June 28, “Volcanoes: Fires of Creation” will be screened daily at 2 and 4 p.m. Order tickets at www.tnaqua.org/imax/volcanoes-3d-fires-of-creation.
Source: Tennessee Aquarium IMAX 3D Theater