Village Roadshow has supplied all Australian cinemas screening the movie, which features the late Heath Ledger, with night vision apparatus to detect any illegal recording of the film.

Horsham Centre Cinemas manager Andrew Schulz said staff used a hand-held night- vision scope to scan the crowd for anybody using mobile phones or cameras to `pirate' the film.

Mr Schulz said the first screening of The Dark Knight at Horsham yesterday went without incident and he reminded people of the serious consequences of copying the film.

"People will be taken to the police if they are caught recording the movie, and I believe the film company and FBI will be involved," he said.

"We are regularly checking inside the cinema using the scope to see if anybody is trying to record it, but so far we haven't found anybody doing that."

Mr Schulz said Village Roadshow was going to extreme measures to protect the film because it was released in Australia before other countries and was in high demand because of Heath Ledger's role.

He said the film opened to a `good' crowd on Wednesday, and he expected yesterday's and tonight's screenings to be busy.

The Dark Knight opened at 472 cinemas throughout Australia on Wednesday.

International media has reported British Imax cinema managers were considering screening the movie `around the clock' to meet demand.

Mr Schulz said The Dark Knight would screen at Horsham Centre Cinemas for five weeks.

Michelle Dryburgh