Large Format/"Premium" Theaters (IMAX 15/70, Digital IMAX, XD, ETX, RPX, etc.)

[reewinder]

Originally Posted by ITDEFX101

Has anyone notice IMAX 3d is getting less movie time then regular IMAX? Justice League in my area shows NO IMAX 3d...which is fine by me.

Originally Posted by StarWarsIsAwesome123

Yes they announced a couple months ago that they would focus less on 3D.

I won'y pay IMAX prices if they don't have the 3D on a movie that was released in 3D.

[Yellbean2002]

Not normally a huge fan of 3d (usually distracting for me) but saw Thor 3D in Imax yesterday and loved it. The 3D was very well done.

[Riddhi2011]

Originally Posted by testmon112

Any can confirm if there is gonna be a DMR Blow up of justice league? One the IMAX Laser near says 'expanded ratio' but I'm not sure if it's just 1.9:1 or they might go to 1.44:1

Can't confirm. But if IMAX says that a 1.85:1 movie will have "expanded ratio" on Laser screens, then it'll probably be taller; perhaps 1.66:1, or even 1.43:1. 'Apollo 13' was shot spherical 35mm film like JL and was opened up to 1.66:1 for the entirety. Seeing as they shot some scenes on the Alexa 65, I'd say only the 35mm shot scenes can open up vertically, as Alexa 65 is a widescreen camera. Now, I don't know if they mean it'll be expanded at the sides from 1.85: to 1.90:1. But that's just silly.

[Visionist]

Maybe 1:78:1

Hardly noticable at all even if you're looking for it, but still technically and legally "expanded". The Bluray or maybe the 4K disc could say "expanded IMAX ratio" when in reality it just omits the ultra thin black slivers you get with 1:85:1 home video.

Am I being too cynical? I want a full runtime 1:44 film damnit!

I always thought Apollo 13 was simply cropped for its IMAX release? It was actually open matte? Damn, I really wanna see that. Any screen comparisons?

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by Visionist

I always thought Apollo 13 was simply cropped for its IMAX release? It was actually open matte? Damn, I really wanna see that. Any screen comparisons?

VFX back then were usually composed for 2:1 and above, so the FX shots would indeed be cropped on the IMAX version. Not to mention several scenes are edited out.

[Geoff D]

From another thread (the opened up caps are from the IMAX edition DVD):

Originally Posted by AVfile

Originally Posted by AlanHarper

[Riddhi2011]

Apollo 13 was actually opened up to 1.66:1 on IMAX 15/70, not 1.78:1. So, it was vertically larger than what's present on that IMAX DVD, which I have. The 4:3 DVD (I have that too) was opened up even more, but lost a bit at the sides. It's a shame they didn't offer the IMAX version on Blu-ray or UHD, especially because it looks really immersive.

[Visionist]

OMG I want that fullscreen version on Blu NOW!

Who can argue with Kathleen's legs?

[Geoff D]

Watching the IMAX DVD now. It's interesting how there's some alternate footage, like the angle of the cutaway to the TV when they're watching Armstrong on the moon, Nope, that's wrong, but it's still laughable how they've gutted certain scenes, like Jim facing off against Deke and the flight surgeon in matey's office, how anyone could think this is the superior cut of the movie is mind-boggling to me. The movie rarely gets a chance to breathe, it just zips through the first reel in no time. No thank'ee.

The opened-up image is all over the place in terms of head/footroom, some shots keep the common top of the 2.35 framing but literally push it all the way to the top of the 1.78 frame so you end up with loads of dead space at the bottom. I don't care how many legs are on show or whether it fills my screen, it just looks weird. And you can tell that they're adjusting it because the on-screen time/date checks keep changing position, sometimes they're right in the middle of the screen and others nearer the bottom. It's a different sound mix too, subtle things are missing like the tiny little 'clink' when Tracy taps the glass that Swigert is holding when he's showing her how to "dock" in the party sequence. They've dubbed over the swearing too, when Fred says "shit" after they close the reac valves on the batteries it's been changed to "nuts". Marilyn's "don't give me that NASA bullshit" has been removed completely.

I'd have loved to have seen this on 15/70 at the BFI back in the day, just for the hell of it, but on home video it basically becomes a glorified TV version that's been cut for time & swearing and has had its aspect ratio altered. Ugh, I turned it off after 50-odd minutes. It will never replace the theatrical 2.35 version in my affections, I'm gonna hafta watch the 4K Blu-ray tonight to rinse this bodge-job out of my mind.

[xbs2034]

70mm Murder on the Orient Express looked great. I do believe DCP projection has overall improved the daily multiplex experience, but there is something special about a pristine (only significant scratches I noticed were actually in the credits) film print projected right. In richness of colors and image detail, it was definitely beyond what I saw with the trailers in theaters.

Was a 70mm trailer for Phantom Thread before the movie, so I'm guessing that gets a blow-up release.

[Visionist]

Attack Of The Clones IMAX was cropped though right? Since it was shot 2K digital. Unless it was shot flat and both opened and cropped to fit 1:44 or 1:66, whichever the IMAX edition used. I can't imagine the quality was all that amazing given the source.

Stuff was also cut from that release I've read. Maybe for the better when you think about it...

[Geoff D]

Clones was shot 1080p digital with the 'scope extraction cropped from that so they'd have had a maximum 1.78 frame to work with. No idea what they actually did with the framing in IMAX, but Lucasfilm did actually re-render some shots for the 4:3 video release. As for the cuts, the movie is so stilted and awkward anyway that re-editing could only help its cause!

But the rhythm of the re-edited Apollo 13 is just plain weird and I'm not saying that just because I adore the film, there really are some very odd beats in the middle of scenes as they're cut to just the barest amount of exposition. Reminds me of the Star Wars prequels, funnily enough

[CelluloidPal]

Originally Posted by xbs2034

70mm Murder on the Orient Express looked great. I do believe DCP projection has overall improved the daily multiplex experience, but there is something special about a pristine (only significant scratches I noticed were actually in the credits) film print projected right. In richness of colors and image detail, it was definitely beyond what I saw with the trailers in theaters.

Was a 70mm trailer for Phantom Thread before the movie, so I'm guessing that gets a blow-up release.

I'd be nice if we got that over here. It's not often we get movies in their origin 70mm presentation. You'd think after Hateful Eight and Dunkirk, we'd get some more 70mm prints out there.

[GLaDOS]

It would be very interesting to see how Episodes II and III fare in 4K, considering they were shot 1080p digital.

I wish they did a special 70mm engagement for Murder on the Orient Express.

[CelluloidPal]

Originally Posted by GLaDOS

It would be very interesting to see how Episodes II and III fare in 4K, considering they were shot 1080p digital.

I wish they did a special 70mm engagement for Murder on the Orient Express.

Given how many 4K releases are shot using Arri Alexas (2K, which is a pinch above 1080p, it'll be another upconversion job.
But they could use the 35mm film back-up as their source.

[Spike M.]

Originally Posted by CelluloidPal

Given how many 4K releases are shot using Arri Alexas (2K, which is a pinch above 1080p, it'll be another upconversion job.
But they could use the 35mm film back-up as their source.

That isn't how camera resolution works.

The Alexa is a 2.8K/3.4K machine that resolves more detail than the Red Weapon at 6K. Adding numerical pixels to a camera is pretty easy; adding pixels that actually distinguish different shades of contrast and color (ie: adding pixels that matter) is a whole other ball game.

[CelluloidPal]

Originally Posted by Spike M.

That isn't how camera resolution works.

The Alexa is a 2.8K/3.4K machine that resolves more detail than the Red Weapon at 6K. Adding numerical pixels to a camera is pretty easy; adding pixels that actually distinguish different shades of contrast and color (ie: adding pixels that matter) is a whole other ball game.

I'm aware on how the Alexa works but it still outputs a 2K image from that recorded 3.4K source, hence its distinguishing contrast and color.
These Ultra 4K Blu-Rays are still upconverting these 2K masters and making a few tweaks to fit the 4K format.
Arri has made new Alexas that can now record and output the full 3.2K via Arriraw or ProRes.

[ITDEFX101]

What about the special effects in those movies? Would they have to re-render them to 4k?

[Visionist]

It certainly wouldn't hurt. A lot of them haven't aged well. It all depends on how well Disney expects them to sell. I presume Fox only has rights to ANH for now? How does the Disney/Lucasfilm relationship work?

Certainly there's all the potential in the galaxy for HDR/DV/Atmos in the Prequels. That's what the 4K discs would be all about. Maybe even theatrical re-releases in Dolby or IMAX laser (were they shot flat? Could they be opened up and the effects above and below frame completed along with a then mandatory complete 4K CGI re-render?).

The 3D conversion seems to have been a dud. I saw TPM 3D at the BFI and the 3D was mostly mediocre, seemed poorly planned out. A shame as I would have wanted to see the OT theatrically eventually (only ever seen it at home, although I at least saw the non special edition first, broadcast dubbed on Italian TV in 1999...)

[NegaScott128]

Originally Posted by ITDEFX101

What about the special effects in those movies? Would they have to re-render them to 4k?

Considering they don't do that for any other movie, they're not gonna do it for the prequels. Actually, I'd argue that re-doing the CGI at 4K would only serve to highlight the limitations of the digital cameras they were working with at the time, especially in Episode II.

Speaking of Episode II, considering that the film was shot in 1080p to begin with and the camera does not have the extra dynamic range for a real HDR presentation, would anyone else feel okay with having Episode II remain 1080p on UHD and using the extra disc space for alternate cuts and special features? I'd be very interested to see the shorter IMAX cut, and any upgrade that upscaling to 4K provides would probably be imperceptible for most people anyway.