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

[ITDEFX101]

Originally Posted by CelluloidPal

I've always wanted to experience seeing a movie at the Alamo but it's way too far from me but it looks like they're building one in the new development on Rhode Island Avenue right on the subway line.

As for Arclight's Atmos screen, It looks like Baby Driver will be there this week.
I'm interested in experiencing what the Atmos sound does to that movie.

I think Baby Driver would sound really good as there a few chase scenes that really sounded good even for a standard screen theater.

[UFAlien]

Originally Posted by ITDEFX101

In some scenes, the left and right side of the actual screen looked like there was a darker shade to them. I noticed this when I took off the glasses and I was wth is that?

Sounds like you were noticing the "floating window." It's extremely common in modern 3D movies and has nothing to do with IMAX. Basically for some shots they'll shift the edge of the frame in one eye's view to make the side of the screen appear closer to you than it really is. That way then can place objects at the edge of the image out of screen depth without "violating the window" and having the object visibly cut-off in midair. When viewed through the correct lens of the 3D glasses it's a "black bar" like pillarboxing. Viewed without glasses it's exactly as you described - a bar of half-brightness on the screen because one of the dual images being projected is black there. It's an intentional part of the presentation.

[ITDEFX101]

Originally Posted by UFAlien

Sounds like you were noticing the "floating window." It's extremely common in modern 3D movies and has nothing to do with IMAX. Basically for some shots they'll shift the edge of the frame in one eye's view to make the side of the screen appear closer to you than it really is. That way then can place objects at the edge of the image out of screen depth without "violating the window" and having the object visibly cut-off in midair. When viewed through the correct lens of the 3D glasses it's a "black bar" like pillarboxing. Viewed without glasses it's exactly as you described - a bar of half-brightness on the screen because one of the dual images being projected is black there. It's an intentional part of the presentation.

Holy shit.


And here I was getting ready to send an email to IMAX HQ saying twice already my local D-IMAX screen has done this.

[CelluloidPal]

Originally Posted by ITDEFX101

I think Baby Driver would sound really good as there a few chase scenes that really sounded good even for a standard screen theater.

The theater I saw it in had awesome sound, especially with the music.
I plan on see it again and saw it was showing in Atmos near me and want to take advantage of that.

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by CelluloidPal

The theater I saw it in had awesome sound, especially with the music.
I plan on see it again and saw it was showing in Atmos near me and want to take advantage of that.

Yes - the music and how it's mixed in Atmos is pretty astounding - but even the first diner scene where Baby hears his name as the woman enters the diner - She says "baby, baby" her voice travels from the screen along the entire left wall - the sound design is quite intricate.

At the Arclight I know that War of the Planet of the Apes is on the widescreen Atmos screen, so Baby Driver must be on the second Atmos screen (#7).

I'm really hoping the future in town Alamo Drafthouse Rhode island location also has an Atmos screen

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by ITDEFX101

I don't think so.

Haven't been to RPX screen since Alien Covenant and even that mix was weak in that theater.

That's unfortunate as I thought the Atmos mix was a roller coaster ride of sound - the screeching of the Alien literally right behind you at one point, made me wince and duck

[ITDEFX101]

Originally Posted by Dubstar

That's unfortunate as I thought the Atmos mix was a roller coaster ride of sound - the screeching of the Alien literally right behind you at one point, made me wince and duck

I don't understand why they built a theater (the Gainesville RPX one) just to show off it's speaker system during the trailers only and then for the rest of the audio to be piped mainly in the front/center speakers.

[Mean Gene]

Originally Posted by Dubstar

Or whatever that faux D-box feature Dolby Cinema is calling it - it's f***ing distracting

I've yet to be wowed by any thing I've seen / heard at Tysons Dolby Cinema auditorium - it's such a mixed bag - enough is enough, I'd rather invest my time and money at Udvar Hazy (IMAX laser) or at Arclight Bethesda's Atmos screen(s)

Out of curiosity what location is 'your' Dolby Cinema theater. I hate the fact that Dolby Cinema is largely an AMC exclusive - some day I'll check out a movie at the El Capitan

Saw Rogue One in the Tyson's Dolby Cinema and was not impressed at all. The main issue for me was the recliner. It was comfortable for the previews but then started to hurt my back. The controls are hard to see in the dark so you have to take your eyes of the screen to find them and then the control lights distract the person next to you...

[ITDEFX101]

For my 3rd viewing of Rogue One I saw it at the D-Box screen at Cobb theater in Leesburg. The D-Box effect wasn't amazing but I left a bit embarrassed as I was the only one in the theater using the D-BOX screen and a couple behind me had seats that didn't have it. So it was a mix of D-Box seats and normal seats... The Vader hallway scene I turned it up to full but it still felt not as strong as I thought (The force was not strong with that one hehehe). I did get my Rogue One collectible cup though, which was nice.

[Pieter V]

Dunkirk talk:

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/Bl...tId=4295002694

[Zhorik]

Originally Posted by ITDEFX101

For my 3rd viewing of Rogue One I saw it at the D-Box screen at Cobb theater in Leesburg. The D-Box effect wasn't amazing but I left a bit embarrassed as I was the only one in the theater using the D-BOX screen and a couple behind me had seats that didn't have it. So it was a mix of D-Box seats and normal seats... The Vader hallway scene I turned it up to full but it still felt not as strong as I thought (The force was not strong with that one hehehe). I did get my Rogue One collectible cup though, which was nice.

Are the D-Box seats reserved and only the seats booked have movement? If not, what would stop someone "upgrading" themselves from the normal seat to D-Box few minutes into the feature?

[GLaDOS]

Originally Posted by Pieter V

Dunkirk talk:

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/Bl...tId=4295002694

Man, the IMAX photography for Dunkirk is stunning. These shots would make a fine addition to my collection (if Warner is planning to do a limited run with IMAX film cells of course).

[ITDEFX101]

Originally Posted by Zhorik

Are the D-Box seats reserved and only the seats booked have movement? If not, what would stop someone "upgrading" themselves from the normal seat to D-Box few minutes into the feature?

Yes. I guess once you select your seat during purchase, that seat is now activated for D-Box. No other D-Box chairs were active during the movie. I really thought that the screen I was at was all D-box but apparently it wasn't.

It's not going to blow you away as it wasn't as strong as I thought it would be.

[ITDEFX101]

Originally Posted by Pieter V

Dunkirk talk:

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/Bl...tId=4295002694

God damn! :O Look at all that rich color detail!

[Riddhi2011]

Originally Posted by GLaDOS

Liemax (Imax Digital 1.89:1)

Dunkirk_Liemax 1-89-1.jpg

The IMAX shots need to be in the Blu-ray in full frame (1.43:1), as bonus features! Just gorgeous! the main movie can be cropped to 16:9.

In Liemax, the beautiful conical shaped composition, the wide depth of field is completely lost. I can only imagine what must be the 2.39:1 DCP.

Dunkirk IMAX crop to 2-39-1.jpg

Below is an approximation of the various theatrical presentation framings. Black is 1.43:1, Grey is 1.89:1 and Red is cinemascope. These are just approximations and not mathematically accurate. But the approximations are based on framing of previous Nolan films shot on IMAX. So, it'll be close to these.

BB-T2-0051 All Frames approximation.jpg

[ITDEFX101]

One of my friend's brother was bragging how he got tickets to see "Dunkirk" in 70mm at Udvar hazy on Thursday and was all like special that he got tickets to see it. I burst his balloon when I gave him the link to the Imax site showing that Udvar is showing it in Laser not 70mm.

He got quite real quick.

See this is what I am not liking about the marketing of this movie... very aggressive and over the top (come on 4-5 spots between each trailer before TF5???). For regal to give out shirts saying, "I saw Dunkirk in 70mm..", when only a very small amount of their theaters are equipped to show it in it's true director intended format. I am still not convinced based on the last few screen shots that it is worth seeing it in true IMAX on release. The background sky doesn't have much detail to begin with.

[Geoff D]

IMAX 15/70 locked in for next Monday afternoon at the BFI. It can't come quickly enough!!

[GLaDOS]

Originally Posted by ITDEFX101

One of my friend's brother was bragging how he got tickets to see "Dunkirk" in 70mm at Udvar hazy on Thursday and was all like special that he got tickets to see it. I burst his balloon when I gave him the link to the Imax site showing that Udvar is showing it in Laser not 70mm.

He got quite real quick.

See this is what I am not liking about the marketing of this movie... very aggressive and over the top (come on 4-5 spots between each trailer before TF5???). For regal to give out shirts saying, "I saw Dunkirk in 70mm..", when only a very small amount of their theaters are equipped to show it in it's true director intended format. I am still not convinced based on the last few screen shots that it is worth seeing it in true IMAX on release. The background sky doesn't have much detail to begin with.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with seeing Dunkirk on IMAX Laser, especially on a 1.43:1 screen. It's still the second best way to see the movie, in my opinion.

I remember seeing the Dunkirk prologue on Lockheed Martin (an true IMAX screen with Laser) before Rogue One and the detail on the IMAX shots were spectacular and hold up quite well against 15/70. Plus, the pictures shown above aren't entirely representative of the detail you'd get when seeing it on true IMAX in Laser or 15/70. They're compressed for the most part, so the detail you see isn't representative to what you might see when you're watching the movie.

[Geoff D]

Yep, 1.44 laser should still be DAMNED good.

[ITDEFX101]

I am sure it's going to be spectacular and I will see it at Udvar but not during release week as it will be TFA too crowded. I am looking at what you guys have posted with your visual lines and saying to myself, "That background sky looks like shit". I really wish they would put out more screenshots. I will wait to see how much of the out of focus/shaky IMAX shots remained in the movie for the final product.