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

[Riddhi2011]

Originally Posted by Spike M.

Alrighty then.

I look forward to seeing if you can distinguish between the Alexa captured images and the 35mm captured image in The Last Jedi.

It becomes more difficult with movies that go through heavy digital grading and are filled with green screen and VFX in almost every frame.

But, the movies I talked about - 'The Magnificent Seven, The Hateful Eight and Dunkirk, where almost fully practical movies with very little VFX and almost no green-screen shots. Whatever's captured by the camera is presented in the theatre. Those are the type of movies I referred to in my earlier post.

However, I did see 'The Mummy' recently (shot on 35mm anamorphic on film and ALexa65 for VFX plates.) I could easily figure out which was on film and which one was digital. The close-up and live-action shots had that rich texture and sharpness plus that anamorphic edge blur, all of which told me it was film. But the shot where Ahmanet comes out n the London streets and raises a sandstorm suddenly dropped in sharpness and looked smoother, with the anamorphic look also gone. The same thing happened on mI: Rogue Nation where the image quality dropped once the underwater extraction scene began. It was shot with the Alexa65 and looked noticeably softer than the film scenes.

I'll lookout for 35mm vs Alexa footage on 'The Last Jedi' as well.

[GLaDOS]

Originally Posted by Riddhi2011

I'll lookout for 35mm vs Alexa65 footage on 'The Last Jedi' as well.

Good luck spotting the IMAX 70mm footage too.

[Riddhi2011]

There is not a single IMAX theatre where I live. I'll be forced to watch it in dimmed 3D in 2K on a scope screen. So, my position isn't ideal to judge 15/70mm footage from a 2K 3D source.

A 2D movie is a better candidate to judge formats. 3D movies are almost always released in India mostly in 3D; with very few or no 2D screenings because they don't draw audiences at all. Thanks to Asia, 3D is still thriving (I wasn't being sarcastic). Here people don't care about 2D unless there's no 3D option.

Still, in 'Jurassic World' I was able to notice that the aerial shots looked very synthetic and flat, even in 3D; had no grain or sharp texture, dimensionality, etc. I later found out that they used the Red Epic Dragon for the aerials, while using 65mm for the VFX plates and 35mm for dialogue and other things. But the bad colour grading ruined the film qualities.

In any case, I won't forget how glorious 'The Magnificent Seven' and 'The Hateful Eight' looked. Mouth-watering images with faces and wooden panels that I could almost touch. Dunkirk was also very gritty and textured but they f***ed up the projection by playing it window-boxed.

[Spike M.]

Originally Posted by Riddhi2011

It becomes more difficult with movies that go through heavy digital grading and are filled with green screen and VFX in almost every frame.

But, the movies I talked about - 'The Magnificent Seven, The Hateful Eight and Dunkirk, where almost fully practical movies with very little VFX and almost no green-screen shots. Whatever's captured by the camera is presented in the theatre. Those are the type of movies I referred to in my earlier post.

However, I did see 'The Mummy' recently (shot on 35mm anamorphic on film and ALexa65 for VFX plates.) I could easily figure out which was on film and which one was digital. The close-up and live-action shots had that rich texture and sharpness plus that anamorphic edge blur, all of which told me it was film. But the shot where Ahmanet comes out n the London streets and raises a sandstorm suddenly dropped in sharpness and looked smoother, with the anamorphic look also gone. The same thing happened on mI: Rogue Nation where the image quality dropped once the underwater extraction scene began. It was shot with the Alexa65 and looked noticeably softer than the film scenes.

I'll lookout for 35mm vs Alexa footage on 'The Last Jedi' as well.

I'm curious, did you watch Part 2 of Yedlin's presentation? The 66-minute video?

[Riddhi2011]

No, I have a very slow internet connection. I'll download it later. But, again, as I told you, my eyes have given me enough reasons to prefer film over digital. Please look at the films I just referred to above - The Magnificent Seven, The Hateful Eight and now Dunkirk. I have a 21 inch monitor for seeing Yedlin's video and the films I mentioned, I saw them on the big screen. I have to see Yedlin's video on the big screen then for the comparison to be fair. But that isn't possible, is it not?

[Dubstar]

AMC didn't completely remove the red haze at Tyson's Corner's Dolby Cinema screen, but they must have reduced it a little cause 'Atomic Blonde' looked and sounded fantastic (finally).

~~~~

Smithsonian is doing another Christopher Nolan fest; looks like IMAX and Warner Bros. culled new IMAX-laser DCP's this go round since all the screenings are at Lockheed IMAX screen:

Dunkirk - August 6th,
Inception - August 13th,
Interstellar - August 20th,
The Dark Knight - August 27th.

#SciFiSundays at the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by xbs2034

I know my brother and some people will travel great distances for a movie sometimes, but I find it hard to go much further than an hour each way just to see a single movie (several years back I did go from New York to Toronto with the Film Festival for half a week, but I saw six films there and visited family in the area).

Probably the furthest I've gone just for a movie is with Superman Returns in 15/70, and was around 100 minutes each way.

Were you going back when the Uptown Cinema was still there? I miss that place, was the "jewel" of TIFF until they knocked it down, now it's the Scotiabank Cineplex where Canada's only Laser IMAX installation is in the old 15/70 IMAX room.

[Dubstar]

sad to say I think this is a done deal and not enough outcry will sway the Smithsonian but here's a new story that some director's are miffed that an IMAX dedicated to showcasing 'nature' IMAX films will no longer be an option in the DC area.

Film directors decry Smithsonian’s decision to nix IMAX

[CelluloidPal]

Originally Posted by Dubstar

AMC didn't completely remove the red haze at Tyson's Corner's Dolby Cinema screen, but they must have reduced it a little cause 'Atomic Blonde' looked and sounded fantastic (finally).

~~~~

Smithsonian is doing another Christopher Nolan fest; looks like IMAX and Warner Bros. culled new IMAX-laser DCP's this go round since all the screenings are at Lockheed IMAX screen:

Dunkirk - August 6th,
Inception - August 13th,
Interstellar - August 20th,
The Dark Knight - August 27th.

#SciFiSundays at the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution

Are you saying that it's enough of an improvement to warrant a future visit?
I never been there yet.

As for the Nolan Fest, I wouldn't mind catching The Dark Knight and Dunkirk in IMAX again. Would like to see Inception in IMAX.

[xbs2034]

Originally Posted by dobyblue

Were you going back when the Uptown Cinema was still there? I miss that place, was the "jewel" of TIFF until they knocked it down, now it's the Scotiabank Cineplex where Canada's only Laser IMAX installation is in the old 15/70 IMAX room.

No, it was just a few years ago (2014). Where a number of showings at the Scotiabank Cineplex (none in the IMAX, though The Equalizer did play there as part of the festival), though also were some at other locations as well.

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by CelluloidPal

Are you saying that it's enough of an improvement to warrant a future visit?
I never been there yet.

As for the Nolan Fest, I wouldn't mind catching The Dark Knight and Dunkirk in IMAX again. Would like to see Inception in IMAX.

Personally they should go out with a bang and show All of these in 15/70 before they close the Natural History museum at the end of August

[fontcow]

I am still patiently awaiting the re-opening of the Navy Pier IMAX in Chicago which has been closed for renovation for what feels like over a year now since it was bought by AMC. It has an 85' x 62' screen with both 15/70 film and IMAX laser projection. It's a shame that Dunkirk cannot even be seen in the Chicagoland area as it is intended because of this "renovation".

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entert...20-column.html

[ITDEFX101]

Originally Posted by CelluloidPal

Are you saying that it's enough of an improvement to warrant a future visit?
I never been there yet.

As for the Nolan Fest, I wouldn't mind catching The Dark Knight and Dunkirk in IMAX again. Would like to see Inception in IMAX.

I was told by you guys here that Inception wasn't filmed in IMAX! What a shame.

[GLaDOS]

Originally Posted by Dubstar

Personally they should go out with a bang and show All of these in 15/70 before they close the Natural History museum at the end of August

That's what I'm thinking. A shame they're not including The Dark Knight Rises. Despite its flaws, the IMAX cinematography is gorgeous.

[singhcr]

Originally Posted by ITDEFX101

I was told by you guys here that Inception wasn't filmed in IMAX! What a shame.

Correct. A handful of shots were shot on 70mm film with the rest being 35mm.

[testmon112]

That was a great video by Yedlin. Vary rarely, if not ever do you see comparisons of cameras at pro-cine level (especially the 15/70), really appreciate that.

[Spike M.]

Originally Posted by ITDEFX101

I was told by you guys here that Inception wasn't filmed in IMAX! What a shame.

I mean it's been out for 7 years and if you're just noticing since it was pointed out to you, then you probably shouldn't care.

[GLaDOS]

Originally Posted by ITDEFX101

I was told by you guys here that Inception wasn't filmed in IMAX! What a shame.

That won't stop it from being a gorgeous ass movie. It did snag a Best Cinematography award for Wally Pfister.

[ITDEFX101]

Originally Posted by singhcr

Correct. A handful of shots were shot on 70mm film with the rest being 35mm.

Which ones?

[ITDEFX101]

Originally Posted by Spike M.

I mean it's been out for 7 years and if you're just noticing since it was pointed out to you, then you probably shouldn't care.

I thought it was originally filmed in IMAX based on a BTS still showing an IMAX camera (labeled) of the Elevator Hallway Rotation scene...but then you guys said it wasn't shot in IMAX. I would have loved to have seen it in that format.