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

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Mike0284

‘The Dark Knight’ Trilogy Returning to IMAX Screens in 70mm for Special Engagement

The BFI were screening the trilogy plus the 15/70 prints of Inception and Interstellar last week, I was in London for a couple of days but couldn't make the timings work. The IMAX print of TDK is the missing piece of my theatrical 15/70 viewings list, I hope to see it someday.

[xbs2034]

I went to see Captain Marvel a second time last night, this time in IMAX, and I really liked that version of the film.

Could notice a lot of extra details in the image quality I didn’t get first time (for instance, I nitpicked about the Skrull make up at first viewing, and while I’m still not crazy about the look, it was better this time as I could see more of the fine detail in the make up work) with just extra color and image pop, plus it handled the darker scenes near the beginning much better. Also added more punch to the sound mix I found kinda lacking in 5.1, though overhead effects were only used a few times. And I was really impressed with the expanded IMAX sequences, not only did they look great, but they were much better chosen and even the transitions were worked into the editing, rather the afterthought way of just expanding it for action scenes (pretty much what Thor Ragnarnok did) or barely using it (Ant-Man and the Wasp).

This was a single projector IMAX laser system, so I’ve now seen MCU films in all IMAX formats: 15/70 (Iron Man 3), digital (starting with The Avengers and a bunch since including Doctor Strange and Iron Man re-releases) and dual projector laser (Infinity War and Ant-Man and the Wasp)

[Merkur]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

The BFI were screening the trilogy plus the 15/70 prints of Inception and Interstellar last week, I was in London for a couple of days but couldn't make the timings work. The IMAX print of TDK is the missing piece of my theatrical 15/70 viewings list, I hope to see it someday.

My dream is to catch all Nolan films in IMAX (From Begins to Dunkirk)
Someday... before 15/70 goes obsolete

[xbs2034]

Originally Posted by Merkur

My dream is to catch all Nolan films in IMAX (From Begins to Dunkirk)
Someday... before 15/70 goes obsolete

After the Dark Knight re-release last year, Begins is the only applicable Nolan film I haven’t seen in IMAX, which is why I would have liked to have seen it.

Just Inception and Dark Knight were 15/70 though, Rises and Interstellar were in digital, and Dunkirk in laser (with the latter two my first viewing was on 70mm film, so I wanted to do the second viewing in IMAX and a digital format for the contrast)

[Dreamliner330]

I'd gladly pay $200 to see all of Nolans movies replayed in 70mm IMAX, I suspect many others would as well.

The Minnesota Zoo theater shut down, unfortunately, but I've previously mentioned in this thread how IMAX could thrive if they just treated ALL of their IMAX screens as if they were single screens theaters and varied content. People will pay to watch older titles replayed in IMAX. The Interstellar IMAX Encore was sold out.

[Merkur]

Originally Posted by xbs2034

After the Dark Knight re-release last year, Begins is the only applicable Nolan film I haven’t seen in IMAX, which is why I would have liked to have seen it.

Just Inception and Dark Knight were 15/70 though, Rises and Interstellar were in digital, and Dunkirk in laser (with the latter two my first viewing was on 70mm film, so I wanted to do the second viewing in IMAX and a digital format for the contrast)

Dunkirk was the only Nolan film I got to see on the big screen (IMAX xenon).

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Merkur

My dream is to catch all Nolan films in IMAX (From Begins to Dunkirk)
Someday... before 15/70 goes obsolete

I'm not mad keen on seeing Begins or Inception in 15/70 as they've got no native 15-perf footage, they're blow-ups (though Inception does have some 5-perf 65), it's TDK that's the one I'm missing as I've seen all his other IMAX movies in 15/70 IMAX (TDKR, Interstellar, Dunkirk).

[Merkur]

To be honest, I've only included Batman Begins and Inception because I haven't seen those two movies on the big screen, So I guess the only way to see them on the big screen is one of those rare IMAX events.

[FAShaffi]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

I'm not mad keen on seeing Begins or Inception in 15/70 as they've got no native 15-perf footage, they're blow-ups (though Inception does have some 5-perf 65), it's TDK that's the one I'm missing as I've seen all his other IMAX movies in 15/70 IMAX (TDKR, Interstellar, Dunkirk).

I was in the same boat myself until last year, I'd seen all of Nolan's other movies a few times each in 15/70 except for Begins (even Inception, which looked pretty great even as a blow up the two times I saw it) but my missing one was also TDK until I saw it at the BFI in London last August, and oh man it was glorious, I hope you get the chance to go one day

[CinemaFirst]

Last week I saw Interstellar in 70mm, I've also seen it twice in 15/70 at the BFI London. As to be expected, the difference between the 35mm and the Imax footage was evened out, and there were no aspect ratio changes. All in all, a pretty solid presentation.

I've only seen Dunkirk in 70mm, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises I' ve seen in 15/70, and I can confirm that both were exhilarating experiences.

I haven't seen Batman Begins nor Inception in other than 35mm formats, I'm fine with that, I'm not a fan of unnecessary blowups, just deliver a beautiful print.

[xbs2034]

Originally Posted by CinemaFirst

Last week I saw Interstellar in 70mm, I've also seen it twice in 15/70 at the BFI London. As to be expected, the difference between the 35mm and the Imax footage was evened out, and there were no aspect ratio changes. All in all, a pretty solid presentation.

I've only seen Dunkirk in 70mm, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises I' ve seen in 15/70, and I can confirm that both were exhilarating experiences.

I haven't seen Batman Begins nor Inception in other than 35mm formats, I'm fine with that, I'm not a fan of unnecessary blowups, just deliver a beautiful print.

Yeah, the 5/70 version of Interstellar is great, and even with the reductions in the IMAX sequences they still stand out visually. I also feel like that mix has easier to comprehend dialogue, as while there were a few hard to make out lines (we should probably always expect that from Nolan), I’m glad I saw it in 5/70 first as there were a couple scenes where I couldn’t get the dialogue in the IMAX mix so good to already know the context.

[John1701D]

Can anyone help with some advice regarding Dallas area screens? I'm trying to decide where to see Endgame and not sure between Cinemark Imax or AMC Dolby Northpark. Possibly AMC Imax but I'd think that's the least of the three?

[questrider]

Definitely the AMC Northpark 15 as it is one of a handful of IMAX theaters with 4k laser projection on a 65+' wide screen.

[MovieReviews331]

I have gone to both the Northpark and Webb Chapel IMAX screens. The one at Webb Chapel is the correct IMAX aspect ratio and size, but is the not a laser projection system. The Northpark one has laser projection, and while still very large, is a bit closer in size to IMAX digital.

I definitely like the size of the Cinemark at Webb Chapel more, but the Northpark screen has the better picture with the laser projection.

[John1701D]

Awesome, thanks. So you'd actually do the AMC Imax over the Dolby?

[testmon112]

The Making of Avengers: Endgame | Filmed with IMAX® Cameras - YouTube

There's gotta be something up with IMAX not playing ball with Disney/Marvel for the Infinity War/Endgame releases. Russos mentioned in an interview last year, that they intended and tried to negotiate for the IMAX versions to be released on bluray but it seemed imax potentially was keeping exclusivity for their enhanced platform.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFuM...outu.be&t=4728

@1:19:00

[UFAlien]

They thought it should be executed in "full IMAX" so they picked the Alexa 65 and then used lenses that forced them to crop off 28% of the image even for the "expanded" version just to fill non-full-height IMAX screens

lol okay

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by UFAlien

They thought it should be executed in "full IMAX" so they picked the Alexa 65 and then used lenses that forced them to crop off 28% of the image even for the "expanded" version just to fill non-full-height IMAX screens

lol okay

The image that was physically shot was roughly 2.65:1 once desqueezed, i.e. ULTRA widescreen because of the lenses that they used, but it's quite a neat thing that they framed up the 1.90 inside that with the 2.39 extraction set inside that, and the camera still had more than enough resolution (more importantly than that, enough surface area on the sensor) to make those not-insignificant crops work.

Not that I'm saying it makes the "it wuz all shot in IMAX!!" thing any less of a lie because it doesn't, it's marketing hooey of the highest order, but the Russos are fans of shooting 2x anamorphic on 35mm-sized sensors and it's kinda cool that they were able to utilise the 1.25x Ultra Panavision anamorphics on this 65mm-sized sensor and still be able to create an "IMAX" version out of that.

[BlueRagtop]

Yesterday was The Dark Knight Trilogy Event at the Universal Cinema IMAX in Los Angeles.

Warner Bros did a terrific job coordinating the event, with dedicated staff and a check-in table. Upon arrival, we were given a badge/lanyard, which served as our ticket for the remainder of the day.



Batman Begins started a few minutes after noon. I hadn't seen it on film and on the big screen since it's original release, and -- wow! -- it really knocked my socks off. Considering the plethora of "superhero origin stories" we've had since its debut, it remains nonpareil. (Everyone I talked to afterwards had much the same opinion. TDK may be larger and grander, but Begins is just as epic in its own way.)

There was a long break (~1:30) after Begins. When TDK started and that first gigantic IMAX image appeared on the screen, the audience erupted in applause. (Speaking of the audience, throughout the whole event, they were as rapt, attentive, and appreciative as one could hope for.) Having recently seen TDK in 70MM IMAX, it was less a revelation than Begins -- but it's still the only way to watch that film. (Maybe I should just sell my Blu-ray...?)

A shorter break (~:45) occurred after TDK, but that was because it was time for the man himself, Christopher Nolan. When he walked into the theater, the audience rose in a standing ovation, of course. What followed was a moderated, half-hour-long discussion. He is so articulate and his comments were unfailingly intelligent and interesting. Since he's undoubtedly done a gazillion interviews about these films over the years, I don't know how much was "new", but I think most people were fascinated to hear what he had to say, regardless. (I, for example, didn't know that, while Christian Bale was the first person Nolan tested for Batman, when Cillian Murphy came in, his test for Bruce Wayne/Batman was so strong, that he won the role of the Scarecrow. I guess there are worse "consolation prizes.")

At the end of the Q&A, Nolan left -- to another Standing O -- and Rises began. It gains a lot from being seen in the company of its predecessors. Flashbacks to the earlier films, appearances by Liam Neeson or Linus Roache, the final "reveal", etc., have a lot more resonance when seen in this context. That said, it's the weakest of the 3 films. There's far too much stuff to get through -- the Wayne Enterprises intrigues, the missing congressman, the orphan boys' home, the Stock Exchange attack -- before the story really kicks in. But the ending is terrific and an apt conclusion to the trilogy.

As we left the theater (11:00pm), we were gifted with two other items. The first was a thick paperback of the screenplays --



-- inside of which was a "bookmark" containing a random strip of 70MM film, inside a plastic sleeve.

Mine is of the opening scene of Rises and features Aidan Gillen (aka Littlefinger on Game of Thrones). Pretty cool.



Note: The photo was taken against a window, which accounts for the specks of dirt and the beige tint (due to the building in the background).

All-in-all, it was a great day with the Dark Knight.

[Geoff D]

Oh that sounded like it was amazing. Begins is my favourite one of the trilogy so it's good to see it get some love, and TDKR is supremely daft but it really does work as a nice capper to the trilogy when watched in sequence.