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

[MrsMiniver]

Originally Posted by Spike M.

Going into a movie at the Metreon in San Francisco, I knew full well the digital projectors would only take up a fraction of the screen, but I actually laughed out loud at how small of a portion they actually filled. My field of view was less "maximized" with the digital projectors on the largest screen in the States than it was with a 36x56 digital IMAX in my home town, lol.

You knew going in? Then why go?

[Spike M.]

Originally Posted by MrsMiniver

You knew going in? Then why go?

Because I was in San Fran for the weekend and wanted to see what the second largest movie screen in the world looked like with my own eyes.

[MrsMiniver]

Originally Posted by Spike M.

Because I was in San Fran for the weekend and wanted to see what the second largest movie screen in the world looked like with my own eyes.

But you knew going in that it wasnt going to fill the whole screen. That is what is amazing about the IMAX haters, they still end up going. .

I can't stand Atmos, so I just purposely avoid those locations.

[Spike M.]

Originally Posted by MrsMiniver

But you knew going in that it wasnt going to fill the whole screen. That is what is amazing about the IMAX haters, they still end up going. .

I can't stand Atmos, so I just purposely avoid those locations.

... I'm not an IMAX hater, lol.

I went to see the structure, not to see a movie (It was the latest terrible Terminator, like I care if that piece of garbage filled the screen or not).

[MrsMiniver]

Originally Posted by Spike M.

... I'm not an IMAX hater, lol.

I went to see the structure, not to see a movie (It was the latest terrible Terminator, like I care if that piece of garbage filled the screen or not).

Well you did sound like a IMAX haters with your cheapshop on the less than maximized.etc etc.

At least IMAX is trying wirb dual projection and the limitation of the Xenon system. You gotta give them some credit in this day and age. And I understand that IMAX is no longer using 1570 but at least they are giving it a shot.

So how was the structure?

[Zhorik]

Originally Posted by MrsMiniver

But you knew going in that it wasnt going to fill the whole screen. That is what is amazing about the IMAX haters, they still end up going. .

I can't stand Atmos, so I just purposely avoid those locations.

What about Atmos don't you like? I presume you are accustomed to the Imax eq settings.

[Spike M.]

Originally Posted by MrsMiniver

Well you did sound like a IMAX haters with your cheapshop on the less than maximized.etc etc.

At least IMAX is trying wirb dual projection and the limitation of the Xenon system. You gotta give them some credit in this day and age. And I understand that IMAX is no longer using 1570 but at least they are giving it a shot.

So how was the structure?

It was an impressive theater. I was sort of floored walking all around it.

We've had conversations on IMAX before, so I'm kind of surprised you'd label me as an IMAX hater.

[MrsMiniver]

Originally Posted by Spike M.

It was an impressive theater. I was sort of floored walking all around it.

We've had conversations on IMAX before, so I'm kind of surprised you'd label me as an IMAX hater.

I just called you a hater to get your attention that you said that your field of view was less than maximized but you knew going in that you were not expecting the screen to be filled up with the classic image. So I now offer an apology for that but I wanted to get your attention.

It like me saying, I dont like Atmos (which is true) but I skipped an IMAX presentation only to attend Atmos which I found distracting (which I already knew) and stupid.

A lot of people like to bash IMAX for not going the 15/70 route, while I can totally understand that, what they often don't mention is that IMAX is one of the only ways to consistently see a movie that is of higher quality with their two digital projectors side by side. Sure its not 4K, but in 2008 when Xenon IMAX was introduced it was Impossible for most people to see a 4K presentation, and it still kind of is.

It just seems like there a lot of people out there who want to hate on IMAX but I bet secretly they attend IMAX showing more than they want to admit.

As for the Lincoln Square, that must be awesome. We have 4 classic IMAX locations within a 30 minute drive each way, they are truly amazing. I do find that the SR location with the 60 foot screen is a little better than the 90 foot GT location with laser as it is a little more intitmate. But I will go to either or.

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by xbs2034

Yeah, even way before its release, there were reports Interstellar would be the final Hollywood film to get a 15/70 release. And my point is I'm not gonna consider a theater which had one 15/70 release in the last two years and likely will not get another, as a film location, but rather a digital location which brought back film for a special occasion.

IMAX has actually announced their doc A Beutiful Planet (coming April 2016) will have a 15/70 release in addition to digital and laser, though my guess is it will just be for those museums which are film only.

And to Mrs Miniver's point, I don't hate IMAX digital at all. It still has that great sound system, and I feel looks better than 4K digital screens and probably comparable to 5/70 (saw Interstellar in those two formats, and found the IMAX version looked just as good, maybe even a bit better in some ways as there were a couple scratches on the print).

Just that it is a bit disappointing to see Lincoln Square use 75 foot screen width vs 95 feet and have those black bars on the side (but once the movie begins, I rarely think about them), and it is no longer the no brainer IMAX choice in NYC (I might go to Empire or Kips Bay instead if the show times are better/those are a bit more convenient location wise, plus they are a dollar cheaper if that makes any difference) though it is still my favorite one overall.

is 'A Beautiful Planet' a feature length film or standard IMAX nature doc - with a running time no longer than 45 minutes?

There's also the planned IMAX release of Terrance Malick's 'Voyage of Time' - which is going out to museums/science centers - it's running time is stated as being 40 minutes.

[xbs2034]

Originally Posted by Dubstar

is 'A Beautiful Planet' a feature length film or standard IMAX nature doc - with a running time no longer than 45 minutes?

There's also the planned IMAX release of Terrance Malick's 'Voyage of Time' - which is going out to museums/science centers - it's running time is stated as being 40 minutes.

It hasn't been said what the running time is (probably not locked yet as the film is still over half a year away), but given the director's (Toni Myers) history and IMAX docs, I'm guessing it is one of those 40-45 minute films.

[MrsMiniver]

Originally Posted by xbs2034

It hasn't been said what the running time is (probably not locked yet as the film is still over half a year away), but given the director's (Toni Myers) history and IMAX docs, I'm guessing it is one of those 40-45 minute films.

Originally Posted by Dubstar

is 'A Beautiful Planet' a feature length film or standard IMAX nature doc - with a running time no longer than 45 minutes?

There's also the planned IMAX release of Terrance Malick's 'Voyage of Time' - which is going out to museums/science centers - it's running time is stated as being 40 minutes.

FYI to people who are talking about 15/70 being dead. 15/70 is absolutely NOT dead, it just so happens that IMAX will not provide any DMR Hollywood movies to theaters that are equipped with a 15/70 projector. Only IMAX can provide a print of Interstellar or Star Wars as an example.

As for everything that is non Hollywood. It depends, IMAX does not hold the rights to about half of the moves that are currently offered in classic IMAX theaters. Some they do and some they don't. IMAX will provide a print for these films but they rarley do at this point. The last film was islands of Madagascar in 15/70.

Those who hold the rights to films that IMAX does not have rights to, they can make a 15/70 if they wish.

[xbs2034]

Originally Posted by MrsMiniver

FYI to people who are talking about 15/70 being dead. 15/70 is absolutely NOT dead, it just so happens that IMAX will not provide any DMR Hollywood movies to theaters that are equipped with a 15/70 projector. Only IMAX can provide a print of Interstellar or Star Wars as an example

Not quite sure what this paragraph means, IMAX will not provide any DMR Hollywood movies, and only IMAX can do prints of Interstellar or Star Wars (which are DMR Hollywood movies).

But yeah, true that 15/70 is still alive on the museum side, as some of them remain film only, and often show films for years (one I went to last year was showing a film from the mid 2000s), meaning it can make sense economically to provide occasional new 15/70 prints for them until they convert to laser.

It is in the multiplex/Hollywood release side that I feel 15/70 might indeed be done. Still, while I'm a bit frustrated by the slow rollout, I'm very intrigued by IMAX laser and seems like it might be a worthy replacement to 15/70 (as I've said IMAX Digital is my second favorite PLF format, but I hear laser should fix my two complaints with that system in that the image quality is still a step-down from 15/70, and digital couldn't fill the screen at the larger locations).

[MrsMiniver]

Originally Posted by xbs2034

Not quite sure what this paragraph means, IMAX will not provide any DMR Hollywood movies, and only IMAX can do prints of Interstellar or Star Wars (which are DMR Hollywood movies).

But yeah, true that 15/70 is still alive on the museum side, as some of them remain film only, and often show films for years (one I went to last year was showing a film from the mid 2000s), meaning it can make sense economically to provide occasional new 15/70 prints for them until they convert to laser.

It is in the multiplex/Hollywood release side that I feel 15/70 might indeed be done. Still, while I'm a bit frustrated by the slow rollout, I'm very intrigued by IMAX laser and seems like it might be a worthy replacement to 15/70 (as I've said IMAX Digital is my second favorite PLF format, but I hear laser should fix my two complaints with that system in that the image quality is still a step-down from 15/70, and digital couldn't fill the screen at the larger locations).

What do you not understand? It is up to IMAX to decide when and if a Hollywood 15/70 film is to be released in IMAX theaters. The studio can request, or even demand it and IMAX will come through with it. When a theatre operator (AMC etc) signs a deal to have IMAX inside a location, they have to agree to what IMAX wants to do.

So you know that IMAX digital is not 15/70 and you know it does not fill the screen? THEN WHY DO YOU GO?

[xbs2034]

Originally Posted by MrsMiniver

What do you not understand? It is up to IMAX to decide when and if a Hollywood 15/70 film is to be released in IMAX theaters. The studio can request, or even demand it and IMAX will come through with it. When a theatre operator (AMC etc) signs a deal to have IMAX inside a location, they have to agree to what IMAX wants to do.

So you know that IMAX digital is not 15/70 and you know it does not fill the screen? THEN WHY DO YOU GO?

This basically means a studio could request it and IMAX will make the print, before it sounded like you were saying IMAX alone would be behind the decision and IMAX wasn't making any more 15/70 prints for Hollywood movies. Still, I'm skeptical there will be any more 15/70 releases as there were rumblings last year of 15/70 prints for 300: Rise of an Empire, Amazing Spider-Man 2, and Age of Extinction (which was shot with IMAX cameras) and none came to be, plus Interstellar was sold as the last 15/70 Hollywood release.

As for why I still go, I can still think it is a great theater and one of the best places in NYC to see a movie, while not as great as it could potentially be. And there are films which I decided not to see there which I likely would have otherwise (for instance decided to see The Walk tonight in Real D vs waiting a week to see it in IMAX, which is how I would have most liked to have seen the film and probably would have waited for if a 15/70 print or IMAX laser showing was available in my area, and saw Age of Ultron, Ant-Man, and Rogue Nation at the Ziegfeld)

[MrsMiniver]

It

Originally Posted by xbs2034

This basically means a studio could request it and IMAX will make the print, before it sounded like you were saying IMAX alone would be behind the decision and IMAX wasn't making any more 15/70 prints for Hollywood movies. Still, I'm skeptical there will be any more 15/70 releases as there were rumblings last year of 15/70 prints for 300: Rise of an Empire, Amazing Spider-Man 2, and Age of Extinction (which was shot with IMAX cameras) and none came to be, plus Interstellar was sold as the last 15/70 Hollywood release.

As for why I still go, I can still think it is a great theater and one of the best places in NYC to see a movie, while not as great as it could potentially be. And there are films which I decided not to see there which I likely would have otherwise (for instance decided to see The Walk tonight in Real D vs waiting a week to see it in IMAX, which is how I would have most liked to have seen the film and probably would have waited for if a 15/70 print or IMAX laser showing was available in my area, and saw Age of Ultron, Ant-Man, and Rogue Nation at the Ziegfeld)

You are still not understanding. IMAX controls what goes into The IMAX Experience DMR auditoriums after a distribution company approaches IMAX and partners up with a release. IMAX then releases the movie worldwide in practically all the digital IMAX locations. So when Everest gets released, IMAX ddistributes the movie to locations. It's part of the terms and conditions in order to get a Digital Xenon system and its also part of the agreement to release what IMAX is releases.

The IMAX 15/70 museum locations are set up totally different. Then can in theory request to release a Hollywood DMR film but IMAX will not give them prints. So they have to upgrade to IMAX digital either Xenon or in laser in order to play the movie. This was not the case before Elysium where films were available in either 15/70 , digital or both. After Elysium, only very select films were available in 15/70. Now, nothing from Hollywood is available for release.

Does this make any sense to you?

In theory, a studio could ask for a movie to be released in 15/70, but IMAX does not have to release it. Only IMAX can convert the film to be blown up on a 15/70 projector or of course if the movie was shot on 15/70.....but then again. How do you shoot a 15/70 film without an IMAX camera?

[saprano]

Originally Posted by Dubstar

I think unfortunately we've seen the last Hollywood backed 15/70 IMAX release with 'Interstellar'

Unless Christopher Nolan stops making movies, i don't think so.

[xbs2034]

Originally Posted by saprano

Unless Christopher Nolan stops making movies, i don't think so.

I actually wondered about that, with his next film coming mid 2017 when presumably many previously 15/70 capable theaters will have finally converted to laser (I think they will toss any 15/70 equipment out when they do so, IMAX Sydney's twitter confirmed that is what they are doing in 2016 when they convert to laser), don't see a 15/70 release being at all economically or logistically viable.

So my guess is Nolan won't shoot it with IMAX (remember he loves 35mm and even regular 70mm film as well), but I wonder if they will still give it a 100% DMR release like with Inception and Batman Begins.

[saprano]

Originally Posted by xbs2034

I actually wondered about that, with his next film coming mid 2017 when presumably many previously 15/70 capable theaters will have finally converted to laser (I think they will toss any 15/70 equipment out when they do so, IMAX Sydney's twitter confirmed that is what they are doing in 2016 when they convert to laser), don't see a 15/70 release being at all economically or logistically viable.

So my guess is Nolan won't shoot it with IMAX (remember he loves 35mm and even regular 70mm film as well), but I wonder if they will still give it a 100% DMR release like with Inception and Batman Begins.

Yeah he can still do 35mm and 70mm but we all know he loves the big expansive format of 15/70. I can see IMAX keeping it for a little bit longer after they install the laser equipment.

Do laser projectors even match 70mm resolution still?

[Poya]

Originally Posted by saprano

Yeah he can still do 35mm and 70mm but we all know he loves the big expansive format of 15/70. I can see IMAX keeping it for a little bit longer after they install the laser equipment.

Do laser projectors even match 70mm resolution still?

Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnope. Not at all. Let alone 15/70.

[42041]

Originally Posted by saprano

Yeah he can still do 35mm and 70mm but we all know he loves the big expansive format of 15/70. I can see IMAX keeping it for a little bit longer after they install the laser equipment.

Do laser projectors even match 70mm resolution still?

They're 4K I believe, so about the ballpark for 70mm/5perf printed from the negative. You'd need to go higher to match 15/70, but again - printed off the negative. I think 4K is probably ballpark for a 4th generation 15/70 print (well, in one dimension anyway, 15/70 is also a much taller frame), so it's not an unreasonable choice for IMAX (never mind that moviegoers don't seem to mind all the 2K blowups on 15/70 much).