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

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Poya

IMAX used to be a brand to be excited about but these days, they're debasing themselves and the audiences are none the wiser. It appears to be that Dunkirk will be the last true IMAX feature to come out in the future. I was fortunate to see Star Wars and BvS in true IMAX, but looks like I should've not taken them for granted.

Even when 15/70 wasn't a dying format I made every effort to see each full-length movie that made use of it, plus several 15/70 blowups (this is back when IMAX didn't just rely on a 2K DCP). I think the only ones I haven't seen in 15/70 are Dark Knight and Force Awakens. I'd love to catch the former one of these days, not bothered about the latter though.

It's such a special 'event' format and it's sad to see it wither and die like this, especially when true IMAX theaters of a certain size aren't deemed worthy enough to have the 4K laser upgrade e.g. the BFI IMAX in London. Once 15/70 is phased out completely then they'll have to rely on 2K digital for new features, I just hope they'll have the sense to retain their 15/70 projection gear so they can show existing prints.

[42041]

Originally Posted by Poya

IMAX used to be a brand to be excited about but these days, they're debasing themselves and the audiences are none the wiser. It appears to be that Dunkirk will be the last true IMAX feature to come out in the future. I was fortunate to see Star Wars and BvS in true IMAX, but looks like I should've not taken them for granted.

If Star Wars was "true IMAX"... good riddance.
DMR has always been a scam.

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by 42041

If Star Wars was "true IMAX"... good riddance.
DMR has always been a scam.

Given how much money this made, Abrams should have shot all the movie in 15/70 IMAX instead of just the one scene.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Dubstar

Given how much money this made, Abrams should have shot all the movie in 15/70 IMAX instead of just the one scene.

I dunno about all of it but yes, with that budget there should've been much more IMAX 65mm so that it wasn't one of the most pointless 15/70 excursions outside of being an entire blow-up (which is why I didn't bother seeing it in 15/70 to begin with).

[MattPerdue]

I got the feeling the 15/65 footage in TFA was just there for the sake of saying they did something with IMAX given that Abrams said he wasn't going to use it about 2 years before because he didn't like using the cameras on Into Darkness. Maybe his feelings changed but with how small the sequence appears to be that's why I get the impression that I do.

Course he also praised it when he did Into Darkness so I don't know what to believe....

[Geoff D]

It did feel a bit like it was there by committee rather than a genuine artistic hankering, yup. As much as Abrams may have hated using the cameras on STID he's really got a knack for using the format in the right way IMO, which makes the underuse of it on TFA all the more strange.

Perhaps Abrams wanted to keep the movie entirely in 2.40 as per every other Star Wars feature (going as far as tracking down some of the anamorphic lenses used on the original 1976 shoot, although they didn't end up using them) but the suits insisted on some IMAX stuff and he acquiesced to using it on one scene?

[ernestocolon30]

I go to low quality theaters only recently cause bad times, saw captain america civil war in both 3d and 4k cinema not the best screens but I enjoyed it 4k stands out and 3d is the best

[xbs2034]

Originally Posted by 42041

If Star Wars was "true IMAX"... good riddance.
DMR has always been a scam.

Well, the native IMAX footage in Force Awakens was disappointingly short. But I only say that cause in laser IMAX (and it's the only film I've seen in that format) that sequence was incredible. And even the rest of the film looked very nice as well, probably would give it a slight edge over the Dolby Cinema version (though do think details in the darker colors was a noticeable advantage to Dolby Cinema) for the 35mm scenes, and of course a big edge in the 15/70 scene.

But I've also always said the 15/70 versions of Avatar: Special Edition and Skyfall are some of my favorite IMAX experiences, even with no native IMAX footage.

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by xbs2034

Well, the native IMAX footage in Force Awakens was disappointingly short. But I only say that cause in laser IMAX (and it's the only film I've seen in that format) that sequence was incredible. And even the rest of the film looked very nice as well, probably would give it a slight edge over the Dolby Cinema version (though do think details in the darker colors was a noticeable advantage to Dolby Cinema) for the 35mm scenes, and of course a big edge in the 15/70 scene.

But I've also always said the 15/70 versions of Avatar: Special Edition and Skyfall are some of my favorite IMAX experiences, even with no native IMAX footage.

I think my favorite non-native IMAX footage DMR'd 'experience' was with "Guardians of the Galaxy" - not only was it a fun movie, but the select and key instances where the image expanded to more of the 4:3 screen was utterly exhilarating

[Eric The Duke]

Originally Posted by Dubstar

I think my favorite non-native IMAX footage DMR'd 'experience' was with "Guardians of the Galaxy" - not only was it a fun movie, but the select and key instances where the image expanded to more of the 4:3 screen was utterly exhilarating

I believe Skyfall also had an expanded AR in the IMAX version. But I believe it was for the entire film, not just certain scenes.

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by Eric The Duke

I believe Skyfall also had an expanded AR in the IMAX version. But I believe it was for the entire film, not just certain scenes.

yes, you're correct

[Scorpion Soldier]

Originally Posted by Eric The Duke

I believe Skyfall also had an expanded AR in the IMAX version. But I believe it was for the entire film, not just certain scenes.

From the top of my head I think these all had expanded aspect ratio's without having actual IMAX footage:

Alternative IMAX presentations without native footage

• Guardians of the Galaxy - Select Scenes
• Skyfall - Entire Film
• The Amazing Spider-Man - Finale only
• TRON Legacy - Select scenes
• I, Frankenstein - Entire film
• Underworld: Awakening - Entire film
• Oblivion - Entire film, with the exception of flashback shots in scope.
• Tomorrowland - Entire film
• Titanic - Entire film (Select shots cropped)
• Prometheus - Entire film
• Riddick - Select scenes
• Seventh Son - Opening sequence only
• Apollo 13 - Entire film
• Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones - Entire film cropped

IMAX presentations with native footage (70mm or digital)

• The Dark Knight - Select sequences shot in IMAX (37 minutes of footage)
• The Dark Knight Rises - Select sequences shot in IMAX (72 minutes of footage)
• Interstellar - Select sequences shot in IMAX (66 minutes of footage)
• Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - Select sequences shot in IMAX (25 minutes of footage)
• Star Trek Into Darkness - Select sequences shot in IMAX (30 minutes of footage)
• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire - Select sequences shot in IMAX (49 minutes of footage
• Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Select scene shot in IMAX (5 minutes of footage)
• Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocl - Select sequences shot in IMAX (25 minutes of footage)
• Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - Select sequences shot in IMAX (9 minutes of footage)
• Transformers: Age of Extinction - Select sequences shot in IMAX 3D digital (Phantom 65 Gold, 94 minutes of footage. 2.00:1 shots not filmed in IMAX.)
• Captain America: Civil War - Select sequence shot in IMAX digital (ARRI Alexa 65, 15 minutes)

I think that's all of them.

Speaking of, it looks like TMNT: Out of the Shadows will be hitting IMAX 3D theaters internationally like the first one. Popped up on the coming soon list over here a few days back.

[Geoff D]

Is that right about Oblivion? I heard that the flashback shots were still in 'scope?

[Scorpion Soldier]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Is that right about Oblivion? I heard that the flashback shots were still in 'scope?

You are correct, totally forgot about those. Easy to overlook considering it's like 2 minutes of the entire film

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Scorpion Soldier

You are correct, totally forgot about those. Easy to overlook considering it's like 2 minutes of the entire film

Sure, I'm not saying it score points or anything but it might as well be recorded for all posterity.

Avatar's an odd one though, I thought that ALL the 3D showings were in 1.78 but then someone said that there were also 2.40 3D presentations. Dunno.

[Spike M.]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Sure, I'm not saying it score points or anything but it might as well be recorded for all posterity.

Avatar's an odd one though, I thought that ALL the 3D showings were in 1.78 but then someone said that there were also 2.40 3D presentations. Dunno.

I remember seeing it in scope and flat 3D. Think the goal was to get maximum square footage out of whatever screen it was showing on, so theaters would play which every AR was native to the auditorium.

[Scorpion Soldier]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Sure, I'm not saying it score points or anything but it might as well be recorded for all posterity.
Dunno.

Fair point It was good to point out though, genuinely didn't remember it until you reminded me.

Originally Posted by Spike M.

I remember seeing it in scope and flat 3D. Think the goal was to get maximum square footage out of whatever screen it was showing on, so theaters would play which every AR was native to the auditorium.

I think this was the case. I remember seeing the film in 2.35:1 in Real D, with 1.78:1 in IMAX. Considering the AR wasn't exclusive to IMAX theaters, I'll cross that one off the list.

On a side note, I actually remembered one of the first IMAX releases with an opened up aspect ratio: Apollo 13, which was opened up to 1.66:1 for its IMAX release. (Also, the first 35mm film to be converted for an IMAX release in the first place.)

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by Scorpion Soldier

From the top of my head I think these all had expanded aspect ratio's without having actual IMAX footage:

• Guardians of the Galaxy - Select Scenes
• Skyfall - Entire Film
• The Amazing Spider-Man - Finale only
• TRON Legacy - Select scenes
• I, Frankenstein - Entire film
• Underworld: Awakening - Entire film
• Oblivion - Entire film, with the exception of flashback shots in scope.
• Tomorrowland - Entire film
• Titanic - Entire film (Select shots cropped)
• Prometheus - Entire film
• Riddick - Select scenes
• Seventh Son - Opening sequence only
• Apollo 13 - Entire film

I think that's all of them.

Speaking of, it looks like TMNT: Out of the Shadows will be hitting IMAX 3D theaters internationally like the first one. Popped up on the coming soon list over here a few days back.

and 'Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones' (cropped entire film)

'Transformers: Age of Extinction' had a three aspect ratios (1.78) along with the 1.90 IMAX scenes and the 2.39 scenes.

I think also 'Wrath of the Titans' had select scenes expanded.

[Scorpion Soldier]

Originally Posted by Dubstar

and 'Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones' (cropped entire film)

'Transformers: Age of Extinction' had a three aspect ratios (1.78) along with the 1.90 IMAX scenes and the 2.39 scenes.

I think also 'Wrath of the Titans' had select scenes expanded.

Adding Star Wars, thanks for pointing it out. Wasn't sure if it was just blown up for the format or if the presentation was different. Wrath of the Titans' OAR is 1.85:1, so the presentation was the same in both regular and IMAX theaters.

Age of Extinction was filmed with the digital IMAX cameras (well, Phantom 65 technically.), so it wouldn't be on the list since it had footage filmed for the format. Same would apply to Civil War

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by Scorpion Soldier

Age of Extinction was filmed with the digital IMAX cameras (well, Phantom 65 technically.), so it wouldn't be on the list since it had footage filmed for the format. Same would apply to Civil War

the 1.78 footage was not IMAX captured (for the record)