4K Movies Releases

[Geoff D]

Why do you think that the 35mm scenes will look significantly worse in the 15/70 version? It's still gonna be blown up for the 70mm edition, and if it's all done photochemically then they're at the mercy of the optical equipment that's available, unlike IMAX's digital remastering system. I guess the screen size comes into play though. If you're seeing the 70mm on a regular sized screen then it should look more cohesive as a whole, but it'll lack the true majesty of the immense height and scale of the 15/70 footage.

[singhcr]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Why do you think that the 35mm scenes will look significantly worse in the 15/70 version? It's still gonna be blown up for the 70mm edition, and if it's all done photochemically then they're at the mercy of the optical equipment that's available, unlike IMAX's digital remastering system. I guess the screen size comes into play though. If you're seeing the 70mm on a regular sized screen then it should look more cohesive as a whole, but it'll lack the true majesty of the immense height and scale of the 15/70 footage.

I've never seen a 70mm blow-up of a 35mm film, but I've heard that they tend to look pretty good. Weren't a lot of big name films in the 1970s and 80s getting 70mm presentations? My parents still remember seeing The Mission in 70mm at the Cooper theater in Minneapolis way back when. I figured since the standard 70mm is 5-perf and the screen would be smaller it might look better overall.

However, I think I will still go with the 15/70 IMAX option as I simply can't resist watching genuine 15/70 footage on such a massive screen, especially with a space epic like Interstellar. My favorite movie experience in a modern theater was seeing Ghost Protocol in IMAX and I soon forgot about the blurrier 35mm bits as the movie and overall A/V experience was so engrossing. You make some good points regarding the enlargement process too.

[Geoff D]

Blow-ups from back in the day looked good because they were usually wet-gate printed directly from the 35mm negative, but it's Nolan's IPs that are the sacrosanct 'records' of how the films should look (already a generation removed from the negative, as you know) so they'll use that as their base. From that 35mm IP they'll probably create blown-up 70mm IN material (another generation gone) which they'll intercut with the blown-down 15/70 footage (timed 15/70 IP -> 70mm reduction IN) to create a single-strand IN which can then be used to run off prints.

[singhcr]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Blow-ups from back in the day looked good because they were usually wet-gate printed directly from the 35mm negative, but it's Nolan's IPs that are the sacrosanct 'records' of how the films should look (already a generation removed from the negative, as you know) so they'll use that as their base. From that 35mm IP they'll probably create blown-up 70mm IN material (another generation gone) which they'll intercut with the blown-down 15/70 footage (timed 15/70 IP -> 70mm reduction IN) to create a single-strand IN which can then be used to run off prints.

Gotcha. From that description it would make more sense to go with the IMAX option then.

I take it the IMAX print gets its 15/70 footage from an IN as well, or are the print runs so small that they might be able to go off of the OCN?

Actually, could that not also be the case for the 70mm prints as there's only a handful of them being made? Can't you just time them the same way as his 35mm IP that he's using for the DCP?

[Geoff D]

You're right about the IMAX prints, they're of limited enough number to run off of the negative, which is cut into A and B rolls (one with the 35mm DMR filmed out onto 15/70 negative, another with the actual 15/70 negative) and also wetgate printed to reduce wear and tear.

I guess it depends on how many 70mm prints they want to make, if it's as many as the 15/70 (about a hundred were made for TDKR) then running the blown-down print material directly from the 15/70 neg every time might be pushing their luck, but a few shouldn't be a problem. But even if they go straight from 15/70 neg to 70mm print, they can't do that with the 35mm blow-up because they're working from the IP, which means going to IN (where the blow-up will occur) then print.

Ironically it may be the 4K DCP where the 35mm IP footage will look its absolute best, because it's not being blown up (either optically or via DMR) and nor does it have to go through another couple of printing stages.

[Edit] Done some more digging, apparently only a select few IMAX prints for the biggest & best venues were done from the A & B roll original 15/70 negative, as the rest were done from 15/70 dupe negs intercut into a single strand with the 35mm DMR->15/70 filmout. Makes me go back to my original supposition that the 70mm internegative will be blown down from 15/70 IP material.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by singhcr

Thank you for the list, my friend.
Amazingly, I have the choice of seeing Interstellar in....

b.t.w., I’m told that, that list is far from real time complete and the best way to navigate that site and see what’s actually available (format-wise) in someone’s neck of the woods is to first click on your Interstellar format of choice and then click on the Get Tickets Now box (even if you don’t plan on purchasing tickets right at the moment) and that will bring up other commercial theaters in one’s zip code area, which aren’t on the ‘list’ on the preliminary page but are still showing various formats.

I haven’t had the time to check it out personally but just as an example, in the Disneyland area, the ultrastar theater complex in Anaheim Garden Walk isn’t on the preliminary list page for 35mm format availability but when you click on the Get Tickets Now Box for next week, it should show it as having 35mm. film projection capability for next Tues. at 8:00PM, I think.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Well, sorta, as today at the SMPTE tech conference I met a motorcycle/ former NASA (space) geek which compelled me to return momentarily to this movie release thread on Blu-ray.com in order to issue an early heads-up to theater goers.

Please forgive the reminiscing but….opening on Nov 7, may not be a motion picture in 4K rez, but hey, the dirt bike is the one inanimate object which I have had the most passion for throughout my life (with a mountain bike being a close 2nd) and for which I have always cherished the great camaraderie of the participants involved in that sporting hobby, no matter from what walk of life, be they from *sanitation engineers* to particle physicists.

So, without further ado…..
http://www.onanysundayfilm.com/?medi...w&gclsrc=aw.ds

As to the NASA geek relationship part of this post…and 4K, a reminder, also opening on Nov. 7th (and boasting a 4K DCP) is a flick we have previously discussed here that goes by the title of Interstellar.

But putting aside the endless film vs. digital exhibition debate (http://deadline.com/2014/10/alamo-dr...ection-854765/ ) for the sake of my celluloid admiring friends, singhcr, Sap et al., check out the list applicable to your affections and, be there or be square on Nov. 5th….https://interstellar.withgoogle.com/ways-to-see

With a very close 3rd being the soccer ball…but that be as a player (amateur), rather than a cameraman….
http://vimeo.com/104004210

[Geoff D]

Heh. Makes me wonder when they'll start strapping cameras to players so we can really be in the action...

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Well, sorta, as today at the SMPTE tech conference...

In regards to the SMPTE hyperlink ^ to the Sony 4K OLED HDR mastering monitor (which I first previewed here last September and revealed its planned shipment timeframe) and HDR in general, something which people should understand, given the ‘peak brightness’ spec. can be misleading, is that HDR is really all about contrast. Compared to traditional standard dynamic range imaging, there is great contrast to shadow details as well as brighter imagery.

The ‘downside’ to its use for cameramen, make-up artists, colorists, etc. is that HDR in 4K rez can be very unforgiving and parts of the image can show too much information and thereby prove distracting, which will require more tweaking work to be done with an HDR pass in post but, as more than one content creator commented during conference, *I’d rather have more contrast than I need because I can always throw out detail and brightness in post, rather than being restricted to narrow standard dynamic range from the get-go*.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

It’s not necessary to pay big $$ for a quality 4K 70” TV these days given the Viz being an especially worthy video display device if one has the experience and time to calibrate it on your own....plus...if you’re a mountain biker headed out on a future weeklong trip to British Columbia for some serious technical riding and vacation home hunting (like me and the Mrs. will be), based on personal experience -

Don’t Throw Away that Vizio 70” TV Box!…as it makes for a suitable carton to pack up your trusty bicycle, with extras.

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Visual illustration (front wheel, bars, seatpost to come off shortly), and hung over the top tube is my TransRockies (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transrockies ) finisher jersey which I’m bringing along with me just to make evident to any locals whom I might blast past on the trail, not to get upset, for this type of Canadian riding isn’t my first rodeo …

Seems Thanksgiving could prove a clean-up challenge, at least in our house….

VIZIO Ultra HD TV Commercial - Turkey Dinner - YouTube

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Seems Thanksgiving could prove a clean-up challenge, at least in our house….

VIZIO Ultra HD TV Commercial - Turkey Dinner - YouTube

Enjoy man. It's time for THAT game tomorrow. May the best team win!

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Don’t Throw Away that Vizio 70” TV Box!

You will need it after you realize your mistake, buy a Sony or Samsung, and send the Vizio back

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

Enjoy man. It's time for THAT game tomorrow. May the best team win!

Thanks for the reminder , I’ve been so busy with attending SMPTE (which involves fighting SoCal traffic and such), I wouldn’t have remembered to record it. I almost feel like rooting for your Black Cats out of pity, given what happened last weekend ?, but alas, I’ll cheer for Arsenal and hope that Arsene just barely eeks out a win or draw so he’ll be further encouraged to purchase a strong defensive midfielder at the next or following transfer window with whats accumulated in the Arsenal war chest. Are you going to the match? If so, tell me what you’ll be wearing and I’ll keep an eye out to the crowd shots.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

You will need it after you realize your mistake, buy a Sony or Samsung, and send the Vizio back

Hah, I’ve already got a 4K Sony and happy as a humming bird with it . It’s just that I couldn’t pass up the Vizio deal (~$2,430 including tax and delivery, unboxed and placed on a TV stand) to fill out an addition to our place down in San Diego…to blame the fellow that tempted me start reading here….
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...ve#post9793136

Funny thing is, honestly, I kept the Vizio box out of fears of inadequate Vizio basic quality control but, luckily? or not? my concerns were unfounded as my TV had no such issues (excellent uniformity, etc.) and retrospectively, it worked out as a great bike transporting box. I personally know what the exact facial tones of two local news anchors should appear as so granted a little eyeball color management tweaking was in order but, other than that, everything is fine given the killer price.

Not sure if you’re a shareholder but Sony has scheduled a November 25 investor event during which the top dogs may reveal more details on restructuring plans given Third Point’s (http://money.cnn.com/interactive/inv...dan-loeb-sony/ ) recent equity position exit - http://www.thirdpointpublic.com/wp-c...etter-TPOI.pdf

[ZoetMB]

Originally Posted by singhcr

I've never seen a 70mm blow-up of a 35mm film, but I've heard that they tend to look pretty good. Weren't a lot of big name films in the 1970s and 80s getting 70mm presentations? My parents still remember seeing The Mission in 70mm at the Cooper theater in Minneapolis way back when. I figured since the standard 70mm is 5-perf and the screen would be smaller it might look better overall.

The 70mm blowup process started in 1963. The first 70mm blowups were "Bye, Bye Birdie" (although it probably wasn't shown in the U.S. in 70mm), "Tarus Bulba" and "The Cardinal".

The primary reason for 70mm blowups was not for picture quality - it was for the 6-track magnetic sound track. Having said that, there is also some advantage to getting more light behind the larger 70mm frame. But once digital sound came in for 35mm, 70mm blowups all but disappeared.

The biggest year for 70mm blowups was 1985 with about 33 blowups in the U.S. including "A View to a Kill", "Pale Rider", "Ladyhawke", "Goonies", "Cocoon", "Back to the Future", "The Emerald Forest", "Silverado", "White Nights", "Young Sherlock Holmes", "A Chorus Line" and "Out of Africa" among others. Almost all of these films used the Dolby 6-track "Baby Boom" format that was first used on the 70mm prints of "Star Wars" in '77. "The Black Cauldron" and "Return to Oz" in '85 used the "Split Surround" format which gave left and right surround instead of mono surround. That was first used experimentally on a bit of "Superman" and fully on "Apocalypse Now" in '79.

In all there were about 346 70mm blowups released in the U.S. The last one (aside from revivals) was "Fantasia 2000". (There were also 74 films shot in 65mm and released in 70mm, including some imports, not including the 70mm experiments of the 1930s.)

Personally, even though there are some extra generations involved, I'm going to see Interstellar (assuming it doesn't get terrible reviews) in 70mm IMAX. From what I've been able to garner, the 70mm 5-perf presentations are going to be highly cropped on the IMAX scenes as are the digital IMAX presentations.

[singhcr]

Thanks for the info! Given the huge bump up in sound quality I've experienced when watching movies in 70mm with the 6-track mag stripe sound I can see why one would want to adapt 35mm material to it.

I too plan on seeing this in 15/70 IMAX.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Thanks for the reminder , I’ve been so busy with attending SMPTE (which involves fighting SoCal traffic and such), I wouldn’t have remembered to record it. I almost feel like rooting for your Black Cats out of pity, given what happened last weekend ?, but alas, I’ll cheer for Arsenal and hope that Arsene just barely eeks out a win or draw so he’ll be further encouraged to purchase a strong defensive midfielder at the next or following transfer window with whats accumulated in the Arsenal war chest. Are you going to the match? If so, tell me what you’ll be wearing and I’ll keep an eye out to the crowd shots.

Yes I am going as always. I have a feeling the crowd might be a bit short tempered today! I will be wearing my colours so won't exactly stand out. If we are losing, look out for a guy close to tears with blond hair next to a blond woman who also may be close to tears lol

[Penton-Man]

Bad scheduling gremlin got the best of me. I recorded ‘Sunderland v. Arsenal’…. But I got ‘Liverpool v. Hull City’ on my DVR, a match which I didn't care about. All I caught were the Sunderland v. Arsenal match highlights last night which seemed to indicate the productive value of Sanchez’s hustle, meaning 2 goals we probably wouldn’t have had given the same situations offered up to Arsenal last year. Will watch El Clasico after our morning ride and perhaps, if I’ve got time, the Chelsea match this evening or tomorrow.

[Steedeel]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Bad scheduling gremlin got the best of me. I recorded ‘Sunderland v. Arsenal’…. But I got ‘Liverpool v. Hull City’ on my DVR, a match which I didn't care about. All I caught were the Sunderland v. Arsenal match highlights last night which seemed to indicate the productive value of Sanchez’s hustle, meaning 2 goals we probably wouldn’t have had given the same situations offered up to Arsenal last year. Will watch El Clasico after our morning ride and perhaps, if I’ve got time, the Chelsea match this evening or tomorrow.

Firstly congratulations.
Secondly I am fed up.

[Geoff D]

Don't worry Steedy, you've got Palace next. We always do badly in televised games so the points are in the bag for your lot.