Jaws 4K UHD (1975) 45th & 50th Anniversary Editions

[MifuneFan]

Saw it in IMAX on Saturday, and it was a great time. There was a lady next to me, who I assume was seeing it for the first time, and she'd jump and get frightened everytime the shark would appear to attack. This enhanced my experience, as it was fun seeing this 50 year old film still managing to frighten people. I wish I could see it for the first time and have that feeling again.

[Fat Phil]

Originally Posted by HeavyHitter

Nearly a 100 foot wide scope screen.

The front row must be brutal.

[HeavyHitter]

Originally Posted by Fat Phil

The front row must be brutal.

Yeah. Pretty much everyone was sitting no closer than the middle. We were sitting just slightly past the middle.

[MifuneFan]

The Lincoln IMAX here in NYC is 101 feet wide and 75.6 feet tall, which is one of the biggest in the world apparently, and yeah, anything too close up would be a nightmare I imagine. My current preferred seat is actually the last row, or second to last, which gives you a great view of the whole screen without having to pan your head in all directions to see everything..If anyone is ever visiting NYC, I highly recommend checking out a movie there.

[blueman_Richie]

Originally Posted by sojrner

The non-3D IMAX showing was a good time. My only complaint was the window darkening rotoscoping was much more visible at that size... Regardless, this movie is perfect.

Where does "the window darkening rotoscoping" occur? Never heard about this detail before.

[Fat Phil]

Originally Posted by HeavyHitter

Yeah. Pretty much everyone was sitting no closer than the middle. We were sitting just slightly past the middle.

In the London IMAX, I basically spent the entirety of Zach Snyder's 300 looking at a wide array of Spartan codpieces in extreme close up.

[HeavyHitter]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

The Lincoln IMAX here in NYC is 101 feet wide and 75.6 feet tall, which is one of the biggest in the world apparently, and yeah, anything too close up would be a nightmare I imagine. My current preferred seat is actually the last row, or second to last, which gives you a great view of the whole screen without having to pan your head in all directions to see everything..If anyone is ever visiting NYC, I highly recommend checking out a movie there.

Back in 2008 I saw The Dark Knight at the largest IMAX in the area (84 foot wide screen) and we were sitting in the first one third row area...way too close and having to pan your head to see the whole image. Never again after that.

[erixon20]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

The Lincoln IMAX here in NYC is 101 feet wide and 75.6 feet tall, which is one of the biggest in the world apparently, and yeah, anything too close up would be a nightmare I imagine. My current preferred seat is actually the last row, or second to last, which gives you a great view of the whole screen without having to pan your head in all directions to see everything..If anyone is ever visiting NYC, I highly recommend checking out a movie there.

When I go there I always sit in the middle in the back row. I sat in the front row before a movie once just to see what it was like and sitting that close it would feel like the movie is on top of you.

[Geoff D]

I've always sat at or near the back every time at the BFI IMAX, apart from once which was for Revenge of the Fallen and I was at the side just a few rows from the front. It was rendered utterly nonsensical, I mean it's a Transformers movie anyway so nonsense is the name of the game, but it was just brutal.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by erixon20

When I go there I always sit in the middle in the back row. I sat in the front row before a movie once just to see what it was like and sitting that close it would feel like the movie is on top of you.

Yaeh, my seat for Jaws was M22 which was right in the middle of the last row. Perfect. Even in the back rows, the edges aren't ideal as the screen is somewhat curved so the viewing angles are worse. Had to settle for that a couple times, like with 2001: A Space Odyssey 70mm a few years back, because I waited too long to book a ticket.

[koberulz]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Saw it in IMAX on Saturday, and it was a great time. There was a lady next to me, who I assume was seeing it for the first time, and she'd jump and get frightened everytime the shark would appear to attack. This enhanced my experience, as it was fun seeing this 50 year old film still managing to frighten people. I wish I could see it for the first time and have that feeling again.

It's so often said that other people are the worst part of going to the cinema, and I often read posts where people are happy that they've got the theater entirely to themselves, even deliberately choosing sessions that other people are unlikely to attend. I've never understood that; if I want to watch a movie on my own I can do that at home. The presence of other people is the only thing my home theater can't replicate, and thus the only reason to go to the cinema (outside of wanting to see a new release before it's available at home, I guess).

[dallywhitty]

Originally Posted by koberulz

It's so often said that other people are the worst part of going to the cinema, and I often read posts where people are happy that they've got the theater entirely to themselves, even deliberately choosing sessions that other people are unlikely to attend. I've never understood that; if I want to watch a movie on my own I can do that at home. The presence of other people is the only thing my home theater can't replicate, and thus the only reason to go to the cinema (outside of wanting to see a new release before it's available at home, I guess).

I suppose that's true if you have a massive TV, but as a peasant boy with a humble 55" display, the main attraction of going to the cinema is seeing films on a big screen. It's more immersive. That said, I do agree that the presence of other people can enhance the experience. There's an electricity in the air when you've got a crowd that's clearly locked in and enjoying the film. And thankfully most of my cinema experiences have been positive, though ironically enough, the IMAX showing of Jaws the other day was the worst I've had in ages. There were big groups of teens treating the cinema like a hotel and constantly walking in and out, making noise and at one point playing music on their phone? A dude in the audience told them to shut the **** up.

[koberulz]

Originally Posted by dallywhitty

I suppose that's true if you have a massive TV

Yeah, my screen is three meters wide and I have $4000 worth of subwoofer in the room, so in terms of the spectacle I'm well and truly set.

But one of my favorite cinema experiences was seeing City Lights at an indie cinema with a tiny screen—the only seats close enough to make the screen a decent size were far too low—with a pretty big crowd. Appreciated it so much more than when I'd watched the Criterion Blu-ray at home on my own.

My least favorite experience was going to see Godzilla Minus One during its one-week theatrical run—this was before I had my home theater, so the spectacle was a selling point for that one—and watching all the Godzilla scenes through the phone screen of the woman sitting in front of me, who was holding it up nice and high so she could get a good angle to video record them.

[MifuneFan]

Some of my best theater experiences/memories are because of the crowd being fully into the movie, and providing an awesome and contagious energy. Had that happen a few times this year, including with Friendship, where my audience were thankfully into that brand of humor and were cracking up the whole time, and more recently with Weapons which was so fun to see with a crowd, especially the last 5-10 mins. I've been thankful to not have much in the way of bad movie experiences, but I also try to avoid certain theaters in more touristy areas (e.g. Times Square or 34th Street), which I've found to have more riff-raff.

The only time in recent memory I can recall seeing a movie either by myself, or with barely anyone else was Flow, but that worked well for that kind of movie.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by koberulz

It's so often said that other people are the worst part of going to the cinema, and I often read posts where people are happy that they've got the theater entirely to themselves, even deliberately choosing sessions that other people are unlikely to attend. I've never understood that; if I want to watch a movie on my own I can do that at home. The presence of other people is the only thing my home theater can't replicate, and thus the only reason to go to the cinema (outside of wanting to see a new release before it's available at home, I guess).

With the right crowd it's great, with a load of twats or even just one unruly f*cktard it's abysmal. I don't have the time to go to the cinema these days, the last time I went was literally a year ago, but when I do I don't care if I'm the only one there. As much as people can enhance the experience I'm not there to watch their reactions, I'm there to watch the movie in a way I can't do at home. If I wanted to hang around with people I'd go somewhere else. But I wouldn't, because people are cretins.

[steel_breeze]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

With the right crowd it's great, with a load of twats or even just one unruly f*cktard it's abysmal. I don't have the time to go to the cinema these days, the last time I went was literally a year ago, but when I do I don't care if I'm the only one there. As much as people can enhance the experience I'm not there to watch their reactions, I'm there to watch the movie in a way I can't do at home. If I wanted to hang around with people I'd go somewhere else. But I wouldn't, because people are cretins.

Strong agree. I'm done with the mainstream multiplex experience. Occasionally it's still worth going to the New Beverly here in Los Angeles for a 35mm print, or a special 70mm screening of something like 2001: A Space Odyssey -- which is AMAZING to see with a crowd; you suddenly realize how intentionally and darkly FUNNY it is -- but that's about it.

Great to hear about the Jaws screenings though; I do think that would be a fun one to re-experience with a crowd... if it were the RIGHT crowd.

[aladdin123]

There have always been very unruly people in theaters, especially psycopathic teens. The difference is that now, with the existence of smartphones and social media, they have more tools than ever before to be disruptive. They now have the tools to be even more disruptive than it was possible before.

I always get annoyed that every session has a few people using a phone. It's not the majority of people, but there are always those who can't truly let go of their phone, they once in a while open their phone to text and see messages. Even when it doesn't disrupt me, even when the phone screen's light is low, it makes me furious and pulls me out of the movie. Someday I'm going to lose my temper and actually break someone's phone. I don't get why movie theaters don't enforce rules that make everyone give away their phones before entering a screening.

[CreasyBear]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Some of my best theater experiences/memories are because of the crowd being fully into the movie, and providing an awesome and contagious energy. Had that happen a few times this year, including with Friendship, where my audience were thankfully into that brand of humor and were cracking up the whole time, and more recently with Weapons which was so fun to see with a crowd, especially the last 5-10 mins. I've been thankful to not have much in the way of bad movie experiences, but I also try to avoid certain theaters in more touristy areas (e.g. Times Square or 34th Street), which I've found to have more riff-raff.

The only time in recent memory I can recall seeing a movie either by myself, or with barely anyone else was Flow, but that worked well for that kind of movie.

The number of bad experiences I've had in my movie going life (over individual 1,200 movies seen theatrically, not counting repeat shows) is miniscule compared to the amount of fine or absolutely memorable and terrific experiences. Yes, while we have can have the same or better experience at home, you absolutely cannot replicate the experience of sitting with strangers in the dark being transported elsewhere.

[koberulz]

Originally Posted by aladdin123

I don't get why movie theaters don't enforce rules that make everyone give away their phones before entering a screen.

They do this in Germany, but they also call cellphones “handies,” so you get statements like “handies must be given to staff before entry.”

[Dickieduvet]

Took my 12 yr old Son to see Jaws in 3D X on Saturday, it was great to watch his reactions and the 3D conversion was really impressive.

Would be nice to get this version on a physical release one day.