Indiana Jones 4 no to digital format at Theaters

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by Hypnopooper

Unless much has changed since I was a projectionist for AMC, Absolutely nothing gets changed when a new film is run for the first time. The Lenses are already focused minus fine tuning via a nob on the lens, once they are set you dont mess with them, or else you chance screwing up and decomissioning an entire theater due to bad picture.

I dont ever recall changing a bulb for the sake of a new film. The Xenon bulb in the projectors are extremely expensive. In order to make profit, you run them for their lifetime and get the maximum hours before they begin to look noticably dimmer.

Lenses and projectors are cleaned nightly. Your best viewing is the first run in the morning since most likely the projector will not have been cleaned before the midnight showing.

I can't remember the last time I went to the cinema and within 5 minutes of the picture starting didn't have to go and ask for a projectionist to check the focus.

As for what gets changed and what doesn't, Max isn't implying this happens for every film...but where Spielberg and Lucas are involved it's entirely likely this could be in a contract.

When Star Wars II came out there was some stipulation I believe that only houses with at least one digital projection screen could run it for the first x number of days, before it went into wide circulation.

I could be wrong, but I remember some contract in place with any picture house that wanted to show it.

[DViper2399]

Originally Posted by Bobby Henderson

I also doubt movie theater chains would bother resurrecting 70mm projection equipment for this event. They could do it without too awful much trouble. But I don't think they're going to go through with the effort. Even a IMAX 15/70 DMR blow up is a long shot.

I totally agree Theaters that just spent Millions to go digital & 3d are not going to spend a dime converting back to film for 1 movie or a few movies for that matter. Paramount will adjust before any theater does & if they don't it's their loss not the theaters! Yeah people will be mad when their favorite theater doesn't have it but they can just tell them, that the film makers & studio are stubborn & want all theaters to go back to the crappy film days, just so they can play their 1 movie!

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by dobyblue

I can't remember the last time I went to the cinema and within 5 minutes of the picture starting didn't have to go and ask for a projectionist to check the focus.

You get results? Try finding someone in a big Toronto megaplex.

It seems time and time again (especially in this country) that business seem clueless about what they are supposed to be doing.

(1) Movie projection is a service industry
(2) Providing bad service drives away customers

It's not rocket science.

Don't get me started on Canada Post.

[guitarist155]

long live film, i agree with spielberg on this the movies just are not the movies without film

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by Bobby Henderson

I have my doubts.

Chances are the movie itself is being post produced in the usual manner: 2K quality for CGI and digital intermediate. That would make this film-only stance over 2K digital projection quite a farce.

If the effects and DI were produced in 4K or 6K resolution and some 5-perf 70mm film prints were made then I might get excited about the film-only push.

FYI, the last Indiana Jones movie had a good number of 70mm Dolby mag film prints. Some were even 70mm Dolby SR mag.

I strongly doubt Paramount will be making any 70mm prints for this new film. I also doubt movie theater chains would bother resurrecting 70mm projection equipment for this event. They could do it without too awful much trouble. But I don't think they're going to go through with the effort. Even a IMAX 15/70 DMR blow up is a long shot.

If was 70mm I would have been all over this like white on rice. Seriously that would be the best way to show this movie, and I would make a special trip to the Leicester Square Odeon just to see it (the only good 70mm theatre in London, I swear). I'm not sure what the CGI was done in, I hope they aren't done in 2k, it would be a real shame as other movies with 2k SFX were just too obvious compared to their 4k counterparts. Apparently the majority of the SFX has been done traditionally, so not too much CGI. Awesome.

[dialog_gvf]

I don't know if there is a good 70mm theater in Toronto. I remember 20+ years ago there were two in Montreal I used to practically live at.

Mostly today it's "Big picture. Big sound" that is out of focus with buzz in the audio.

Well, what do we expect being the birthplace of Cineplex?

Gary

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by dialog_gvf

You get results? Try finding someone in a big Toronto megaplex.

It seems time and time again (especially in this country) that business seem clueless about what they are supposed to be doing.

(1) Movie projection is a service industry
(2) Providing bad service drives away customers

It's not rocket science.

Don't get me started on Canada Post.

With Blu-ray people are starting to get 'theatre quality' at home (only because the theatre is so bad) and won't bother going anymore. They need to sort it and fast.

[Kayne314]

Originally Posted by JohnGalt

I won't see it in a theater but only because the experience is now better at home. This is the first year that I'll be skipping all of the blockbuster theatrical presentations in favor of picking up the Blu-rays when they become available.

Hear, hear! I feel a bit of trepidation at doing this, you know I might be missing out

But the two theaters I get to choose from both employ minimum wage flunkies, that only barely know what the projector is for. I haven't seen a movie in the theater in years that wasn't out of focus or had distorted audio. Since I upgraded my home theater with 7.1 channel HD audio, and a 1080p plasma TV, I've noticed my home experience is by far the superior experience.

I've had to wait for movies like War, Shoot-em up, Beowulf, Across The Universe, Bourne Ultimatum, Invasion, Sunshine, Stardust, Resident Evil: Extinction, and 30 Days of Night. The anticipation made them all the more enjoyable when I finally got to see them. Nothing like Perfect AQ and PQ to make the movie really shine.

I'll probably skip Indiana Jones too. Why not save the experience for when I can be assured I'm getting the best out of it?

[Gavin Von Karls]

35mm is still the best (actually 70mm is far better but very few theaters can project that.) and it's why 95% of films you see in the theater were shot on film. It's going to take a little while before digital can catch up to film. Spielberg knows this. Seriously, end of story here.

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by dialog_gvf

Mostly today it's "Big picture. Big sound" that is out of focus with buzz in the audio.

It all went downhill when they knocked down and closed the two best screens in Toronto.

1) Uptown Cinema - 8 Channel SDDS, THX
2) York Cinema (100 Eglinton Ave East) THX

Disgraceful that these two cinemas are no longer in business.

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

If was 70mm I would have been all over this like white on rice. Seriously that would be the best way to show this movie, and I would make a special trip to the Leicester Square Odeon just to see it (the only good 70mm theatre in London, I swear).

Awesome cinema - I saw Ghost there.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by benes

Theres a big difference between shooting digitally and projecting digitally. Most movies shown on DLP were shot on film. And they look FAR better than the film projection in the theater next door. I've done at least half a dozen direct comparisons and it is simply no contest. 35mm release prints just don't deliver.

I think the issue is that LCoS is obviously extremely consistent, and generally good quality.

35mm has the potential to look absolutely amazing, and if you go to the right theatre it can blow you away, now I know a lot of people won't make the pilgrimage to the right theatres, but it really is worth it for fans of certain movies. The Star Wars fans going to LA were a bit extreme, but most big cities have got at least one decent 35mm projection. I know in the UK we have got a few, any Empire will do the trick...

[bajor27]

I was going to say that this news doesn't effect me in any way since Vancouver, Canada doesn't have any digital projection theatres. It turns out that we are finally getting some though (and one of them is the theatre I always go to)

For any Vancouver people

[sj001]

I will see it opening night no matter what, we have a very nice theater here that kicks the snot out of any others around here. I can definitely tell the difference between them. I just don't think you can surpass the experience of seeing a movie like Indy IV on opening night in the theater by waiting and watching it home, it's just not the same, IMHO.

[savage1984]

Originally Posted by stockstar1138

i pay 8 bucks to go see a digital film, i get 2 million pixels on the screen for my 8 bucks, now tell me why i should pay the same amount of money for less than a million pixels!!!! maybe if it was only 4 bucks to see the movie it would be worth it, but I'm not paying for something, no matter how good the movie is, to be thinking my contacts are getting foggy the whole movie.

where do you pay 8 bucks. I think it's up to 10 bucks in Los Angeles, mang.

[savage1984]

Originally Posted by sj001

I will see it opening night no matter what, we have a very nice theater here that kicks the snot out of any others around here. I can definitely tell the difference between them. I just don't think you can surpass the experience of seeing a movie like Indy IV on opening night in the theater by waiting and watching it home, it's just not the same, IMHO.

+ 1... very few movies I'll see opening night. I've been waiting a very long time for this one. I HAVE to see it then.

[dialog_gvf]

Originally Posted by dobyblue

It all went downhill when they knocked down and closed the two best screens in Toronto.

1) Uptown Cinema - 8 Channel SDDS, THX
2) York Cinema (100 Eglinton Ave East) THX

Disgraceful that these two cinemas are no longer in business.

Geez, I forgot about those. Shame on me. Yes, those two were wonderful. I've hardly gone to movies since they closed.

Oh my: Front row, feet up on the "stage", at the Uptown. What a great time.

I agree, it's a total disgrace.

Gary

[Izzy]

Wow! some are loosing focus here, which is the ART.

Did we forget the movie while we were discussing pixels?

[Big_Rizzle]

I'm sure the transfer will be good on blu lets just hope we get it in the next 3 years

[stockstar1138]

Originally Posted by arsnlrob

Well the consensus on these boards and elsewhere is that 1080 is not a noticable improvement at a normal seating distance on a screen <50". I think there's some improvement but there's not a CLEAR difference due to the increased pixel count. It's not a SD vs BD issue, much more subtle.

I just think it's funny you'll be saving your $8 at the theatre due to the pixel count. I guess you're saving for your > 50" plasma!

trust me, i've played around with turning my ps3 down to only 720p, there is a definate difference on my HDTV between 720p and 1080p and I sit about 7 feet away.