Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Chris Nolan's DUNKIRK in IMAX, 70mm, 35mm and DCP

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Posted by Eric Carter (Member # 1392) on 12-28-2015, 02:09 PM:

Chris Nolan's secretive new project is a WWII epic DUNKIRK. To be shot in a combination of 65mm IMAX and 65mm, it will be released in all of the juicy formats on 21 July 2017. Here's the Warner Bros. press release:

DUNKIRK Press Release

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 12-28-2015, 02:27 PM:

They lost me at "immersion". Seriously, this overused word needs to be banned from cinemas.

Posted by Chris Haller (Member # 9206) on 12-28-2015, 02:34 PM:

I wonder just how many 15/70 locations will be left by the time this one rolls around, with the laser rollout. It might pick up between now and then.
As of a few months ago when I inquired with management, we still had our SR projectors sitting up in the IMAX booth here in Rochester, although obviously they haven't seen any action in over a year. Who knows, maybe we'll get a print at Nolan's request, like we did with Interstellar.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 12-28-2015, 02:36 PM:

quote:
The film will be released theatrically on IMAX, 70mm, 35mm and all other screens.

As a member of the we-get-no-respect, no-respect-at-all "all other" category, I agree. Any movie should be immersive; if it isn't, it's not a good movie.

Posted by Jonathan Goeldner (Member # 4854) on 12-28-2015, 02:41 PM:

oh good grief - just shot in super 16mm and release it only as such... my head hurts.

Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 12-28-2015, 02:53 PM:

So... not knowing all that much about laser...

Could you convert a film setup to laser and if so, would there be less / no heat at the aperture? Possibly more light thereby?

Posted by Sam D. Chavez (Member # 1841) on 12-28-2015, 02:56 PM:

Jack,

As in a laser lamphouse for a film projector? Don't think anyone is working on that.

Posted by Lyle Romer (Member # 1266) on 12-28-2015, 03:22 PM:

Wouldn't laser illumination for film need some pretty special color timing? Film isn't normally illuminated by 3 distinct wavelengths.

What I'd really like to see is what this movie looks like projected in digital 4k laser DLP projection vs 70mm film.

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 12-28-2015, 03:25 PM:

quote: Jonathan Goeldner
oh good grief - just shot in super 16mm and release it only as such... my head hurts.

We still have our 16mm [Wink]

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 12-28-2015, 04:05 PM:

Nolan is going to make a movie about Dunkirk? That's not one of the more triumphant stories from World War II, other than it was deemed a miracle Allied forces were able to evacuate more than 300,000 troops from the clutches of advancing German forces. I suppose the movie could be thrilling if the story is told effectively.

"High impact immersion?" I guess that's sales-speak for best image quality possible.

quote: Chris Haller
I wonder just how many 15/70 locations will be left by the time this one rolls around, with the laser rollout.

There's no telling for sure. I think at least some 15/70mm projectors remain in place alongside 2K digital systems. IIRC, Cinemark has at least a couple or so 15/70mm systems in their IMAX houses that can be used. Maybe Boston Light & Sound Inc can reinstall some of those 15/70mm systems. [Razz]

I still can't believe the Bob Bullock IMAX theater in Austin took out its 15/70mm system, replacing it with an ordinary dual 2K system instead. That's the more troubling trend. You have real IMAX theaters taking out real IMAX film projection equipment and replacing it with ordinary "Lie-MAX" 2K stuff. They're not even waiting for the laser systems to arrive.

Meanwhile IMAX' laser roll-out is going very slowly. I'm guessing cost is the main reason for the snail's pace of installations. News articles about a pending IMAX laser upgrade at a 15/70mm theater in Chattanooga put the install cost at $1.2 million. IMAX may have over 70 orders for these new laser-based systems, but at the current pace it will take several years to fill those orders. Dolby Cinema at AMC Prime installs are going at a faster pace. Are any other theater chains in the US beside AMC going to put in any Dolby Cinema screens?

Posted by Geoff Jones (Member # 3668) on 12-28-2015, 07:15 PM:

quote: Bobby Henderson
I'm guessing cost is the main reason for the snail's pace of installations.

I'm guessing the real reason is that they have absolutely no incentive to upgrade their 2k liemax sites when the general public happily fills them up weekend after weekend.

quote: Mike Blakesley
As a member of the we-get-no-respect, no-respect-at-all "all other" category, I agree. Any movie should be immersive; if it isn't, it's not a good movie.

I respect the efforts you have put into your cinema Mike, but when I'm watching a [dlp]

movie and solid images appear to swim around with that digital shimmer or I see jagged stair-steps on diagonal lines, it pulls me out of the experience.

Granted, I have certainly seen plenty of bad 35mm showings that pulled me out of the experience, but the transition to digital occurred before the technology was where it should have been.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 12-28-2015, 09:20 PM:

quote: Geoff Jones
when I'm watching a movie and solid images appear to swim around with that digital shimmer or I see jagged stair-steps on diagonal lines, it pulls me out of the experience.

You mean it... pulls you out of your high impact immersion?