Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: 70mm releases for 2020

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Posted by David J Hilsgen (Member # 2614) on 12-29-2019, 01:51 AM:

Well everybody knows that there will be 5/70s of Tenet released in July, here is my opinion, what else I think might be released in 70mm. Birds of prey, Wonder woman 1984 and Godzilla versus Kong anybody want to chime in with their opinions.

Posted by Daniel Schulz (Member # 1881) on 12-29-2019, 06:19 PM:

quote: David J Hilsgen
Well everybody knows that there will be 5/70s of Tenet released in July, here is my opinion, what else I think might be released in 70mm. Birds of prey, Wonder woman 1984 and Godzilla versus Kong anybody want to chime in with their opinions.

The only consistent pattern is Warner Bros. supporting the format (probably as a way to keep the relevant lab operation running to keep the Nolan machine humming along), so your list is on point. It'd be nice to see some 70mm prints from other studios - maybe for No Time to Die?

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 12-29-2019, 07:06 PM:

I just wish 70mm prints from new movies could be sourced from something better than a 2K or 4K digital intermediate. When the movie is some big budget super hero movie or other CGI-loaded spectacle the source DI is almost always 2K.

We're going into the year 2020 and the level of computational horsepower in current top of the line workstation graphics boards is on a geometric magnitude many times greater than the boards in workstations when digital intermediates were being rendered in 2K nearly 20 years ago. It should not be anymore difficult at all to render a movie's CG effects and DI in 8K with today's hardware than it was to do the same work in 2K back in 2010.

I'm guessing all the advances in computing horsepower are being used to compress production schedules, allow more changes to VFX shots and delay the final renders closer and closer to the movie's release date. It's all about producing work using old quality standards but doing it a lot faster. Cats went out initially with some draft CGI and a couple or so days later new DCPs were sent to theaters. Basically it seems like a lot of this stuff is being rushed out rather than well designed and planned.

And then there's the factor of movies spending so little time in movie theaters anymore. I'm sure the deciders are only wanting to spend the time and money it takes to render something in 1080p for home TV screens rather than something that would allow a 70mm print to out-class 4K digital projection. They probably also figure the 70mm print will only play for a week or two before being retired (if it's not trashed before then).

Back in the day a movie in 70mm was meant to play at a flagship-class theater for a period measured in months. Today multiplex theaters tend to change the "big" movie playing in the premium house at least every 1-2 weeks. It's rare for one movie to stay in a specific Lie-Max house for 3 or more weeks now. 70mm has a tough time fitting in with that. I remember being disappointed the 70mm show of The Hateful Eight I watched in Oklahoma City was situated in a smaller auditorium (with a common width screen no less). I watched it as early as I could after opening day before the print got trashed. It's too bad the 70mm print couldn't have been booked on a big screen in OKC, like the Cine Capri in Bricktown. That would have been good.

Anyway, I'll probably go out of my way to see Tenet in 70mm. I'm not nearly as enthusiastic about the other movies. They'll at least give some projectionists a bit of practice at handling 70mm prints.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 12-29-2019, 07:21 PM:

I wish they were real 70mm prints and not made from a 4K D.I.!

Posted by Terry Monohan (Member # 8285) on 12-30-2019, 09:21 AM:

It's time the big movie studios bring back and restore their few original shot in 65mm film prints not 35mm to 70mm prints. Around The World in true TODD-AO 70mm film along with so many others that are all pink and spliced up that still show at 70mm festivals around the world.

They need to train new projectionists on the art of showing 70mm roadshow film prints with a changeover. Keep these classic 70mm prints coming and show the new ones shot in 65mm when they come out before they hit the home screen downloads.

Many film goers still know the difference in large 70mm big curved screen film compared to stay at home computer TV image.

Sad to say many younger movie patrons have no idea about the difference in film or digital size when they go to a multiplex, flat or curved screen or the difference in the shape of the projected image. Most movie cinemas don't even use their masking any more.

The movie circuits do little advertising to let the movie public know a format a movie is being shown in and much less telling you the type of sound system used in each auditorium.

When was the last time you went to a full opened boxofice ticket window and saw a Dolby Digital®/ Dolby Atmos® or the Barco 11 system lighted sign in the window?

Many movie theatres don't even bother to advertise a 70mm film print even when they show one. You have to do your own investigation It seems.

We need a new 'Mike Todd' type person that knows showmanship in 2020 and a new movie theatre circuit that cares about large screen presentation not just food and pre show washed out advertising on their tiny screens.

Posted by Kyle Mikolajczyk (Member # 10859) on 12-30-2019, 09:50 AM:

I want No Time to Die, it is possible and it would be nice to see the last Daniel Craig James Bond in 70.

Posted by Mark Louis (Member # 10632) on 12-30-2019, 11:22 AM:

I'm committed to try and keep 70mm alive but I can tell you first hand that it is a major challenge. At Alamo Drafthouse we have three 70mm houses (Brooklyn, Austin and San Francisco) and I'm still working on having 70mm capability in our "Big Show" PLF auditoriums. We also of course have more than 20 venues with 35mm capability. Keeping equipment maintained (especially for outdated formats like 6 track mag) and projectionists trained and sharp in order to comply with our reel to reel only operation policy, is a full time job in itself.

Concerning 70mm going forward, I would love to hear any suggestions on where I can get my hands on good 70mm reel to reel equipment. Needs to include 6K or greater lamphouses to light our 65 foot minimum, native scope PLF screens.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 12-30-2019, 01:03 PM:

That brings up another serious difficulty about 70mm: lack of NEW equipment. How are parts on these old projectors getting fixed or replaced when they break?

OT: Mark, do you know anything about a new Alamo Drafthouse location getting built or planned for the Chisholm Creek development on the North side of Oklahoma City? Last year the OKC rumor mill was buzzing about such plans but I haven't seen anything more on that. The location is very trendy though.

Posted by Mark Louis (Member # 10632) on 12-30-2019, 02:24 PM:

quote: Bobby Henderson
OT: Mark, do you know anything about a new Alamo Drafthouse location getting built or planned for the Chisholm Creek development on the North side of Oklahoma City? Last year the OKC rumor mill was buzzing about such plans but I haven't seen anything more on that. The location is very trendy though.

Hi Bobby, I haven't heard anything about OKC in a while, but that's not unusual. They tell me where and when and then I get involved. One exception is that I do get questions about the viability of an Alamo in my home state of Ohio but everywhere else is above my pay grade.....lol

Concerning 35/70mm parts and service. We've got suppliers like Boston Light and Sound, Sam Chavez, Charles Massa, Magna-Tech, MIT, Strong, etc. For parts service/refurbish (including sound processors), we've usually gone to Boston Light and Sound.