Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: "STAR WARS:EPISODE 2" in IMAX opens on Friday

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Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 10-27-2002, 11:48 PM:

I wanted to see "APOLLO 13" at our local IMAX theatre here in Hawaii but it was passed over so the Waikiki Imax would be available to play "STAR WARS-EPISODE 2" on Friday along with 70 other large format theatres in the United States and Canada. Since the IMAX process is a film format, I am not expecting very much as far as image quality is concerned. "Episode 2" looked like

in the 35mm film version and I am afraid, it might look like a much larger pile of

in IMAX with the 2.35.1 image recomposed for the square screen. I am planning to see it but I am not expecting too much from this film like I did for "APOLLO 13".

-Claude

Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 10-28-2002, 12:13 AM:

I heard that they have cut 28 minutes from the regular 35 MM release AND that it does not look great up there on that huge screen. (Something having to do with the digital conversion?)

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"Running through life at 24 frames per second"

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 10-28-2002, 03:19 AM:

Dennis,

Cutting twenty eight minutes out of the film might not be a bad idea. Who knows, this might make the movie better and people like myself would enjoy it more because the original film was much too long and very boring.

-Claude

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 10-28-2002, 10:38 AM:

The film has been trimmed down to about 120 minutes. If the platter for this arrives today, I am planning on screening this tonight.

As far as what I can tell from the trailer, the CGI stuff looks great (since the original source data was re-rezzed) but the very brief shots of live action look blurry. Can't imagine why.

I was spared from watching this in 35mm, so I won't be able to tell you what was cut. (I did see Jar Jar at one reel change, though)

As far as Apollo 13 bookings go, less than 25 theaters in North America were "invited" to show the film. Bookings had nothing to do with the release of Episode II, which was made public after the Apollo contracts were signed. Like my theater, there are many others playing both films.

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 10-28-2002, 11:22 AM:

Adam Martin wrote: "As far as what I can tell from the trailer, the CGI stuff looks great (since the original source data was re-rezzed) but the very brief shots of live action look blurry. Can't imagine why."

The lack of sharpness in the HDCAM material compared to the CGI was obvious in the 35mm release, especially when live action was composited with CGI (e.g., Yoda scenes). IMHO, with necessary Nyquist anti-alias filtration and the HDCAM compression of both luminance and chromiance information, there ain't much detail left to fill a huge screen:
here Digital Subsampling

"Apollo 13" started out with much more information to work with.

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John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7525A
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: +1 585 477 5325 Cell: +1 585 781 4036 Fax: +1 585 722 7243
e-mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: here

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 10-28-2002, 11:28 AM:

Why is George allowing his movie to be shown on horrible evil film? As George has taught us, digital video is better... not even IMAX can compete. It's film after all, and will get messed up within a week of running over all the wires, etc.

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 10-28-2002, 12:43 PM:

AFAIK, for now at least, filling an 80-foot IMAX screen = toasted DLP.

Size DOES matter, whether it's film or silicon.

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 10-28-2002, 04:55 PM:

IMAX DLP would lead to SWEP2: Attack of the Globs

Posted by Thomas Procyk (Member # 1170) on 10-28-2002, 07:22 PM:

Will the box office totals for the IMAX release be added to the original movie's gross? After all, if 28 minutes was cut and the frames re-composed for IMAX, then it's not the same movie. (Like the Apollo 13 IMAX totals are not being counted with the original film, AFAIK)

If they are, then Georgie is just trying to bump the total up so it can be comfortable up there with his other precious movies.

=TMP=

Posted by Charles Everett (Member # 889) on 10-31-2002, 04:21 PM:

The newspaper ads in New York say it all:

SIZE MATTERS NOT.
Except on an Imax Screen

Yoda and his light saber are prominent in the ad -- the Star Wars logo is not.

The release title is Attack of the Clones: The Imax Experience. Logically that means B.O. will be separate from the 35mm version.

All 3 commercial Imax theaters in the NY area -- Loews Imax, Regal New Roc City Imax, Imax at Palisades Center -- will show the Imax version of Episode 2 at least until Treasure Planet opens 11/27.

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 11-01-2002, 06:08 PM:

George Lucas and Fox does not appear to have too much faith in the IMAX version of 'STAR WARS- Episode 2, The IMAX Experience", the way they are advertising the movie in Honolulu's two major newspapers. All they have is a tiny advertisment in another part of the weekend tabloid under "EVENTS" and not with the other ads in the movie section.

Except for one daily showing of the "In House" IMAX film "HIDDEN HAWAII" at the Waikiki IMAX during the first hour after they open, the "STAR WARS" film is being shown four times every day until "TREASURE PLANET" open in a few weeks.

-Claude

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 11-01-2002, 10:50 PM:

Typically, IMAX theatres handle their own advertising individually without the studio's help. It depends on the contract. Disney has contract versions that allow them to deal with the advertising in exchange for a higher film rental. I don't know what was specifically available as terms from Fox, though. Our theater is handling the ads for SW2, just as we did for Apollo 13.

Posted by Charles Everett (Member # 889) on 11-02-2002, 11:21 AM:

The ad running in New York is a 20th Century Fox stack ad. It includes the theaters, phone numbers, websites and showtimes.

Posted by William Leland III (Member # 1400) on 11-02-2002, 04:28 PM:

We had a projectionist screening at the Charleston I-Max for SWEP:II 70mm. i was not looking forward to see it on 70mm , I think we all can agree it sucked on 35mm. but WOW... it rocked on 70mm format. U could see the detail in the backgrounds and the sound was freaking awesome. When Obi Won and Anakin are in the flying car chasing the bounty hunter girl, we are able to see the car dashboards perfectly. There is a great difference in the movie. What a difference size and no blurry backgrounds can make.
I think projectionist need to see this movie. It will give you a more comforting feeling of digital film. Can anyone compare SWEP:II 70mm to SWEP:II on digital film?

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 11-02-2002, 07:13 PM:

I am very pleased you had enjoyed the IMAX version of "EPISODE 11". I hope to find the time to see it sometime next week. By the way, forgive me for being technical but the large film format is registered and known as IMAX and not I-Max.

-Claude

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 11-02-2002, 08:56 PM:

quote:
for now at least, filling an 80-foot IMAX screen = toasted DLP.

I think you are very right, John.

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Better Projection Pays!

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 11-03-2002, 01:31 AM:

OK it's out now. So how does it look?

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 11-03-2002, 02:25 AM:

The CGI looks spectacular, as expected. The live action looks acceptable to a regular movie-goer. But most of it is CGI, so what does it matter?

But to the projectionist ... everyone has a video "halo" around them and you can also notice funky stuff where they used blue screens. Some large areas like sky occasionally get jpeggy during the rare instances when the camera isn't moving. You can see the occasional jaggy edge, too. In some dark scenes, it is noticably grainier than the rest of the film. (I should note that I was specifically looking for this stuff and had to point some of it out to other projectionists.)

And, boy, does that Anakin kid wear a lot of makeup! And that tight white shirt that Padme wears? Oh, my. It must have been cold on the set.

The sound kicks much ass.

As far as the 28 minutes that were cut out, I'm told that it makes the movie better with it gone. This version moves along at a good pace and rarely slows but for a moment here and there.

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 11-03-2002, 04:20 PM:

I'd be curious about what rez the CGI (and the whole picture) was rerendered at.

Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 11-03-2002, 04:27 PM:

It will be interesting to see if the box office take for the IMAX versions of APOLLO 13 and SWEP2 are reported separately. They ought to be, since they are -- technically -- not the same movie (err, umm....I mean "experience").

Claude wrote:

quote:
I am very pleased you had enjoyed the IMAX version of "EPISODE 11"....By the way, forgive me for being technical but the large film format is registered and known as IMAX and not I-Max.

And forgive me too, but when did they make Episodes 7 thru 10?

Posted by James B. Openshaw (Member # 1310) on 11-03-2002, 04:48 PM:

I screened this on Wed., Oct. 30.

First, the picture was decent. The CGI was very sharply displayed on the screen. The live action still looked soft however; but credit for that can go to Georgie Boy's use of the HDCAM.

As for the sound, Sonics (now offically "IMAX Digital Media") did a very impressive job on their 6-track Digital Sound, even though our DTAC hard drive is full.

In conclusion, IMAX did a very commendable job with their DMR process. I look forward to the next IMAX DMR converted movie.

BTW, for what it's worth, IMAX as I-max is still IMAX.

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 11-03-2002, 06:09 PM:

Hi Manny,

Sorry! When I typed "EPISODE 11", The '11' was suppose to be the Roman numeral '2' and not the modern number ELEVEN.

-Claude

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 11-03-2002, 06:16 PM:

The IMAX DMR process scans the original material at a resolution of 6K, so I would assume that the CGI was re-rendered at that resolution also.

Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 11-04-2002, 10:01 AM:

Just got "Star Wars: Episode 2" on DVD last Friday. It looks and sounds fantastic. So I guess I will miss the IMAX presentation.

Posted by Thomas Procyk (Member # 1170) on 11-04-2002, 10:09 AM:

They should re-release some old films with the IMAX DMR process that actually fit into the IMAX aspect ratio. Imagine "Gone With The Wind" having a dye-transfer made into an IMAX print. With the original intermission intact, it would certainly be possible to run that length of a movie. (or not?)

=TMP=

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 11-04-2002, 11:18 AM:

Thomas,

I would also love to see "GONE WITH THE WIND" in IMAX. I recall seeing this film for the very first time during it's many theatrical re release in Santa Barbara in the early sixties when I was a very young man studying photography and was very impressed with the sweeping visuals and wonderful story. The print I saw was a dye transfer and it was very beautiful. I think it would look great in IMAX. If a two hour film like "EPISODE 11" can be shown in IMAX, I am sure they can do it with "GWTW". Gee, the film and I are the same age. I was only three months old when it was world premiered in Atlanta that very cold December evening in 1939. Like me, great things never age

-Claude

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 11-04-2002, 11:25 AM:

So does the movie take up the whole screen (cropped) or is it letterboxed?

Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 11-04-2002, 01:22 PM:

Claude,

"Gone with the Wind" had it's second sneak preview screening at the Granada Theatre in Santa Barbara. The first was at the Fox Riverside Theatre. GWTW runs 233 minutes.

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 11-04-2002, 03:02 PM:

Star Wars: Attack of the Clones was reformatted to about 1.66:1 with a letterbox at the top of the screen and the sides cropped off a bit.

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 11-27-2002, 04:20 AM:

"EPISODE TWO" ended it's Honolulu run today at the Waikiki IMAX to make room for "THREASURE PLANET" tomorrow and I had to take the atenoon off in order to see it before it left. First of all, I was very impressed with the general impact of the presentation but the picture quality was very poor with a very pale look to it and it was rather soft. Because the original was digital, the IMAX film presentation had almost the same look as the 35mm film presentation I saw earlier and did not like. THe sound however was superb! I was amazed how they shortened the credits by stacking all of the names together. As far as the film itself is concerned, the DVD is the best way to see the movie because the image quality is outstanding. I was among only ten people who saw the 2:00 PM showing today and if this trend continues, the Waikiki IMAX might eventually join the other Waikiki theatres that has all closed due to lack of business. It just pisses me off when people start bitching about the Waikiki theatres closing in our daiy newspapers "Letters to the Editor" when most of them has never supported the theatres when they needed the business. I predict that the majority of the parents with little children will take them to the nearest mall theatre to see "TREASURE PLANET" in a standard 35mm presentation instead of the IMAX showing in Waikiki. That is sad indeed! As far as I am concerned, I cannot wait to see the movie in IMAX.

-Claude