Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: "Batman" -- IMAX Locations

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Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 06-15-2005, 01:22 AM:

Who plans to see "Batman Begins" in its IMAX DMR version? What previous IMAX DMR presentations have you seen? What is your impression of the format? Do you think these presentations should have the original 35mm widescreen image "letterboxed" within the narrower IMAX frame, or should the image fill the whole 1.44:1 IMAX frame?

Here is a list of the "Batman Begins" IMAX presentation locations.

Posted by Robert Stawiarski (Member # 1842) on 06-15-2005, 01:38 AM:

I have already seen Batman Begins: The IMAX Experience three times and will probably see it a few dozen more times, at least. The format itself is very impressive and is fun to work with. Other than Apollo 13, I have seen all of the DMR releases and I prefer the DMR films to be shown in the aspect ratio that they were originally edited for.

Posted by Brian Michael Weidemann (Member # 2243) on 06-15-2005, 04:49 AM:

I've seen all the DMR transfers except for Apollo 13 and Attack of the Clones. They keep getting better and better. The Matrix movies looked crisp, with some artifacts, but the movies were so drab and green. The Lion King was amazing! Spiderman 2, too ... they were actually colorful, bright, and nice to watch. Robots was Flat, so its DMR transfer filled a lot more of the screen. It was nice and colorful, but a little pixelated. Since I got sick of that movie quickly, I wasn't so impressed. I wished they had re-rendered that one (like they did with Polar Express) instead of the same DMR transfer that live-action uses. Polar Express may have been the crispest, cleanest image of them all.

I think it's a great format because it's so incredibly sharp. I've seen some impressive 35mm, but IMAX has always had a stronger, more stable, and crisp image; or at least the potential for it.

It wouldn't work in full frame IMAX. The films aren't originally shot to such a narrow aspect, and the motion in such a small cropped area, expanded to fill the whole screen would cause some motion sickness or disorientation. The IMAX aspect is quite close to television, but on a television it's not so bad. It's not trying to fill your peripheral in the way IMAX was designed to.

I've seen Batman Begins DMR twice now, and look forward to many more. I think we'll get many people coming back, expressly for the IMAX presentation, DESPITE the $13 Regal is charging per ticket. Our midnight show sold out 550 seats. There were quite a few Ooh's and Ahh's from the presentation. The Magnificent Desolation trailer is a GREAT first thing to pop onto the screen!

Posted by Paul Linfesty (Member # 214) on 06-15-2005, 10:12 AM:

Although the linked list indicates a June 15 opening for all U.S. engagements, the Sacramento Esquire IMAX Theatre website indicates that BATMAN BEGINS won't begin until July 15.

Posted by Joseph L. Kleiman (Member # 3097) on 06-15-2005, 10:51 AM:

Sacramento has always had clearance issues with DMR films, and usually has to wait two weeks to a month to get the films. This really sucks for me because I live only a few blocks from the theater. If I can't wait to see a DMR film (which is often the case), I'll usually travel to San Francisco and see it at METREON. For Batman, I'm treating myself - I'm driving three hours to San Jose this weekend to see it on the dome. I'm hoping the geometry of the theater will give the film a more encompassing feeling than seeing it on a flat screen.

Posted by Eric Hooper (Member # 1730) on 06-15-2005, 03:02 PM:

The Dome in SJ just recently won a battle w/Century over the same clearance issues. Now they can open the DMR titles the same opening weekend as everyone else.

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 06-15-2005, 06:57 PM:

quote: Paul Linfesty
According to the Sacramento IMAX Theatre website, BATMAN BEGINS won't begin until July 15.

I saw a reference to a July 15 start date but thought it was a typo considering the day of the week was the same and the month is also four letters with the first two being the same.

Considering "Batman Begins" was originally scheduled to open on June 17, I'm not convinced that every single showing began on the 15th, particularly the international showings, despite claims from the studio that the IMAX release is "day and date." I'll revise my list accordingly as new verified info comes along.

quote: Joseph L. Kleiman
Sacramento has always had clearance issues with DMR films

Why? They're in their own market; who are they competing with? Is it because the Esquire is corporately owned and that somehow creates unfair access to product?

Posted by Joseph L. Kleiman (Member # 3097) on 06-15-2005, 08:20 PM:

The clearance issue is in regard to the same day-and-date release as 35mm exhibitors in the Sacramento market, not about competing with other large format exhibitors. In Sacramento, we have two large circuits operating - Century and Regal. Neither operates an IMAX theater in the market.

Posted by Aaron Haney (Member # 747) on 06-15-2005, 10:05 PM:

I was at the IMAX midnight screening at the San Francisco Metreon last night. Despite the fact that it was letterboxed and I was sitting very far back from the screen (not quite the back row, but almost), the image was still a little too large to take in all at once, especially given the tight framing of this particular movie. After the show ended, I overheard people around me expressing a similar feeling.

The IMAX transfer was very good. I saw no grain reduction artifacts or other problems that were visible in earlier DMR transfers like Apollo 13. It even looked better than the first Matrix sequel, which was up until now the best DMR transfer I had seen.

However, the Metreon's presentation left a bit to be desired.

First of all, it appears the screen in this auditorium is badly damaged. There are a lot of ugly marks and blemishes which are quite visible whenever the onscreen image turns bright, especially during flashes or a fade-to-white. It's basically impossible to ignore, especially since many of these marks are near the center of the screen.

Secondly, the show was started severely out of focus. It was quickly corrected, but I don't believe it was corrected all the way. It looked like it ended up about 95% of the way towards proper focus -- almost, but not quite there. However, it was close enough to where it was really hard to tell. Nevertheless, I was left with a nagging feeling for the rest of the show that the focus just wasn't quite 100% correct. Distracting.

Lastly, there is a bit of stray ambient light hitting the bottom corners of the screen from the doorways, which never really goes away, even when the house lights go all the way down and the doors are closed.

Overall, it was a decent presentation, but since the tickets were $15 each, and I had just recently experienced an absolutely perfect presentation at the Arclight in Hollywood for $14, I honestly don't feel I got my money's worth. I will probably see the film again soon in a 35mm THX-certified auditorum somewhere in the area (but not at the Metreon). I have a feeling the experience there will be somewhat more satisfactory.

Posted by Robert Stawiarski (Member # 1842) on 06-15-2005, 11:41 PM:

Regarding the "ugly marks and blemishes", did they stay in the same place for the entire show and never move?

If you never saw them move, then it was caused by either:
-damaged/dirty screen
-field lens not on auto-cycle, and not manually cycled by the operator

If you saw the 'blemishes' move, then it was caused by either:
-damaged field lens
-dirty field lens, especially the back side
-wiper bars not installed
-abnormal print shedding

Also, combinations of these could be contributing factors for the blemishes on screen.

Posted by Mark Pierce (Member # 3196) on 06-16-2005, 02:44 AM:

Aaron, sorry to hear that your "IMAX Experience" left a little to be desired! ;-) I've now seen Batman at 3 of our IMAX theatres and I can assure you that, done properly, you won't find a better presentation of this movie than in an IMAX theater! Perhaps next time you would consider going to the Hacienda IMAX in Dublin instead! I think we're a bit cheaper there than the city anyways!

I find it quite surprising anyways, I've heard nothing but good things about the CP at that theatre. It must not have been him there that night.

Anyways, I have seen ALL of the IMAX DMR prints (even some test stuff that never made it out) and I must say that it's the best transfer I've seen so far.

Watching Batman in a dome??????!!!!! EWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!! lol

Posted by Joseph L. Kleiman (Member # 3097) on 06-16-2005, 04:38 AM:

Hey, I can't help it. I saw both Matrix Films and Polar Express at METREON and every other DMR film at the Esquire in Sacramento (though not day-and-date). But I keep thinking back to F2K. I saw that film in four IMAX theaters - Esquire, METREON, Luxor - with those god-awful restraint bars, and The Tech. I look back fondly as the dome being my favorite of the four.

Posted by Christian Volpi (Member # 2370) on 06-16-2005, 11:20 AM:

Any word if Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will be playing in Omaha? Probably not.

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 06-16-2005, 12:28 PM:

quote: Joseph L. Kleiman
The clearance issue is in regard to the same day-and-date release as 35mm exhibitors in the Sacramento market, not about competing with other large format exhibitors. In Sacramento, we have two large circuits operating - Century and Regal. Neither operates an IMAX theater in the market.

But isn't this the case in nearly every market with an IMAX venue? Seems kinda arbitrary to me.

quote: Eric Hooper
The Dome in SJ just recently won a battle w/Century over the same clearance issues

Figures a company like Century would whine about unfair competition with an IMAX house because they don't have any. Now they must know what their competitors felt like during the 1980s & early 90s when Century had enough booking clout to snag just about every 70mm title for their bay area and Sacramento houses?

Posted by Aaron Haney (Member # 747) on 06-16-2005, 01:23 PM:

Robert: The marks I was talking about were definitely stationary throughout the show. In addition, I did see various specks of dirt appear and disappear at times, so I believe the field lens was in fact auto-cycling during this show. There was something characteristic about the marks which made it appear as though they were actually on the surface of the screen, and not in the image itself. There was a series of long vertical lines just to the left of center which looked like scratches on the screen's surface, as well as a large dark mark just to the upper left of center which looked almost like a hole in the screen. Since this is a "gain" screen, does that mean the surface is more sensitive to blemishes than other screens?

Mark: Yes, I probably should go to Dublin some time and check out the IMAX offering there. Every time I go to the Metreon, I get the impression that no one is really trying to keep it clean and in good working order. It has been getting more and more disappointing lately.

EDIT: Just realized I had left and right mixed up in the above description. The lines and other blemishes were to the right of center, not left.

[ 06-21-2005, 11:56 PM: Message edited by: Aaron Haney ]

Posted by Dick Vaughan (Member # 540) on 06-16-2005, 04:17 PM:

Michael

In the UK London BFI,At-Bristol and Manchester filmworks opened today day and date with 35mm release. Here in Bradford we open tomorrow.

The release date in the uk was first 24 June, then 22nd then 17th and then 16th.

By the time Warners had settled on the 16th we already had a corporate event booked in hence us opening one day late

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 06-18-2005, 10:37 PM:

IMAX location list referenced in the initial post has been updated.

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 06-29-2005, 04:48 AM:

quote: Christian Volpi
Any word if Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will be playing in Omaha?

Clicky Clicky to find out.

Posted by Aaron Haney (Member # 747) on 06-30-2005, 07:06 PM:

quote: Mark Pierce
Perhaps next time you would consider going to the Hacienda IMAX in Dublin instead

Just wanted to say I went to this location last night and saw the IMAX version of Batman Begins again. The experience was indeed much better than at the Metreon. Fewer blemishes on the screen (there was only one: just to the upper right of center, and it was so slight as to be hardly noticable), top-notch picture and sound. I didn't even see a single speck of dirt the entire time, and even the best IMAX presentations usually seem to have at least one or two.

I also dragged a few friends along with me (I had to offer to drive just to convince them to go). Before the movie, they were griping about the high ticket price and how they'd rather have just seen it at a cheaper theater closer to home. After the movie, they were totally excited and couldn't stop talking about how great the movie was and how they were glad they saw it in IMAX. [Big Grin]

Posted by Joseph L. Kleiman (Member # 3097) on 06-30-2005, 07:57 PM:

Made the three hour drive down to San Jose last night to see it at The Tech. Usually, I have problems with fast action edits and dark picture in large format, but these actually helped since the movie has an overall feeling of disorientation. Took a few minutes to get used to looking up at the image (when F2K played, it was a special dome print that took up the lower portion of the frame), but it was awesome - because of the curve of the screen, we really felt immersed in the image. Especially enjoyed the dialogue sequences. They were well photographed and the detail helped convey the emotion even more than the 35mm version (except for Katie Holmes, who should have been forced to sit through the entire first four seasons of Smallville to see how it's done when you're in love with a man with a hidden identity). Looking forward to Charlie. I'll be heading to Phoenix to see it at the MPX.

Posted by Dick Vaughan (Member # 540) on 07-01-2005, 03:55 AM:

quote:
UNITED KINGDOM (July 29)
Bradford: IMAX Theatre at the National Museum of Photography, Film & TV
Glasgow: Glasgow Science Centre IMAX
Bristol: IMAX Theatre At-Bristol
London: bfi London IMAX
Manchester: UCI IMAX at The Filmworks Manchester

Michael

Out of the five theatres listed for Charlie only Glasgow is actually getting a print AFAIK.

Bradford and Bristol were planning on showing it but prints were not available and I believe the same is true of Manchester.

BFI I believe decided not to show it.

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 07-01-2005, 08:42 AM:

This is why the list is referred to as a work-in-progress. [Smile]

Posted by Michael Coate (Member # 757) on 08-04-2005, 06:11 AM:

quote: Christian Volpi
Any word if Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will be playing in Omaha?

AMC has been busy retrofitting auditoriums for IMAX in selected locations. Their most recent opening was in Sterling Heights, near Detroit, MI. And, to answer the question, it appears that the Oak View 24 in Omaha is next in line.

BTW, the "Batman" and "Charlie" IMAX locations listings mentioned earlier in this thread have been updated. Looks like a number of the prints, particularly of "Batman," are starting to move around to new locations, including several of the museum complexes.