OPPENHEIMER: The Thread

[kdonnel]

I don't eat movie popcorn or drink soda, so refills are no incentive.


Interesting they skipped Pittsburgh - lots of science types there who would go see it.

Some years ago IMAX greatly watered down the specs. As a result many theaters that advertise IMAX meet the new standards and not the old ones.

Screens are smaller and projectors are digital in the new standards.

Pittsburg was built to the old standards but then converted to a digital projector about 8-10 years ago.

The theaters in the list are still using 70mm film projectors with theaters built to the original standards.

At this point the majority of IMAX theaters are LieMAX and not what people still think of as IMAX.

 

[StageTek]

Some years ago IMAX greatly watered down the specs. As a result many theaters that advertise IMAX meet the new standards and not the old ones.

Screens are smaller and projectors are digital in the new standards.

Pittsburg was built to the old standards but then converted to a digital projector about 8-10 years ago.

The theaters in the list are still using 70mm film projectors with theaters built to the original standards.

At this point the majority of IMAX theaters are LieMAX and not what people still think of as IMAX.

So true.

Here in Los Angeles the Chinese Theater is "IMAX Experience". The IMAX theater at AMC Universal is a full IMAX theater.

 

[ChrisFL]

I want to see it, but I don't know if I can stand the emotions watching it in the theater, so I may watch it at home when it comes out later.

 

[gmi3804]

So true.

Here in Los Angeles the Chinese Theater is "IMAX Experience". The IMAX theater at AMC Universal is a full IMAX theater.

The Chinese is showing it in IMAX 70mm, according to the list above.

 

[Music City Mama]

I was surprised my almost 15 yo wants to watch Oppenheimer as she is also just as excited to see that Barbie movie. I told her I'd be happy to take her to watch both, but I wasn't about to try to do it in one day like she suggested!

My 20 year old son will be seeing Barbie with some friends in Atlanta this Friday and then when he comes home to Nashville on Saturday, will be seeing Oppenheimer in the 70mm IMAX. So your daughter isn't the only one wanting to see both this weekend!

 

[StageTek]

The Chinese is showing it in IMAX 70mm, according to the list above.

Correct. But it's not an IMAX theater. It's "The IMAX Experience"

As @kdonnel mentioned these theaters are projecting 70mm film on a standard screen. Very few people understand the difference which is what those theaters want.

 

[gmi3804]

Correct. But it's not an IMAX theater. It's "The IMAX Experience"

As @kdonnel mentioned these theaters are projecting 70mm film on a standard screen. Very few people understand the difference which is what those theaters want.

This is the list of the projected 70mm IMAX exhibitions, from the IMAX source. So it's wrong?

US theatres:​

1. Harkins Arizona Mills 25 & IMAX – Tempe, AZ
2. AMC Metreon 16 & IMAX – San Francisco, CA
3. Universal Cinema AMC at CityWalk Hollywood & IMAX – Universal City, CA
4. TCL Chinese Theater IMAX – Hollywood CA
5. Regal Edwards Ontario Palace & IMAX – Ontario, CA
6. Regal Irvine Spectrum 21 + IMAX – Irvine CA
7. Esquire IMAX – Sacramento, CA
8. Regal Hacienda Crossings & IMAX – Dublin, CA
9. AutoNation IMAX, Museum of Discovery & Science – Fort Lauderdale, FL
10. Regal Mall of Georgia & IMAX – Buford, GA
11. IMAX Theatre at Indiana State Museum – Indianapolis, IN
12. Chrysler IMAX Dome Theatre, Michigan Science Center – Detroit, MI
13. Celebration! Cinema Grand Rapids North & IMAX – Grand Rapids, MI
14. AMC Lincoln Square 13 & IMAX – New York, NY
15. Regal UA King of Prussia & IMAX – King of Prussia, PA
16. Providence Place Cinemas 16 and IMAX – Providence, RI
17. AMC Rivercenter 11 & IMAX – San Antonio, TX
18. Cinemark 17 & IMAX – Dallas, TX
19. Regal Opry Mills & IMAX – Nashville, TN

 

[StageTek]

This is the list of the projected 70mm IMAX exhibitions, from the IMAX source. So it's wrong?

Yes. That list includes IMAX Experience along with IMAX Theaters.

I'd have to research the other theaters but I can say with certainty that the TCL Chinese Theater IMAX is not a true IMAX theater. It is called "The IMAX Experience" And that Universal Cinema AMC at CityWalk Hollywood & IMAX is a ture IMAX theater.

 

[gmi3804]

Yes. That list includes IMAX Experience along with IMAX Theaters.

I'd have to research the other theaters but I can say with certainty that the TCL Chinese Theater IMAX is not a true IMAX theater. It is called "The IMAX Experience" And that Universal Cinema AMC at CityWalk Hollywood & IMAX is a ture IMAX theater.

Got it. It's presenting a 70mm IMAX print, just not in a built-for-IMAX house.

 

[bcla]

Yes. That list includes IMAX Experience along with IMAX Theaters.

I'd have to research the other theaters but I can say with certainty that the TCL Chinese Theater IMAX is not a true IMAX theater. It is called "The IMAX Experience" And that Universal Cinema AMC at CityWalk Hollywood & IMAX is a ture IMAX theater.

It wasn't purpose built for IMAX, but I'm not sure if that's a much of a distinction. Purpose-built IMAX is 1.43:1, but most of these feature length movies using IMAX tech are projected in a wider aspect ratio. I've seen wide-aspect feature length movies on a 1:43 IMAX screen, and it seemed like it was losing something with the top and bottom of the screen unused.

I spent $27 on a matinee there last year. I could have seen Avatar 2 somewhere else, but it was a good experience.

 

[BostonEd]

A few houses have it in regular 70mm, but I'll be seeing it in a Dolby Cinema.

This thread has kind of gotten obsessed with the IMAX 70mm distinction. But back to this comment: is Dolby your second choice? Or is it just what you're going to see? In other words, if "regular 70mm" were available to you, would you pick that before Dolby?

 

[StageTek]

It wasn't purpose built for IMAX, but I'm not sure if that's a much of a distinction. Purpose-built IMAX is 1.43:1, but most of these feature length movies using IMAX tech are projected in a wider aspect ratio. I've seen wide-aspect feature length movies on a 1:43 IMAX screen, and it seemed like it was losing something with the top and bottom of the screen unused.

That was what happened with the "letterbox" format. People felt there were missing some of the image when they were actually seeing the entire image. But it sure seems like you're missing something.

This thread has kind of gotten obsessed with the IMAX 70mm distinction. But back to this comment: is Dolby your second choice? Or is it just what you're going to see? In other words, if "regular 70mm" were available to you, would you pick that before Dolby?

Yes for me. I would chose 70mm film over Dolby if those were the options.

 

[gmi3804]

This thread has kind of gotten obsessed with the IMAX 70mm distinction. But back to this comment: is Dolby your second choice? Or is it just what you're going to see? In other words, if "regular 70mm" were available to you, would you pick that before Dolby?

Regular 70mm is available to me, but in a vintage theatre where the sound isn't the best. I'm going to the local Dolby Cinema, for the bright Atmos picture/sound. Certainly better sound than in the Liemax house near me.

 

[gmi3804]

It wasn't purpose built for IMAX, but I'm not sure if that's a much of a distinction. Purpose-built IMAX is 1.43:1, but most of these feature length movies using IMAX tech are projected in a wider aspect ratio. I've seen wide-aspect feature length movies on a 1:43 IMAX screen, and it seemed like it was losing something with the top and bottom of the screen unused.

I spent $27 on a matinee there last year. I could have seen Avatar 2 somewhere else, but it was a good experience.

There's never been a feature-length Hollywood film made in full IMAX; some films have selected scenes shot in the IMAX ratio, and the ratio goes back and forth during the presentation. I believe OPPENHEIMER was filmed completely in the IMAX ratio, but also taking into account framing it for the typical widescreen ratio, which most houses will show. If the "extra" image at the top and bottom will be missed when the film is seen in widescreen.

 

[bcla]

This thread has kind of gotten obsessed with the IMAX 70mm distinction. But back to this comment: is Dolby your second choice? Or is it just what you're going to see? In other words, if "regular 70mm" were available to you, would you pick that before Dolby?

I guess a lot of people get obsessed over all these little certifications. However, the 70mm IMAX print is clearly one where the clarity of the projection is high.

I remember way back Stanley Kubrick made most of his movies in mono after 2001: A Space Odyssey was created with multichannel sound. At least until his last movie - at which time the consistency of movie theater presentation had advanced enough. There's still some question as to whether or not Eyes Wide Shut was multichannel as per his directions, as it was released after his death.

https://filmmakermagazine.com/88382...ver-to-talk-about-him-on-making-barry-lyndon/​

Vitali has continued his work even after Kubrick’s passing, overseeing the restoration of picture and sound elements for home video releases and supervising new stereo mixes of the director’s films for DVD. “Stanley only used stereo on 2001 and Eyes Wide Shut,” Vitali told me. “The others were all in mono.” When I asked why a noted innovator like Kubrick resisted mixing his films in stereo, Vitali explained, “We used to send people to all the key cities to check the projection, and what they found was that nearly all the sound systems in the theaters hadn’t been looked at for years or even decades. Often one or more channels weren’t working, so Stanley decided it was better to record it in mono and mix it meticulously so that it would sound correct even if some of the speakers weren’t working.”​

I remember when Lucasfilm's THX certification was considered the gold standard in theater standards. I wasn't necessarily special equipment, but that they would require specific equipment (including one piece of proprietary equipment for the two surround channels) and annual checks of each setup. But these days it's pretty much gone other than a certification for home theater equipment. I looked it up and THX Cinema still exists, but I haven't seen it advertised in a couple of decades.

 

[gmi3804]

Here's a handy guide to the Oppenheimer aspect ratios.

 

[emmybee]

This thread has kind of gotten obsessed with the IMAX 70mm distinction. But back to this comment: is Dolby your second choice? Or is it just what you're going to see? In other words, if "regular 70mm" were available to you, would you pick that before Dolby?

The closest "real" Imax is in SF, and I'm not driving that far to watch a movie. My local AMC has "Imax" theaters, but they have cheap-o seats. Not being a technical person, I suspected they weren't real Imax like the one I used to watch at Great America. That's why I prefer the Dolby theater w/ their fancy reclining seats, and that's I how watch the vast majority of movies. A local AMC also has a "Laser" theater which is nice, but I'm not sure of the difference between Dolby and Laser other than brand name.

 

[VandVsmama]

Saw the movie last night at our local theater. OMG the movie was SO. GOOD. Amazing cast. Amazing script. Amazing cinematography. When the movie finished, people clapped in the theater. Deserves Academy Awards for sure.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Oppenheimer: IMAX 70mm Screening at Only 30 Theaters Worldwide

US theatres:​

1. Harkins Arizona Mills 25 & IMAX – Tempe, AZ
2. AMC Metreon 16 & IMAX – San Francisco, CA
3. Universal Cinema AMC at CityWalk Hollywood & IMAX – Universal City, CA
4. TCL Chinese Theater IMAX – Hollywood CA
5. Regal Edwards Ontario Palace & IMAX – Ontario, CA
6. Regal Irvine Spectrum 21 + IMAX – Irvine CA
7. Esquire IMAX – Sacramento, CA
8. Regal Hacienda Crossings & IMAX – Dublin, CA
9. AutoNation IMAX, Museum of Discovery & Science – Fort Lauderdale, FL
10. Regal Mall of Georgia & IMAX – Buford, GA
11. IMAX Theatre at Indiana State Museum – Indianapolis, IN
12. Chrysler IMAX Dome Theatre, Michigan Science Center – Detroit, MI
13. Celebration! Cinema Grand Rapids North & IMAX – Grand Rapids, MI
14. AMC Lincoln Square 13 & IMAX – New York, NY
15. Regal UA King of Prussia & IMAX – King of Prussia, PA
16. Providence Place Cinemas 16 and IMAX – Providence, RI
17. AMC Rivercenter 11 & IMAX – San Antonio, TX
18. Cinemark 17 & IMAX – Dallas, TX
19. Regal Opry Mills & IMAX – Nashville, TN

That's a bummer. We have one of these theaters at home, but we're in NC staying with my terminally ill MIL. Now I'll feel like I'm missing something, if we go to see it here. We may just wait for streaming, since we can't see it how it was intended.

 

[kdonnel]

I was disappointed.

Not sure if it was the particular liemax theater or just how the sound was mixed but the dialog was often extremely muffled and unintelligible.

It also took awhile to understand the story being told as it jumped back and forth in time.

I don’t think it lived up to the hype.