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Author Topic: "Batman" -- IMAX Locations Michael Coate Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1904 From: Los Angeles, California Registered: Feb 2001 posted 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.  |  IP: Logged Robert Stawiarski Film Handler Posts: 62 From: MW Registered: Aug 2003 posted 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.  |  IP: Logged Brian Michael Weidemann Expert cat molester Posts: 944 From: Costa Mesa, CA United States Registered: Feb 2004 posted 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!  |  IP: Logged Paul Linfesty Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1383 From: Bakersfield, CA, USA Registered: Nov 1999 posted 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.  |  IP: Logged Joseph L. Kleiman Master Film Handler Posts: 380 From: Sacramento, CA Registered: Apr 2005 posted 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.  |  IP: Logged Eric Hooper Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 532 From: Fort Worth, TX, USA Registered: May 2003 posted 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.  |  IP: Logged Michael Coate Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1904 From: Los Angeles, California Registered: Feb 2001 posted 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?  |  IP: Logged Joseph L. Kleiman Master Film Handler Posts: 380 From: Sacramento, CA Registered: Apr 2005 posted 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.  |  IP: Logged Aaron Haney Master Film Handler Posts: 265 From: Cupertino, CA, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 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.  |  IP: Logged Robert Stawiarski Film Handler Posts: 62 From: MW Registered: Aug 2003 posted 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.  |  IP: Logged Mark Pierce Film Handler Posts: 11 From: Mount Juliet, TN Registered: Jun 2005 posted 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  |  IP: Logged Joseph L. Kleiman Master Film Handler Posts: 380 From: Sacramento, CA Registered: Apr 2005 posted 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.  |  IP: Logged Christian Volpi Master Film Handler Posts: 349 From: Arlington, NE Registered: Apr 2004 posted 06-16-2005 11:20 AM                        Any word if Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will be playing in Omaha? Probably not.  |  IP: Logged Michael Coate Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1904 From: Los Angeles, California Registered: Feb 2001 posted 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?  |  IP: Logged Aaron Haney Master Film Handler Posts: 265 From: Cupertino, CA, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 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 ]  |  IP: Logged

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