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Topic: 300 to be next DMR

Joseph L. Kleiman
Master Film Handler

Posts: 380
From: Sacramento, CA
Registered: Apr 2005

posted 01-25-2007 03:09 PM

Here's the press release

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John Koutsoumis
Master Film Handler

Posts: 261
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 01-25-2007 08:08 PM

Sounds exciting. Too bad they shot it in Super 35.

(The above press release below)

quote:
Warner Bros. Pictures' 300 to be simultaneously released as IMAX(R) film in March 2007
Thursday January 25, 1:32 pm ET

LOS ANGELES, CA, Jan. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - IMAX Corporation and Warner Bros. Pictures today announced that the highly anticipated film 300, a Mark Canton/Gianni Nunnari Production directed by Zack Snyder and based on the epic graphic novel by Frank Miller, will be simultaneously released domestically to both IMAX® and conventional theatres on March 9, 2007. The film will be digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® and Warner Bros. Pictures will be the exclusive distributor of the film.
"Warner Bros. Pictures and the filmmakers are very excited to bring this unique cinematic experience to both conventional and IMAX theatres this spring," said Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures. "The immersive IMAX Experience will transform this film, offering audiences an alternative way to view this highly-charged picture."

"300 is an exciting event film which includes many aspects that we believe will appeal to commercial audiences," said IMAX Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler. "As a great partner to IMAX, Warner Bros. Pictures has provided many fantastic films that have resulted in significant incremental box office revenue for IMAX exhibitors, and we look forward to continuing this tradition."

"We are delighted that 300 will be the first feature motion picture to open in IMAX theatres in 2007," added Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. "Audiences that experience 300 in IMAX's immersive format will feel as if they were actually with the Spartans as this larger-than-life epic story unfolds."

Based on the epic graphic novel by Frank Miller, "300" is a ferocious retelling of the ancient battle of Thermopylae in which King Leonidas (Gerard Bulter) and 300 Spartans fought to death against Xerxes and his massive Persian army. Facing insurmountable odds, their valor and sacrifice inspire all of Greece to unite against their Persian enemy, drawing a line in the sand for democracy. The film brings Miller's (Sin City) acclaimed graphic novel to life by combining live action with virtual backgrounds that capture his distinct vision of this ancient historic tale.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents in association with Legendary Pictures and Virtual Studios, a Mark Canton/Gianni Nunnari Production, "300". Directed by Zack Snyder (Dawn of the Dead), the film stars Gerard Butler (Phantom of the Opera), Lena Headey (The Brothers Grimm), David Wenham (The Lord of the Rings trilogy), and Dominic West (The Forgotten).

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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 01-26-2007 02:05 PM

Super 35, eh?

I suspect film wasn't involved at all in the making of 300. The movie used many of the same techniques seen in Sin City, which was digitally videographed.

Super 35 or not, I see no point at all in blowing up this movie to IMAX format. It's probably just as likely to look blurry and wanting of detail just like Superman Returns, especially likely if the movie was shot digitally.

I'm sorry to say this, but if IMAX can't get any native 15/70 movies into their theaters and just keep up with this blurry blow-up baloney I won't be too sad to see those theaters disappear.

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Paul Linfesty
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1383
From: Bakersfield, CA, USA
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 01-26-2007 04:51 PM

Agreed, Bobby. Another problem with DMR'ing major studio films is that they feature a lot more flashy camera moves and quick edits. The huge screen takes much more time to absorb information, leaving me a bit unconscious. It becomes confusing. While the quality of BATMAN BEGINS looked like the best of the 70mm blow-up era, it was still hard to follow due to the immense size. There was an IMAX do's and don'ts I saw several years ago for directors and cinematographers. These DMR blow-ups break all these rules, of course. They just weren't made for the IMAX screen.

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Brian Michael Weidemann
Expert cat molester

Posts: 944
From: Costa Mesa, CA United States
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 01-26-2007 05:28 PM

This is a big one that will get people coming in during a somewhat dry season. BUT, in the next month, we're also presenting Hurricane on the Bayou and Roving Mars; and they certainly are not DMR movies. Hopefully we can book more of these, but I'm pleased to have a full booking like this. Dinosaurs 3D: Giants of Patagonia is also opening in March.

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Michael Coate
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1904
From: Los Angeles, California
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 01-29-2007 11:48 PM

Commercial/DMR IMAX Release List updated. The 2007 slate thus far looks like:

quote:

300 Warner Bros. / Mar. 9 / 2.39:1 (Super-35)
HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX Warner Bros. / July 13 / 2.39:1 (Super-35)
SPIDER-MAN 3 Sony / May 4 / 2.39:1 (Super-35)

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Bob Brown
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 146
From: Grand Rapids, MI
Registered: Apr 2002

posted 02-02-2007 12:33 PM

We just booked this print at my IMAX SR theatre here in Lansing MI. I am really looking forward to this one. With Michigan State University about 5 miles away, with 45,000 "Spartans" on campus, I thinking a clever marketing campaign is in order. Any ideas?

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Dan Suomi
Film Handler

Posts: 53
From: Aurora/Oswego, IL
Registered: Jul 2004

posted 02-09-2007 03:41 PM

I heardthat only 40 prints are being made, so not everyone is able to get one. Has anyone else heard this?

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Tim Rectanus
Film Handler

Posts: 51
From: Raleigh, NC, USA
Registered: Jul 2005

posted 02-13-2007 03:31 PM

I heard there was going to be a limited number of prints, as well, although I don't recall ever hearing a number. We won't be one of the 40, although I wish we could get it. I would like to see it but the Strong R and the fact that we are technically a Children's Museum mean that I will have to travel to catch this one. Newman!

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Anslem Rayburn
Master Film Handler

Posts: 476
From: Yuma, AZ, USA
Registered: May 2002

posted 02-14-2007 05:16 AM

Talking to a friend this evening, he stated that he has never been to an IMAX theater and was thinking that 300 would be a good film to go and visit one out of town. Locally, this film has a ton of buzz, and since we are not opening it, I would echo his thoughts. The film looks great, has a solid cast, and seems like it would be a lot of fun on the REALLY big screen.

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Frank Angel
Film God

Posts: 5305
From: Brooklyn NY USA
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 02-18-2007 07:13 AM

I don't know about you guys, but I am watching the TV spots for this thing and there isn't a thing about this film that looks even remotely interesting to me. Guys on horses with painted faces yelling "FREEDOM" at the top of their lungs ala Gibson in BRAVEHEART, it's already a cliche and I am sorry, but really boring. It's hard for me to get interested in such remote, foreign subject matter unless there is very powerful, compelling storyline about people who are interesting that goes along with the action. Action has to be subserviant to the storyline. This doesn't look like it qualifies.

It's one thing to grab a title like HARRY POTTER for DMR which has a built-in presale, but come on....300? Even the title is bland and uninteresting. Nothing at all in their marketing campaign so far has sparked even a mild interest in me to go see it. But then again, nothing in the BRAVEHEART trailers made me want to go see that either.

And I totally agree with Paul that this kind of action feature is probably the worst type of film for DMR conversion precisely because of the excessive action and quick cuts. You have to know that those battle scenes are going to have plently of hand-held shots and sweeping camera moves. And that stuff gets very old very quickly in an immersive IMAX presentation, especially when it's not specifically shot for that huge format in mind. Just from the trailer you can tell they are not shying away from extreme close-ups in the battle scenes. Keep that up for 2 hours and people are going to be asking for IMAX barf bags.

As for using a DMR presentation as the first experience of IMAX for an IMAX virgin, well that would really be a shame. How underimpressed is he going to be seeing this blurry bastardization of what a 15/70 IMAX image can really look like? Do your friend a favor and wait till you can bring him to a IMAX presentation that originated on 15/70 film.

And surely this CAN'T be a video blowup, can it? Can DMR be expected to simply generate detail where there isn't any -- isn't that against the laws of physics or something? If it this production did originate in video, and that's what IMAX has been reduced to, then I am afraid Bobby is right -- IMAX is doomed, and all the DMR computer tricks to get marketable product on the screen is not going to save them. IMHO.

Hey how about shooting on 16mm and letting DMR convert THAT to IMAX -- at least the aspect ratio would be correct.

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Mike Schindler
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1039
From: Oak Park, IL, USA
Registered: Jun 2002

posted 02-18-2007 01:36 PM

Frank, I too had very little interest in this movie. I liked the people involved with it, but the subject matter didn't appeal to me. However, I read the book yesterday, and it wasn't bad at all.

Also, I haven't seen the trailer, but I don't think we have to worry too much about quick cuts and hand-held work, because they shot it ala SIN CITY, recreating panels of the comic as closely as possible on screen. So that should lend itself to a lot of lockdowns.

And have no fear, it was shot on film.

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Brian Michael Weidemann
Expert cat molester

Posts: 944
From: Costa Mesa, CA United States
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 02-18-2007 04:27 PM

We screened this one last night. I didn't watch it, because I too don't care enough or find enough interest to sit through it. But I checked in often enough (ie: stood up and peered through the port) to see it was in sync and built properly. A lot of people were interested in sitting in on the screening, though; so somehow the word has spread and generated some interest. They liked it, I think.

This one was matted Scope as expected, but it's actually framed mid-screen, whereas most previous movies were matted lower in the frame. Not sure why.

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Joseph L. Kleiman
Master Film Handler

Posts: 380
From: Sacramento, CA
Registered: Apr 2005

posted 02-19-2007 12:37 PM

Matting lowere on the frame allows for a more natural viewing field on dome screens. My guess is they're not anticipating this to show on any domes.

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Dan Suomi
Film Handler

Posts: 53
From: Aurora/Oswego, IL
Registered: Jul 2004

posted 02-20-2007 09:29 PM

quote: Frank Angel
How underimpressed is he going to be seeing this blurry bastardization of what a 15/70 IMAX image can really look like?

Where you getting blurry from? I have yet to see a DMR that is blurry. Maybe it's poor presentation at the theater you seen DMR at.

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