IMAX sound

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

I think my biggest gripe with IMAX isn't even so much that they've moved on from being a big-format film-company to something of a self-managed PLF franchise for the exhibition industry, but that they've moved from a company that used to be very open about their technology towards a company that's more about windowdressing than anything else. If the hosting theater isn't forthcoming in sharing any technical details of their IMAX theaters, you're essentially left to your own devices. IMAX does not specify anywhere on their website what kind of technology they're using for a particular location.

So unless the franchising theater is willing to tell you, you have no clue what screen size a certain location has, what kind of projection technology it uses nor if it's using its old 5.0/6.0 sound system or the newer 12-channel system.

You'd almost think Imax is being run by some ex-Boeing exec's with the profit before safety attitude. Or like ordering a Coke and being handed a Pepsi instead. Never before has the name Liemax been truer...

[Marco Giustini]

Arcadia not being loud enough? It's been a looong while but I remember it being pretty loud! I'd have thought the new Meyer system would blow your head off!

[Luca Sorazzi]

Arcadia not being loud enough? It's been a looong while but I remember it being pretty loud! I'd have thought the new Meyer system would blow your head off!

Yeah most of the time it was perfect. But I had a few experiences like with poor things or killers of the flower moon or X (horror movie) where I felt like the sound level could be a little higher. I know those mixes are not the likes of a mad max fury road, but still the sound felt a little too low. But in general kudos to them since they're independent and have an amazing auditorium in Melzo, and also other two beautiful sala energia in Stezzano near Bergamo (dual Christie laser and Dolby Atmos).

Anyway I will try again the IMAX in Orio to see if there has been some updates

[Marcel Birgelen]

Last time I was in the neighborhood, I really wanted to visit Arcadia in Melzo. Unfortunately, there were no "OV" shows available. Given the amount of International visitors (aka tourists) in the region, I somehow consider this to be a missed opportunity.

Somehow this reminds me of the Cinema Gaumont at Disneyland Paris with 15 screens. With more than 50% of the people around being international visitors, that place only shows maybe one original language show per day at best, because of contractual obligations and usually at a time slot nobody cares about... I'm pretty sure this is a pretty dreadful dose of chauvinism and ignorance, costing a lot of potential revenue.

[Luca Sorazzi]

Last time I was in the neighborhood, I really wanted to visit Arcadia in Melzo. Unfortunately, there were no "OV" shows available. Given the amount of International visitors (aka tourists) in the region, I somehow consider this to be a missed opportunity.

Somehow this reminds me of the Cinema Gaumont at Disneyland Paris with 15 screens. With more than 50% of the people around being international visitors, that place only shows maybe one original language show per day at best, because of contractual obligations and usually at a time slot nobody cares about... I'm pretty sure this is a pretty dreadful dose of chauvinism and ignorance, costing a lot of potential revenue.

IMAX is even worse here since I have NEVER seen an original language showing. At arcadia Melzo they usually do it Saturday early afternoon, but in general this is a problem of Italy. Many movies are not even showed in English, and when they do it , it's always very few showtimes or far so you have to drive much more ...

Honestly, having seen some big US cities, you have a much better cinema culture. We have an amazing festival live Venice, but in general, US is better for obvious reasons. And I am someone who has sent many emails to add original language Showtimes but at this point if I ever have to go foreign for work, I will do it gladly in a country with better cinemas

Just an example, there were no Immaculate English screening in all my region (so you just have to watch an American going to Italy , all dubbed...). And I am someone who likes dubbing but you have to give a choice at least, especially since there are many good actors

[Marcel Birgelen]

I'd say that Germany has still a pretty OK cinema culture, probably better than the Netherlands and despite the damage COVID, streaming and the general state of the world has done, it's still a thing... Still, a lot of people from over the border tend to flock to Dutch or Flemish cinemas to see movies without dubbing. But there is an increasing trend in some of the bigger cities in Germany to offer a somewhat more consistent "OV" offering across the board. You'd say those OV offerings only attract foreigners, but I see quite a bit of native German speaking folks at those shows.

I'm perfectly capable of understanding a German-dubbed movie, but the lack of proper lip-sync, the fact that often well-known voices are replaced by something else, it's simply is too distracting for me. Maybe, in an animation movie, where they actually took the time to make a specially re-synced version, it would work better for me.

Unfortunately, German cinema itself has been lacking in proper output over the last years, which is somewhat of a shame. I have zero problems watching a German movie in German... What can be said about Germany is equally true for Italy... When are you guys picking it up again and start to fill up the craters Hollywood has left? Heck, I grew up on cheesy Bud Spencer and Terrence Hill movies...

[Harold Hallikainen]

I haven't seen a lot of Italian movies, but really enjoyed Cinema Paradiso in Italian with English subtitles in a theater many years ago.

[Luca Sorazzi]

I'd say that Germany has still a pretty OK cinema culture, probably better than the Netherlands and despite the damage COVID, streaming and the general state of the world has done, it's still a thing... Still, a lot of people from over the border tend to flock to Dutch or Flemish cinemas to see movies without dubbing. But there is an increasing trend in some of the bigger cities in Germany to offer a somewhat more consistent "OV" offering across the board. You'd say those OV offerings only attract foreigners, but I see quite a bit of native German speaking folks at those shows.

I'm perfectly capable of understanding a German-dubbed movie, but the lack of proper lip-sync, the fact that often well-known voices are replaced by something else, it's simply is too distracting for me. Maybe, in an animation movie, where they actually took the time to make a specially re-synced version, it would work better for me.

Unfortunately, German cinema itself has been lacking in proper output over the last years, which is somewhat of a shame. I have zero problems watching a German movie in German... What can be said about Germany is equally true for Italy... When are you guys picking it up again and start to fill up the craters Hollywood has left? Heck, I grew up on cheesy Bud Spencer and Terrence Hill movies...

We have some famous good directors like sorrentino or guadagnino (but Luca usually makes much more international movies). But to see Italian cinema going back to its gold era ...I don't think it will ever happen again ... obviously happy if I will be wrong.

And as you say,yeah I agree, animated movies are usually OK for me with dubbing, especially in Italy where we have very talented dubbers. For example I watched inside out 2 here and it was really really good. It was in XL auditorium in a UCI cinema, which is basically the biggest screen in the cinema (but not IMAX). In my case it had laser projector and 7.1 sound obviously. Great presentation in a scope screen

[Allan Young]

And as you say,yeah I agree, animated movies are usually OK for me with dubbing, especially in Italy where we have very talented dubbers

The Italian dubbers for Minions have been going viral in the last couple of days...https://x.com/JarettSays/status/1823740222418641280

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

The Italian dubbers for Minions have been going viral in the last couple of days...https://x.com/JarettSays/status/1823740222418641280

I agree with the X poster... That deserves to be put into a film of it's own...

[Bobby Henderson]

So unless the franchising theater is willing to tell you, you have no clue what screen size a certain location has, what kind of projection technology it uses nor if it's using its old 5.0/6.0 sound system or the newer 12-channel system.

Well, you'll know, after you've spent the premium dollars it takes to enter the auditorium (and find out it's just a 2K Xenon setup with "5.1" sound).

[Aron Toplitsky]

This reminds me of something I'm experiencing at my local IMAX. A few times I have contacted quality control and usually get a response by the same person. The issue is at the AMC Del Amo 18 in Torrance CA. Their IMAX theater sounds great, especially with the 12 channel upgrade, but it just doesn’t hit those really low frequencies. I will complain, then it gets fixed and ends up back the same way. I just don’t understand why something like this keeps happening? What could possibly be going on with their equipment? I’m tired of complaining and just stopped seeing an IMAX movie here.

Anyone have any suggestions?

[Luca Sorazzi]

This reminds me of something I'm experiencing at my local IMAX. A few times I have contacted quality control and usually get a response by the same person. The issue is at the AMC Del Amo 18 in Torrance CA. Their IMAX theater sounds great, especially with the 12 channel upgrade, but it just doesn’t hit those really low frequencies. I will complain, then it gets fixed and ends up back the same way. I just don’t understand why something like this keeps happening? What could possibly be going on with their equipment? I’m tired of complaining and just stopped seeing an IMAX movie here.

Anyone have any suggestions?

The independent cinema with the big screen and Atmos here, arcadia, has way better low frequencies...you feel them in the chest...which is funny since I have tried other IMAX in other parts of the world and they had quiet better bass than mine. If you ever tried Dolby cinema usually it has very good low frequencies too, since they also use butt kickers

Anyway I have been again to that IMAX in Italy, at Orio, and It sounded quiet good, but as usual a little of reverb in the dialogues and good low frequencies but not very deep or that make you feel lot of vibrations. There the auditorium is also quiet big, it could be that this is a problem too. And it's in a mall, there are shops close, I fear that bass are limited due to neighbours complaints..

[Hamzah Batha]

Even though I know that IMAX monitors if somebody turns down the volume, I know a few locations where the volume has been turned down due to massive customer complaints. I often think that IMAX confuses quality with volume...

Monitoring is insane. What would the repercussions be from IMAX if an operator were to do this?

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

AMC Theaters does this exact same thing. Locally they have no control over preview levels and very little leeway feature level... We walked out the last time we tried to watch a movie there because it was literally deafening. Luckily there is a Regal not far from me that knows how to run movies properly. I have only been to one IMAX digital show and don't plan on going back. It's nothing at all special.