If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed. Learn more about Screen Rant or if you want more frequent updates follow us on Twitter. Thanks for visiting!
At least a few scenes in the Batman Begins sequel The Dark Knight will be shot in IMAX format. Specifically, four action sequences, including the introduction of the Joker will be shot in the super-hi-res IMAX format. There’s a lot of talk regarding 3-D being the “next big thing” but I think that IMAX is right up there as far as a big screen movie experience.
|
|
IMAX film is twice the width of standard film (70mm vs 35mm) and delivers an incredibly clear and huge image on the screen. Any time a major action/sci-fi/superhero film is showing in IMAX, I make the trip to go see it. For one thing, you have the reasons I’ve already described, but in addition (at least where I go) it’s reserved seating, plus I find that the folks in the audience are more of the movie buff type and therefore tend to not yak during the movie or use their cell phones.
One thing that I’m confused about (and maybe one of my readers can clear this up for me), is that the source article states:
“…The Dark Knight, will become the first feature film to be partly shot in the IMAX format…”
I know that 300 was shown at IMAX theaters and I just watched Spider-Man 3 in IMAX as well. As I recall, the picture quality was excellent during Spidey 3 and I did not have the following impression as indicated in the USA Today piece:
“Typically, the feature films that play in IMAX theaters are simply stretched out to fill the enormous screens. That can dilute the picture quality and give the movie a wide, squat look.”
As far as I know, these movies were digitally remastered to upgrade the quality for display on the monster-sized screens. If this is possible, I’m not sure I understand what the advantage is of filming it in IMAX format if the process is so difficult.
Any IMAX experts out there?
Source: USA Today
7 Comments
My limited understanding is that films which are transfered to IMAX via the DMR process are not as clear as those shot directly on 70mm film. I’m not sure the average viewer could pick up the difference but “experts” surely would.
It’s like regular DVD’s and HD DVD’s only for big screen releases.
Oh yeah, and just in case folks don’t know, IMAX is a Canadian invention. That’s my patriotic side talking.
When moving forward in technology, the results don’t seem as effective or evident or apparent as when we use that technology, and then move backwards. Go a year of only watching movies made in “FOR IMAX format (70mm)”, IN IMAX format, then watch one shot normal 35mm format, stretched to fit the IMAX, and I’m sure you’ll see the difference.
You can take a single desktop picture (for windows), say a resolution of 1400 x 1200. Its a good, high quality picture, and it will have that same quality on any common desktop setting.
But if we take a normal res picture, like 800×600 resolution, it’ll look good only on some. If forced to be put on higher setting theme, it will look grainy and distorted. (Remember as a kid when you would put your eyes REALLLLLLY close to the tv? Same effect…)
Think of IMAX (70mm) as high-res shooting, where as 35mm is “normal res”. Even though we can’t perceive the distortion, it is still there.
Vic
Nothing about imax to report here. Just wanted to ask if anyone knew if The Flash,Captain Marvel,and the Spirit were still scheduled to come out next year. I hope so.
Vic
All of the Hollywood films that have been released so far have been shot in 35mm and transfered to IMAX with their DMR process. DMR IMAX films as everyone has seen look great. Films shot in the IMAX format will look even better. That is an understatement, a movie shot in IMAX and projected in an IMAX theater is the best film presentation ever invented. With all the talk of new technology, it’s the 30 year old IMAX technology that is still the best.
but not all 35mm DMR’d films look great blown up to IMAX/70mmm. The recent ‘Spiderwick Chronicles’ looked soft and grainey, prior in the day, I had seen ‘Grand Canyon 3D’ in native IMAX and the difference was night and day: the image was exceedingly sharp and the color’s bright and solid.
What's your opinion? Leave a comment!