AMC Lincoln Square 13

Was the showing of Dunkirk a test, advanced or just a private screening??? I previously went to a few tests screenngs here when they were more common, and have not seen the folks outside from NRG or wherever doing the invites lately…or maybe I am looking at the wrong time of day???

I saw the 10:30pm showing of Rogue One on December 15th, and again, I can confirm that Dunkirk was shown in 70mm IMAX. I corresponded with IMAX CQO David Keighley after the show and he further confirmed that Dunkirk was shown in 70mm, and he was personally in attendance to supervise the first screening of it.

There was no significant delay due to the switch of projectors. The running order was such: first they played the usual AMC/IMAX trailer welcoming people into the theater. Then, it appeared that the house lights and IMAX wall lights were manually switched off (they turned off suddenly, as opposed to a slow dim), and the 70mm projector was turned on immediately. Following Dunkirk, the IMAX wall lights and house lights came back on (again, this appeared to be done manually as they simply flipped on rather than fading in), and then trailers were shown on the laser projector.

During the switch as Dunkirk began, I looked up and could see that the dual laser projectors were stationed in the center of the booth, towards the top of the glass window. The 70mm projector was stationed below the laser projectors, between the two. When on, the projection beam from the 70mm projector came from underneath and between the positioning of the laser system. So it would have appeared that it was installed below and between the two laser projectors and not on a rail. The changeover between projection systems was practically instant – it did not appear that anything was physically moved during the presentation.

The email address for the IMAX CQO is displayed following all IMAX presentations – you can write to them directly if there is still any doubt regarding whether or not Dunkirk was shown on film.

with todays movie, i think i have seen all possible combinations of IMAX

1.movie shot using normal camera => projected using 70 mm IMAX projector (Inception)

2.movie shot using normal camera with some scenes shot using 70 mm IMAX camera => projected using 70 mm IMAX projector (Dark knight, Dark Knight rises, Interstellar)

3.movie shot using normal camera with some scenes shot using digital IMAX camera => projected using digial IMAX projector (Transformers 4)

4.movie shot using normal camera => projected using digital IMAX projector (Mission Impossible 4)

5.movie shot using normal camera with some scenes shot using 70 mm IMAX camera => projected using laser IMAX projector (Dunkirk Prologue)

6.movie shot using normal camera =>projected using laser IMAX projector (Rogue One)

Is the seating set up basically the same? Any opinions on the best rows/seats since the renovation? Wanted to check out Rogue One this Monday, but A – D only thing left with center seats. E and F could be serviceable if not too close? Last time I was there I was in row H for Batman v Superman. Saw Force Awakens in J. Stoked for the new format and the movie. Just wanna make sure nothing’s changed too much before I grab tickets (ie. Rows the same, just less seats, etc). Thanks

the lincoln square imax is the closest theater to see imax with laser. Last time i went there they used 70mm imax 3d and that was in the mid to late 90s.

CHH32- I know Dolby cinema offers a better picture quality than IMAX laser, when a movie in IMAX laser is presented in 1:43 it looks better than the non IMAX scenes in an IMAX laser presentation but do the 1:43 scenes of IMAX laser look better than Dolby cinema ? that’s my question. I have scene a movie in IMAX laser which was Batman vs superman and the 1:43 scenes looked awesome but didn’t look as good as IMAX 70mm but it does get close in terms of picture quality. And I know sully was shot with arri Alexa cameras and presented in 1:90 and Batman vs superman was shown at 1:90 at the tcl Chinese theatre but which offers a better picture quality BvS shot with real IMAX cameras presented at 1:90 in IMAX laser (some IMAX laser theatres project at 1:90 only) or sully shot with arri Alexa camera presented at 1:90 ? like I’ve said I heard IMAX laser 1:90 looks better than Dolby vision even though IMAX laser doesn’t support HDR yet. You probably saw the prologue of Dunkirk in IMAX laser, do think the 1:43 sequence of the Dunkirk prologue looks better than Dolby vision ? Sorry for asking the same question again but I would like to know since I’ve seen IMAX laser only.

I’ve also heard IMAX laser has a better picture quality at 1:90 than at 1:43 because it’s native aspect ratio is 1:90 like the IMAX digital, so when they present a movie shot on the Alexa 65 in 1:90 aspect ratio it looks better than an IMAX laser presentation shown at 1:43 but on 1:43 on IMAX 70mm it beats a 1:90 and 1:43 laser presentation in terms of picture quality. I saw Batman vs superman in IMAX laser and the 1:43 scenes didn’t come close to IMAX 70mm resolution. This will my first Dolby cinema presentation during Rogue one, and of course it will look better than IMAX laser movies with non IMAX scenes but will it beat the 1:43 or 1:90 picture quality of a IMAX laser presentation I don’t know. So if I’m correctly estimating than best picture quality is 1:43 IMAX 70mm, 1:90 IMAX laser, than it will be IMAX laser 1::43 or Dolby vision, and I read and article about Batman vs superman being shown in 1:90 at the tcl chinese theatre and the IMAX scenes beat the picture quality of a Dolby cinema presentation, so does a movie filmed IMAX cameras being shown in IMAX laser 1:90 looks better than at 1:43 or the opposite ? This all hard to figure out but I’m curious!

Happyman: I stand corrected. Though I’m still puzzled how they are able to fit both a 15/70 projector and a Laser projector up there, even with a rail system. Even the IMAX CMO, Eileen Campbell, stated on Twitter a few month ago that there was no room for both. I’d still prefer confirmation from the projectionist over the theater manager, (you’d be surprised how clueless management can be), but if that’s what they told you, I’ll take your word for it.

Saw Rogue One opening night (Thursday Dec. 16), first show, 7:00 pm and again on Friday at 6:00pm. I wonder if the latter showed the DUNKIRK preview on 15/70 film?

xbs2034: At least yours started late. Thursday night, I thought I was late, arriving at 6:45, for the 7:00pm show. There was still a long line, overflowing all the way to the top of escalator and they’d barely let anyone in. Plus, they were in the process of unboxing the 3D glasses manufactured by Dolby for IMAX Laser. I got inside at 7:00 on the dot. Theater was practically empty because tons of people were either at concessions or waiting to get their tickets taken. Rather than delay the show by a few minutes, (as they did several times with Episode VII last year) the DUNKIRK preview started promptly. Many people missed it as well as trailers for Transformers 5, The Mummy, Fast 8, Pirates 5, Spider-Man & GOTG 2. (So many sequels/remakes.)

Happyman: very interesting, and that confirms that there still is a rail system in place.

Also, when I saw Rogue One, the previews (beginning with Dunkirk) started about 10 minutes late, which I wonder was a consequence of doing some Dunkirk prologue showings with film (even with a rail system it probably takes a few minutes to switch between projectors, so they may have been falling behind schedule if they were doing the earlier prologue showings on 15/70).

That DUNKIRK preview was NOT 15/70. It was in IMAX Laser. The 15/70 projector is gone for good. There is no longer any room for it or any form of a rail system. You can actually look back towards the booth and see that of the two projection windows, only one now houses a projector.

Now, when DUNKIRK opens next summer, it is possible Nolan and Warner Bros. may once again request a number of IMAX theaters temporarily convert back to 15/70 film, like they did with INTERSTELLAR and TDKR. Those with IMAX DLP (lie-MAX) may comply, but I doubt those with IMAX Laser will do so. It would be too expensive and they are pushing Laser to be close to if not an equal of 15/70 film. Most moviegoers won’t see a difference between 15/70 film and Laser anyway. The DUNKIRK preview at full 1.44 to 1 aspect ratio looked stunning.

Last X-mas, I took a trip to D.C. to see THE FORCE AWAKENS in 3D Laser at the Steven F. Udvar Hazy Air and Space Museum in Virginia and on 2D 15/70 film at the Lockheed Martin Theater in Washington, just before they converted to Laser. I preferred the 15/70 film version, but the Laser presentation was very, very close. Made me feel like I was back at AMC Lincoln Square watching a 15/70 film in 3D.

AMC Lincoln Square still has a few kinks to work out with the presentation ever since FANTASTIC BEASTS opened last month, but they’re getting there.

My only gripes are the slow service (ushers waiting until JUST before show time to take tickets and let patrons be seated), lack of renovation to restrooms that have remained unchanged since the building opened in 1994 and upholstery & carpeting in the theater that is destined to look very bad in the near future. Patrons still leave their trash behind and the ushers can’t cleanup or even vacuum that new carpeting in time for the next show.

This beauty of this theater renovation and conversion could last for another twenty years if just a little effort was made by management.

They are showing the Dunkirk footage on 15/70 film. At my screening, they showed the usual preshow commercials, then turned the laser projectors off and switched to film for Dunkirk, and then turned the laser projectors back on for the rest of the trailers and Rogue One.

Does Rogue one have any IMAX sequences that fill the screen?