Big-screen giant Imax eyes digital future

With such cost savings, will the ticket prices go down?

I can’t wait for Rockaway to get IMAX, even though installation won’t begin until next year just in time for Avatar, James Cameron’s long awaited return to mainstream cinema.

agh, I can’t stand the fact there’s no edit function on this website…

The first three IMAX screens debuting next month (July) will obviousily feature ‘The Dark Knight’

You raise some interesting questions, Terry. What of the IMAX film installs around the country? I suspect they will be supported. I can’t imagine spending more millions to convert the older places to digital. On the other hand, as you’ve said, how is it all going to look? We’ll know in about three weeks when these venues open..

Giles, you’re right. I forgot about Columbia. I don’t like that place too much as its a teen hangout. In any case, either the Columbia or Hoffman are relatively close to me, but if the White Marsh auditorium is THX certified, it may be the better of the three installations.

Dark Knight is IMAX-3D that’s new news to me – I knew Nolan shot some scenes in actual 70mm/IMAX but 3D – mmmmm, I don’t think that’s the case.

I thought ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ was a REAL-D only release.

I think they timed the November IMAX-D theatre openings just right, because with the very small window between Madagascar and The Half Blood Prince – those IMAX screens can show more screenings per day than the IMAX screens at the museums – Udvar Hazy here in the District area might be screwed, suffice to say.

Here’s something I found at the forums at filmtech.com

“Digital installations in the DC area are due to start around now .

However The Dark Knight: The IMAX Experience will not be screened on any of them.

Christopher Nolan, after going to the trouble of filming sections of the movie on IMAX 15 perf /65mm negative, refuses to have his movie shown this way.

There are rumours from a well placed source that an upcoming 3D feature will also be filmed in IMAX."

Good to know that Mr. Nolan is standing up for actual IMAX/70MM film.

All right, I’m confused. The new IMAX installations are 35mm IMAX installs or is it IMAX Digital Projection, or something else? If its IMAX 35mm, it sounds like 70mm blow up to me, which isn’t true 70mm to begin with. So to bellyache complain now before we even get a chance to see how good or bad this format is isn’t fair. I doubt AMC and Regal would spend money on a format that will yield only a marginal improvement in the moviegoing experience.

oh great, now I have to trek in a gas gusling car over to Udvar Hazy to see ‘Dark Knight’ – no real prob but since Hoffman is on a metro stop, but oh well, so I’d assume it’ll be Kung Fu Panda then in IMAX digital – I mean what’s the point of opening in July if ‘Dark Knight’ isn’t allowed a the IMAX digital “experience”?

Of the one time I’ve been to the AMC theatre’s in Columbia it was my last – it was by the far the worst filmgoing experience ever, really it was – very very rude teenagers.

The so-called IMAX screenings at the Smithsonian’s Udvar Hazy Air & Space are masked screenings. When we saw Panda there in IMAX, it was liked watching a letterboxed movie. The top and bottom of the screen was not utilized. Had I known, I would have just gone to a DP screening and saved money, time and gas going all the way to Sterling VA.

But back to the AMC installs, I hope their IMAX presentations utilize the whole screen otherwise it will be no different than any other movie in their larger auditoriums. Actually, the idea of DP on a IMAX-sized screen.. 70' or larger is exciting; no flicker, better contrast, no fading or scratched prints…less than three weeks away. :)

sorry to thread jack this topic but here’s the theatres that are presenting ‘Hancock’ in true 4K resolution/playback on Sony Digital Projection systems:

AMC AMC Plaza Bonita 14 3050 Plaza Bonita Rd., National City, CA 91950

AMC AMC Tyler 16 3375 Tyler Ave., Riverside, CA 92503

AMC AMC Orchards 12 14653 Orchards Pkwy., Westminster, CO 80023

AMC AMC Avenue Forsyth 12 410 Peachtree Pkwy., Cumming, GA 30040

AMC AMC Highland Village 12 4090 Barton Creek, Highlands Village, TX 75077

Cinemark Cinemark Tinseltown Plano 3800 Dallas Pkwy., Plano, TX 75093

Marcus Majestic Brookfield Theatre 770 North Springdale, Waukesha, WI 53186

Muvico Muvico Rosemont 18 9701 Bryn Mawr Ave., Rosemount, IL 60018

AMC Yonge Dundas 24 10 Dundas Street East, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2G9

I’ve not seen any literature or news of the resolution for IMAX either – it’s as if they want it to be a secret or something. As of last week, Landmark in Baltimore was supposed to have Hancock in 4K Sony DP but that didn’t happen – sucks. Since all the IMAX DP will be out in the suburbs I’m hoping AMC might upgrade one of it’s Georgetown auditoriums to feature Sony 4K (one could hope).

I know I can’t seem to recall where I read this online, but supposedly the specs for IMAX Digital are 8K

“Digital Imax” Installation Schedule

July 2008
Alexandria, VA â€" AMC Hoffman 22
Columbia, MD â€" AMC Columbia Mall 14
Woodbridge, VA â€" AMC Potomac Mills 18

August 2008
Bensalem, PA â€" AMC Neshaminy 24
Cherry Hill, NJ â€" AMC Loews Cherry Hill 24
Hamilton, NJ â€" AMC Hamilton 24

October 2008
Altamonte Springs, FL â€" AMC Altamonte 18
Aventura, FL â€" AMC Aventura 24
Baltimore, MD â€" AMC Loews White Marsh 16
Boston, MA â€" AMC Loews Boston Common 19
Concord, NC â€" AMC Concord Mills 24
Jacksonville, FL â€" AMC Regency Square 24
New York, NY â€" AMC Empire 25
Orange Park, FL â€" AMC Orange Park 24
South Miami, FL â€" AMC Sunset Place 24
Tampa, FL â€" AMC Veterans Expressway 24

November 2008
Burbank, CA â€" AMC Burbank 16
Emeryville, CA â€" AMC Bay Street 16
Houston, TX â€" AMC Gulf Pointe 30
Los Angeles, CA â€" AMC Century 15
McLean, VA â€" AMC Tysons Corner 16
New York, NY â€" AMC Loews 34th Street 14
New York, NY â€" AMC Loews Kips Bay 15
San Jose, CA â€" AMC Eastridge Mall 15
Santa Clara, CA â€" AMC Mercado 20
Sugar Land, TX â€" AMC First Colony 24

TBA
Alderwood, WA â€" AMC Loews Alderwood Mall 16
Arcadia, CA â€" AMC Santa Anita 16
City of Industry, CA â€" AMC Puente Hills 20
Crestwood, IL â€" AMC Loews Crestwood 18
Eatontown, NJ â€" AMC Loews Monmouth Mall 15
Harahan, LA â€" AMC Elmwood Place 20
Highlands Ranch, CO â€" AMC Highlands Ranch 24
Homestead, PA â€" AMC Loews Waterfront 22
Independence, MO â€"AMC Independence Commons 20
Kansas City, MO â€" AMC BarryWoods 24
Kennesaw, GA â€" AMC Barrett Commons 24
Los Angeles, CA â€" AMC Promenade 16
Mesquite, TX â€" AMC Mesquite 30
Morrow, GA â€" AMC Southlake Pavilion 24
Newport, KY â€" AMC Newport on the Levee 20
Rockaway, NJ â€" AMC Rockaway 16
San Diego, CA â€" AMC Palm Promenade 24
South Barrington, IL â€" AMC South Barrington 30
Stony Brook, NJ â€" AMC Loews Stony Brook 17
Torrance, CA â€" AMC Del Amo 18
Tukwila, WA â€" AMC Southcenter 16
Virginia Beach, VA â€" AMC Lynnhaven 18
Westminster, CO â€" AMC Orchards 12
Westminster, CO â€" AMC Westminster Promenade 24

uh it’s called ‘The Dark Knight’ ;) word is that the six minute “IMAX” opener on the ‘Batman Begins’ bluray is amazing looking.

Digital and IMAX Cinema: I wonder what the chances are of a lot of the great, golden oldie-but-goody classic films, such as WSS, Dr. Zhivago, Lawrence of Arabia, etc., have of being re-mastered, reprinted, cleaned up., etc., and then made to be presented in Digital or IMAX Cinema Theatres? That, imho, could be interesting, if it could/would be done.

Looks like the first IMAX digital theatres will debuting with Fly Me To The Moon on August 8th.

And I’m liking those two coming to Kansas City. I’ve been to both of those theatres and I can’t to see the final results.

As for classic titles, I’d say it’s unlikely due to the restoration costs and the blowing-up and the potential complaints from purists. But if possible, I could see Warner Bros. and IMAX releasing such titles as 2001, Blade Runner, My Fair Lady, the first two Batman films, the first two Superman films, The Wizard Of Oz, Gone With The Wind, How The West Was Won, Around In The World In 80 Days, The Right Stuff and The Mission. Mostly stuff that was previously released in 70mm or are classics.

According to MovieTickets.com, AMC Hoffman Center 22 and AMC Potomac Mills 18 will begin showing IMAX movies this weekend. Kung Fu Panda: The IMAX Experience and Space Station 3D will be shown at both theaters starting this Friday.

MovieTix86,

It sucks :) Thanks for the update. No Batman.

KingBiscuits: Potential complaints from purists? About what? just curious. While it’s true that the films that you mentioned above would be great if reprinted, remastered, cleaned up and re-released on digital/dolby sound IMAX cinema, I also think that a film such as West Side Story would really be out. of. this. world if re-released likewise.

The IMAX Theater Locator has been updated with all upcoming IMAX theaters. The list now includes international theaters and Regal Entertainment Group theaters opening this Fall.

The potential complaints being a classic scope film being run on IMAX either cropped or letterboxed and in a digital source. Purists like their film and it filling up the screen.

And I’m surprised that Fly Me To The Moon is only running on film in IMAX theatres. It is running in matinees at most of those theatres.

Eagle Eye is now hitting IMAX screens starting September 26th. I wonder if it’s because Spielberg was executive producer and Katzenberg’s a big IMAX supporter.

Don’t worry, the Hoffman 22 is still showing “Space Station 3D” and “Kung Fu Panda” on their iMAX screen.

I just did some research and apparently IMAX digital is going to be using what’s called 4K projectors, probably from Sony. Most digital theaters are currently using 2K projectors, but in a few years, most new theaters will probably be using 4Ks. So there won’t be any difference between an IMAX theater and a regular theater except for the 12-channel sound equipment, that is, if they’re still going to have 12-channel sound. Also Kodak says 4K is about the quality of 35mm film, and you already have some special effects companies generating effects at 8K. So although IMAX will save a bunch of money in not using film, it’s not really going to be anything special like using 70mm sideways (giving you an effective 140mm film frame). The AMC Boston Common is promising IMAX this month, and this is probably what it’s going to install. Maybe the IMAX folks think people will see the name and think they’re getting something special when they’re really not.

Question though: are Hollywood movies that are transferred to IMAX presentations actually remixed to take advantage of the 12-channel configurement? I remember reading somewhere online that the ‘Transformers’ IMAX soundmix was very different from the standard 6-channel mix.

Here is a picture of the projector: IMAX Digital Projector

Jodar where did you see it? I saw “Eagle Eye” at the AMC Columbia IMAX. Only the speaker system and screen were changed. The seating is exactly the same.

I saw Eagle Eye over at Hoffman and there was an IMAX representative with a questionaire about IMAX and Eagle Eye – I filled out most of it, my only complaint was the fact that the auditoriums being converted seem to be on the small side. It’s unfortunate considering some the largest 2K DLP systems are over Cinema De Lux (the one’s immediately left and right of the center concession stand). I haven’t heard any new news which auditorium over at Tyson’s is getting the conversion – I really really hope it’s the promised #3.

I did see ‘Kung Fu Panda’ three days earlier before ‘Eagle Eye’ premiered and I thought that was great in IMAX – the obvious plus was the sound, the thumps and thwacks were appropriately loud and bassy. I sat in the hot seat – row three (from the center aisle), seat 12. ‘Madgascar 2’ will great in IMAX because it’s not a scope film, as I mentioned before 1.85 films are fantastic on the IMAX screen, because their aren’t the black bars above and below the image.

what ever projector they used at Hoffman to project the pre-film advertisements, looked terrible, it was all orange. However the IMAX ads for the future films, ‘The Day the Earth Stood Still’ and ‘Watchmen’ projected in actual IMAX looked and sounded great.

a brand new 70mm print of ‘West Side Story’ was recently shown at the Castro in San Francisco, I’m hoping the AFT Silver can show it here in the DC area for an East Coast presentation. A new stage production of ‘West Side Story’ is having it’s pre-Broadway engagement at the National Theatre beginning in mid-December.

Now I know that this digital is the craze, but before theaters become all 2k/4k, I want to see a return to this. Film fans, please read.

http://www.in70mm.com/workshop/index.htm
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