AMC Lincoln Square 13

I saw 2001 at Paramus in 70mm a couple months ago and then at the Rockaway, NJ IMAX the other day.

Definitely impressive to see this on the big screen for the first time! Almost like a new movie.

The 70mm film was really cool, cool to see film again and 70mm is nice and crisp. I felt it did have a little more detail, some fairly noticeably so, at times compared to the digital IMAX. The 70mm also had the lights all running and set properly. Even the digital one did run it the full way though with the full intermission and the post credits music, something I’ve heard that almost all showings other than a few of the 70mm ones at some theaters earlier this year, so that was good.

The Rockaway, NJ IMAX screen was bigger so that was cool. The colors looked pretty rich here too, a few times maybe a touch more for the 70mm versions, but generally it was pretty good for the digital IMAX regarding that too. Maybe a few 70mm things had a bit better shadow detail, hard to say. The 70mm for our liking the best seats with the way that theater was designed had us sitting at a lower level relative to the screen than at the IMAX so the screen was a bit higher up which feels a bit more impressive. The volume at the Paramus seemed too loud but it was beyond too loud at the IMAX, even with earplugs that transmission tone and some other stuff make you cringe. The Rockaway IMAX was a bit more rumbly, felt the bass more but also I think too much upper bass which left it a touch boomy at times compared to the Paramus 70mm showing. But still all impressive and a great see on a huge screen.

The 70mm was special. Both were great though. The Rockaway screen is nearing as big as the old Paramus Stanley Giant too and the if you see it at the Paramus IMAX or Jersey Gardens IMAX the screen will be at least as big and I think even a trace bigger than the old Stanley Warner giant.

Of course the most most version is probably the IMAX film version at the insanely huge screen at Lincoln here.

bigjoe59, my wife and I went to the Cinemark in Hazlet NJ last night to try to see this movie. They had it on 2 screens, and all shows were sold out. Ended up at AMC Jersey Gardens, where they also had it on 2 screens. Our theatre had about 150 seats of which at least half, if not more were full.

Continuing on my “2001” adventure. On Aug 26 I gave my review of viewing the 70mm film version at Lincoln Center. The focus/detail was incredible but the sound was ONLY from the screen. This morning I tried my best to enjoy the “restored” digital version at Kips Bay. I didn’t!!!! First, the sound was 100% better than the sound at Lincoln Square. It did lift me out of my seat and sonically placed me in the images. Bless von Karajan BUT, there was at times, and usually during the BEAUTIFUL space dead silence, very loud rumbling and bass sound-bursts from a nearby theater. Terrible!!
The presentation I saw, as the theater manager informed me.. in digital format.. was a great disappointment in the screen clarity. I would say there was a 10 to 15% loss in clarity over the film I watched at Lincoln Center. It was enough to make most of the effects look like effects. Sad!!

I waited until INTERMISSION appeared on the screen and waited for the lights to come up.  THEY DIDN'T!! So, I calmly made my way out from my center seat and proceeded down the steps to the exit.  Still .. no lights.  So. I announced to the dark auditorium (about 30 persons) that I had seen the film on Sat and there might be a 15-20 minute intermission and that I would tell the manager on my way out.  A lady followed me out and thanked me.
                

I asked for the manager and met him at the front desk. Told him of the theater sitting in the dark and he mentioned that “Oh, that happened on the weekend and people had come down to report it thinking the projection had a problem!!” I asked him if he could turn the lights on.. and he went up to see if they were still in the dark. He did mention he thought that it might be a built-in effect to keep in audience in outer space??? Left the theater very disappointed. Very glad I saw the film presentation at Lincoln Center.

Yep… I’m very particular!!! But I want to help everyone get what they pay for!! I’m concerned this digital version is NOT as awe-inspiring as the original. We can do better than this!!!!!!!

Maybe it was because I sat in the front row for the digital edition. Level of detail was excellent in both versions.

I did notice another change in digital: the last shot of the Russians sequence, which for 50 years ended in a fade to black, is now a cut to black. I don’t know why changes like this have to be made, or if there’s any reason for them. The 70mm version has the advantage in this regard.

Hi Bill, I saw 2001 on Friday at the Kips Bay. While I had seen the film quite a few times before, I had never seen it theatrically before and getting the extra detail and richness of color than you could find in home viewings was a pleasure. I didn’t notice anything off in that sequence you mentioned, but did notice a few shots which looked poor in the film, didn’t distract from about 98% of the movie looking great (and I figured if anything there could be issues inherent in the source elements of those shots).

Also saw The Dark Knight at this theater tonight, and even as good as 2001 it couldn’t quite compare (though I had seen the film in a regular screen theatrically when it first came out, and again a number of times at home since). A bit of dust and I noticed a hair in one shot, but this was either a new or very well preserved print, did notice a few seconds of shakiness twice (in the opening scene and Hong Kong sequence) which may have just been with this screening, but otherwise the image was rocksteady, the native IMAX footage was of course the jaw dropping highlight, but even the 35mm DMR material had some incredible looking images. Like 2001, there were no trailers (makes sense, 2001 is being done in roadshow format, and what 15/70 IMAX trailers would be available) in both cases I think a couple audience members were expecting those and didn’t get in till around 15 minutes into the films.

They should show a 5/70MM version at the Regal E Walk across the street from the Empire. FILM.

The digital version is also showing at the AMC Kips Bay on 2nd Ave. and 32nd St. in Manhattan, as well as the Empire 42nd St.

The New York Philharmonic is also showing “2001” on September 14 & 15 with live musical accompaniment. They have a print with dialogue only.

How is the digital IMAX version?

Hello-

I thought the only IMAX 2001 print to play NYC was the unrestored one playing this week at Lincoln Square. when is an IMAX print of the restored 4K version playing NYC?

Yes, it has been announced that IMAX film print showings of 2001 are based on the unrestored 70mm version, and just photochemical blow ups to IMAX rather than going through the IMAX remastering process most Hollywood releases do. I’m pretty sure it will be shown letterbox in 2.20 aspect ratio given there is no material for an expanded aspect ratio version (if you want to see the screen filled, either the IMAX sequences in Dark Knight, or the currently playing Documentary Pandas, will do so).

The digital IMAX showings of 2001 though will be based on a new 4K restoration though. Personally I want to see it at Kips Bay or AMC Empire as I’m interested in what the remaster looks like.

I wonder how it will look in imax compared to a regular 70mm print. Any eta on the dolby?