that’s too bad about the audio – the only thing I noticed about the AFI Silver presentation was the dialogue in one scene veered off of the center channel – which is wasn’t supposed to do
I really really do not understand why AMC can’t book the alternate programming that other theaters seem to get – the biggest head scratcher is that the rerelease digital presentation of ‘Ghostbusters’ should be on the huge Uptown screen, since well, it’s initial DC engagement was here … and in 70mm no less.
it’s 7.1 but not Dolby. Cinemark’s XD screen is also 7.1 but also not Dolby installed/certified. I saw ‘Lion King’ (3D) on the ETX screen – and wow, what a disappointment – the 3D was mediocre, but the audio, notably the bass was practically non-existent. The presentation of ‘The Phantom of the Opera Live from Royal Albert Hall’ was another instance where the audio was terrible – not AMC’s fault – but nearly all the sound came from the left speaker – the surrounds were only used for the audience clapping and one instance where the Phantom’s voice comes from the rear.
@ Bill – the extra instruments are helped a lot by the addition of the two extra front speakers – wish more ‘newer’ musicals were mixed as such – resurrect SDDS 8-channel sound !!
I think the industry wants theaters to make the conversion, but it’s interesting that Landmark Theaters specifically it’s cash cow location – Bethesda Maryland has NOT changed over from 35mm. The AFI Silver likewise favours 35mm, even though all three screens have DLP. The Avalon projects DVDs once in awhile but again, being an non-profit theater – it books almost exclusively 35mm.
@ aabner – the Embassy is now the AED Globe Theater, I isn’t going to happen but I wish CVS would leave the McArther location and convert it back to a theater – what a loss for that neighborhood. I hadn’t realized that the building was up ‘For Sale’ til I drove by it this afternoon – there are a lot of stores that closed in that neck of Wisconsin Ave. it’s really sad. Know anyone would be interested in converting it back to a theater ?? I’d help.
apparently the restoration done on the bluray edition of ‘Ben Hur’ is having a digital projection presentation at the Alice Tully Hall this coming Saturday (as part of the New York Film Festival) – October 1st.
I thought the surround sound was tad better than the film quality – but not by that much. The image was bright, with dark blacks and had vibrant colors. The surrounds never sounded subdued – when ‘Master Control’ was derezzing at the finale, the soundlevel was escalating to a spectacular noisey explosion. For a 11:45pm movie on a Friday night though, the audience was very low – which was unfortunate.
from what I can tell only screen 2 was converted to playback 7.1 – hand it to AMC to unadvertise/promote this. From what I can tell (from AMC’s own website) another screen made the digital conversion, and I’m guessing it’s the smaller auditorium #3 – but I’ll repost back what I find out.
I’ve seen the opposite, at AMC Tysons' they project TOO much light on the XD screen, over at AMC Mazza though, the Sony DP screens have consistently look great (and bright). I’m reading though online that AMC is installing Christie DP systems over Sony units since this problem and accusation arose.
in regards to the DC screenings of ‘Tree of Life’ I know that (so far) Bethesda Landmark and the AFI Silver will be playing it. As I understand it there was enough extra footage that Malik shot that it’s being complied and will be released separately as an IMAX feature unto itself.
well at Tysons, the IMAX auditorium and ETX auditorium are separated by a walk way, so the excess bass from either screen can’t be heard, however the screens that are left of the IMAX screen/right of the ETX screen might be another story altogether. The bass though during ‘Battle Los Angeles’ and ‘Fast Five’ on the ETX screen never drowned out the dialogue. But you have to remember the ETX screen can feature the discrete 7.1 soundmix of ‘Pirates 4’, the IMAX screen is standard 5.1
The IMAX-Digital was supposed to open with the release of ‘Pirates of the Caribeean: On Stranger Tides’ last Friday, but will open on May 27th (if all goes to plan) The IMAX system will debut on the largest screen: auditorium #17
well I spoke with a senior manager yesterday in regards to the flaws I’ve been noticing on the ETX screen, and he pointed out that the over brightening can and should be solvable – now if only the projectionist can get his/her act together and stop setting the light output to the 3D setting for non-3D features.
I consider $18 buck highway robbery and for Regal not to have reduced matinee pricing for the IMAX screen simply unexcusable. I have yet to see or give my impressions of the system here at the Majestic, but have you been over to AMC’s ETX screen over at Tysons, oh…my…god, the bass there is frightening, it literally shakes the floor, your feet, your legs – it’s “rumblerama”!
saw ‘Fast Five’ on the ETX screen this morning and again, since a good majority of the film has subtitles, the same problem occurred, white lettering seems a tad soft – as I found out this is a problem inherent to the dual projector system – unlike the Barco system on the ‘XD’ at the Egyptian – switching brightness levels between 3D and non-3D films is not possible. In my opinion the Barco system ‘looks’ the best, but it’s the XD ‘sound’ that is a wild trip – the bass just kicks and the finale chase is just an exhilirating ride both visually and sonically. The prior week’s viewing of ‘Rio’ looked great, more than likely attributed to the fact that the 3D glasses darken and control the brightness level.
wasn’t the New York City Film Festival screening of ‘Ben Hur’ a 4K DLP digital presentation? or was it 35mm – I assumed it was the former.
a Fanthom event ?? oh those screenings looks like crap. This event should be a full blown 4K presentation like the recent ‘Taxi Driver’s’ screenings
that’s too bad about the audio – the only thing I noticed about the AFI Silver presentation was the dialogue in one scene veered off of the center channel – which is wasn’t supposed to do
I really really do not understand why AMC can’t book the alternate programming that other theaters seem to get – the biggest head scratcher is that the rerelease digital presentation of ‘Ghostbusters’ should be on the huge Uptown screen, since well, it’s initial DC engagement was here … and in 70mm no less.
it’s 7.1 but not Dolby. Cinemark’s XD screen is also 7.1 but also not Dolby installed/certified. I saw ‘Lion King’ (3D) on the ETX screen – and wow, what a disappointment – the 3D was mediocre, but the audio, notably the bass was practically non-existent. The presentation of ‘The Phantom of the Opera Live from Royal Albert Hall’ was another instance where the audio was terrible – not AMC’s fault – but nearly all the sound came from the left speaker – the surrounds were only used for the audience clapping and one instance where the Phantom’s voice comes from the rear.
@ Bill – the extra instruments are helped a lot by the addition of the two extra front speakers – wish more ‘newer’ musicals were mixed as such – resurrect SDDS 8-channel sound !!
I think the industry wants theaters to make the conversion, but it’s interesting that Landmark Theaters specifically it’s cash cow location – Bethesda Maryland has NOT changed over from 35mm. The AFI Silver likewise favours 35mm, even though all three screens have DLP. The Avalon projects DVDs once in awhile but again, being an non-profit theater – it books almost exclusively 35mm.
@ aabner – the Embassy is now the AED Globe Theater, I isn’t going to happen but I wish CVS would leave the McArther location and convert it back to a theater – what a loss for that neighborhood. I hadn’t realized that the building was up ‘For Sale’ til I drove by it this afternoon – there are a lot of stores that closed in that neck of Wisconsin Ave. it’s really sad. Know anyone would be interested in converting it back to a theater ?? I’d help.
apparently the restoration done on the bluray edition of ‘Ben Hur’ is having a digital projection presentation at the Alice Tully Hall this coming Saturday (as part of the New York Film Festival) – October 1st.
I thought the best alternative programming this year was the presentation of ‘Stephen Sondheim’s Company’
I thought the surround sound was tad better than the film quality – but not by that much. The image was bright, with dark blacks and had vibrant colors. The surrounds never sounded subdued – when ‘Master Control’ was derezzing at the finale, the soundlevel was escalating to a spectacular noisey explosion. For a 11:45pm movie on a Friday night though, the audience was very low – which was unfortunate.
saw ‘Tron’ last Friday in 70mm and wow! it both looked and sounded great!
for last night’s first screening of ‘Stephen Sondheim’s Company’ they used the screen curtains at the intermission – thumbs up!
from what I can tell only screen 2 was converted to playback 7.1 – hand it to AMC to unadvertise/promote this. From what I can tell (from AMC’s own website) another screen made the digital conversion, and I’m guessing it’s the smaller auditorium #3 – but I’ll repost back what I find out.
I’ve seen the opposite, at AMC Tysons' they project TOO much light on the XD screen, over at AMC Mazza though, the Sony DP screens have consistently look great (and bright). I’m reading though online that AMC is installing Christie DP systems over Sony units since this problem and accusation arose.
someone noted that’s it’s over at the Landmark in 4K digital projection
out of curiousity, where is ‘Tree of Life’ playing in LA?
in regards to the DC screenings of ‘Tree of Life’ I know that (so far) Bethesda Landmark and the AFI Silver will be playing it. As I understand it there was enough extra footage that Malik shot that it’s being complied and will be released separately as an IMAX feature unto itself.
well at Tysons, the IMAX auditorium and ETX auditorium are separated by a walk way, so the excess bass from either screen can’t be heard, however the screens that are left of the IMAX screen/right of the ETX screen might be another story altogether. The bass though during ‘Battle Los Angeles’ and ‘Fast Five’ on the ETX screen never drowned out the dialogue. But you have to remember the ETX screen can feature the discrete 7.1 soundmix of ‘Pirates 4’, the IMAX screen is standard 5.1
The IMAX-Digital was supposed to open with the release of ‘Pirates of the Caribeean: On Stranger Tides’ last Friday, but will open on May 27th (if all goes to plan) The IMAX system will debut on the largest screen: auditorium #17
well I spoke with a senior manager yesterday in regards to the flaws I’ve been noticing on the ETX screen, and he pointed out that the over brightening can and should be solvable – now if only the projectionist can get his/her act together and stop setting the light output to the 3D setting for non-3D features.
I consider $18 buck highway robbery and for Regal not to have reduced matinee pricing for the IMAX screen simply unexcusable. I have yet to see or give my impressions of the system here at the Majestic, but have you been over to AMC’s ETX screen over at Tysons, oh…my…god, the bass there is frightening, it literally shakes the floor, your feet, your legs – it’s “rumblerama”!
sorry I mean’t to state “but it’s the ETX’s ‘sound’ that is a wild trip' not Cinemark’s XD system.
saw ‘Fast Five’ on the ETX screen this morning and again, since a good majority of the film has subtitles, the same problem occurred, white lettering seems a tad soft – as I found out this is a problem inherent to the dual projector system – unlike the Barco system on the ‘XD’ at the Egyptian – switching brightness levels between 3D and non-3D films is not possible. In my opinion the Barco system ‘looks’ the best, but it’s the XD ‘sound’ that is a wild trip – the bass just kicks and the finale chase is just an exhilirating ride both visually and sonically. The prior week’s viewing of ‘Rio’ looked great, more than likely attributed to the fact that the 3D glasses darken and control the brightness level.
so NO ONE saw last Saturday’s screening of ‘Spartacus’ ????