The Dark Knight Rises The IMAX Info Thread (No Discussion)

[redhawk23]

Hey guys, I've seen a lot of the same questions come up again and again in the various discussions about the Imax showings. I figured it might be useful to simply collect everything into one thread. Please feel free to add or correct relevant information about the Imax showings of this film as well as IMAX in general.

With this film it is best that everyone knows what formats are out there so they can make the decision that best suits them.

Reportedly over an hour of The Dark Knight Rises was filmed on 70 mm IMAX film. To see it projected in this manner you must see it in an IMAX theater equipped to do so.

WB has published a list of theaters in the U.S. in Canada which will be showing the movie from a full 70 mm IMAX print.

Currently, this is the most accurate and most up to date listing, but more theaters may be added.

Theaters are listed by state or province.
http://www.thedarkknightrises.com/imax.html

 

[redhawk23]

What is LieMAX?

You may have seen discussion about so called LieMAX screens as opposed to full sized 70 mm equipped "True IMAX" screens.

Slashfilm published a very handy guide a few years ago.

http://www.slashfilm.com/qa-imax-theatre-real-imax-liemax/

The main differences are in the size of the screen and the method of projection.

"IMAX" used to only refer to giant sized screens in theaters equipped to project 70 MM film.

At some point over the past 10 years IMAX started lending its name to converted regular sized theaters, often known not so affectionately as LieMAX. As is often the case with these theaters a slightly larger than normal screen is put in the theater and the seats repositioned closer to screen.

These theaters do not project 70 mm but rather rely on digital projection. The image may be larger than a standard theater, but it is still significantly smaller than a True IMAX screen, and as the film is digitally projected, it will not be the true format or resolution that the IMAX scenes in The Dark Knight Rises were filmed in. (Notice though that the ticket price is not any lower).

Here is a visual comparison of the screen size differences found between some IMAX and LieMAX screens.

Not all so called LieMAX screens are quite as small as the one used in this example, some of them are reported to be in somewhat bigger, but regardless they will not have the same size or picture quality of the full size IMAX screens. Note also that do to the difference in aspect ratio, part of the image is cropped on the LieMax screen.

However even the LieMAX theaters tend to have improved sound systems when compared to standard theaters.

The theater currently listed as playing the 70mm print of the film are listed at the WB link in the post above, but in general you can spot the smaller "LieMax" screens from the fact that they are often listed as "IMAX Digital".

 

[redhawk23]

What is OmnIMAX?

A few of the theaters listed as playing the film from a 70mm print are OmnIMAX theaters, such as the OmnIMAX at the St. Louis Science Center.

While these theaters do play the film in its original format, and as in the case of St. Louis are the only local option to see the film that way, note that these theaters do differ from other "True IMAX" screens.

Omnimax screens are dome shaped set an angle from the crowd. The theaters are formatted for films that are shot on 70mm with special Fish-eye lenses. Screen is shaped to portray the wrap around images those lenses capture.

The Dark Knight Rises was not filmed with IMAX in mind. The specific shape of the domed OmniMAX screens may distort the picture of the film at the edges or have other adverse effects.

 

[zerokul175]

Good Info.

 

[joker1524]

thank God someone made a thread for this

 

[CapedCrusader14]

Good thread.

 

[vllgidiot]

Isn't there also a 3rd option where the screen is big but the projector is digital? I saw The Dark Knight in IMAX at two locations, Batavia and Woodridge, both of which had the large screen and film projector. According to this list http://www.lfexaminer.com/theaUSA.htm#IL they have both converted to digital projectors. Luckily the Woodridge theater is included in this list http://www.thedarkknightrises.com/imax.html which leads me to believe they will be using the film projector. Batavia isn't on the list so if this situation arises in other states I believe some will see The Dark Knight Rises on a large screen with a digital projector though I'm unsure what the quality difference will be in that case.

 

[KalMart]

About the dual-digital projection ones...

The digital projectors aren't even 4K like the newer better-quality ones. There are two 2k units, and the projections are 'stacked' as to create more luminosity to cover a larger screen from a farther distance. So what you're getting is standard regular-theater projection just zoomed up to fit a larger screen, and doubled up to compensate for the immense single light-level needed for one projector and a screen/distance so big.

The reason why it's still cropped is because it's using the DCP (digital cinema package) that's mirrors the 35mm print in terms of ratio and relative resolution.

In a nutshell...it's a gip....just a regular projection zoomed onto on a larger screen (which doesn't help the actual quality) for more money.

An actual digital projector with the relative resolution of a celluloid IMAX image is still a while away, since the data size and processing would still be immense.

 

[BREAD WARRIOR]

Any info on if an IMAX was built as a true IMAX and then converted to digital later on? Is the screen size the same or altered or is the image just cropped?

 

[KalMart]

Any info on if an IMAX was built as a true IMAX and then converted to digital later on? Is the screen size the same or altered or is the image just cropped?

When a 'cropped' image, as in not the full tall 'squarish' frame, is shown...chances are it's almost certainly not true IMAX unless it was intended to be cropped while filming...which kind of defeats the purpose and they might as well shoot Vistavision. the 'cropped' versions are probably stemming from the 35mm/digital resolution DCI's...two 2K projectors overlapped in digital 'LieMAX', 35mm or up to 4K projectors for 'regular' theaters. IMAX from the beginning was built to film three 70mm frames 'sideways' then projected that way. That's really the only 'true' IMAX path of capture-to-presentation. There are still 35mm-shot sequences in TDKR (2/3 of the movie actually) that will essentially be zoomed up for the larger IMAX screens on the actual true IMAX projections. hose shots will still be cropped because they were originated on 35mm that has a more rectangular frame. I believe there are places that don't have a true IMAX projection system nor the real tall-aspect big screen...but they still call themselves 'IMAX' even though all they essentialy are is a larger regular-projection.

 

[redhawk23]

http://www.slashfilm.com/votd-preparing-imax-theater-the-dark-knight-rises/#more-130692 An awesome video about how the Imax reels and projectors must be prepared.

TDKR is 50 Reels!

 

[superherofan777]

Thank you for this thread!

I JUST BOUGHT tickets to a july 20th IMAX showing of this. OMFG. I`ve only seen one film in imax which was "Inception" which many say that doesn`t count (idk why, if you could enlighten me that be great cause I know nolan shot some of it with imax cameras I swore)

But my god, I don`t think I`m prepared for this kind of spectacle. I`m soooo excited, who else seeing it friday in IMAX???