WarGames--Back on the Big Screen on July 24th (1 Viewer)

Chris Atkins · Jul 2, 2008

Excellent news, as this is one of my favorite films from the 1980s.

1983’s WarGames Coming Back to Theaters - I4U News

WillG · Jul 2, 2008

However, it sounds like this is just going to be a digital projection of the upcoming DVD on the big screen, like what has been done for "revivals" of Poltergeist, a Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween in the recent years

Tino · Jul 2, 2008

Chris Atkins · Jul 2, 2008

Really? So will it not look as good as it could, then?

Greg_S_H · Jul 2, 2008

I saw it in the theater back then, but I doubt if I would be able to catch the one-time showing even if I wanted to.

Dale MA · Jul 2, 2008

I'd rather they release it on Blu-ray.

TravisR · Jul 2, 2008

I've seen these type of screenings that was just a DVD projected (Halloween) but lately, I've seen other internet posts saying that they used better sources than a DVD transfer for more recent screenings (like Battlestar Galactica: Razor and others).

Douglas Monce · Jul 3, 2008

Actually its not DVD it is high definition. I saw the screening of Poltergeist, and of Star Trek: The The Menagerie, and was very impressed. It was on a fairly small screen but Poltergeist looked almost as sharp as I remember it in its original run on film. It was however cropped to 1.85:1.

Of course I understand that some theaters in Fathom's chain have better projectors than others so it maybe hit or miss as far as the quality goes. By the way the shows are sent to the theaters live via satellite.

NCM Fathom. Groundbreaking Cinema Entertainment

Doug

BrettB · Jul 3, 2008

Poltergiest was upconverted dvd (720). I emailed them beforehand and asked what the deal was.

TravisR · Jul 3, 2008

Like I said, I know there's been newer presentations where it was HD but Halloween was without a doubt Anchor Bay's 25th anniversary DVD.

mattCR · Jul 3, 2008

I wonder if this will also help the sequel, Wargames 2: R.I.P.L.E.Y.

War Games 2 Trailer - Slice of SciFi

Jonesy · Jul 3, 2008

There were reports of Fathom's recent screenings of Poltergeist where they played the film panned-and-scanned in some theatres.

In my opinion, Fathom's screenings are low resolution garbage and don't belong on cinema screens. If they cared at all about their films, they would circulate a bunch of new 35mm, like was done with recently with Blade Runner.

If you do go to Wargames, and it does look like ass, be sure to complain and ask for your money back.

Jonesy
MOVIE THEATRE REVIEWS

Douglas Monce · Jul 3, 2008

It sure wasn't where I saw it. I was in the forth row and I would have known if it was up converted DVD. The titles were razor sharp and it was also cropped to 1.85:1. I believe it was the version that was prepared for HD Net.

I would have been able to tell if it was an unconverted DVD on a 30 foot screen. It was defiantly 1080 though it MAY have been interlaced.

Doug

Chris Atkins · Jul 24, 2008

My wife and I enjoyed seeing WarGames on the big screen again (and it is a charming movie, though it seriously loses steam in the second half and could use a good 5-10 minutes cut out of the film).

However, there were 2 problems:

1) The satellite transmission went out about 3/4 of the way through the film. We were told this was Fathom's fault, and we believe it since the same thing happened to my brother in law who was viewing the film in a different city. They got it running again after about 15 minutes.

2) The picture was disappointing. It very much seemed like DVD quality on a big screen. I doubt I will go see any of Fathom's future releases if this is the quality we can expect.

Greg_S_H · Jul 24, 2008

I bet you were scared it was the Russian attack that took down the transmission.

"Impact!"

cafink · Jul 24, 2008

I just got back from WarGames, which I had actually never seen before. I quite liked it. I work as a computer programmer, and I was extremely surprised by how well a 25-year-old movie about computers can hold up.

There were no problems with the presentation at my theater. The image looked fine to me, though I've never been particularly sensitive to that sort of thing. I thought it looked perfectly acceptable and I definitely feel like I got my money's worth from the screening.

Greg_S_H · Jul 24, 2008

You had to have liked Jim and Malvin.

"That girl's sitting right over there and you're giving away our best secrets!"

"Mr. Potato Head. Mr. Potato Head! Backdoors are NOT secret!"

. . .

"Remember when you told me to tell you when you were being rude and insensitive? You're doing it now."

I don't know if it'll be quite in the same league, but I would recommend the '84 Cloak and Dagger if you haven't seen it. It's kind of similar, but it manages to blend videogames with a Hitchcockian plot. In fact, it was based on a story by Cornell "Rear Window" Woolrich which was the basis of a noir thriller of the '40s called The Window.

Brian D H · Jul 25, 2008

I'm sure that helping the sequel was 90% of the point of having these screenings.

DaveB · Jul 28, 2008

Our transmission not only went out, but we momentarily saw a MS Windows desktop projected onto the 30' screen. The sound at my theater was thin and the presentation was a little disappointing overall. We all payed a premium above the regular ticket price; in retrospect, they should have charged the discount rate. Still loved the movie though!

Chris Atkins · Jul 28, 2008

Hmm, I thought the sound was actually quite good. It was the picture I was disappointed in.

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