Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk - July 2017 (Shot in 70mm) (1 Viewer)

[Simon Massey]

Better historians than me may correct me, but I believe that whilst we used the Air Force to support the Dunkirk evacuation, a lot of planes were held back for the predicted future battles at the time. This is referenced in the film and turned out to be very much the case not long after Dunkirk with the "Battle of Britain" taking place.

 

[Tino]

Seeing the 10AM IMAX 70MM show at the AMC Lincoln Square. Should be awesome.

 

[Sam Posten]

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Seeing the 10AM IMAX 70MM show at the AMC Lincoln Square. Should be awesome.

That's still the best IMAX screen I've ever seen.

I saw "Dark Knight" at the Smithsonian Natural History IMAX in 2008 and was blown away. I went to "Rises" at the Air and Space IMAX and was much less impressed by the presentation.

I didn't realize "real IMAX" screens varied a lot in size, so I didn't realize the A&S screen was smaller than the Natural History screen.

My 2nd viewing of "Rises" was at Lincoln Center - that's where I went "there's the IMAX goodness I missed!"

 

[nara]

Saw this at the BFI Imax in London yesterday. Absolutely flawless presentation. It's not Nolan's best but it's up there.

Interestingly, although I find most modern films too loud, I didn't have a problem with this one. It's possible they my have toned it down in response to audience feedback.

I can only assume that the film critic mentioned in post #264 is a complete idiot, (or worse still, working from someone else's notes). That review is factually wrong on so many levels!

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Saw this at the BFI Imax in London yesterday. Absolutely flawless presentation. It's not Nolan's best but it's up there.

Interestingly, although I find most modern films too loud, I didn't have a problem with this one. It's possible they my have toned it down in response to audience feedback.

Conversely, it's also possible that you're Grampa Simpson and don't know it!

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I can only assume that the film critic mentioned in post #264 is a complete idiot, (or worse still, working from someone else's notes). That review is factually wrong on so many levels!

Multiple people have written to the publication as well as commented on the review page about the factual inaccuracies, but so far, the publication has declined to issue a correction. I don't care that the critic liked the movie. I care that the critic is telling people, "I didn't like the movie because of X, Y, and Z" when in fact the movie didn't have an X, Y or Z.

 

[GlennF]

Here's a quandry. In Toronto I can see it in 70 mm film or in Imax (converted to digital). There is no Imax Film option. I am thinking of the film option as it is so rare to see 70 mm film these days, but the screen is not as large. (I think it is one of only 2 theatres left in the city capable of showing 70 mm.) Thoughts from those who have seen it?

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Tough call. To get the film in regular 70mm, you get all of the advantages of the photochemical finish, but you're limited to a 2.20:1 aspect ratio. About 70% of the film was shot at 1.43:1 and presented that way in a 15/70 IMAX auditorium. Digital IMAX crops this to 1.90:1, which is still taller than the regular 70mm 2.20:1.

I feel like Nolan would probably advise you to see it on film regardless of format. I'd probably advise going for the presentation which can reproduce as much of the original photography and aspect ratio as possible, which for me is digital IMAX.

 

[Sam Posten]

More on the Stuka sounds:
http://www.indiewire.com/2017/07/dunkirk-how-christopher-nolan-very-loud-sounds-of-war-1201860117/

 

[Tino]

Here's a quandry. In Toronto I can see it in 70 mm film or in Imax (converted to digital). There is no Imax Film option. I am thinking of the film option as it is so rare to see 70 mm film these days, but the screen is not as large. (I think it is one of only 2 theatres left in the city capable of showing 70 mm.) Thoughts from those who have seen it?

I would definitely choose the IMAX version. I saw the 70MM on a medium size screen and saw negligible difference between a digital screening. IMAX all the way.

 

[SamT]

Christopher Nolan Wanted to Shoot 'Dunkirk' Without a Script

 

[Tino]

The screenplay was a very quick sparse and fascinating read. 96 pages. With a few scenes left out of the film.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0571336256/ref=ya_aw_oh_bia_dp?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[YanMan]

The one film that doesn't quite fit in with the rest, in my book at any rate, is Insomnia. Perhaps its because its the one film that Nolan didn't have a hand in shaping the story on. Perhaps its because he was clearly a "director for hire" and his usual strong voice is mostly absent. I think it was an invaluable experience for the chance to work on a major studio film, with actual movie stars and a budget, and since it was at Warner, it no doubt built the relationships with the studio that have served him well to this day. On one hand, there's probably no film more necessary in his filmography than Insomnia - if he doesn't make that movie, he doesn't get a chance to pitch his Batman Begins idea, and if that doesn't happen, there's no Dark Knight, there's no Inception, no Interstellar, no Dunkirk. So ironically, while Insomnia is probably the least Nolan-like of Nolan's filmography, it's probably the most important for ensuring that there would be a long-term filmography.

I think your analysis of Insomnia's place in Nolan's filmography is spot-on, Josh.

In fact, I am 99% sure I read an interview (or perhaps it was some interview snippet from some extras from one of the Nolan blu-rays) where Nolan pretty much says the same, that he took on Insomnia as a project to show WB that he could handle directing a big-budget studio picture responsibly.

Still trying to remember exactly where I read or saw that, though... if I think of it I will update with a link or pointer.

 

[Mikael Soderholm]

Conversely, it's also possible that you're Grampa Simpson and don't know it!

Wow, never saw that, absolutely hilarious

Thing is, my SO has this thing abut the THX chord, and absoljutely hates it from the bottom of her beautiful heart, and leaves the room when it comes on, as it does on some movies, so obviousy I sent her your link

 

[Edwin-S]

Regarding the time structure of this film. I think part of the confusion comes from the fact that although he tells people that the various parts take place over different time periods, the actual overlaps, flashbacks and editing of the film leaves one with the impression that everything really occurs over the last day. There is no real feeling of the passage of one week in the land section and the air section does not feel like one hour.

 

[Tino]

Regarding the One Week segments...What about the night scenes for instance?

I thought the passage of time was very clever in how it was depicted. Although I can see how some would be confused.

 

[Edwin-S]

Regarding the One Week segments...What about the night scenes for instance?

I thought the passage of time was very clever in how it was depicted. Although I can see how some would be confused.

There is that, but it never really feels like a week has passed. To me, it is difficult to show the passage of three different time periods within the same film without always providing some cue as to when the events are taking place. Telling someone at the beginning of the segment that the action occurs over X amount of time doesn't work as well as periodically putting in a date and a time, so people have a reference to an actual time line.

I know Nolan probably didn't want to do that in order to avoid the typical conventions used in a myriad of other films of this type, but I do think that, sometimes, those conventions are necessary to create clarity about when a certain event is really taking place.

Edit: I should have noted about the ticking clock that apparently is used throughout the film. I've seen it four times and I cannot clearly recall hearing a ticking clock throughout this film. Frankly, Zimmer's score and the soundscape of this film overwhelms the aural senses and a ticking clock is the last thing a person will recall hearing. At least, that goes for me. I, quite honestly, never really heard any or recall hearing any ticking, except....maybe.....near the beginning.

 

[Tino]

Regarding the ticking clock.i believe its constant and i know It stops the moment Tommy lays his head on the pillow on the train.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

What did you think of the 15/70 presentation Tino?