IMAX version of STAR WARS Episode II: Attack of the Clones (1 Viewer)

[Johnny G]

I did a search & nothing came up so I'm sorry if this has been mentioned.

I'm praying this comes to my local IMAX in Bradford, UK.

This will be the ultimate IMAX experience although I'm not sure if you'll feel you're missing something in 4:3 even at that size.

Roll on September, but probably September 2003 knowing the UK!

 

[Michael St. Clair]

Won't they have to cut about 20 minutes out to make it fit the IMAX projection system?

Regardless, I won't pay 10 bucks to watch pan-and-scan.

 

[Josh Lowe]

I doubt there's any such thing. IMAX uses a totally different film format than cinematic 70mm film:

The IMAX® format is actually 70mm film that has been turned horizontal instead of vertical and the width of the film frame has been tripled. While normal 70mm film is the width of 5 perforations (or 5 sprocket holes), the IMAX® is 15 perforations wide. The IMAX® film format is commonly known as 15-perf 70mm.

SW: AOTC was filmed digitally and I doubt it could be scaled up to fit that large of a frame without looking horrible.

What is probably being done is that the standard format movie is being projected on an IMAX screen. This provides no benefit to the viewer as it typically results in a dark, soft image as a typical projector can't push enough light to properly illuminate in an IMAX theater. The only enhancement would be in the audio, as IMAX theaters have pretty stout sound systems to say the least.

I watched Lord of the Rings on an IMAX screen and was thoroughly disappointed. It was much brighter and sharper on a standard large cinema screen.

 

[MikeEckman]

Yeah, I dont get IMAX. I mean, if a movie is originally made for it, then great, but I dont understand why anyone would want to see a 4:3 cropped version of a movie, regardless how big the screen is.

 

[Jason Seaver]

You do not want to see AOTC blown up to IMAX-size. It's already pretty low-res as it is; making it that large would probably result in human-head sized pixels.
Man, I wish there were a way to convince George to shoot Episode III in IMAX, though...

 

[JeremySt]

I have heard of Imax Theaters showing regular movies in their original OAR. I cant think of a distinct advantage to viewing a movie in an Imax theater, other than you might be sitting too close to the screen, and Imax Theaters typically have great sound. A friend of mine who lives near Yellowstone National Park told me of how he watched The Mummy in the Yellowstone Imax theater. It was projected OAR in the center of the screen. He asked him how it was and all he said was "loud".

 

[Johnny G]

Fox & Lucasfilm confirmed the release for 15 countries so I'm assuming it's not just the original print on an IMAX screen.

It's still only rumors that it will be an extended version of the film but I'm sure it will be different somehow.

 

[Mitty]

Anytime I've ever seen a non-IMAX movie in an IMAX theatre, it's not cropped, it just doesn't fill the whole screen vertically.
But, I can't think of a worse movie to see blown up that large. Ok, maybe something like The Blair Witch Project would be worse, but it's close.

 

[Mark Kalzer]

I was at the Paramount Theatre in downtown Toronto and by sheer luck, got to see Minority Report projected onto their IMAX screen. The film was presented in OAR centred on the screen. Everything that has been said here I found not to be the case. Yes there was a good amount of grain, (Probably intentional of Speilberg, but let's not go into THAT debate!) and there was no problem with brightness. It was as bright as it needed to be! The sound quality as was mentioned before, WAS execeptional! (I only wish they would mix the Fox fanfare like on the Die Hard trilogy DVDs more often. It sounded like on the Star Wars DVD in that it was dull and lifeless. For a minute there I thought the movie was going to be in mono after a great sounding "Feature Presentation" trailer. ) The dimensions were excellent, obviously being bettered from the finely tuned IMAX sound system! Even better was the picture itself! True a lot of screen space was lost on the widescreen, (Wait, now I'm sounding joe six packish) but the size still made a huge difference. With a movie like that, having a giant screen REALLY makes an impact! I walked out of the theatre feeling slightly disoriented, trying to get used to how small the world really is. It was an incredible experience! I would love to see Star Wars projected on an IMAX screen! (We've got the biggest in the world, down at Ontario Place!) I know I'm going to make every attempt to see The Matrix Reloaded/Revolutions on that screen!

 

[Jeff Kleist]

I seriously doubt that AOTC will be P&S. Blown up yes, but not P&S

Lucas may like tinkering w/his movies, but he's VERY big on OAR. In fact at one point he wasn't going to let them P&S Star Wars

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Lucas may like tinkering w/his movies, but he's VERY big on OAR. In fact at one point he wasn't going to let them P&S Star Wars

And even while more and more films were coming out dual Widescreen/Pan and Scan, Episode I was Widescreen only one DVD. I shouldn't care anyway though... I don't have an IMAX theater near me.

 

[Tim Glover]

I'm definitely in-if indeed it arrives in the Dallas area this labor day. Just to hear the soundtrack in an Imax theater would be cool...

 

[Dick]

I feel IMAX works best with shorter films and ones designed and cut for the format. Because the editing rhythms of recent films such as STAR WARS II are frequently so hyper (too much so even for standard screens), in spite of all the information every shot asks us to take in, throwing such images onto an even larger screen would be dizzying and exhausting. IMAX really struts its stuff when allowing a vista to envelope us with its clarity and seeming (sometimes actual) 3-D, without too much undue motion or quick cutting to cause disorientation. I would not go to see STAR WARS in IMAX on a bet.

 

[MikeEckman]

This might not be the right thread for this, but what makes an IMAX theater's sound system so awesome? Do they just crank the volume up real high or what? I mean, when it comes down to it, its still a 5 or 6 channel source, right? Couldnt a really loud home theater sound just as good or is there something special about the theater itself?

 

[Rob W]

APOLLO 13 is currently being prepared for true IMAX presentation. Since it was shot in super 35 there will be some latitude available for re-formatting the picture.

Disney's TREASURE PLANET in November will be the first film to be released simultaneously in IMAX and 35 mm versions.

And of course, THE LION KING will also have an IMAX re-release in the next year before making it's way to DVD.

BEAUTY & THE BEAST and FANTASIA 2000 were tremendous successes and the company is actively pursuing current and classic feature films that would suit the IMAX format and presentation.

 

[cwhite]

I bet this rumor is a long shot at best. Bear in mind that the movie was shot on high definition videotape so a 70MM blow up of the movie may not look great.

 

[Aaron Reynolds]

The Paramount in Toronto frequently advertises it's showings of 35mm films on the IMAX screen as "specially enhanced for the IMAX screen". According to a projectionist friend of mine, this means that the print itself is made much denser and darker, designed to be projected with significantly more light than a regular print.

Cinesphere at Ontario Place was running Fellowship of the Rings over the weekend, but I didn't manage to get out to it. Unlike the Paramount, at Cinesphere it costs less than a regular theatre to see a non-IMAX movie.

Cinesphere is a good venue for non-IMAX movies. I've seen a couple of dozen there, and I'm almost always impressed (especially when I have good seats). Apocalypse Now (non-Redux) in 70mm was a standout.

 

[Sam Davatchi]

Welcome to the grains and digital artifacts blown up! Whose idea was this? They have already problems showing it in normal 35mm theaters. IMAX? Pleeeaaaassseee!

 

[Dan Brecher]

I must agree with Sam here... I am somewhat terrified how the hell this is going to look in IMAX when it's rather questionable in both 35mm and DLP incarnations as it is.

If feedback on the quality of the presentation is good, then of course, I will go. Right now, I have doubts.

Dan

 

[Bhagi Katbamna]

I saw episode I in Orlando on IMAX and it was projected OAR. The sound was fantastic.