70mm Oppenheimer

[Victor Liorentas]

I'm seated for the 10pm screening tonight! Looking forward to it. The Vic 8 looks ready to go.

Hope it's good Chis. Sorry I missed you but I'm off until Saturday.

[Chris Haller]

That's okay. The woman running the projection last night did a stellar job. I was very amused to see trailers in 70mm for the show. Theater 8 at the Varsity is such a stellar place to see a movie - projection was steady, incredibly bright, and had none of the flickering that was present in my 35mm and IMAX 70mm screenings, and the DTS surround sound was the best I've ever heard Oppenheimer. It was well worth the three hour drive back to Rochester afterwards.

I've now seen Oppenheimer in every format its available in - digital, IMAX digital, IMAX 70mm, 70mm, and 35mm. I know the movie inside and out - not too much else to do for a teacher on summer vacation!

It looks the best in standard 70mm. The 65mm negative and reduction negative from 65mm IMAX makes for an incredibly sharp, largely grainless experience. The blues and yellows of Kodak 2383 are wonderful in this format through the Vic 8 at the Varsity.

IMAX 70mm is the most impressive however - the 1.44:1 IMAX frame is mesmerizing to the point of being overwhelming at times, especially in close ups. The 5 channel mix in IMAX is much more powerful, but it doesn't quite have the dynamic range of the DTS at the Varsity. The standard 5-perf 65mm footage just doesn't blow up as well in 15/70 as the IMAX 65mm footage prints down to standard 70mm for viewing. Much of Oppenheimer is in normal 2.20:1, and it looks quite grainy on the IMAX screen. I saw the film projected using the SR projector, and it was steady and evenly bright across the frame. It did have terrible flickering however, which is not something I remember from past experiences with the IMAX 70mm format with Dunkirk, Interstellar, and The Dark Knight Rises.

The 35mm print I saw here in Rochester was quite good, but the differences were notable from the large format presentations, of course. It wasn't as bright, grain was noticeable, and certain shots weren't as sharp. But there's no mistaking the signature texture of Kodak film, which even in 35mm makes for a remarkably distinct and pleasing viewing experience. Listening to the Dolby SR track was perhaps the least clear and intelligible of all the formats, but there was a richness to the low end, and some audible analog distortion that made the experience unique.

The digital options are by far the least interesting - the 2K DCP looks anemic in terms of texture, detail, and color presentation, and the Single Laser IMAX 1.90:1 experience felt very much like a slightly brighter 2K xenon viewing. Color was less bold like the 2K DCP, grain doesn't resolve as evenly, and the green fringing in the black and white footage due to the Laser projection was quite evident. I'm not sure what IMAX sees in their single laser system except for the simplicity of only having to maintain one piece of equipment for long term maintenance.

[Timo W. Obermann]

It looks the best in standard 70mm. The 65mm negative and reduction negative from 65mm IMAX makes for an incredibly sharp, largely grainless experience. The blues and yellows of Kodak 2383 are wonderful in this format through the Vic 8 at the Varsity.

Very interesting to hear. I saw it in all film formats as well. The IMAX footage was slightly but (for me) noticeably soft in both the 35mm and 5-perf versions. I assumed it had something to do with the optical reduction. Which I don’t really understand, since the blow up of the 5-perf footage to 15-perf looked perfect to me. Especially compared to Dunkirk. Sure there was some grain which wasn’t really apparent on the 5-perf prints, but I thought it was a pleasant and the appropriate amount. I was sitting on the closer side in all my screenings. I saw the 35mm version second, after the 15-perf and before the 5-perf and I thought the softness in the IMAX footage might come from it being optically reduced twice. I sat second row in the 35mm screening which was necessary considering the screen was on the smaller end and sixth row in 70mm 5-perf. Because the screen for the 5-perf was considerably larger, it bothered me more. It was still a pleasant experience, still had all the other beauty of a 70mm presentation, and it shouldn’t be an issue for normal movie goers or people sitting further back than the middle or maybe first third. But it was unfortunate because the 5-perf footage look absolutely stunning in its native format. Incredible depth and almost no grain. I wish the 15-perf footage had looked as good in that version. I’d really love to know what the issue here was.

[Mark Ogden]

I'm willing to bet you'll see a lot more care and attention put into a 5/70 changeover showing than you will anything else. Its a lot easier to just let it run when you have platters...

That maybe true, BUT . . .

I saw it in 70mm in a changeover run at a theatre that I won't name, and while the image was pretty good, the audio suffered from the same issue that usually accompanies any DTS print being shown on a changeover basis: the sound from the oncoming reel downcuts the sound from the outgoing reel by a half-second or so, as a result (so I am informed) of the time-code from the oncoming reel hitting the audio play-out server just slightly prior to the shutter being flipped over, causing the sound to skip ahead slightly. I have seen this in every single 70mm DTS show I have ever attended, except those that were run off a platter.

I understand that projectionists want to show off their changeover skills every opportunity they get, but frankly this issue is to me is awfully damned annoying, especially across 10 or 12 instances per showing. I saw a sub-Reddit the other night where someone who saw the film at another theatre complained about the same thing, so it's not just me that notices and feels that it's less than optimal presentation.

[Henry Atkinson]

That maybe true, BUT . . .

I saw it in 70mm in a changeover run at a theatre that I won't name, and while the image was pretty good, the audio suffered from the same issue that usually accompanies any DTS print being shown on a changeover basis: the sound from the oncoming reel downcuts the sound from the outgoing reel by a half-second or so, as a result (so I am informed) of the time-code from the oncoming reel hitting the audio play-out server just slightly prior to the shutter being flipped over, causing the sound to skip ahead slightly. I have seen this in every single 70mm DTS show I have ever attended, except those that were run off a platter.

I understand that projectionists want to show off their changeover skills every opportunity they get, but frankly this issue is to me at least awfully damned annoying, especially across 10 or 12 instances per showing. I saw a sub-Reddit the other night where someone who saw the film at another theatre complained about the same thing, so it's not just me that notices and feels that it's less than optimal presentation.

That's fair. I personally haven't noticed this with any of the DTS that I've run (all changeover), but I also don't have a point of comparison, as I've never run a platter.

[Terry Monohan]

Finally got tickets for the AMC IMAX Metreon Theatre in San Francisco Sat Aug 26 in row D but they are in the center row. Lets hope the 70mm IMAX film print Is not very scratched by the end of August In SF.

Maybe some of the 70mm Imax Theatres can keep the prints for a few extra months and have a few 'ATOMIC MIDNIGHT IMAX PARTY' Oppenheimer showings .

Movie guests can put on their finest 40's & 50's pre bomb party outfits . Blow a air raid siren on the surround wall speakers for a Intermission for Atomic drinks and food. As most 70mm film theatres have no stage they can try to have a MR & MRS Atomic contest with the winner getting some real radioactive dust in a bottle along with a Gei-ger counter . They can test It out on their cell phone after the movie.

[Victor Liorentas]

That's okay. The woman running the projection last night did a stellar job. I was very amused to see trailers in 70mm for the show. Theater 8 at the Varsity is such a stellar place to see a movie - projection was steady, incredibly bright, and had none of the flickering that was present in my 35mm and IMAX 70mm screenings, and the DTS surround sound was the best I've ever heard Oppenheimer. It was well worth the three hour drive back to Rochester afterwards.

I've now seen Oppenheimer in every format its available in - digital, IMAX digital, IMAX 70mm, 70mm, and 35mm. I know the movie inside and out - not too much else to do for a teacher on summer vacation!

It looks the best in standard 70mm. The 65mm negative and reduction negative from 65mm IMAX makes for an incredibly sharp, largely grainless experience. The blues and yellows of Kodak 2383 are wonderful in this format through the Vic 8 at the Varsity.

IMAX 70mm is the most impressive however - the 1.44:1 IMAX frame is mesmerizing to the point of being overwhelming at times, especially in close ups. The 5 channel mix in IMAX is much more powerful, but it doesn't quite have the dynamic range of the DTS at the Varsity. The standard 5-perf 65mm footage just doesn't blow up as well in 15/70 as the IMAX 65mm footage prints down to standard 70mm for viewing. Much of Oppenheimer is in normal 2.20:1, and it looks quite grainy on the IMAX screen. I saw the film projected using the SR projector, and it was steady and evenly bright across the frame. It did have terrible flickering however, which is not something I remember from past experiences with the IMAX 70mm format with Dunkirk, Interstellar, and The Dark Knight Rises.

The 35mm print I saw here in Rochester was quite good, but the differences were notable from the large format presentations, of course. It wasn't as bright, grain was noticeable, and certain shots weren't as sharp. But there's no mistaking the signature texture of Kodak film, which even in 35mm makes for a remarkably distinct and pleasing viewing experience. Listening to the Dolby SR track was perhaps the least clear and intelligible of all the formats, but there was a richness to the low end, and some audible analog distortion that made the experience unique.

The digital options are by far the least interesting - the 2K DCP looks anemic in terms of texture, detail, and color presentation, and the Single Laser IMAX 1.90:1 experience felt very much like a slightly brighter 2K xenon viewing. Color was less bold like the 2K DCP, grain doesn't resolve as evenly, and the green fringing in the black and white footage due to the Laser projection was quite evident. I'm not sure what IMAX sees in their single laser system except for the simplicity of only having to maintain one piece of equipment for long term maintenance.

Wow thanks for your positive review Chris! I myself am stunned by the presentation at the Varsity and it's great to get that kind of feedback!
Can I post your review on my Facebook page?

[Chris Haller]

Victor,

Go for it!

I couldn’t believe that every single other house at the Varsity was set up for flat and flat alone! Theater 8 appeared to be the only scope screen! Egads!

[Michael Coate]

OPPENHEIMER is now in Week 4. Have any of the 70mm and 70mm IMAX runs ended or have all been held over?

[Jim Cassedy]

OPPENHEIMER is now in Week 4.
Have any of the 70mm and 70mm IMAX runs ended or have all been held over?

After last weekend, we went from three 70mm shows/day down to two/day on most days.
Today, 8/13, I've got an afternoon & evening show to run and after that we're down to one
show-per-day for the rest of the week. Although we haven't had any 'sell out' crowds this
week, we seem to be hovering around 200~250 people for of each of these shows, which
isn't bad. (The auditorium seats over 300)

[Marco Giustini]

the audio suffered from the same issue that usually accompanies any DTS print being shown on a changeover basis: the sound from the oncoming reel downcuts the sound from the outgoing reel by a half-second or so, as a result (so I am informed) of the time-code from the oncoming reel hitting the audio play-out server just slightly prior to the shutter being flipped over, causing the sound to skip ahead slightly. I have seen this in every single 70mm DTS show I have ever attended, except those that were run off a platter.

The DTS player will indeed sync on the incoming timecode when it sees one but there shouldn't be a jump if the changeover if in sync. I guess it might be humanly not possible to achieve perfect sync, probably that's also why sound is usually quieter at reel change (I've never run a changeover system myself so please feel free to correct me!)

[Lyle Romer]

OPPENHEIMER is now in Week 4. Have any of the 70mm and 70mm IMAX runs ended or have all been held over?

The Autonation IMAX in Fort Lauderdale keeps adding 15/70 shows. It looks like towards the end of August it will be weekend shows only. Hopefully they keep running a few shows a week until people stop buying tickets. To date every show they've had has sold out.

[Kieran Hall]

probably that's also why sound is usually quieter at reel change

Is it just me who thinks that Nolan films (a decent chunk of the DTS 70 out there, particularly in the UK) seem to pick unusually loud points to have reel ends -- I'm thinking particularly of the one at the end of R2 of Interstellar, right in the middle of the rocket launch (the first time I did that changeover, I'd turned the booth monitors way up to hear the dialogue. Being stuck with your ear pressed against a little bookshelf speaker suddenly trying to propel itself off the wall isn't the funnest of times!).

[Marco Giustini]

I'd imagine that reel change is not a big issue anymore nowadays. Reels are still used in the digital world but servers don't care anymore so maybe the "quiet spot" is not in the workflow anymore!

[Tony Bandiera Jr]

The DTS player will indeed sync on the incoming timecode when it sees one but there shouldn't be a jump if the changeover if in sync. I guess it might be humanly not possible to achieve perfect sync, probably that's also why sound is usually quieter at reel change (I've never run a changeover system myself so please feel free to correct me!)

You are correct on all counts.

Perfect sync on a changeover is difficult and takes a LOT of practice (I ran HIB 100 at UCI for about 13 years so I got pretty good at it.) Most editors did try to put quieter sound at the very end and beginning of reels to help mask imperfect changeovers. Some however, went out of their way to make it difficult...the worst one I ever ran was "Chariots of Fire" where every fing reel had a changeover right in the middle of a spoken line of dialog!! I ran that three times at the Base Theatre in Tucson, Az. and only my THIRD show got it dialed in.

As I recall, even with a normal analog optical track, a changeover was supposed to delay the sound on the incoming machine by 21 frames, or just over 3/4 of a second to get it perfect. But every setup I ever ran had the pic and track switching at the same time.