"Vanilla" Dark Knight Rises

I went and saw 'The Dark Knight Rises' for the 5th time, and this time it was at my local theater on a standard 35mm projection.

While still a great film (I found myself paying attention to more details since I wasn't too occupied by being "wowed"), I found the experience quite underwhelming. It definitely made me appreciate the IMAX experience that much more.

SPOILERS BELOW

Here are things that I noted:

• The trailers definitely made me feel like I was there way too long. The film's 164 minute runtime is just right, in my opinion, but I like that there are no trailers attached to the IMAX film.
• The sound--nowhere close to the IMAX experience. From the opening logo, to the prologue. On IMAX, you feel like you're in the plane. Sounds that are meant to be jarring like gunshots, explosions, aircraft (such as The Bat), and the scene where Bruce Wayne shoots the bow-and-arrow a hair away from Selina Kyle really startle you in the IMAX setting. Furthermore, when Batman saves Blake from trouble, you actually here a hint of The Bat hovering behind him.
• Color quality. No comparison. I felt like the color here was notably muted. IMAX color really pops and with the high resolution and bright projection, it gives it a more realistic quality. For example, the first time we see Officer Blake on the rooftop with Commissioner Gordon, it was so dark I couldn't see his face right away.
• Scene cropping. It is known that this movie was filmed for both IMAX and widescreen formats, and while it doesn't take away from the movie itself, the widescreen version doesn't give you that realistic sense of height. Furthermore, the establishing shot of Gotham Stock Exchange is completely different.

 

Bottom line

I'm going back to IMAX for 'The Dark Knight Rises' because I want that to be my last impression. Once it's gone from theaters, it goes to blu-ray and we'll never get to experience it on IMAX again. So, I'm maximizing it now. Definitely worth the extra drive and arriving early to get the best seat.

PODCAST: Episode 3

After watching The Dark Knight Rises four times on IMAX, the Bat and the Cat sits down to share their thoughts on the movie. Here is the first part of a series of reliving and discussing the Nolanverse trilogy. WARNING: SPOILERS!


Download

What's Unique About IMAX?

More than just a giant screen

IMAX is a name that gets thrown around a lot these days, but not all IMAX are created equal. The Dark Knight Rises has 72 minutes of scenes shot in IMAX (and thankfully not 3-D). That's crazy when you consider that most purpose-made IMAX films (those documentaries about wild animals or outer space) are usually only about 45 minutes in length.

The IMAX Difference

 

1. Screen size

IMAX screens are gargantuan. Remember, we're only referring to screens that project IMAX film, not IMAX digital. We're talking 10 times the display size of 35mm film projections. (For the record, the largest IMAX screen in the U.S. is at the AMC Loews Lincoln Square in New York, at 76 x 97 feet).

2. Incredible detail

IMAX film resolution is also 10 times the normal 35mm resolution. This is immediately apparent when a movie switches back and forth between IMAX scenes and letteboxed 35mm images.

3. IMAX scenes are shot differently

IMAX cameras are bulky and heavy, and can only load 3 minutes of film at a time (Christopher Nolan bypassed this for The Dark Knight by having two IMAX cameras on hand). They also have a shallower depth of focus and are therefore harder to shoot with. IMAX isn't just a blown-up image; it's actually shot in a way that you see more on screen.

4. IMAX sound

IMAX sound is incredibly realistic. When you hear a rocket ship launching, a gun firing, or a Lamborghini engine revving, the bass will startle you. You also hear a lot of minor details, no matter where you are sitting in the theater. This is because each row has its own set of speakers along the side walls, and the screen has tiny holes where sound comes through.

5. The seating

IMAX stadium seating ascends at a steep angle. This is possible because the screen is so tall. What this accomplishes is that everyone is closer to the screen and has a full view.

Bottom line

IMAX scenes make you feel like you're there. When you combine the incredible detail, vibrant colors, realistic sound, and the fact that IMAX scenes fill your vision, you should experience true IMAX at least once in your life. The Dark Knight Rises is the perfect opportunity to do so.

List of IMAX theaters displaying (15/70) film

"The Dark Knight Rises" 13-minute Featurette

This is a cool "behind the scenes" look at The Dark Knight Rises. Notice the heavy use of IMAX cameras and practical effects in favor of CGI. Awesome!

                                                                                        

Are You Getting IMAX or Lie-MAX?

Why You Should Only Experience "The Dark Knight Rises" on IMAX 70mm

IMAX stands for "Image Maximum" and is designed to immerse the viewer in the scene. In short, you feel like you're there. Normally reserved for nature documentaries at science museums, Christopher Nolan shot about 30 minutes of The Dark Knight with IMAX cameras. Anyone who witnessed the opening shot of The Dark Knight on a true IMAX screen was simply blown away--the aerial view of the skyscrapers made it feel like you were hanging.

In my experience, IMAX looks and feels more realistic than 3-D. 3-D isn't as vivid as IMAX film, and it's pretty annoying to wear those 3-D glasses. An interesting thing about IMAX is that it's much easier to notice CGI on the format. This isn't a problem with Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, which mainly use practical effects--so when you see an 18-wheeler flipping over or a building exploding, it was done in real life.

The Problem

When multiplex theaters started incorporating the IMAX brand into their existing cinemas, it was a much smaller, more underwhelming version--IMAX digital. The problem is that IMAX corporation doesn't differentiate between film and digital, even though they are two completely different things. For a movie like The Dark Knight Rises, which has over an hour of IMAX footage, it's essential to watch it in a theater that projects IMAX 70mm film.

Facts    

 

IMAX (15/70):

15/70 means 15 perforations wide and 70mm film.

• Gigantic screen, up to 8 stories tall.
• Screen extends beyond the viewer's peripheral vision.
• Projects true color space and a doubly brighter image, roughly 10 times the quality of HDTV.
• Boasts a 15,000-watt surround sound system, consisting of 44 speakers arranged so that the slightest sound can be heard from any seat.
• Steeply-pitched (20 - 25 degrees) stadium seating allows everyone to have a full, immsersive view of the screen. There is a large gap between the screen and front row, so there really is no "bad" seat.
• Movies like The Dark Knight, Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol, and The Dark Knight Rises have parts or whole scenes of the movie filmed with IMAX cameras.
• Image expands 40 percent to fill the screen during IMAX footage.

 

Digital IMAX:

• Screen size is only slightly larger than a 35mm presentation, and only about 1/4 the size of a full IMAX screen.
• Image does not extend beyond the viewer's peripheral vision.
• Digitally compressed image, only twice the quality of HDTV.
• 6,000 watt surround system.
• Seating is deep instead of steep, like any normal theater setting, reducing immersive quality.
• IMAX footage is cropped to fit the more rectangular 1.85:1 aspect ratio (IMAX film is more squarish with a ratio of 1:43:1).
• Image expands only 21 percent during IMAX footage.

How do I know if my theater presents "true" IMAX (15/70) film?

To cut to the chase, here are the only theaters where you should watch The Dark Knight Rises.
If one of these theaters is an hour away from you, it's worth the drive. Don't settle for Lie-MAX.