When a movie is shown on an IMAX screen, there’s really nothing special about it other than the fact that it’s on a really big screen. However, when a film is shot on the IMAX format and then shown on an IMAX screen, it can be breathtaking. When that first city scape shot came on screen in The Dark Knight my jaw hit the floor and you could hear the whole theater gasp. But when it converted to scenes not shot with IMAX cameras, it really wasn’t anything special.
The reason I bring all this up is that it appears that the upcoming JJ Abrams Star Trek movie (May 8th) is going to land on IMAX screens. However, none of the film was shot for IMAX. Our friends over at Cinematical give us this:
Well, according to our peeps, a Star Trek trailer will be attached to IMAX prints of that film. Here’s what a source told us: “We got our print-info sheet for Day the Earth Stood Still in IMAX and attached is a trailer for Star Trek. So it appears that JJ Abrams Trek Reboot/Remake is coming to IMAX in May.”
So would it be cool to see Star Trek on IMAX? Well… sure I guess… all other things being equal. But without it being shot on IMAX cameras… what’s the point really? It’s just taking the same image that is shown in regular movie theaters, except it’ll be blown up to fit the IMAX screen, and probably lose a bit of quality in the process.
Will you bother seeing Star Trek on IMAX screens even though it’s not shot for IMAX?
I will see Star Trek in the next few days, but I will not see it on IMAX. One reason, as noted, when it’s not shot in the IMAX format, you’re just watching a stretched out image, which is why I only buy widescreen version of DVD’s, as opposed to Fullscreen. Two, you pay the same price to see a movie on an IMAX screen that isn’t in the IMAX format, as you do when you watch a movie that IS shot in the IMAX format. That is just wrong. I really don’t have a problem with regular (read as non-IMAX) theatres. Even if a movie IS shot in the IMAX format, with few exceptions (Dark Knight being one of them) I still watch movies in non-IMAX theatres.
First of all IMAX is 70mm — it’s always been on 70mm — The IMAX filmed parts of Dark Knight were just outstanding — the ones shot in 35 and converted to 70IMAX were probably not as good as seeing the movie in a GOOD THX equiped theater — when they convert a 35mm movie to 70mm imax the have to use leave the top and bottom dark — shawdowbox– in order to show the cinmascope format on the IMAX screen — which is really almost the format of the old “STANDARD” frame used before “cimascope” or Panavision wide screen uses of 35mm or 70mm films
IMAX can’t compare with 70mm. I saw Star Trek: The Motion Picture on 70mm when it was first released and it blew away any IMAX presentation I have seen so far.
John, did the Dark Knight scenes that were not in the IMAX format lose quality?
Since these films are scanned in ridiculous definition, 8Ks sometimes, no quality will be lost.
And this news might simply mean that there is a Star Trek trailer in front of the film and nothing more. But since they are showing more and more blockbuster films in IMAX then this shouldn’t really be surprising.
thanx kris
well then that settles it.
movie played in an imax theatre but not imax itself: GOOD
imax movie played in imax theatre: BAD
why? because the screen changing must be fuckign annoying
btw so that you can understand my issue…i have obsessive compulsive disorder…and i say either you SHOOT the whole damn thing in imax or you dont
you dont half-ass it because thats going to get on peoples nerves…i mean you cant have the screen changing sizes.
I don’t see the point because the IMAX theater (the only one in my State) doesn’t have any type of surround sound which may not matter but if it isn’t filmed in IMAX not worth the extra money.
Thats very very cheek me thinks!!!
Hazzy,
Scenes shot in IMAX are HUGE. They fill the entire screen, while a standard film will be shown in letterbox format on the screen.
A movie in IMAX theaters is not just about seeing it on a much bigger screen. The sound systems are different also. You are basted with sound from behind the screen through tiny holes in the screen. The experience is suppose to be immersive.
seeing any movie on an imax screen is still better. :]
I will go see it in the IMAX for one reason only, the sound. What I took away most from seeing The Dark Knight at the IMAX was not only was the picture breathtaking during the IMAX scenes, but the audio was like something I’ve never heard before.
I don’t know if that is the case for all IMAX theaters, but I said after seeing The Dark Knight, I would see any movie in that theater for the incredible sound quality. I hope Star Trek delivers on that front.
to answer your question no i wont be seeing it in imax because like you said to be frank what’s the point? shell out more money for poorer quality? no thanks. if it was shot with imax cameras then hell ya i would see it but since it’s not no thanks.
ive never seen a movie on imax so i have a question
are the imax scenes bigger and with better resolution or same size but better resolution?
if theyre HUGE yet they have normal resolution id still pay 12 dollars because the screen is BIG…and it would look nice…i thought the point of seeing a movie in imax was because of the size not the high definition…
but then again i hear that when you see a movie in imax the screen is really small but turns HUGE when a fight scene comes up and im guessing thats annoying…