I could make a 2 hour trip to see it in 70mm, or see it in IMAX in my neighborhood. Is the difference significant enough to warrant a special trip?
Depends on how much of a Chris Nolan fan or a movie geek you are, tbh. But if it’s not too much trouble then, yeah definitely. It’s pretty rare to have a film shot on 70mm IMAX, so it’s worth seeing it just to appreciate the full potential of the format.
This article has a good summary about why IMAX 1570 is so special:
Most movies today are shot using digital cameras, or if on film, it’s 35mm. IMAX 15/70 film frames are considerably larger. The number 15 refers to each frame having 15 perforations across – these being the holes that are used to hold the film as it moves through the projector. The 70 refers to the fact that the frame is 70mm tall. This compares with regular 70mm or 35mm film stock, which has only five perforations down. IMAX 15/70 frame is, therefore, 8.3x larger than 35mm and 3.4 times larger than 70mm – and the result is unprecedented quality.
This large frame allows much more fine detail to be captured, delivering richer colors and greater contrast. The highest-resolution digital cinema cameras have 8K sensors, and digital projection maxes out at 4K resolution but some estimate IMAX film stock to have an equivalent resolution of 16K. Let’s leave it to Chris Nolan himself to sum up with his belief that IMAX 15/70 is, “the highest quality imaging format ever devised – [it] gives you an incredible sense of immersion in the image. The clarity, the crispness – it is the gold standard.”
I’m driving 2hr to see it in 70mm imax. Closest screen is in Vancouver, so we’re making a long weekend trip out of it. I think if you like movies a lot and you want to make your own event out of it, go for it.
We used to have a 70mm theatre in my city and when they’d do events like for epic movies it was incredible. I feel like Oppenheimer might be similar
I saw the Hateful 8 in 70mm, and it was totally worth it. But, it had an intermission, and dialog was easy to follow.
But Nolan films are a different verse l beast, I’m going to wait to watch it at home cause, pause, rewind and subtitles.
Watching movies at home is too good, theaters can’t compare in my personal opinion
You can’t get the experience of watching The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent with a packed house of strangers who all had no idea what they were in for. Or Everything Everywhere All At Once.
I go to theaters for the social interaction.
Hateful Eight was shot and presented on 5/70 mm film. That’s a frame that is 5 perforations tall and 70mm wide. That gives you about 3.5 times the surface area of standard 35mm film, though at a much wider aspect ratio.
IMAX is 15/70, so the same frame width as 5/70 but three times as tall. Though you actually inverse the width and height metrics because IMAX film is run through the projector horizontally rather than verticallly.
I hope that you enjoy it! I’ve heard that the Vancouver screen in Langley is a bit iffy.
Oppenheimer is the first movie I’m bothering to drive to see in 70mm, and I’m a big movie fan. For whatever that’s worth. Most things I prefer to see in Dolby Cinema. But this one seems different
Thanks for making me check! I was planning on going to the theater near my house and didn’t realize that there’s one 15 mins away showing it in 70mm imax.
I would say probably yes. Just for the fun of seeing new technology in play.
