Or, maybe, just don't feel the need, on an *entertainment* message board, to constantly remind people how much you dislike movie theaters, and chide those who do like them. I'm not the only one at fault here.
Do the lieMAX have more screen than normal but less than an actual IMAX? What makes it "an experience" compared to the real thing? In the last 10 years I have I think only seen 2 sets of movies in the theater. Star Wars and Marvel/superhero. I will see this in the theater and I am debating IMAX but the closest one to me in Houston I just learned on that link is an X.
Re: the IMAX of it all, while the SlashFilm article linked to above is helpful, it's also a decade old, and not quite as relevant in this instance. So I'll try to explain this as best and as simply as I can, with examples below, if only so I can fully wrap my head around it myself, as even I've never been 100% clear on the various IMAX aspect ratios...
- First of all, traditional theaters will be showing Dune in 2.39:1 aspect ratio, i.e the standard "widescreen cinema" format. If watching on an HD/4K TV, this is the "thinnest" picture vertically, with the black bars on top and bottom.
- All LieMAX/"an IMAX experience" theaters will be showing Dune in 1.9:1 aspect ratio. This is closer to the "HD video" standard 1.7:1 aspect ratio (aka "16 x 9") of all HD/4K TVs. So, "taller" than 2.39:1, with more picture vertically, and will fill your entire HD/4K TV screen at home.
- However, all full/true IMAX theaters will be showing Dune in 1.43:1 aspect ratio, i.e. the standard "IMAX motion picture" format, which is "taller" than 1.9:1 and basically square in shape. That "tallness"/squareness is what gives it its overwhelming/engulfing quality.
So, in short, think of each in terms of revealing increasingly more footage vertically...
Below, I found these really cool edits of both Dune trailers, that show just how much more image full/true IMAX theaters will feature. For social media, Warner Brothers used the full/true 1.43:1 IMAX footage, sliced it vertically, and this guy took all of that available footage and added it to the standard 2.39:1 versions of the trailers. While not the full effect (the real version will obviously form the full "square" and not be "cropped" in the corners), you at least get the idea. Also, even though not every shot in these trailer edits features the IMAX effect, I don't think this is a "select sequences in IMAX" movie. I'm pretty sure Villeneuve shot the entire thing in 1.43:1 IMAX, though don't quote me on that quite yet...
So, the LieMAX / HD/4K TV format will be somewhere between the 2:39:1 and 1.43:1 aspect ratios in the videos above. Taller than 2.39:1, but not as tall as 1.43:1.
Finally, just FYI, 70mm IMAX basically only pertains to Christopher Nolan films. Villeneuve and everyone else who shoot IMAX shoot digitally. Nolan is the only one who still shoots IMAX using 70mm film. And while 70mm IMAX is technically a more pristine image (though still the same 1.43:1 aspect ratio), almost every IMAX theater projects digitally now, so it hardly matters anymore. In other words, in this instance, with Dune, you're not on the hunt for 70mm IMAX. You're on the hunt for full/true 1.43:1 IMAX and that's it (though, LieMAX is still incredible, no doubt).
The 1.43:1 full/true IMAX format basically only pertains to Nolan movies, Villeneuve movies, and Mission: Impossible movies, with rare exceptions. Because Marvel movies "shot on IMAX" only shoot in the 1.9:1 LieMAX aspect ratio, and the same goes for the upcoming Top Gun: Maverick. Neither go full 1.43:1, nor do most blockbusters shot on IMAX. At least up until now. Villeneuve will probably change that, as I *think* he was the first to shoot IMAX digitally in 1.43:1, though I could be wrong. I just know he had access to brand new, state-of-the-art IMAX cameras no one else had used before.
Regardless, up until now, it's been a rarity that you even had to seek out full/true IMAX, as most "shot on IMAX" movies shot in the 1.9:1 aspect ratio, so the type of IMAX theater you saw it in - LieMAX or the real deal - hasn't mattered as much. Again, I imagine that's about to change going forward, though.
All that said, most movies shown in IMAX aren't even "shot on IMAX," a la the Star Wars movies, the Fast & Furious movies, Free Guy, etc. Those are simply 2:39:1 aspect ratio movies being projected onto an IMAX screen. So there's no version where you get more picture vertically depending on the type of IMAX theater you see it in. You're getting the exact same aspect ratio wherever/however you see it.
So, based on this our only real IMAX theater in Dallas is not true IMAX or is it actually better? It's say's it's aspect ratio is 1.34 which is lower than the full IMAX standard of 1.43. Looking at your numbers it seems like the lower the number the more vertical it is.
The 1.43:1 full/true IMAX format basically only pertains to Nolan movies, Villeneuve movies, and Mission: Impossible movies, with rare exceptions. Because Marvel movies "shot on IMAX" only shoot in the 1.9:1 LieMAX aspect ratio, and the same goes for the upcoming Top Gun: Maverick. Neither go full 1.43:1, nor do most blockbusters shot on IMAX. At least up until now. Villeneuve will probably change that, as I *think* he was the first to shoot IMAX digitally in 1.43:1, though I could be wrong. I just know he had access to brand new, state-of-the-art IMAX cameras no one else had used before.
Regardless, up until now, it's been a rarity that you even had to seek out full/true IMAX, as most "shot on IMAX" movies shot in the 1.9:1 aspect ratio, so the type of IMAX theater you saw it in - LieMAX or the real deal - hasn't mattered as much. Again, I imagine that's about to change going forward, though.
All that said, most movies shown in IMAX aren't even "shot on IMAX," a la the Star Wars movies, the Fast & Furious movies, Free Guy, etc. Those are simply 2:39:1 aspect ratio movies being projected onto an IMAX screen. So there's no version where you get more picture vertically depending on the type of IMAX theater you see it in. You're getting the exact same aspect ratio wherever/however you see it.
Well this created an internet rabbit hole I didn't know I needed to explore… but it looks like my closest IMAX theater has true IMAX. So, huzzah for that.
Surely next week at some point. Surprised they're not on sale already.
I've already told my wife to prepare to see the movie on imax and then at ipic and then again several times at home - preferably in the background while playing twilight imperium!
I have started my re-read through prior to the movie being released. It's been a while, but man the first few chapters with setting up the world and characters are so incredibly good.
The movie definitely seems to catch the tone based on the trailers, which is huge.
I'm about halfway through my first read through, which I'm under the impression is about where this movie ends. Kind of crazy to end this movie at basically where the story really gets going.
I will say, i've had my reservations about this, but Villeneuve is just masterful at his filmmaking, and the visuals in these trailers seem to be even more epic than the book portrays them. I'm really hoping this is great.
EDIT: Oh jesus... i didn't even see Hans Zimmer is scoring it. Damn... such potential for this movie.
I've been listening to the score all this week. It doesn't feature anything that I would qualify as a "science fiction" score. I'm not even sure how to describe it, actually. I wasn't terribly enthusiastic after my first listen, but it's starting to grow on me.
(But I will say that I have listened the hell out of Toto's score for the 1984 movie, first on LP, then CD, and now digital, and the two scores could not be more different. There is nothing in HZ's work that is remotely like anything Toto did).
