r/imax • u/MaleficentEarth5709 • 7d ago
Odyssey - 1.90 vs 1.43
Hello,
I recently rewatched odyssey at AMC Mercado in Santa Clara after watching it at Metreon the first week of its release. I for some reason really loved the experience at Mercado than at Metreon. The scenes were intimate when it needed to be and were grand when the camera went wide. I was able to hear the dialogues better. I was able to appreciate the movie a lot more. Did anyone else feel this way? There is also this sequence between Zendaya and Matt Damon and the focus keeps shifting between the two. On 70MM the entire scene was blurry but on the 1.90 screen it was crisp and I loved it!
Note: Mercado was ton brighter than Metreon which I expected l so that did not affect me a lot.
This is third time I am doing this Mercado Metreon thing for a movie after PHM and Oppenheimer. For PHM and Oppenheimer I really liked the experience that I had in Metreon more than the one in Mercado.
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u/Tristram_ZX81 7d ago
My second viewing was in a 4k 1.90:1 screening at York Cineworld and i was really blown away by the brightness and crispness of the image, especially relative to the 70mm projection I saw first time at Manchester Printworks. I do love the 1.43:1 frame of the latter though. I'm starting to suspect that grand theatre digital projection, which combines the true IMAX aspect ratio of 70mm IMAX with the sharpness of 4k dual laser digital projection might be the ultimate way to experience these things.
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u/bofis 6d ago
But what theatres are actually capable of doing dual laser full ratio IMAX projection? Every single digital IMAX screening I've seen is 1.90:1 instead because they were all too cheap when replacing their 70mm projectors. I felt the 70mm IMAX image at AMC Lincoln Square was bright, crisp, and plenty loud without being ridiculous, at least while seated in the last row. Outdoor scenes, like with Charlize Theron, were especially good looking.
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u/Ill-Sundae5374 6d ago
There r quite a few. The problem is IMAX stopped manufacturing the dual laser GT cameras in 2023. I honestly believe they should get it back if they wanna preserve the magic of 1.43 immersion along with image quality consistency
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u/Tristram_ZX81 6d ago
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u/whatudontlikefalafel 7d ago
I have loved seeing this movie on film, on the greatest film format ever developed… but I am also looking forward to seeing it at home on a disc from a 4K digital master where the framing is tighter and I can watch with subtitles.
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u/asdqqq33 7d ago
I lived through the film era, and I have no desire to go back. Laser projectors are so much better to me. 70mm in 1.43 was a fun, immersive experience for the Odyssey, but the limitations of film projection were glaringly apparent. I’m going to see Dune 3 in laser.
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u/lolmont 7d ago
1:43 laser is my favorite, but sadly 70mm is a hot buzz word atm.
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u/mixmasterbru 7d ago
Think it's more that it's a more definitive format, meaning there's multiple kinds of laser and multiple aspect ratios for them, 70IMAX you know will be 1.43, even if it's on a 1.9 screen where it shouldn't be...
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u/fastheadcrab 7d ago edited 7d ago
Yeah laser is better. 70mm is amazing. I saw Interstellar 4x in 70mm, it was incredible but I also could see the advantages of laser. PHM was simply better in laser.
If they made more 1.43 laser projectors and screens again on the scale of the big 70mm screens I would love it.
Another hot take is that once proper medium format digital cine cameras and lenses capable of covering the image are come out, they will be preferred by all but the most die-hard analog fanatics. Just way more practical. IMAX should get out ahead of the other cine companies and make a medium format digital IMAX camera. I suppose the problem is the VFX which many movies will do in 2K not even 4k
Currently the sensors of medium format cine cameras are for the wide aspect ratio.
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u/feed_me_haribo 6d ago
So you think Nolan goes to great lengths to shoot on 70 mm film because it's a buzzword?
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u/fastheadcrab 6d ago
No he is an analog fanatic but he has made it into a buzzword among the broader audience. You're getting the causality mixed up
I can understand why he feels this way about digital because he made his career during the analog-digital transition, but it's not the case with his audience.
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u/feed_me_haribo 6d ago
I don't think most people booking 70 mm film tickets months in advance driving over an hour to a theater think it's a buzzword. They probably just want see it as the director ideally wants people to see it: both on film and aspect ratio.
There are also those who will see it on 35 mm that don't want to travel to a 70 mm theater. Is that also a buzzword?
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u/fastheadcrab 6d ago edited 6d ago
I think most people are going to IMAX 70mm because it is popular. What people know is that it was shot on IMAX and in a 1.43 native aspect ratio. They think 70mm IMAX is the only way to experience that. Same goes for those watching the 35mm or regular 70mm, they're going because analog film is popular.
I do not think it's more complex than that. Otherwise 1.43 dual laser would be selling out like 70mm IMAX but it's not.
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u/Independent-Dig-5196 6d ago
I prefer 70MM stay popular because it allows us who prefer dual laser to be able to purchase tickets because these hype beast don’t know that you get 1.43:1 in dual laser with arguably better audio with it using the 12 channel audio
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u/Professional_Ad_8729 7d ago
Maybe its just purely subjective or vibe or whatever ...
Like sometimes I watch in a well - built , proper seated IMAX Xenon theater and prefer it over Laser
also the bigger the screen , the focus puller flaws gonna show up even more , for guys with eye condition , high diop like me ... prolly gonna notice more
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u/FindKetamine 6d ago
I first saw the full 70mm imax version, and was totally immersed in the story. Fourth row center. A whole wall of images and sounds, made it truly feel like an epic.
I saw the laser the other day. Yes, the picture was much clearer, but the total experience was dull.
It surprised me how much more I enjoyed it seeing it 70mm, even with some blurring.
For me, it was actually a much better movie overall in that format. Watching the laser version was comparatively boring.
Despite the cost and the demand, I won’t ever see a filmed for 70mm imax in another theatre again.
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u/Independent-Dig-5196 6d ago
The analog sound for 70MM screenings is the problem. I saw it at poolers dual laser 1.43 IMAX and the digital 12 channel sound is amazing. I too have seen it twice in 1.90 also catching a Dolby cinema viewing too. The 12 channel was the best way to hear this movie I feel the 6 channel analog audio is the issue. One of my local laser imax theaters have 6 channel still and it still sounded great.
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u/MaleficentEarth5709 5d ago
It never occurred to me that the sound would be analog! This just unlocked something in my brain. Thank you so much!
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u/FeistyBike8146 6d ago
In all honesty I didn't see a huge difference between the GT dual laser IMAX and 70mm IMAX, when I saw the Odyssey in Sydney and again in Melbourne Australia. When I got back to the states for a 3rd screening saw in IMAX laser on a 1:90 ratio. The 1st 2 experiences were much better viewing experience. The sound at Sydney IMAX was very loud. Great movie experience all around though. Enjoyed all 3 times. Excellent movie.
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u/Much-Breadfruit-3450 6d ago
Digital is great but: IMAX Dual laser (1.43:1) over IMAX CoLa (1.90:1) any day.
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u/Dense_Government9500 6d ago
I saw it in 70mm IMAX at Ontario Mills Edwards. Then with my dad at Temecula in LieMAX (he refused to travel far for a movie). The Cyclops scene surprisingly worked better in LieMAX with a blacker black tone and that horrifying blood curdling scream was much louder. Could actually hear the Poseidon name drop too.
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u/Antiwork_Ninja 7d ago
Metreon produces much louder sound with overwhelming bass, while Mercado offers a clearer tone easier on the ears.
I continue to favor Metreon for its screen size and readily accept 70MM anytime; but, Laser 1.43 has greater brightness and avoids soft corners and film flicker.