Week 17- The Digital Imax or LIE MAX

The Problem With IMAX Digital
The big issue is that IMAX and theaters don’t distinguish Digital IMAX theaters from the 70mm 15perf HUGE IMAX theaters. The ticket prices are the same, an estimated $5 more than a traditional screening. If this surcharge is worth it to you is debatable, but the fact that IMAX does not even let consumers know the difference is a travesty. They are completely different technologies, entirely different experiences, but they are marketed as the same thing — IMAX. In the past I have suggested that IMAX market and label the two types of theaters as IMAX Digital and IMAX Huge, but the company refuses to do anything about it. They’re making tons of money? Why be honest to their customers? Most of them probably don’t and won’t know any better, right?

For me the choice comes down to if the film features footage shot in 70mm 15 perf IMAX. Films like Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol and The Dark Knight Rises are a must-see in real 70mm IMAX. If you are not seeing the film on a real IMAX screen, you are missing a good chunk of the intended experience. I would never choose to see these films in a traditional theater or an IMAX Digital theater. I would strongly recommend driving to a real 70mm IMAX theater if it’s even within an hour’s driving distance as opposed to a Digital IMAX theater down the street. For these movies the difference is huge, and it is worth it to seek out a real IMAX theater. There is a reason Christopher Nolan ONLY released The Dark Knight Rises prologue in real IMAX theaters. At a press event, he urged journalists to tell their readers to seek out the 70mm presentation as it provides an experience like no other.

Warning: Some Huge 70mm IMAX Theaters Have Gone/Are Going Digital
Whats worse is that some of the older Huge screen 70mm IMAX theaters are converting over to digital projection. Some Batman fans were surprised not to see their real IMAX theater on the list of 70mm screens showing The Dark Knight Rises prologue. This is the reason why. You can no longer guarantee that your movie screening will be projected in 70 mm by the size of the IMAX theater these days. While I haven’t experienced one of these converted theaters, I can’t imagine that the 2x2k digital projection on a huge old school IMAX screen would look bright enough to rival a normal cinema theatre.

Disclaimer: IMAX Digital is NOT The Devil, It’s Actually… (Sometimes) Great
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think IMAX Digital is evil. The IMAX digital image and sound presentation is better than your traditional multiplex screen. I would see movies in IMAX Digital over a standard 2k digital movie screen if I were presented with those two choices. Especially with 3D movies, you will get a brighter, more immersive 3D experience.