@ Bill – the extra instruments are helped a lot by the addition of the two extra front speakers – wish more ‘newer’ musicals were mixed as such – resurrect SDDS 8-channel sound !!
I think the industry wants theaters to make the conversion, but it’s interesting that Landmark Theaters specifically it’s cash cow location – Bethesda Maryland has NOT changed over from 35mm. The AFI Silver likewise favours 35mm, even though all three screens have DLP. The Avalon projects DVDs once in awhile but again, being an non-profit theater – it books almost exclusively 35mm.
@ aabner – the Embassy is now the AED Globe Theater, I isn’t going to happen but I wish CVS would leave the McArther location and convert it back to a theater – what a loss for that neighborhood. I hadn’t realized that the building was up ‘For Sale’ til I drove by it this afternoon – there are a lot of stores that closed in that neck of Wisconsin Ave. it’s really sad. Know anyone would be interested in converting it back to a theater ?? I’d help.
apparently the restoration done on the bluray edition of ‘Ben Hur’ is having a digital projection presentation at the Alice Tully Hall this coming Saturday (as part of the New York Film Festival) – October 1st.
I thought the surround sound was tad better than the film quality – but not by that much. The image was bright, with dark blacks and had vibrant colors. The surrounds never sounded subdued – when ‘Master Control’ was derezzing at the finale, the soundlevel was escalating to a spectacular noisey explosion. For a 11:45pm movie on a Friday night though, the audience was very low – which was unfortunate.
from what I can tell only screen 2 was converted to playback 7.1 – hand it to AMC to unadvertise/promote this. From what I can tell (from AMC’s own website) another screen made the digital conversion, and I’m guessing it’s the smaller auditorium #3 – but I’ll repost back what I find out.
I’ve seen the opposite, at AMC Tysons' they project TOO much light on the XD screen, over at AMC Mazza though, the Sony DP screens have consistently look great (and bright). I’m reading though online that AMC is installing Christie DP systems over Sony units since this problem and accusation arose.
in regards to the DC screenings of ‘Tree of Life’ I know that (so far) Bethesda Landmark and the AFI Silver will be playing it. As I understand it there was enough extra footage that Malik shot that it’s being complied and will be released separately as an IMAX feature unto itself.
well at Tysons, the IMAX auditorium and ETX auditorium are separated by a walk way, so the excess bass from either screen can’t be heard, however the screens that are left of the IMAX screen/right of the ETX screen might be another story altogether. The bass though during ‘Battle Los Angeles’ and ‘Fast Five’ on the ETX screen never drowned out the dialogue. But you have to remember the ETX screen can feature the discrete 7.1 soundmix of ‘Pirates 4’, the IMAX screen is standard 5.1
The IMAX-Digital was supposed to open with the release of ‘Pirates of the Caribeean: On Stranger Tides’ last Friday, but will open on May 27th (if all goes to plan) The IMAX system will debut on the largest screen: auditorium #17
well I spoke with a senior manager yesterday in regards to the flaws I’ve been noticing on the ETX screen, and he pointed out that the over brightening can and should be solvable – now if only the projectionist can get his/her act together and stop setting the light output to the 3D setting for non-3D features.
I consider $18 buck highway robbery and for Regal not to have reduced matinee pricing for the IMAX screen simply unexcusable. I have yet to see or give my impressions of the system here at the Majestic, but have you been over to AMC’s ETX screen over at Tysons, oh…my…god, the bass there is frightening, it literally shakes the floor, your feet, your legs – it’s “rumblerama”!
saw ‘Fast Five’ on the ETX screen this morning and again, since a good majority of the film has subtitles, the same problem occurred, white lettering seems a tad soft – as I found out this is a problem inherent to the dual projector system – unlike the Barco system on the ‘XD’ at the Egyptian – switching brightness levels between 3D and non-3D films is not possible. In my opinion the Barco system ‘looks’ the best, but it’s the XD ‘sound’ that is a wild trip – the bass just kicks and the finale chase is just an exhilirating ride both visually and sonically. The prior week’s viewing of ‘Rio’ looked great, more than likely attributed to the fact that the 3D glasses darken and control the brightness level.
The American Cinematheque will be screening Fox’s latest 70mm restoration of ‘Cleopatra’ on Saturday, 7 May 2011 at 7:30pm. Ticket price for Cinematheque non-members is $11.00 USD. As their promo release says, “What better place than the Egyptian to see Cleopatra?”
the general manager also told me that Screen 2 is outfitted to playback discrete 7.1 surround sound – really?! I didn’t know that – now’s that a great unadvertised surprise
of the only two theaters in the DC metro area that is booking Werner Herzog’s ‘Cave of Forgotten Dreams’ – Hoffman’s presentation is 3D digital projection (hooray!) – Landmark Bethesda is not (booo!)
actually I’m wrong about my assumption that AMC wouldn’t book Herzog’s ‘Cave of Forgotten Dreams’, in 3D. Of the two theaters that this opening at next Friday, Landmark Bethesda is showing this in 2D 35mm print form, AMC Hoffman in Alexandria is showing this in 3D digital projection.
oh I don’t know if it was sold out, I’d go to this in a heartbeat if I lived in LA or travelled out to attend the film festival – I’m just very intrigued in knowing if this digital screening is superior to the shoddy bluray transfer Universal dumped on us. Let us know how ‘Outlaw Josey Wales’ looks BradE41, as it’s another 4K DLP digital presentation.
@ Bill – the extra instruments are helped a lot by the addition of the two extra front speakers – wish more ‘newer’ musicals were mixed as such – resurrect SDDS 8-channel sound !!
I think the industry wants theaters to make the conversion, but it’s interesting that Landmark Theaters specifically it’s cash cow location – Bethesda Maryland has NOT changed over from 35mm. The AFI Silver likewise favours 35mm, even though all three screens have DLP. The Avalon projects DVDs once in awhile but again, being an non-profit theater – it books almost exclusively 35mm.
@ aabner – the Embassy is now the AED Globe Theater, I isn’t going to happen but I wish CVS would leave the McArther location and convert it back to a theater – what a loss for that neighborhood. I hadn’t realized that the building was up ‘For Sale’ til I drove by it this afternoon – there are a lot of stores that closed in that neck of Wisconsin Ave. it’s really sad. Know anyone would be interested in converting it back to a theater ?? I’d help.
apparently the restoration done on the bluray edition of ‘Ben Hur’ is having a digital projection presentation at the Alice Tully Hall this coming Saturday (as part of the New York Film Festival) – October 1st.
I thought the best alternative programming this year was the presentation of ‘Stephen Sondheim’s Company’
I thought the surround sound was tad better than the film quality – but not by that much. The image was bright, with dark blacks and had vibrant colors. The surrounds never sounded subdued – when ‘Master Control’ was derezzing at the finale, the soundlevel was escalating to a spectacular noisey explosion. For a 11:45pm movie on a Friday night though, the audience was very low – which was unfortunate.
saw ‘Tron’ last Friday in 70mm and wow! it both looked and sounded great!
for last night’s first screening of ‘Stephen Sondheim’s Company’ they used the screen curtains at the intermission – thumbs up!
from what I can tell only screen 2 was converted to playback 7.1 – hand it to AMC to unadvertise/promote this. From what I can tell (from AMC’s own website) another screen made the digital conversion, and I’m guessing it’s the smaller auditorium #3 – but I’ll repost back what I find out.
I’ve seen the opposite, at AMC Tysons' they project TOO much light on the XD screen, over at AMC Mazza though, the Sony DP screens have consistently look great (and bright). I’m reading though online that AMC is installing Christie DP systems over Sony units since this problem and accusation arose.
someone noted that’s it’s over at the Landmark in 4K digital projection
out of curiousity, where is ‘Tree of Life’ playing in LA?
in regards to the DC screenings of ‘Tree of Life’ I know that (so far) Bethesda Landmark and the AFI Silver will be playing it. As I understand it there was enough extra footage that Malik shot that it’s being complied and will be released separately as an IMAX feature unto itself.
well at Tysons, the IMAX auditorium and ETX auditorium are separated by a walk way, so the excess bass from either screen can’t be heard, however the screens that are left of the IMAX screen/right of the ETX screen might be another story altogether. The bass though during ‘Battle Los Angeles’ and ‘Fast Five’ on the ETX screen never drowned out the dialogue. But you have to remember the ETX screen can feature the discrete 7.1 soundmix of ‘Pirates 4’, the IMAX screen is standard 5.1
The IMAX-Digital was supposed to open with the release of ‘Pirates of the Caribeean: On Stranger Tides’ last Friday, but will open on May 27th (if all goes to plan) The IMAX system will debut on the largest screen: auditorium #17
well I spoke with a senior manager yesterday in regards to the flaws I’ve been noticing on the ETX screen, and he pointed out that the over brightening can and should be solvable – now if only the projectionist can get his/her act together and stop setting the light output to the 3D setting for non-3D features.
I consider $18 buck highway robbery and for Regal not to have reduced matinee pricing for the IMAX screen simply unexcusable. I have yet to see or give my impressions of the system here at the Majestic, but have you been over to AMC’s ETX screen over at Tysons, oh…my…god, the bass there is frightening, it literally shakes the floor, your feet, your legs – it’s “rumblerama”!
sorry I mean’t to state “but it’s the ETX’s ‘sound’ that is a wild trip' not Cinemark’s XD system.
saw ‘Fast Five’ on the ETX screen this morning and again, since a good majority of the film has subtitles, the same problem occurred, white lettering seems a tad soft – as I found out this is a problem inherent to the dual projector system – unlike the Barco system on the ‘XD’ at the Egyptian – switching brightness levels between 3D and non-3D films is not possible. In my opinion the Barco system ‘looks’ the best, but it’s the XD ‘sound’ that is a wild trip – the bass just kicks and the finale chase is just an exhilirating ride both visually and sonically. The prior week’s viewing of ‘Rio’ looked great, more than likely attributed to the fact that the 3D glasses darken and control the brightness level.
so NO ONE saw last Saturday’s screening of ‘Spartacus’ ????
The American Cinematheque will be screening Fox’s latest 70mm restoration of ‘Cleopatra’ on Saturday, 7 May 2011 at 7:30pm. Ticket price for Cinematheque non-members is $11.00 USD. As their promo release says, “What better place than the Egyptian to see Cleopatra?”
the general manager also told me that Screen 2 is outfitted to playback discrete 7.1 surround sound – really?! I didn’t know that – now’s that a great unadvertised surprise
of the only two theaters in the DC metro area that is booking Werner Herzog’s ‘Cave of Forgotten Dreams’ – Hoffman’s presentation is 3D digital projection (hooray!) – Landmark Bethesda is not (booo!)
actually I’m wrong about my assumption that AMC wouldn’t book Herzog’s ‘Cave of Forgotten Dreams’, in 3D. Of the two theaters that this opening at next Friday, Landmark Bethesda is showing this in 2D 35mm print form, AMC Hoffman in Alexandria is showing this in 3D digital projection.
oh I don’t know if it was sold out, I’d go to this in a heartbeat if I lived in LA or travelled out to attend the film festival – I’m just very intrigued in knowing if this digital screening is superior to the shoddy bluray transfer Universal dumped on us. Let us know how ‘Outlaw Josey Wales’ looks BradE41, as it’s another 4K DLP digital presentation.
other 4K DLP festival presentations include: