Oppenheimer Shot IMAX

braxus · Jun 17, 2023

Here is a copy with parts of an email from Andrew Oran from Fotokem back in 2015:

"We do not currently have the ability to process 65mm black and white negative (or 70mm b/w positive) here at FotoKem. We do have a decommissioned black and white 65mm processor – one that was previously in operation at IMAGICA USA, up until 2004 – but we have never made it operational. It would take some effort.

I’ll re-visit this with our engineering team on Monday and get back to you with a current assessment of our options."

He later replied:

"We’ve reviewed this internally, and it would not be possible for us to support 65/70mm black and white processing: the technical challenges, while theoretically surmountable, are just too great given current lab resources."

And in case anyone wonders, the idea I had at the time is dead in the water.

bjorke · Jun 17, 2023

braxus said:
A dream of mine would be to see a Western film shot on B&W IMAX, using turn of the 19th-20th century western sets. All that dirt, grit, old wooden buildings, etc, would look great in B&W on IMAX.

With the "autheticity" caveat that most western movies didn't look like the "old west" and more (white) people made their living creating westerns than even lived in the west prior to 1900....

A movie about the Brady photographers, maybe Carleton Watkins, might be an appropriate story though.

Did you see "The Lighthouse"?

mshchem · Jun 17, 2023

braxus said:
Here is a copy with parts of an email from Andrew Oran from Fotokem back in 2015:

"We do not currently have the ability to process 65mm black and white negative (or 70mm b/w positive) here at FotoKem. We do have a decommissioned black and white 65mm processor – one that was previously in operation at IMAGICA USA, up until 2004 – but we have never made it operational. It would take some effort.

I’ll re-visit this with our engineering team on Monday and get back to you with a current assessment of our options."

He later replied:

"We’ve reviewed this internally, and it would not be possible for us to support 65/70mm black and white processing: the technical challenges, while theoretically surmountable, are just too great given current lab resources."

And in case anyone wonders, the idea I had at the time is dead in the water.

Well now that they've gotten it going I'm sure they would be ready to go for 12 exposure rolls

Cholentpot · Jun 17, 2023

bjorke said:
With the "autheticity" caveat that most western movies didn't look like the "old west" and more (white) people made their living creating westerns than even lived in the west prior to 1900....

A movie about the Brady photographers, maybe Carleton Watkins, might be an appropriate story though.

Did you see "The Lighthouse"?

We don't go to movies for authenticity, we go for entertainment. No matter how 'real' a movie is, it's still a fantasy.

braxus · Jun 18, 2023

I asked Andrew yesterday if FotoKem can now still do 65mm B&W processing in the future. His response was:

"Hi Scott,

65mm black and white negative processing could be reestablished on a large enough project. It’s a huge undertaking each time we switch the 65mm negative processor over to black and white. We have never established 70mm black and white print processing - that was not possible for a number of reasons.

Andrew"

mshchem · Jun 18, 2023

braxus said:
I asked Andrew yesterday if FotoKem can now still do 65mm B&W processing in the future. His response was:

"Hi Scott,

65mm black and white negative processing could be reestablished on a large enough project. It’s a huge undertaking each time we switch the 65mm negative processor over to black and white. We have never established 70mm black and white print processing - that was not possible for a number of reasons.

Andrew"

So it looks like all the 70mm " black and white " prints are on color print stock which makes perfect sense. So cool

braxus · Jun 18, 2023

mshchem said:
So it looks like all the 70mm " black and white " prints are on color print stock which makes perfect sense. So cool

Im wondering if maybe the B&W portions were scanned, manipulated on computer, then re-output to color print stock? Typically B&W film doesn't print too well on color print film optically, but when its scanned, it does look better (other than a rez drop). But I do know Nolan prefers optical work over computer use and output.

I decided to ask Andrew that question. Im curious how they got around this.

bjorke · Jun 19, 2023

Cholentpot said:
We don't go to movies for authenticity, we go for entertainment. No matter how 'real' a movie is, it's still a fantasy.

Kind of my point. Might I suggest "Sixguns and Society"?

Cholentpot · Jun 19, 2023

bjorke said:
Kind of my point. Might I suggest "Sixguns and Society"?

Yes, I'm aware of the actual history of the Wild West. However, westerns are a genre loosely based on the western expansion and settlement. Star Wars, the first one, is a western. It's more of a style than a genre at this point.

Alan Edward Klein · Jun 19, 2023

Philippe-Georges said:
For those interested in D96, I dug into my old tech info:

View attachment 340607 View attachment 340608

Hydroquinone. Isn't that good for Covid.

bjorke · Jun 24, 2023

The latest trailer uses a different take of the "Nikon shot" -- not only is there no Nikon (CG insert? Who knows) but the guy reloading behind Oppenheimer is also absent -- a different take entirely.

History in the making.

reddesert · Jun 26, 2023

Cholentpot said:
Yes, I'm aware of the actual history of the Wild West. However, westerns are a genre loosely based on the western expansion and settlement. Star Wars, the first one, is a western. It's more of a style than a genre at this point.

Star Wars, the first one, is closely based on Kurosawa's "The Hidden Fortress." This is the kind of thing that film nerds say, but if you see "The Hidden Fortress," it's clear. Star Wars has certain elements of Westerns, but also of space operas, and WW II aircraft carrier/bomber movies.

Back to the original post, if one went back to older Western sets and shot a new Western on IMAX, you'd have to be careful that the fancy new format didn't reveal too much of the pasteboard illusion of the old sets, unless that was actually the semi-artificial look you were aiming for. Like the way that HDTV made news-type and other programs change all the pre-HD set pieces.

Ernst-Jan · Jun 26, 2023

Thanks for sharing, I didn't know about this movie, it sounds interesting! Glad to see that Eye in Amsterdam (the only place in the Netherlands that uses a DP70 as far as I know) has it in 70mm.
Never saw a 70mm projection. I will consider going there!

Cholentpot · Jun 26, 2023

reddesert said:
Star Wars, the first one, is closely based on Kurosawa's "The Hidden Fortress." This is the kind of thing that film nerds say, but if you see "The Hidden Fortress," it's clear. Star Wars has certain elements of Westerns, but also of space operas, and WW II aircraft carrier/bomber movies.

Back to the original post, if one went back to older Western sets and shot a new Western on IMAX, you'd have to be careful that the fancy new format didn't reveal too much of the pasteboard illusion of the old sets, unless that was actually the semi-artificial look you were aiming for. Like the way that HDTV made news-type and other programs change all the pre-HD set pieces.

Even the theme song for Star Wars is a western themed anthem.

abruzzi · Jun 27, 2023

reddesert said:
Star Wars, the first one, is closely based on Kurosawa's "The Hidden Fortress." This is the kind of thing that film nerds say, but if you see "The Hidden Fortress," it's clear. Star Wars has certain elements of Westerns, but also of space operas, and WW II aircraft carrier/bomber movies.

Back to the original post, if one went back to older Western sets and shot a new Western on IMAX, you'd have to be careful that the fancy new format didn't reveal too much of the pasteboard illusion of the old sets, unless that was actually the semi-artificial look you were aiming for. Like the way that HDTV made news-type and other programs change all the pre-HD set pieces.

Westerns and Kurosawa had a really fascinating cross fertilization thing going on. Yojimbo was clearly inspired by westerns and was in turn remade into a western (Fistful of Dollars.) Seven Samurai was remade into The Magnificient Seven but also had shades of western in it.

David Lindquist · Jul 24, 2023

This past week both the PBS Newshour and the New York Times had pieces on Oppenheimer. Irritatingly, to me anyway, while both talked about it being shot on film, neither made any mention that the film was manufactured by Eastman Kodak. Indeed the Newshour segment included the line "...using newly developed black and white as well as color IMAX film." One does get to hear Christopher Nolan say "I like to shoot celluloid film..."

The Newshour piece can be seen here:
The New York Times article, published July 17, is about the movie being shot on film and being available for viewing in (some) IMAX theaters projected from 70 mm. Again there is no mention of Eastman Kodak's contribution. It does contain the evocative line "...movies shot and projected with a physical, photochemical product..."

See: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/17/movies/oppenheimer-imax-christopher-nolan.html

David

Alan Edward Klein · Jul 24, 2023

abruzzi said:
Westerns and Kurosawa had a really fascinating cross fertilization thing going on. Yojimbo was clearly inspired by westerns and was in turn remade into a western (Fistful of Dollars.) Seven Samurai was remade into The Magnificient Seven but also had shades of western in it.

The music made The Magnificient Seven.

Alan Edward Klein · Jul 24, 2023

David Lindquist said:
This past week both the PBS Newshour and the New York Times had pieces on Oppenheimer. Irritatingly, to me anyway, while both talked about it being shot on film, neither made any mention that the film was manufactured by Eastman Kodak. Indeed the Newshour segment included the line "...using newly developed black and white as well as color IMAX film." One does get to hear Christopher Nolan say "I like to shoot celluloid film..."

The Newshour piece can be seen here:
The New York Times article, published July 17, is about the movie being shot on film and being available for viewing in (some) IMAX theaters projected from 70 mm. Again there is no mention of Eastman Kodak's contribution. It does contain the evocative line "...movies shot and projected with a physical, photochemical product..."

See: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/17/movies/oppenheimer-imax-christopher-nolan.html

David

Is it 3D Imax or only 2D?

David Lindquist · Jul 24, 2023

Alan Edward Klein said:
Is it 3D Imax or only 2D?

There's 3D IMAX?

David

Alan Edward Klein · Jul 24, 2023

David Lindquist said:
There's 3D IMAX?

David

Yes.

Alan Edward Klein · Jul 24, 2023

List of 3D movies. Not all 3D movies are IMAX. Not all IMAX movies are 3D. Not all IMAX theaters play 3D.

List of 3D films (2005–present) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Prest_400 · Jul 24, 2023

I went last friday to a 70mm screening. Fantastic! I did really notice the difference in character of the projection as it appear with different contrast, color and a softer rendition compared to digital. As I was leaving the theater with my friend, we got a strip of film with imprinted 70mm frames of the movie, stating "Shot on Kodak 65mm film"
Edit: Here is a quick grab I did of it out of the theater.

Alan Edward Klein · Jul 24, 2023

Prest_400 said:
I went last friday to a 70mm screening. Fantastic! I did really notice the difference in character of the projection as it appear with different contrast, color and a softer rendition compared to digital. As I was leaving the theater with my friend, we got a strip of film with imprinted 70mm frames of the movie, stating "Shot on Kodak 65mm film"
Edit: Here is a quick grab I did of it out of the theater.
View attachment 344778

Were these freebies? Eastman Kodak is advertising. Good for them.

Prest_400 · Jul 24, 2023

Alan Edward Klein said:
Were these freebies? Eastman Kodak is advertising. Good for them.

Yes! Parallel to this thread I decided to google around and turns out it's given on film 70mm and IMAX screenings. According to this tweet, it's a series, at least for IMAX. Curious, and this also makes use of some MP print film. These movies make Kodak's coater and R&D quite some work.
It was cool to see Double-X projected, but there were some traces (shadow Dmax and a slight tone) that the movie was on color print film. A fun fact introduced by the cinema host was that the 70mm print was shipped to Europe in about 6 reels (IIRC) totaling 6000 meters of film.

And also these are hitting eBay for interesting prices! At the moment it's a keepsake but 120 USD would make it for the most profitable screening I ever went to.

Ben 4 · Jul 24, 2023

I'm thinking it might be worth the drive just for the souvenir (if indeed they're giving those out at the IMAX film locations worldwide)!

Oppenheimer Shot IMAX

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