8mm Forum: Empire Cinema - Leicester Sq. Format?

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Posted by Steven Sigel (Member # 21) on May 20, 2009, 04:24 PM:

Does anyone know what format they run at the Empire Cinema in Leicester Sq? (35mm? 70mm? Digital) -- specifically interested in what they're running "Star Trek" in ....

Posted by Hugh McCullough (Member # 696) on May 20, 2009, 04:33 PM:

I am showing Star Trek in Digital, So I imagine that the Empire is also using digi.
I was told, but do not know if this is correct, that there are no copies of this film in 35mm.

Posted by Steven Sigel (Member # 21) on May 20, 2009, 04:36 PM:

I find it hard to believe that there are no film copies -- there are still an awful lot of theaters here in the US that aren't equipped to run digital... But I guess anything is possible...

I saw it at the Empire last Sunday and was suspicious that it was digital from the look of it, and from the conspicuous absence of any cue marks.

Would that have been 2K or 4K?

---- Edit ----
I just checked IMDB and here's what they say for formats:

Printed film format
35 mm (Kodak)
70 mm (horizontal) (IMAX DMR blow-up) (Kodak)
D-Cinema

Posted by Bill Brandenstein (Member # 892) on May 20, 2009, 05:54 PM:

Our local cinema has no digital projection and is running Star Trek.

Posted by James N. Savage 3 (Member # 83) on May 20, 2009, 06:25 PM:

Star Trek is now playing at the historic BENGIE'S DRIVE IN, which is only equiped for 35mm prints, so its definately on film too.

I think that only the very small independent films would be exclusively released on digital, and that would just be to save $$. But all major releases will be on film.

James.

Posted by David Kilderry (Member # 549) on May 20, 2009, 10:35 PM:

Everything that gets a wide release is still in 35mm too. In fact there are stil way more 35mm copies than 2k or 4k. I have a 35mm print at the drive-in.

AMC and Regal have both just signed deals for Sony 4k roll-outs across their massive US circuits. This is a major boost to Sony and the 4k format. It will be sending shivers through the Texas Instruments 2k users like Christie, NEC and Barco.

David

Posted by John Clancy (Member # 49) on May 21, 2009, 04:12 AM:

The Empire is running a hard disc copy through a video projector. The image quality is extremely disappointing but I would imagine 35mm prints would be fairly naff compared to what we enjoyed years ago because the whole film has an unrealistic look to it.

Still enjoyed it though, partially owing to the Empire having one of the best sound systems in the world. They now have their THX certification back.

Posted by Mark Norton (Member # 165) on May 22, 2009, 09:42 AM:

It's showing at the London BFI IMAX in DDR format. What's disappointing is they only list screenings until the end of July and any decent seat has long since gone, so you can't book if you wanted to. Think i'll wait for the Blu Ray Disc.

Posted by Kevin Faulkner (Member # 6) on May 22, 2009, 04:46 PM:

I was under the impression that no more 70mm prints were being released for the cinema circuits as the cost was far too high and the newer film emulsions now give a very high quality image on 35mm so the extra cost wasn't justified.

Cant remember where I read this but I know it was a while back now.

Kev.

Posted by David Kilderry (Member # 549) on May 23, 2009, 12:28 PM:

Kevin, what you say about 70mm is correct......for 70mm vertical. IMAX uses 70mm Horizontal, the frame is 15 perforations wide as opposed to 5 perforations high for regular 70mm. IMAX is know as 15/70.

Just to confuse things more, IWERKS is 70mm film too, but the frame is 8 perforations high, known as 8/70.

David

Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on June 02, 2009, 04:27 AM:

This was on film at my local Odeon.

Posted by Lars Pettersson (Member # 762) on June 09, 2009, 03:28 PM:

Kevin, you´re absolutely right about distribution in vertical 5-perf 70mm, it´s disappeared almost completely. Ron Howard´s Far And Away and Branagh´s Hamlet were the last to be shot in 65mm for 70mm release, and I think Titanic was the last shot in 35mm to have 70mm prints struck (someone correct me if I´m wrong). Among the reasons for 70mm prints dying out were; expensive prints, 6-channel sound can be had with 35mm prints & digital tracks, surveys were made at the time of release of films like Far And Away indicating audiences didn´t notice much difference from 35mm [Roll Eyes]

in part because projection lenses were old, portglasses dirty, screen size identical as before, etc.
IMHO 70mm should be shown on extra large screens, and 35mm shouldn´t be projected too large. Over here 35mm cinemascope is often shown on screens previously used for 70mm prints -the magnification is just too much and you´re not showing the film medium at it´s best [Confused]

Cheers
Lars

Posted by Ricky Daniels (Member # 95) on June 14, 2009, 05:30 AM:

Hugh... It's definitely on 35mm too [Smile]

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