At
the end of last month I wrote what you could consider a love poem* to
the photochemically epic exploits of Wally Pfister and the rest of
Christopher Nolan’s camera department. This came with the news that the
next Batman film would remain two-dimensional, and was filled with hope for more filmic innovation.
According to Collider,
sources are saying that Nolan and Co. may finally tackle what has been
the 800-pound gorilla in the room since 2007- a feature film shot
entirely in the IMAX format.
“I’m
hearing that Nolan will try and shoot The Dark Knight Rises totally in
IMAX. I’ve heard that IMAX has been quietly
developing a smaller, less intrusive camera that will be able to handle
dialogue scenes. If the camera is finished in time, expect
Nolan to use it.”
Even Collider calls it a complete rumor, even if they’re getting it from a number of people.
Obviously
this makes sense. Nolan has clearly stated that it is only the
technical limitations of the monstrous (and monstrously loud) IMAX
cameras that prevent him from shooting exclusively in the 70mm format. I
can’t imagine the IMAX Corporation hasn’t been trying to develop
quieter and more mobile cameras, though what success they’ve managed is
obviously unclear. If they’ve made a breakthrough though, it would be
extremely natural for the trilogy to end with a film that pushes the
innovations of The Dark Knight
to their logical conclusion. With the crew’s enthusiasm for the format
evident from the first behind-the-scenes peeks, discussion of an entire
film being shot that way has been consistent.
There’s
not much more to say beyond “awesome.” If the crew pulls this off we’ll
be viewing greater quality images in every format the film hits (the
richness of the IMAX footage vs the 35mm footage is even clearly
noticeable on the Blu-Ray transfer). There have been few films in
history that have had the kind of resources and budgetary carte blanche that Nolan will enjoy for this film, so this decision is surely one of a purely technical nature.
“This
is not starting over, this is not rebooting. We’re finishing
something, and keeping a consistency
with what’s come before has real value.
We’re looking to do something technologically that’s
never been done before.”
That’s Nolan talking, and an announcement like this would live up to that statement with verve. Fingers crossed.
[You can click on that camera image for a high-res shot, by the way.]
*a big sloppy blowjob would be more accurate though
16 comments
You mean he won't be making this movie in groundbreaking 3D!? **Shocked** Cameron must be wondering why.
FUCK YEA! Everyone's talking about 3D but the IMAX scenes in The Dark Knight are the most absorbing and epic i've ever seen in a film. Especially on blu-ray, when those IMAX scenes appear, the colors and the clarity are like nothing I've ever seen before, even on blu-ray. This is what Michael Bay should have done with Transformers 3 instead of 3D as the Forest fight in IMAX is again, one of the most amazing things I've seen and the only reason I picked up TF2 on blu-ray (only the Walmart edition had the IMAX scenes still intact). IMAX brings a level of epic-ness that 3D just doesn't.
#1, I'm imagining Cameron blabbering to himself "But..why…you j-j-just…b-but…h-how? Why?"
Agreed about the IMAX DK scenes. I'm not the biggest fan of going to an IMAX theatre to see a film, but watching them in that format at home on Blu is fantastic.
If the camera is available, then Nolan will shoot with it. I'm sure the camera developers are working a lot of OT right now. Just remember to give them 80% of the credit if this goes through. All Nolan has to do is point and shoot.
This would be awesome news, indeed. My only gripe is that there isn't a real IMAX screen in the entire Cincinnati area on which I can see it. The closest we have is an Omnimax dome at the Museum Center, but 1) they only show documentaries and 2) it's a dome. Regular IMAX films can look pretty darned terrible on it. It's a shame that the Omnimax format died out. When it was done right, it was spectacular.
Maybe he read you article and it changed his world…blehhh…Nolan said he would like to work in 3D, just not with Batman, so, ummmm, he doesn't really agree with you little one. I like Nolan and in the right hands I definitely am open to seeing more flicks in 3D. Being a purist only makes you seem like an elitist. Let's welcome filmmakers that are open to all possibilities not just the hands folded, crying in the corner, worldview.
My views on 3D are extremely open and optimistic, and I've written at length on the subject. So read up, little one.
I hate the IMAX theater experience, mostly because you have to get there an hour early so you can get into the three row space that is actually good for viewing the screen. So my response is apathy.
I would love this. Also for home-viewing, IMAX footage looks so much better on blu-ray than even a really good transfer off of 35mm – and you won't need a 3D TV or glasses to appreciate the better image!
Could you link to a sound file of the noise an IMAX camera makes? I'd love to hear it. I've read that it's a little more than "intrusive". @#7: You're one mad cunt Elijah Wood wouldn't have a bar of my friend.
Couldn't they just shoot the dialogue scenes M.O.S. and then re-record them ADR? Or would that make it look like an Italian movie from the 60s? Or maybe they could put the camera behind glass in some sort of sound-proof containment unit? I don't know, I'm just tossing out ideas here, please don't call me an idiot.
Idiot.
idiot
Am I the only one who honestly thought The Dark Knight simply wasn't all that and then some??? I feel like I'm on the outside looking in on this deal, but it's true and the only reason the movie made what it did was because of Ledgers death and how the media sold it that way.. If BATMAN 3 can gross the same amount as The Dark Knight domestically, then I'd consider retracting this statement, but for now, like it or not, it's true and I think enough time has gone by where 1 can confidentally say this without the internet imploding over it like it damn near did 2 years ago when I mentioned it..
Agreed Oranges, I made the mistake of going to the midnight release of TDK in IMAX and only getting there oh…an hour and a half early? Apparently, we should have gotten there at 10 that morning. Our seats were like staring up at the Washington Monument. Add that to driving over an hour to the damn place and you have one terrible experience at nearly 20 bucks a pop.
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