Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has hit theaters and it’s… a whole thing. A movie event in every sense of the word; moviegoers who bought their tickets a full year ago have finally been able to cash in their chips and actually see the movie. Early reactions from critics and cinemagoers alike have been fulsome in their praise of the movie and it seems that Christopher Nolan, who won the Best Director and Best Picture gongs for his previous work Oppenheimer, has elevated himself to even further heights — becoming a section of the movie industry all of his own.
As with that movie, the marketing has led with the fact that it has been shot with IMAX 70mm film cameras, but of course, taken to the next level by being the first film where every shot is entirely with IMAX film cameras so that every frame fills the entirety of the rare beasts that are IMAX 1.43:1 screens.
Curiously, it’s not the first film to fill those screens, with One Battle After Another doing so, as that was shot on VistaVision with a similar 1.51:1 aspect ratio and then transferred over to IMAX 70mm film for presentation in a few rare 1.43:1-equipped theatres. But IMAX 15/70 film, which, thanks to its 15 perforations across film stock, offers the largest film stock for the very best image quality.
As Nolan himself has said, he wanted to shoot a film entirely on IMAX since he was 16 years old. This was never before possible as the noise that these incredibly large beasts generated drowned out any possibility of getting usable dialogue in close-up scenes – and as looping audio (replacing it afterwards) is an anathema to Nolan, he was never allowed to “go full IMAX”. However, two things made this possible. First, it was the creation of a new generation of IMAX film cameras, which were designed to operate more quietly than ever before. Even so, they were still too loud, so the real genius goes to something called a “blimp” — a container in which the IMAX film camera was placed to really lower the noise levels to acceptable levels.
All hail to the blimp
However, the blimp caused its own issues, in that it made the cameras so big that when two were placed side by side for two-shot dialogue scenes, the actors were unable to see each other. To get around this, as Anne Hathaway so eloquently explains, the IMAX tech geniuses placed mirrors onto the sides of the cameras, so the actors could see each other and maintain a natural acting flow — ingenious stuff. The result is a 2-hour movie entirely consisting of IMAX 70mm footage.
Gatekeeping Gate
However, as ever, the internet finds ways to get angry at something, and this incredible technical achievement is it. The issue is that only 41 theaters in the world have the requisite IMAX film projector and 1.43:1 screen required to show the movie as Nolan wants it to be seen. While this number is 11 more than were able to show Oppenheimer in IMAX 70mm, it still means the vast majority of cinemagoers around the world will never be able to experience it this way. And for the angry internet crew – “that ain’t fair!”
It seems that this is, in fact, just another example of the marketing nous of IMAX and Nolan – as while four years ago it was still necessary to explain and justify what all the fuss is about, the masses have caught on, creating a deep sense of FOMO for those that miss out.
As one post put it, there are different versions of the movie “for poor people”.
What this is referring to is that outside of those rare IMAX 1.43:1 screens, you get to see less of the frame. The next best is digital IMAX, which has a 1.90 aspect ratio; then there’s the “flat” 1.85” screens, which is very slightly cropped compared to 1.90. Next is the wider and narrower 2.20 used exclusively by standard 70mm presentations, while digital scope screens will get a wide 2.39:1 image.
While I would recommend seeking out the largest screen possible, one thing that should be said right away is that each version is optimized for that format. I’ve read some question why they can’t don’t simply show the 1.43:1 version on every screen, but this square format simply wouldn’t work on regular screens. Nolan and his cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema would have “center-punched” the image, to give it its technical term, and made very sure that all the critical information you need to understand the scene, the story, and the wider narrative is on the screen regardless of what format you see it on. The IMAX 1.43:1 version then adds hugely to the immersion, but that is because of its huge size and the way it fills your peripheral vision – it simply wouldn’t work on a regular screen. The 1.43:1 does give you a more visceral experience, but you don’t inherently lose by not seeing it that way.
IMAX Digital
So, IMAX 70mm aside, what format should you go for? Some theaters have an IMAX Digital screen with a dual-laser projector, which can also present the film in full 1.43:1 – some may prefer the clean look to that of film – and there’s much less chance of technical failures – which are more than likely to plague some of the many IMAX film showings.
IMAX single-laser can only project up to IMAX 1.90:1, but a 4K image on a larger screen and big 12-channel sound will make for a powerful experience that comes highly recommended.
However, older IMAX Digital screens will use a Xenon-lamp-based projector, which limits you to 2K (and accompanied by only 6-channel sound) and if the lamp is aged, will make for a dimmer image. As such, while it may come under the IMAX umbrella, I’d skip this bottom-rung IMAX experience and pick an alternative.
Dolby Cinema
The leading alternative will be Dolby Cinema, with a 4K dual-laser projection system that generates class-leading black levels and extended dynamic range for a colorful, bright image. Dolby Cinema auditoriums are always optimized with good sightlines and comfortable recliners as well.
However, while Dolby Cinema grades virtually always come with Dolby Atmos as well, Nolan movies are an exception. As he is so wedded to the IMAX experience, he will not create sound mixes that exceed the channel capabilities of his favorite format, so the sound will be limited to 5.1 natively.
It’s worth knowing that Dolby screens are not standard sizes and will either be flat or scope. At 1.85:1, the flat version will be closest to IMAX Digital’s 1.90:1, so that would be an excellent alternative.
HDR by Barco
The same logic applies to Dolby Cinema’s closest rival: HDR by Barco, which features a bright and color-rich image, and, as the name suggests, thanks to some smart technology, full HDR capabilities up to 300 nits. It is similarly paired with Dolby Atmos, but again, The Odyssey won’t be taking advantage of that. You will get good sightlines and premium seating. With only 47 of these worldwide, however, this premium format is almost as rare as IMAX 70mm itself.
Cinema-branded PLF
A step down from this are the premium Large Format Screens, which will give you laser projection, raked seating for good views of the screen and Dolby Atmos – though once again, that particular feature is neutered by the limitations of the sound mix. Some feature screen sizes that rival IMAX sizes so it’s worth choosing this over a standard screen.
In the U.S., these go under brand names such as Prime at AMC, Regal RPX, Cineplex UltraAVX, and Cinemark XD. In the UK, you’ll be looking for Cineworld Superscreen, Odeon iSense, or OmniplexMAXX.
4DX? Yes, really.
The final call is a bit of a left-field option for a Nolan film – and that’s 4DX – the one with the seats that move in sync with the action and hit you in the back, so you feel every blow, as well as flashing light, water and smoke effects. I would be surprised if Christopher Nolan has ever set foot in a 4DX screen, but it frankly sounds like a hilarious way to experience one of the grand epics of the modern age. As ever, it will be much improved if laser projection is used over Xenon, but that’s down to your local theater, so it’s worth enquiring first.
35mm/70mm film
What Nolan would no doubt prefer you to choose instead would be film projection and if you can’t access IMAX 1.43:1 there will be limited showings in both 35mm – the format that was once standard before the arrival of digital and, Nolan has chosen to five this a a 2.39:1 ratio There will also be some 5-perf 70mm showings, which offers a much larger frame than 35mm, for a bigger, bolder picture and has a unique aspect ratio of 2.20:1, so wider than flat but not quite as tall.
Ultimately, this is a film that deserves to be seen in a cinema, not at home, and not on a phone. As such, if you’re leaving your sofa and heading out to see it, whichever format you choose, you’ve made the right choice.
Related reading:
‘The Odyssey’ Breaks BFI IMAX 24-Hour Ticket Sale Record
‘The Odyssey’ Ticket Demand Causes Cinema Websites To Crash
‘The Odyssey’ IMAX 70mm Tickets To Go On Sale A Year Ahead In US And UK (updated)
