Digital projection vs film

Juan Aneiros · 19th May 2002, 02:41 PM

Having seen it again, this time on film. There is a big difference between film and digital. Perhaps it could have been that particular print, but somehow I doubt it.

There were parts out of focus, picture less clear, FX did not look that cool, much less believable and you could hear the sound as opposed to feeling it and travelling through the room how it should.

Went to a late night screening at a Odeon cinema in Wimbledon. Fell asleep for most of the film until Christina and Oscar woke me when Dooku appeared on the screen.

Need to see it again on both formats, I'll try the Imax and a bigger analogue screen at central London to make sure it wasn't this particular cinema which messed up.

If what I've seen yesterday, is what most people see, cinemas better rent the projectors or something because the quality of the film was nothing really special.

**Joakim Lundberg** · 19th May 2002, 03:48 PM

I haven't seen the film yet I haven't got any time to do it today as I thought. Digital projection might be suitble for this film but I love seeing a film that's been shot on film when you see it in the cinema and you hear the noice of the projector behind you and the lamp flickering. Love it.

**David Vasser** · 19th May 2002, 03:48 PM

I wish I could see the digital projection. I'm not going to be anywhere near a digital theatre until July when I make my annual golf pilgrimage to Orlando, Florida where there is one. I can only keep my fingers crossed it will still be playing at that digital theatre then.

I sat center fourth row so I had a real good look at the screen. The analog print I saw was a little out of focus on interior shots early in the film in Palpatine's office, but either I adjusted to it or it was corrected and I never noticed any other focus issues. The contrast was fine though, so I must have seen a better print than Roger Ebert saw for his review. I did not notice any grain at all. The local theatre where I saw it is not the most quality conscious, just the closest to my house. There is a better theatre an hour away and I plan on seeing there next time.

I had no complaints about the sound. On par with the other films in "The Saga".

I suppose I should consider myself lucky to see it at all on opening day. The lines here are quite long even at our little analog theatre in the neighborhood.

**Dave Hutchens** · 19th May 2002, 09:21 PM

I was pleasantly surprised to find that one of the best theatres in my immediate area has it in digital, so I'm planning on going today.

I initially chose The Coronet in San Francisco, as it's THE Star Wars theatre in the SF/Bay Area. This is where the original premiered in 1977; and back then, it was one of only several dozen theatres across the nation, making it THE place to see Star Wars if you lived in the greater Bay Area. I'll never forget the lines, wrapped around the block at least six times all day, every day, for weeks. It was just incredible.

So, gotta start looking at showtimes...hope to hell it's not all sold out! I'll post my thoughts on the difference digital makes, though I should say now it's hard to imagine the film looking _much_ better than it did at The Coronet. Overall, I found little wrong with the look of it; though for me not all of the effects were as seamless as they should've been.

We'll see!

Dave

**Dave Hutchens** · 19th May 2002, 11:14 PM

Well, I was wrong--turns out the theatre I planned on going to isn't doing digital after all. Dammit. The closest one's in downtown San Francisco, which I don't feel like braving today.

Oh, well--maybe next week.

It really is a shame the vast, vast majority of people won't see this film in a digital format until the DVD comes out. There just aren't enough theatres showing it. A pity.

Dave

**David Vasser** · 21st May 2002, 11:09 AM

What a disappointment that must have been! Well I'm planning ahead for my July visit to Florida and have the theatre staked out via the net. I can only keep my fingers crossed it will still be showing the film and more importantly still be showing it digitally.

I've posted it before elsewhere, but this is a good place to put it, so again here is the link to the film site listing all the theatres doing the digital thing:
http://www.starwars.com/episode-ii/digital...lproj_list.html
If a theatre isn't on this list it isn't digital.

And even then the theatre being on the digital list is no guarantee because once you find the theatre at which you want to get Mr. Lee in all his digital glory, I have learned that you must then click on the theatre name. All showings at the theatre where I'm going are NOT in digital projection. Right now out of 22 showings daily for the film at this theatre, only 4 of them are digital and the remaining 18 are analog. So even if you are certain the theatre is showing the digital version you may wish to verify that the showtime you are planning to view is one of the digital showtimes. This is especially important to check on if you are buying tickets through an online service.

Just trying to save everyone some grief or wasted time. I can't imagine why anyone would want to attack me for posting this information, but just in case let me state that at the time of this posting this was a valid link, links change all the time, if the link doesn't work for you please visit www.starwars.com and try clicking on the link in the popup window for digital theatres.

Hey Commander Lee....DIGITIZE ME!

**Dave Hutchens** · 27th May 2002, 10:55 AM

I've had exactly 3 and a half hours sleep so I'm going to be very brief here, but I just got back from seeing AOTC in digital. Digital DOES make a difference, and definitely for the better! The effects blend much more seamlessly with the live action, making everything just look and feel more "right." The picture quality is of course much sharper, best described as like watching a DVD on a REALLY big big-screen TV. It makes me quite excited now by the prospect of a digital future for Hollywood filmmaking, something I was not terribly interested in before.

Oh, and BrotherDave, you'll be happy to know I didn't find Natalie Portman a _tenth_ as annoying as I did the first time. In fact, I found very little to complain about at all tonight. It really improves with multiple viewings, as many have said. :)

Dave