Christopher Nolan insists people watch ‘Oppenheimer’ in IMAX and here’s why they should

Although the film has been digitized to be compatible with all screens, Oppenheimer is best experienced in specific IMAX theatres, thanks to IMAX 65mm’s aspect ratio and a native resolution of 16K

Oppenheimer will probably go down as the best film of 2023. The Christopher Nolan directorial certainly has been the most anticipated film of the year. Nolan, the filmmaking genius that he is has used some of the highest-resolution film cameras available, specifically IMAX 65mm and Panavision 65mm, to shoot the movie. This is unusual because IMAX cameras are typically used for fast-paced action shots, while more convenient cameras are used for other scenes in movies.

Nolan has often recommended watching “Oppenheimer” in true IMAX format. Although the film has been digitized to be compatible with all screens, it is best experienced in specific IMAX theatres. However, only a limited number of theatres worldwide are showing the movie in its most epic and immersive form, in true IMAX. In fact only 19 theatres in the US and just over 30 theatres the world over are showing the film in true IMAX. In case you’re one of the lucky ones who live close to such a theatre, here’s why you should watch the film in only True IMAX.

The aspect ratio gives more room and more depth
IMAX movie screens are well known for their instantly recognizable tall aspect ratio, usually 1.43:1 or 1.90:1. This aspect ratio provides a larger and more immersive visual experience compared to standard movie screens. The taller screen allows for a more encompassing view of the film, making the audience feel like they are right in the middle of the action.

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The large screen fills the audience’s peripheral vision, creating a sensation of movement when the camera pans or moves. It offers a truly cinematic and captivating experience for the viewers.

The seating in True IMAX theatres
In addition to the unique aspect ratio, IMAX theatres also have steeper stadium seating arrangements within the cinema hall. This seating design ensures that each viewer has an unobstructed view of the screen, enhancing the overall movie-watching experience.

The combination of the tall aspect ratio and specialized stadium seating in IMAX theatres not only delivers an exceptional visual experience but also leads to better audio quality. The immersive setup allows the audience to feel fully engaged with the movie’s action and sound, creating a more captivating and memorable cinematic journey.

The glory of 16K
IMAX movies are shot using special cameras that can record with a larger frame, typically three times the theoretical horizontal resolution of a conventional 35mm film. Typically, IMAX uses a proprietary version of the 65mm film format, which has a native resolution of 16K. That’s 16 times the resolution of a 4K panel.

Needless to say the image is super sharp, with great depth. After the filming is complete, IMAX further enhances the footage through a proprietary image processing technique. This image enhancement is applied to every frame in the movie, ensuring that the final result delivers the clearest and sharpest picture quality possible. The goal is to present the movie exactly as the director intended, providing the audience with an immersive and true-to-life cinematic experience.

With the combination of larger frame recording, high-resolution cameras, and sophisticated image processing, True IMAX movies offer unparalleled visual quality, making them stand out as a premium and awe-inspiring movie experience.