IMAX TDKR Very unhappy, anyone else?

So long story short went and saw TDKR on opening night at a normal screening, enjoyed it and could understand ALL the dialogue.

Today my daughter asked to go to the IMAX screening and well that was painful! The sound wasn't loud it was cover your ears loud! The volume was so loud you couldn't even understand the dialogue for most of the movie.

When I spoke to staff about the issue, I was informed the the volume was set by Nolan himself... Really??? IS this guy hard of hearing?

As we all know the movie is outstanding but IMAX just made me understand why everyone was commenting on the dialogue issues.

Enjoy the movie just beware the IMAX.

I dunno. I love the real IMAX theater I go to. If a movie is playing in IMAX, I'll go out of my way to watch it there. And it's not just the ginormous screen... the sound is a big factor for me. I love my movies loud, and to me, a movie in a regular theater sounds weak and tinny when compared to the booming IMAX audio.

I've seen it in both a regular theater and IMAX, and the IMAX experience, sound and picture, was miles ahead of the normal theater. Either my theater went against "Nolan's set instructions", or the guys at yours were full of it.

dont know if it's imax but this looks like it's a good theater :P i only went to imax but i must say nothing can top my tv at home!

Nolan may have "set" the volume and had it distributed with instructions, but that doesn't mean it was really supposed to be the way you experienced it. So loud it was harder to understand is bad work by the theater staff.

IMAX is the best for both picture and sound...period. It sounds like you went to a theater that may be out of whack and in need of a sound calibration. I love IMAX and find it worth the extra high price of a ticket for being the best. The Dark Knight Rises sounded perfect where I saw it in IMAX.

the imax theater i went sounds sounded great also! especialy the part batman went from bat-pod to The BAT :P

I saw TDKR in IMAX and thought it was incredible (my first IMAX) I regret not seeing TDK in IMAX.

I saw last week at an Imax dome. Biggest mistake ever.

Jeyl said:

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I saw last week at an Imax dome. Biggest mistake ever.

I've never been to one of those, but they sound weird. Is it like a curved planetarium screen or something?

MooMooEgg said:

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I've never been to one of those, but they sound weird. Is it like a curved planetarium screen or something?

The screen is very larger and does have a slight curve but very slight and nothing like a planetarium

I like that when I pay extra to see something in IMAX, I don't have to worry about hearing the chatter of those around me.

Sounds like the theater staff was covering up for not knowing what they were doing.

Wes R said:

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Sounds like the theater staff was covering up for not knowing what they were doing.

This. Nolan made the sound mix for IMAX theaters, he didn't personally visit every theater to adjust the volume knob. Sounds like some idiot just thinks that IMAX is "bigger" so the volume has to be cranked as loud as it can go.

I went to the Dome in San Jose, CA so I guess it may be just you! It was amazing and the kick added that extra boost I needed!

Given the "huh what" look on the face of the manager I spoke with, I think he was as lost as it can get with IMAX.

There were several, sound comments made to the manager after the screening. I was one of about 15 that had something to say. After dropping 50$ for a family of 4 to watch IMAX it was a serious let down.

I have 7.1 and 50 plasma with theater seating and I know just how good a movie can be with the right sound set up.

This was not it.

Jeyl said:

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I saw last week at an Imax dome. Biggest mistake ever.

I had to see TDK in a dome, because back then the only IMAX on Long Island was in an aviation museum. And yeah, I was not a fan. The entire seating was too close to the screen, and the curvature made the overall viewing odd, and the edges completely distorted.

After I moved, they added IMAX to the theater I used to go to most. But I'm more than happy with the one near me here. I love the theater, the IMAX, and especially the ticket prices.

D00R said:

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Im in LA now. Is there even a real IMAX screen here?

Real ones in California as of December 2011

Cathedral City Desert IMAX Theater
Irvine Edwards Irvine Spectrum 21 & IMAX
Los Angeles California Science Center
Los Angeles Rave 18 IMAX
Ontario Edwards Ontario Palace 22 & IMAX
Sacramento Esquire IMAX Theatre
San Diego Reuben H. Fleet Science Center
San Francisco AMC Loews Metreon
San Jose Tech Museum of Innovation
Universal City AMC Loews Universal City

nlschutd said:

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dont know if it's imax but this looks like it's a good theater :P i only went to imax but i must say nothing can top my tv at home!

where did you get these pics ?

planet said:

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where did you get these pics ?

http://www.therpf.com/f47/best-theater-room-ever-156284/

dbalschi said:

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Real ones in California as of December 2011

Cathedral City Desert IMAX Theater
Irvine Edwards Irvine Spectrum 21 & IMAX
Los Angeles California Science Center
Los Angeles Rave 18 IMAX
Ontario Edwards Ontario Palace 22 & IMAX
Sacramento Esquire IMAX Theatre
San Diego Reuben H. Fleet Science Center
San Francisco AMC Loews Metreon
San Jose Tech Museum of Innovation
Universal City AMC Loews Universal City

hmm, I see Loews and a science center listed how can that be real IMAX? Sounds like planetarium and the faux theater IMAX.

I'm in LA, i want to see the legit IMAX

there used to be a google maps where they had all the real and fake IMAX's listed

D00R said:

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I just saw your post above mine, did you go to the Aviation planetatium?
In Nasau county? What a jip right??

Wheres the good IMAX you went to on long island?
Or are you talking about the IMAX near you now in Colorodo?
I left long island behind i grew up in suffolk county, what hell hole.

I went to the stony brook loews one and was underwhelmed bigtime.

Yup, the Cradle of Aviation museum (I think that was the official name). It wasn't an awful experience, but it left a lot to be desired. The screen's closeness was a bigger issue than any other complaint.

The IMAX I mentioned liking is the one here in Colorado Springs. IMAX is a legitimately awesome experience when done well, and Nolan does it well. It was much more enjoyable to see TDKR in a proper IMAX theater, as opposed to the Aviation museum.


But the Westbury 12 added an IMAX screen at some point in the past few years. That was the theater I usually used when on LI, although pre-having IMAX.

I went back to LI this week, actually, after not being there for over two years. It just gets worse. Overpriced is one thing, but overpaying for an area that is rapidly devolving? No thanks. It's a shame to leave friends behind, but you've got to move forward.

D00R said:

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I'm in LA, i want to see the legit IMAX

Irvine Spectrum.