'The Hobbit' will not be widely released in 48 FPS - Page 8

Here is the new expanded list of HFR theaters. I made a mistake and used the original list they sent out and bought my ticket based on that and unfortunately now have unrefundable IMAX tickets when the theater across the street is now showing HFR.

You kind of touched on what I was going to. i live in bellingham and have been researching this for hours every day for the past 3 weeks and finally found my answer. The only theaters that will play the theater in 4k resolution are imax 3d and imax hfr 3d. there are only 58 theaters in the US that are playing it in IMAX HFR 3d, meaning also only 58 theatres playing the hobbit with a 4k master. Im pretty sure no thestres are playing IMax HFR 3d with a 4k master and dolby atmos, I dont think the atmos theaters use dolby atmos but I could be wrong on that part. so the only theater in Wa state that is playing it in 4k imax hfr 3d is in Bellevue at the lincoln square cinemas. the only theater in WA state playing it in Dolby atmos which is in 2k on an 80ft screen in dolby 3d with hfr on 4k christie projectors is at the cinetopia in vancouver wa.

Digital IMAX is not 4k. It's two 2k projectors converged on top of one another.

From everything I've heard, the High Frame Rate showings will all be 2k, because the current 4k theatrical pipeline cannot yet handle HFR.

This question is for everyone.

If you could watch a movie at a digital IMAX or a regular digital theater, which would you choose?

I'm not sure you are entirely accurate.
Several IMAX screens have been updated with 4K Barco projectors under their new seven year service contract. There have been reports that Skyfall 4K DCP was shown at some IMAX screens.
It is correct that general theatrical pipelines can not handle 4K HFR 3D, but IMAX might have done some extra "DIY" work to be able to handle this on selected screens, or they up-convert a 2K DCP "on the fly".
I would choose a regular cinema with DLP projector and not too large screen.

You can always re-visit The Hobbit in IMAX in 2014 for a rerun. Then they will have 4K Laser projectors if they manage to keep their schedule.

Not sure your correct about this either i know the majority will but the 30 in the US I believe have a 4k master. ive been at this nonstop for 3 weeks, il get back to you with the real scoop

Two intersting articles about HFR and The Hobbit.

One about the work that is done to ensure the excibiters are HFR capable and that the screenings will go without a glitch; http://magazine.creativecow.net/article/the-hobbit-debuts-high-frame-rate-cinema

The second one is a interview with The Hobbit visual effects supervisor, Joe Letteri; http://movieline.com/2012/12/11/hobbit-joe-letteri-48-fps-3d/

As much as I enjoyed the LOTR movies I have zero interest in seeing this... not sure why but there, I said it. Carry on:)

+1

By the time I finished the last one I was bored to death. The same applies to the Harry Potter series. IIRC, I only watched the first three.
Edited by Aliens - 12/13/12 at 2:01pm

I lost most intresest in this when they decided to make 3 movies. I really love Fellowship of the ring but each sequel just got worse.

Is there link to show which theaters are HFR "certified?"

I am not interested in the story itself, but would like to see and hear the tech.

When did this turn into a review thread for LOTR? http://www.thehobbit.com/hfr3d/index.html

Huh?

Here is a thread someone put together with more links:
http://www.avsforum.com/t/1445108/the-hobbit-hfr-dolby-atmos/0_60

Compare to be sure to get the information right.
UPDATED: theatres showing The Hobbit in HFR 3D, IMAX 3D, IMAX, Dolby Atmos

48 fps HFR 3D Theater List
Of course your not. You are much too sophisticated for such.
Edited by coolscan - 12/13/12 at 1:59pm

I got you!

Seems very important for some to show off how much they disliked LOTR.
Like as if the rest of us are interested to know.

OK, I confess my denseness here...please explain.

IF you are implying I don't like LOTR, you haven't read a recent post where I said PJ's LOTR is "the greatest cinematic achievement in decades."

how the hell do we know if were watching a 4k 3d or a two 2k 3d projection?

will the hfr screenings be on 2k projectors only until next year?

You don't.
Except if you get hold of someone at the cinema, preferably the chief projectionist. He might be able to tell you if they are running two 2K projectors or two 4K projectors.
What is certain is that anything Hobbit running on 4K projectors is a up-convert from 2K somewhere in the pipeline.
Or 2014?

I agree that the producing studios and the cinemas are terrible at advertising what sort of technology they are using. One should think that when they put so much money in upgrading equipment that they would be better at "bragging about it".

I really agree with this. At least where I live, I have to go to considerable lengths to obtain this information. Many of these theaters are upcharging as if saying "mega screen" or "3D" is sufficient. As you said, why not brag about it?

I emailed Cinetopia and they confirmed the showing I have tickets for today is hfr. I did not think to ask, and they did not offer, but it does not look like it has the Dolby Atmos audio.

Is this the theater in Tigard?
Apparently, it is the only one in the state with HFR.

BTW, Portlandia's new season starts tonite on IFC.....be there, or be square.

Apparently the Moderators felt the need to lock my post
http://www.avsforum.com/t/1445108/the-hobbit-hfr-with-dolby-atmos

I have a feeling hey didn't really understand what i was posting about, apparently they pointed to this thread , which has some overlap maybe but no actual list and explanation of HFR WITH Atmos.

i didn't know how to make it any clearer. anyway, ill finish the update i wanted to do.

Confirmed HFR w/ Dolby Atmos (from checking either their website or fandango or similar service) - Please add to this list !

Santikos Palladium IMAX
17703 IH 10 West
San Antonio, TX 78257
(210) 496-2221

========================================

maybe this theater has hf wih atmos its not very clear on their website.

Regency Agoura Hills Stadium 8
29045 Agoura Hills Road
Agoura Hills, CA 91301
818 707-9966
Edited by Vinny VIn - 12/14/12 at 11:08am

Give me link for that post , pls.

Cinetopia in Beaverton. It shows on this list as having HFR and Atmos but not on other lists with Atmos. Everything confirms hfr. Who the heck knows?

http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2012/11/21/64780-complete-listing-of-theaters-showing-hobbit-hfr-3d-imax-3d-imax-dolby-atmos/

Even that list is not complete. The Roxy Theaters in Santa Rosa, CA is showing the film in HFR 3D and it's not on that list....

http://www.srentertainmentgrp.com/loc_roxy14.asp

It wouldn't surprise me if these lists are incomplete because there is alot of last second hardware upgrades going on for this movie.

this is hilarious. theaters not even advertising about the super tech equipment they have cause they don't understand what they got.

It is because you are looking for the wrong name; Roxy Stadium 14 (Santa Rosa, CA 95404) >> http://www.thehobbit.com/hfr3d/index.html
The link to this web site is at the top of this page.

I saw it in HFR and it doesn't matter if its shown in HFR, Dolby Atmos, IMAX, 3D, 4K etc, the movie is terrible. Don't waste your money on the premium charge to see in IMAX 3D.

I just got back from seeing it at a very new century (cinemark) XD theater in HFR 3D with Dolby Atmos.

my impressions on both new to me technologies was positive.

on the HFR side of things the first thing i noticed straight away was the annoying flicker i often see when watching 3D in a theater at 24 fps is completely gone. granted this flicker is usually only obvious with bright images so its not a huge issue but i even noticed it in the 3D previews that were played tonight before the movie and its in my opinion what probably gives people headaches when watching 3D at 24fps. on the motion/realism front let me first give you some background on my own personal tastes. i'm not and never been a huge fan of the soap opera effect many motion enhancers can and do produce, i however do enjoy watching films on TV's that have a good adjustable motion enhancer that can take a balanced approach and most of my film watching is currently done through my PC on a 60hz Panasonic LCD TV and i use SVP on the PC for motion enhancement and frame interpolation with my own custom settings i've found i like. the HFR was just like that except it did not have any of the bad side effects from it, error's etc. that can pop up with certain scenes due to patterns often etc. it was like watching a movie with the perfect motion enhancer that had zero flaws.

as for the folks saying it looked fake, had to much detail etc. sound to me like the same group of people who said that about motion enhancers on TV's when they were first coming out. that stuff is no longer new to the market and has been a success and i'm sure in the long run 48fps will be as well. panning at 24fps is just so unnatural no matter what you're viewing it on and once you get used to not seeing it you see it 10x more when you go to see a movie in a theater at 24fps IMO. its like the reverse of what the "24fps purists" i'll calll them say about higher frame rates. overall i was very immersed into the movie and only at one time when i there was a wide pan going on with mountain ranges in the background did i see something that clearly looked fake to me and it was only because i started focusing on that background rather than the center point of view, the character's of the movie standing on top of a different mountain range. as soon as i put my focus point back where it was supposed to be it looked amazing, this in my opinion goes to show how if one comes in skeptical and critical of 48 fps like many critics seem to have done you can spend all day picking apart the movies effects because your not watching the movie your watching for defects.

on the Dolby Atmos, not sure how long its been out. i don't go to the movies that often but i know this was the first time i saw a movie with the sound system and i thought it did an amazing job especially with ambient sounds in the parts of the film that made good use of it.

as for the film, it was great and i will definitely go see the next one. did it have the impact the first LOTR had? nope it did not, its hard to overcome that and i did not expect it to. i'd still give it a 8.5/10 easily one of the best films of this year.