So, I saw the "Dark Knight" yesterday...

ilikesound
ilikesound Posts: 355
edited August 2008 in Music & Movies
..And maybe it was just me, but the movie quality was sub-par. The picture was drab, not enticing at all. Are these movies that you see in the theater actually HD? Anyone know? Another factor that totally sucked was the front center left channel. That thing was blown, and everyone heard it. Every time there was a minimal bass hit of any kind, that thing was flopping around like a nasty ****. The subwoofer(s) that they were using intigrated well, but there was no apparent impact to the bass. The highs were non-existent and dialog sounded weak and you could tell that the entire movie was compressed like hell. The surrounds sounded WAY too loud. Overall, it sounded like a pancake that was run over by a steamroller. I really believe they had a HTIB that they were using. That alone may have ruined the experience for me. I swear, this is the reason i never GO to see a movie.
The movie, however, was spectacular. A must see. Just not in the theater that I was in.

Maybe i'm completely spoiled. Maybe i just have a real badass system at home, and maybe i've taken it for granted, but everything about my experience was aweful. i doubt i'll ever go to see another flick in a regular theater again.

To me, going to a theater should immerse you in the movie for the length of the feature. I never once felt like i wasn't in the middle of a movie theater. Hopefully IMAX will start to do more actual movies next year, because that trailer for Terminator looked great.
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Comments

  • SolidSqual
    SolidSqual Posts: 5,218
    edited August 2008
    I think you need to see the movie at an iMax. I had a completely different experience. The only theater that may have been better was one I visited in a mega mall in Beijing.
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  • edossin4
    edossin4 Posts: 105
    edited August 2008
    I agree, I saw it in Imax and was blown away. Fantastic movie. I also agree that when I see films at the regular multiplex I usually wish I would have waited for the DVD/blu ray.
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  • ND13
    ND13 Posts: 7,601
    edited August 2008
    Sounds like his problem is with the theatre he saw the movie in, not the movie. I'm with the others.....go see it in either an IMAX or a newer theatre.
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited August 2008
    Finally saw this last night.. great audio track.. in both the effects portion and the soundtrack music. To me it was loud, in your face and just the right amount for a movie like this.

    I thought the movie was pretty good overall and highly entertaining as well. Loved his bad **** car, motorcycle, etc.

    I also thought Heath Ledger was fantastic as the demented Joker.
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  • muncybob
    muncybob Posts: 3,065
    edited August 2008
    I have not seen it yet but have heard a lot of similar comments about it as danger boy posted......but, since we do not have IMAX in our area I'll wait for the dvd. I too just hate going to the movies and putting up with uncomfortable seats and a really inferior sound system. Our cinemas sound is VERY loud with no low end at all. Very irritating to my ears...the highs are like nails on a blackboard to me. My wife says I'm just a grumpy ole **** anymore!

    And, to top it off I just received my large overstuffed recliner so I doubt the local cinema will ever see me again! Got the sound meter out last night and tuned in/zoned out!
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  • polktiger
    polktiger Posts: 556
    edited August 2008
    muncybob wrote: »
    I have not seen it yet but have heard a lot of similar comments about it as danger boy posted......but, since we do not have IMAX in our area I'll wait for the dvd. I too just hate going to the movies and putting up with uncomfortable seats and a really inferior sound system. Our cinemas sound is VERY loud with no low end at all. Very irritating to my ears...the highs are like nails on a blackboard to me. My wife says I'm just a grumpy ole **** anymore!

    And, to top it off I just received my large overstuffed recliner so I doubt the local cinema will ever see me again! Got the sound meter out last night and tuned in/zoned out!

    If you are an old ****, then I am too. I have not been to a theater in a couple years. The sound is better at home, the seats are more comfortable, my home is cleaner and doesn't smell of stale popcorn, I contol the temp in the room, and I can pause the movie if anyone wants a drink or needs to go to the bathroom. Add in the cost of the "movie experience" and I really don't see myself going to the movies at all. (Except for maybe Angels & Deamons, I want to see how badly they butchered the book to fit it an the inadequte length movies to which must conform, another gripe I have about theaters in general!) I have a stack of books I haven't read yet and plenty of movies on DVD to hold me over until anything in the theater now is out on DVD.
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  • mutelight
    mutelight Posts: 1,054
    edited August 2008
    The movie quality was subpar? I think you meant to say, your theater is highly subpar.

    Dark Knight was shot on the highest quality film stock available for certain scenes with beautiful color correcting and processing on the 35mm scenes. Also the sound was downright incredible and you can hear every nuance in the soundtrack. When I saw Dark Knight at the IMAX here in San Francisco with its 14,000+ watt audio system playing back uncompressed audio and watching the movie unfold on a 7 story high screen I couldn't help but be completely immersed.

    Even our theaters still running film and some of the newer DLP theaters have impressive sound systems with great low frequency response and detailed highs.

    I am sorry to hear that your local theater seems to be in desperate need of an upgrade.
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  • Hawkeye
    Hawkeye Posts: 1,313
    edited August 2008
    We saw it this weekend and I thought the movie was awesome. The theater, if you could call it that just totally sucks. The surround was broken, so there was no sound from the sides or the rear. They tried to compensate by turning the front up to ear drum splitting levels.

    I guess I'm going to have to get my HT back up and running. I'll never go back to the "theater" in our town.

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  • krabby5
    krabby5 Posts: 923
    edited August 2008
    I hate going to movie theatres......Picture quality sucks and the sound is too loud....and this is from a brand new theatre.

    I'll wait until it hits DVD and watch it in my system..

    Plus, people bug me anyways:D
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  • mutelight
    mutelight Posts: 1,054
    edited August 2008
    krabby5 wrote: »
    I hate going to movie theatres......Picture quality sucks and the sound is too loud....and this is from a brand new theatre.

    I'll wait until it hits DVD and watch it in my system..

    Plus, people bug me anyways:D

    Wow, sounds like another bad theater if DVD will edge out a 35mm or DLP system. :eek:
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