A couple of Movies from Christopher Nolan have changing aspect ratios. Some of us don’t like them and getting the movies in their OAR in HD was impossible. Well, at least I thought so. A few weeks ago I got The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises and Interstellar from the iTunes Movie Store. Low and behold all three movies are in OAR. But since the bitrate of these releases is rather low, I wondered if it’s possible to recreate the OAR using those movies as a guide with the Blu-ray releases.

I actually attempted this a couple of years ago with The Dark Knight and this was way to tedious, as the picture needed a shot by shot adjustment. I don’t have the patience for those kinda adjustments, nor do I have a PC that can re-encode HD movie in a reasonable amount of time. But if someone wants to jump into that boat for this project, if this is even fully possible, let me know. I can then provide the 1080p iTunes versions for the project.

Yes. They are a lot of work to convert accurately from the IMAX blurays!
Don't the iTunes versions have DRM?

(2017-10-04, 06:38 PM)CSchmidlapp Wrote: Don't the iTunes versions have DRM?

It had DRM. It was stripped without re-encoding

The ultraviolet versions have a much higher bitrate than itunes (you'd have to screen rip them, but they will look better.) I believe PDB said he might do the Dark Knight at 2.40:1 with the color adjustments from his imax aspect ratio project. (although he might be hanging back now that a new transfer is in the works.)

(2017-10-04, 08:23 PM)iguanaclerk Wrote: The ultraviolet versions have a much higher bitrate than itunes ...

The iTunes release is just a source for guidance and not to turn it into anything else. So for this project a Hulu capture is not needed, i would say

(2017-10-04, 08:23 PM)iguanaclerk Wrote: The ultraviolet versions have a much higher bitrate than itunes (you'd have to screen rip them, but they will look better.) I believe PDB said he might do the Dark Knight at 2.40:1 with the color adjustments from his imax aspect ratio project. (although he might be hanging back now that a new transfer is in the works.)

Yeah I put that project on the back burner since the remaster is coming. The current DK master is pretty terrible by modern standards, so a project based off a new master would be a better place to start.

Concerning the 2.35/9 versions of DK, DKR and Interstellar: I seem to remember that they all contain a tiny bit of information at the edges that the 16:9 version doesn't have. Also center cutting the 16:9 doesn't produce a perfect picture since I know for sure DKR and Inter frame up and down from the center when compared to the 2.35

Im really hoping Nolans 4K releases will contain the films in a Consistant AR with Full Frame IMAX sequences as an extra.
Or better yet, as a seamless branching option.
I really don't like the switching but the IMAX sequences really look breathtaking at times and I would miss the option to view them.

Were there many sequences in Dunkirk not shot in IMAX?
Unfortunately Ive not had a chance to see it yet

(2017-10-05, 04:38 PM)CSchmidlapp Wrote: Im really hoping Nolans 4K releases will contain the films in a Consistant AR with Full Frame IMAX sequences as an extra.
Or better yet, as a seamless branching option.
I really don't like the switching but the IMAX sequences really look breathtaking at times and I would miss the option to view them.

Were there many sequences in Dunkirk not shot in IMAX?
Unfortunately Ive not had a chance to see it yet

Dunkirk was the first time Nolan got majority of the movie in IMAX. Although there are many 2.35 shots still around, the only big sequence I remember in 2.35 are the scenes on Mark Rylance's boat. I'm sure that was because of space and/or sound issues.

I love and prefer the 2.35/2.39 ratio in movies. It's just my favorite format/ratio. But I don't understand why Nolan doesn't just shoot the non-Imax parts in 1.85, full open-matte or (and this is a dream) Vista Vision. I know the grain and detail wouldn't be there but it sure would match up better in theaters and even more on BD and Vista might come pretty close in the grain department.

(2017-10-05, 04:59 PM)PDB Wrote: I love and prefer the 2.35/2.39 ratio in movies. It's just my favorite format/ratio. But I don't understand why Nolan doesn't just shoot the non-Imax parts in 1.85, full open-matte or (and this is a dream) Vista Vision. I know the grain and detail wouldn't be there but it sure would match up better in theaters and even more on BD and Vista might come pretty close in the grain department.

Same here, and I love a director / cinematographer who use the AR to full effect. Disregarding the alternative AR's for Home Viewing ect.

It would indeed make more sense for Nolan to shoot Acadamy for his 35mm sections! And a great question to ask him at a Q&A at some point

(2017-10-05, 04:59 PM)PDB Wrote:

(2017-10-05, 04:38 PM)CSchmidlapp Wrote: Im really hoping Nolans 4K releases will contain the films in a Consistant AR with Full Frame IMAX sequences as an extra.
Or better yet, as a seamless branching option.
I really don't like the switching but the IMAX sequences really look breathtaking at times and I would miss the option to view them.

Were there many sequences in Dunkirk not shot in IMAX?
Unfortunately Ive not had a chance to see it yet

Dunkirk was the first time Nolan got majority of the movie in IMAX. Although there are many 2.35 shots still around, the only big sequence I remember in 2.35 are the scenes on Mark Rylance's boat. I'm sure that was because of space and/or sound issues.

I love and prefer the 2.35/2.39 ratio in movies. It's just my favorite format/ratio. But I don't understand why Nolan doesn't just shoot the non-Imax parts in 1.85, full open-matte or (and this is a dream) Vista Vision. I know the grain and detail wouldn't be there but it sure would match up better in theaters and even more on BD and Vista might come pretty close in the grain department.

I believe anything that wasn't IMAX was 2.20:1. He may not have shot it entirely in IMAX, but either way, he did use 70mm film all the way.