IMAX Adventures!

[Diana]

Jen wrote:
> I just had to tell you all that I saw GOF on an IMAX screen last 
> night and it was a super experience! Others have mentioned the 
> detail you can see in a 50 ft. screen and I want to tell you, 
words can not fully explain just how much more you can catch with 
such a large screen. 

Diana:
It is a beautiful movie on IMAX, isn't it?  The wealth of detail is 
truly astounding, which I commented on as well.  It's doubly amazing 
considering I had seen GoF on Nov. 18th at a regular theater using a 
digital projector yet the IMAX still dwarfed it in comparsion, 
literally and figuratively.  :)

Jen wrote:
> Of the many things I could see for the first time was that famed 
> tombstone before Nagini gets to the Riddles stone. Still can't 
read it, you have some eyes there Richard! Richard also talked about 
> visual signals that Newell uses and so many more were evident to 
me on the IMAX screen. I could see for the first time (sad to admit) 
> that Fake Moody wore that same infamous black leather jacket he 
wore when meeting the Dark Lord and at the World Cup, another one of 
> Richard's visual links (as in the tongue flicking tic).

Diana:
I didn't notice the coat!  It didn't occur to me that BartyJr!Moody 
could possibly fit any of the same clothing sizes while disguised as 
Moody's much thicker body.  Just another Newell (or wardrobe 
department?) nugget.  And I couldn't read the tombstone either.  
Okay, someone give - what did it say?  

Jen wrote:
> I could also see his face better after he put up the dark mark. It 
> was just barely visible as opposed to being a silhouette on 
smaller screens.  

Diana:
Yes, this scene is much better being able to see some of his face as 
he casts the Dark Mark as he seems almost cheerfully giddy when 
setting it off.  The menace to Harry was much more palpable in this 
scene as well because of it.

Jen wrote:
The dragon sequence was much more frightening IMAX-style. Even 
though I knew I was being made to watch an obligatory action bit, 
the huge screen combined with the enhanced audio  made it pretty 
>hard to withstand in a detached manner. My knuckles were white. The 
>falls from the various parts of the roof look heart-stopping.

Diana:
Definitely scarier dragon task all the way around in IMAX.  My 
husband was greatly annoyed at the expansion of the dragon task into 
an airborne chase around Hogwarts in the movie since he feels 
Harry's calmness and confidence at the task as soon as he gets on 
his broom are important to Harry's character.  I sort of agree with 
him, but it's hard to argue the point when a photo-realistic 
actually-50-foot dragon is chasing Harry around on a screen right in 
front of you. 

Jen wrote: 
>  The improved sound quality also adds tremendously to the feud 
> between Harry and Ron. Much of the dialogue overlaps and with the 
> better sound, you can catch little odd bits. During the Yule Ball 
> run-up,  I finally  caught all the hilarious things Ron said off-
> camera as he recounted his ill-fated attempt to invite Fleur to 
>the ball. Also his face was visibly ashen, a fact I hadn't 
>registered in smaller versions. 

Diana:
Ron's dialog in that scene (post asking Fleur to the ball) reminded 
me a great deal of his background dialog in PoA after the trio had 
come out of the Whomping Willow and Ron was talking about Madame 
Pomfrey having to 'chop' his leg.  Both were pushed to the 
background of the scene, but are quite funny when you catch what 
he's saying.  I noticed Ron's ashen appearance as well on IMAX and 
wondered how they got Rupert looking so white.  Makeup just didn't 
seem capable of that level of ashenness.  LOL

Jen wrote:
> Weirdly enough, Emma's performance seemed to fit better in a large 
> format. She was certainly in "worried" mode most of the film and 
it seems to work really well writ large. During the first task, I 
saw her visibly shaking and I hadn't seen that earlier. I also loved 
her reaction to Harry's safe return from the lake. The solidly-
planted maternal kiss on the top of his head was just better in this 
big format. Some have suggested she had an over-the-top performance 
and perhaps that works well the bigger you can see it. Does that 
make sense? 

Diana:
Makes sense to me as I felt the same way, except once or twice.  
Hermione did seem overly emotional throughout the film, which isn't 
necessarily a detriment to the film and her performance, except a 
couple times her emotional reactions seemed to occur just before the 
events she was supposed to be reacting to, such as with Moody's 
first DADA lesson.  Not a big deal, but I noticed it (and other 
posters have mentioned it as well).  I really liked seeing 
Hermione's, Angelina's and Ginny's reactions to Ron and Harry 
burying the hatchett in the common room after the first task.  The 
look on Angelina's face is priceless as Hermione says "Boys!".
Gambon's Dumbledore was also more visibly worried throughout the 
movie.  In fact, the first time I saw the movie, I was rather 
surprised at how constantly upset Dumbledore is just under the 
surface from the scene where Harry's name comes out of the Goblet 
onward.  It was much easier to pick up when Gambon's face was 40-
feet tall.  It made me appreciate the performance much more.  Though 
nothing will ever quite explain to me the rough-handling of Harry by 
DD in the trophy room immediately after his name comes out the 
Goblet, I can put it into better context with the extreme uneasiness 
displayed on DD's face throughout the rest of the movie.   

Jen wrote:
> The graveyard scene packs a much bigger punch in IMAX. I could see 
> the Death Eaters surrounding LV and Harry and make out how they 
were hissing and laughing, esp. Lucius. The scene was much more 
intense, the torture more horrible. LV looked so much more menacing 
on the large screen. I saw the veins running close to the surface of 
his deathly-pale skull, and his eyes, so cold and evil. His eyes 
were mesmerizing and chilling as he tortured Harry. Ralph Fiennes 
brings a very controlled and almost courtly evil to this part. His 
LV is larger than life and perfect for IMAX. As for Harry, near the 
end of the duel I caught for the first time the look of longing that 
he gives his mother when she says "It's time, sweatheart. You're 
> ready." The blood, the bruises and contusions were much more vivid 
> as well. At the return scene, the camera's lingering on so many 
> stunned faces was an agonizing time. Harry's sobs just seemed to 
> echo for ages. 

Diana:
The bigger screen does make for a bigger emotional impact.  Harry 
looked much more battered after coming back from the graveyard in 
IMAX.  He actually looked like he'd been tortured as I could see him 
shaking in several scenes.  The expressions on Harry's face when LV 
made him bow, when LV told him he would be a merciful Lord while 
granting Harry's wish to die and when Harry refused to let go of 
Cedric's body were heart-wrenchingly vivid in IMAX.  I hadn't seen 
nearly the detail when I'd seen the movie on a regular screen.  
Another scene that had more impact was the one where Harry walked up 
the hall after his name came out of the Goblet as it was easy to see 
not only the confused, scared, embarassed expression on Harry's face 
but the negative, curious, contemptuous expressions on the other 
students' faces as well.

At $11 a ticket, IMAX isn't cheap, but I agree with Jen that is more 
than worth the investment on this movie. 

Diana L.