What's The Frequency, Kenneth?

So this is Kenneth and Sid. They are 70mm film projectors in use at The Filmhouse in Edinburgh during the final credits of Dunkirk.

After having watched Dunkirk a few weeks ago and been blown away, I began reading all the reviews (I try to know as little as possible before seeing a film, but enough to want to go and see it!). It's a film that has been distributed widely in many formats and many reviewers suggested it also was worth seeing in 70mm. The only cinema showing it like that in Edinburgh was The Filmhouse and since we had some gift vouchers we thought we'd try it.

While not as immersive as the IMAX version we saw, and a different shape (I'll come to that), I did think there were different qualities with this version. I think people often compare the differences to digital and film photography, or CDs and vinyl.

Anyway, we wanted to see it again, and we followed the unusual time sequencing much better and afterwards I couldn't resist popping upstairs to see the room with all the noise and heat! It is interesting to see the mix of digital hard drives and projectors and film reels lying about.

If you are interested, I'll try and explain why all the different formats! We love going to IMAX films, the screen is massive, the sound is so loud, and you feel like you've been through an experience. While films may have been made on 8mm, 16mm, 35mm and 70mm, IMAX film stock is also 70mm but a different aspect ratio... it is more square than the usual 70mm which is more wider than it is tall. So when projected, it fills your vision more so the image is all you really see, not any black borders top and bottom.

However IMAX film cameras are much heavier and bulkier than normal cameras which makes them more difficult to use, they are also much more expensive. There are many IMAX films released, but they are never 100% filmed with an IMAX camera (maybe some specifically filmed IMAX demo films are). Dunkirk is 75% filmed with an IMAX camera, so there are some scenes in filmed in standard 70mm for example.

When it comes to showing the film, the best format is IMAX 70mm - which matches how it was filmed, but there are only 3 cinemas in the UK that have those. The other IMAX cinemas are all digital, from a computer. There are a limited number of cinemas showing it in just 70mm and this format crops the top and bottom of the IMAX frame. Other cinemas are showing it in 35mm film which is a lower quality than the 70mm. And finally there is just Digital which is the same dimensions as 70mm and this is the most common in the UK.

If this has interested you then this page shows the difference in screen ratios and the difference it makes to Dunkirk, and this page discusses how the film was filmed.

The titles of this blip is from R.E.M. and the only song I know with a Kenneth! I wonder if the Kenneth & Sid were named after actors?