Christopher Nolan has made a bold choice by opting for the 65 mm IMAX format for ‘The Odyssey’. For him, this format isn’t merely a technical show-off but a vital narrative tool that enhances the mythological essence of Homer’s epic. With themes of endless sea voyages, monstrous storms, and human endurance tests, Nolan aims to immerse viewers in this epic journey, making them “feel that immensity in a physical way” rather than just intellectually. His objective is clear: to fill the visual field of the movie theater entirely.
Breaking Tradition: A Full IMAX Experience
Unlike previous films like ‘Batman: The Dark Knight’, ‘Interstellar’, or ‘Oppenheimer’, where IMAX was selectively used for high-impact scenes, ‘The Odyssey’ maintains the IMAX format throughout its entirety. Nolan breaks his own pattern of alternating formats; the grandeur demanded by the Homeric epic should persist even in the film’s quieter moments.
Aspect Ratio and Visual Immersion
The pivotal reason for using IMAX lies in its unique 1.43:1 aspect ratio. This format, which stands significantly taller than conventional widescreen formats, fills the viewer’s peripheral vision, creating a sense of depth akin to 3D, all without glasses. Nolan believes this immersive quality is essential to effectively convey the vastness of the depicted landscapes and the ferocity of its battles. As he concisely expressed, he aims to offer the audience “something new and exciting,” harnessing the intensity that only this format can provide.
The Technical Marvel of IMAX
At the heart of Nolan’s ambition lies a remarkable negative. The IMAX film format, known technically as 15/70, employs 15 perforations per frame, compared to only four for standard 35mm. This substantially elevates the size of the negative, resulting in a horizontal resolution close to 18,000 theoretical pixels—a staggering contrast to the 1,920-pixel width of a high-definition home screen. Nolan asserts that this sharpness is unmatched, even when juxtaposed with digital productions.
Innovative Equipment for a Unique Vision
Filming an entire feature with this cutting-edge technology necessitated the development of new equipment. Recognizing that traditional IMAX cameras are often too loud for dialogue-driven scenes, Nolan’s team constructed a soundproof casing known as a blimp. This creative solution led to a camera the team dubbed ‘The Keighley’, named after veteran IMAX executives Patricia and David Keighley, weighing in at about 300 pounds.
Challenges and Limitations in Distribution
Despite this innovative approach, the operational demands of film in IMAX format present significant challenges. The celluloid tape used must be recharged every two and a half minutes, and a specially designed mirror system assists actors in maintaining eye contact around the cumbersome device during filming. A single 45-minute roll can weigh up to 140 kilos and stretch over 4,600 meters. Even when the film is digitized for laser projectors, Nolan believes that the resultant imagery retains a quality superior to any digitally-produced work, reinforcing his steadfast advocacy for celluloid.
However, this technical sophistication comes at a price. Currently, only around 40 theaters globally can project IMAX in its full 70 mm and giant screen configuration. Moreover, as the industry increasingly shifts toward digital formats, finding personnel skilled in handling IMAX prints is becoming increasingly tough. For instance, in Spain, while there are digital IMAX theaters, none combine both 70 mm and digital technologies. Consequently, Spanish spectators will mostly resort to digital versions that crop the image to a more panoramic ratio, resulting in the loss of some significant visual elements captured by Nolan.