Oppenheimer IMAX screenings: What is the big deal about IMAX and should you be considering it?

Oppenheimer is one of the biggest releases of 2023 and the movie hit theatres this week. The movie is directed by critically acclaimed director Christopher Nolan who has used the latest of IMAX technology to shoot the entire movie. But what is it and why is it so special? 

Oppenheimer was shot entirely on Imax 65mm and Panavision 65mm film using some of the highest-resolution film cameras known to man. This is unusual; typically Imax cameras are used for big action shots and more convenient cameras are for other shots.

Director Christopher Nolan recommends seeing it in IMAX format. While ‘Oppenheimer’ has been digitized to work for all screens, director Christopher Nolan said it is best viewed in specific IMAX theaters. Only 19 theaters in the United States, and 30 worldwide, are showing the ambitious biopic of J. Robert Oppenheimer, known as the father of the atomic bomb, using a version of the film in its most epic form.

IMAX is a standard of high-resolution cameras, film formats, projectors and cinemas. The name is believed to be derived from “Maximum Image” which is quite fitting given how much IMAX movie screens are known for their instantly recognisable tall aspect ratio, which is usually 1.43:1 or 1.90:11. These screens also feature steeper stadium seating in the cinema hall itself, which lead to a better audio experience.

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IMAX movies are shot using cameras that can record using a larger frame, usually three times the theoretical horizontal resolution of a conventional 35mm film. These cameras are capable of capturing footage with a very high amount of detail and clarity. IMAX also processes the captured footage and uses proprietary image enhancement through every frame in a movie, allowing you to see the clearest and sharpest picture quality, closest to what the movie’s director wants you to experience.

So imagine watching the Oppenheimer movie on an IMAX screen. It’s like being in the movie itself! The screen fills even the peripheral vision of the audience. So when the camera moves, the audience experiences the sensation of movement. 

Also read: Oppenheimer Day 2 box office collection: Christopher Nolan's film crosses Rs 30 crore in India

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