Why are a lot of movie theater screens so dark?

[Deleted member 21339]

I saw Endgame at two different movie theaters this weekend and in both theaters the screen was so dark. I actually said something to management in both cases and nothing was done. At the second theater, the employee at least checked the projector and then said she agreed it was a little too dark but, there was nothing she could do about it without maybe switching out the bulb, and I guess she wasn't trained to do that. It's really disappointing going to the movies and the movie looks appreciably worse than it does in your own home. I ran back the Endgame trailers on my iphone, laptop and TV and the it looks like a different movie compared to the theater. Bright and colorful etc.

It's kinda ridiculous that I need to pay for premium formats (IMAX, Dolby) in order to get a decent experience at the movies now. Do you have the same experience where you live?

 

[Skel1ingt0n]

It's the theater being cheap to save on bulb replacements. Happens all too often and it's way I pretty much exclusively watch movies on (real) IMAX is, preferably, Dolby Cinema.

I've found it to be less common at AMC than competitors, but my sample size isn't very big.

 

[Deleted member 21339]

It's the theater being cheap to save on bulb replacements. Happens all too often and it's way I pretty much exclusively watch movies on (real) IMAX is, preferably, Dolby Cinema.

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But why doesn't it happen with IMAX or Dolby? Better quality control?

 

[shaneo632]

But why doesn't it happen with IMAX or Dolby? Better quality control?

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It wouldn't surprise me if IMAX have very specific bulb/brightness specs, whereas it's a lot harder to police your average two-bit cinema screening.

 

[TyrantII]

3D? 3D is always darker due to the shutter system. Its been a long running complaint.

Otherwise, a lot of theaters have old 2k projectors that don't put out sufficient light. Early adoption was an issue for digital and laser.

If you went to one of the last few still running film, it could be the bulb. But changing them out is no small feat and must be done carefully otherwise they can explode.

 

[jetpacks was yes]

This is why I only see AMC etc. movies in dolby theaters, or real imax. I found out that among the big theater chains in NYC, the only theaters that have dedicated technicians checking to make sure that the a/v is up to par are those two formats.

 

[THEVOID]

This has been happing for decades. Martin Scorsese and Ebert used to bitch about it all the time. Ebert wrote articles about and Scorsese would bring a light meter in theaters to test the image brightness.

Cameron wouldn't let theaters even show Avatar unless they met his approved brightness. No lie.

 

[Scullibundo]

Because they usually run the Lambert's at half of what they're supposed to be to save the life of the bulbs.

Usually big chains being cheap fucks and shortchanging customers.

 

[Nappuccino]

I think changing out the bulbs is somewhat technical to do without damaging the bulb--at least not something a random employee would be up to doing minutes before a movie starts.

But they shouldn't be like that to begin with.

 

[Deleted member 21339]

Because they usually run the Lambert's at half of what they're supposed to be to save the life of the bulbs.

Usually big chains being cheap fucks and shortchanging customers.

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Dude it looks so bad. Destroyed the image

 

[Detective Loki]

They probably left the 3D filter over the screen

I had this happen a few times

 

[Einchy]

I remember this being brought up a bit when Solo came out because some scenes in that movie are dark but not enough where it's an issue, unless you watched it in a theater with a dim screen then things became REAL dark.

 

[maximumzero]

The Ant-Man & the Wasp and Rogue One showings I saw were so dark they were almost unwatchable.

 

[RavFiveFour]

Premium aka IMAX is what you call it.

 

[Vark]

Yea it's either the bulb or some places just leave the 3d filter on all the time because swapping it out is a pita if they're showing 2d and 3d films in that theater.

 

[Deleted member 21339]

They probably left the 3D filter over the screen

I had this happen a few times

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Dunno but I doubt it because I went to this same theater last year with family and the screen was the same. I kinda didn't want to go this time for this reason and sure enough the screen was still dark as shit. I hate being "that guy" among family and friends when it comes to movie theaters but I'm sticking to my guns next time. No way am I seeing Rise of Skywalker in anything but IMAX or Dolby Vision. I'll go alone, fuck it.

 

[Lump]

Dolby Cinema has spoiled me too much. My local AMC is decent outside of the Dolby, but I know the Dolby itself is going to be the optimal experience.

 

[Hokey]

I don't even wanna go to the cinemas now after oled, I always had a problem with their shitty faded/dark picture quality.

 

[NekoFever]

But why doesn't it happen with IMAX or Dolby? Better quality control?

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IMAX has very specific requirements on most aspects of the picture, and if they don't maintain them they can't call it IMAX.

 

[Tiny Chihuahueño]

Movies look so much better on my TV than in theaters right now. Watched that Fantastic Beasts, Grindewald whatever movie when it hit theaters and shit was so dark it was impossible to make out anything.

It was not only dark, but GREY dark, which is the worst kind, because everything kind of melts into this slightly bright darkness that makes your eyes go nuts.

Between that, the insufferable people at the theater texting/speaking on the phone/being noisy/kicking the back of your seat, the ticket prices and all that, theaters are digging their own grave. I used to love going to the movies, but I avoid it now unless I don't have any other choice.

 

[MaintenanceDivision]

I feel like screen brightness has hit an all time low with the move to digital projectors. There's no one up there checking things, it's just an automated and forgotten piece of equipment. I don't even bother going to the movies anymore.

Film projectors typically had a lot more pop to the image and you also had some character depending on the film condition that made the experience interesting. It's ridiculous we've regressed because the digital technology can be so much better than what you typically see.

 

[Netherscourge]

I wish projectors would be retired for giant digital OLED screens.

 

[louiedog]

My local big chains are terrible with this. I don't even go to the cinemark anymore because the last time I saw something there it was by far the dimmest image I've ever seen. Full daylight scenes looked like dusk. Dark scenes were almost impossible to make out.

I saw Blade Runner 2049 on a standard AMC screen and it was noticeably dim. I saw it a few days later on the Dolby screen literally on the other side of the wall. Beyond the improved image quality that was immediately apparent in the opening text sharpness, the image was so much brighter that it made me a little mad that I'd seen that horrible, dark version first.

It's been getting worse and worse at both chains for me lately and I hate it.

 

[StrangerDanger]

I feel like screen brightness has hit an all time low with the move to digital projectors. There's no one up there checking things, it's just an automated and forgotten piece of equipment. I don't even bother going to the movies anymore.

Film projectors typically had a lot more pop to the image and you also had some character depending on the film condition that made the experience interesting. It's ridiculous we've regressed because the digital technology can be so much better than what you typically see.

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You should book a ticket at a Dolby Cinema fitted theater, then you will not complain about it being dark ;)
Lasers>Bulbs for brightness

 

[Inugami]

I guess she wasn't trained to do that.

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Projection lightbulbs get to multiple hundreds of degrees, and you can't change it till it's completely cooled down. You can't just hot-swap them during the middle of the movie.

Digital projectors have to use lower brightness bulbs in general because digital components that are stuck in front of a bulb are very different from plastic film that's only ever held in front of a bulb for a fraction of a second.

 

[Deleted member 2802]

The white text in Civil War almost blinded me for IMAX.
That's how you know you have a good projector/projectionist

 

[MaintenanceDivision]

You should book a ticket at a Dolby Cinema fitted theater, then you will not complain about it being dark ;)
Lasers>Bulbs for brightness

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I've been to Dolby Cinema, it was fine but the accent and stair lighting in the theater was reflecting off the screen like crazy and blew out the black levels. Still a good experience all things considered but I'd hoped for more.

 

[MaintenanceDivision]

I wish projectors would be retired for giant digital OLED screens.

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Yeah but then where do you put your front soundstage?

 

[Halbrand]

Yeah, movies look better on my HDR TV

Some theatres are definitely worse than others, 3D makes it worse

 

[Kernel]

Endgame was super dark for me.

The entire last hour was like watching on the worst calibrated screen in existence.

 

[Deleted member 21339]

Endgame was super dark for me.

The entire last hour was like watching on the worst calibrated screen in existence.

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Yup. I'm gonna check it out a third time in Dolby at some point. I'm watching Ultron on cable on my plasma right now and it looks better than Endgame did in the theater

 

[maximumzero]

I had to go out to customer service 20 minutes into Endgame on opening night because the film wasn't framed properly and had large black bars on all sides.