Canadian 'Oppenheimer' audiences face issues with Cineplex theatres

One of the most highly anticipated movies of the year, Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer starring Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon and Robert Downey Jr., has finally hit theatres, but it hasn't been a particularly smooth release.

Theatres that can do so are showing Oppenheimer in the epic 70mm IMAX format, while others are showing the 70mm print, on non-IMAX screens, but there have been a few snags reported in Canada.

People who were waiting to see the film in 70mm took to social media to share their "unacceptable" experiences in Canada at Cineplex theatres.

In a statement to Yahoo Canada on Friday, shortly before 6:00 p.m. ET, Cineplex confirmed that there have been "a small number of issue" with the company's theatres showing Oppenheimer in 70mm in Canada.

"All Oppenheimer 70mm films shown by Cineplex are facilitated by independent third party experts who are currently stationed in our theatres," the statement reads. "We are currently working directly with our partners to rectify a small number of issues."

"Due to the nature of movie presentations, both digital and film, issues occur that may interrupt showings. Across the country, yesterday we welcomed over 195,000 guests into our theatres to enjoy a film on the big screen."

What does watching a movie on 70mm IMAX mean?

Breaking it down, watching a film in 70mm IMAX comes down to scope, scale and clarity. As described by IMAX it, "combines the brightest, clearest images at 10 times the resolution of standard projection formats, with powerful, laser-aligned digital sound and customized theatre geometry to create the world’s most immersive movie experience."

The Oppenheimer crew used both IMAX and Panavision cameras. Nolan was very much striving to achieve the best resolution possible.

Additionally, much of the film plays with colour, versus black and white sequences, which was in a 65mm format.

“How are we going to do it? Because 65mm black and white was a format that didn’t exist,” cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema says in a behind the scenes, featurette video from Universal Pictures.

"We actually had to create the black and white film that we were using to shoot," executive producer Thomas Hayslip adds in the featurette.

Even if that sounds great, it's going to be a bit difficult to actually find a theatre that has this capability. In Canada the theatre options are: Cineplex Cinemas Vaughan, Cineplex Cinemas Mississauga, Scotiabank Theatre Chinook, Scotiabank Theatre Edmonton, Cineplex Cinemas Langley, and Kramer IMAX, Saskatchewan Science Centre.

For a 70mm viewing experience, but not IMAX, Canadians can go to Cineplex Cinemas Varsity in Toronto, Cinéma Banque Scotia Montréal, or The Park Theatre in Vancouver.

What Christopher Nolan has said about watching 'Oppenheimer' in 70mm IMAX

Nolan as been an advocate, and really a pioneer, for large format IMAX films, with his previous movies like The Dark Knight, Interstellar and Dunkirk. While promoting the Oppenheimer, Nolan has been particularly vocal about the advantage of watching the film in 70mm IMAX.

“You rarely get the chance to really talk to moviegoers directly about why you love a particular format and why if they can find an IMAX screen to see the film on that’s great,” Nolan told The Associated Press. “We put a lot of effort into shooting the film in a way that we can get it out on these large format screens. It really is just a great way of giving people an experience that they can’t possibly get in the home.”

“The sharpness and the clarity and the depth of the image is unparalleled. The headline, for me, is by shooting on IMAX 70mm film, you’re really letting the screen disappear. You’re getting a feeling of 3D without the glasses. You’ve got a huge screen and you’re filling the peripheral vision of the audience. You’re immersing them in the world of the film.”

Speaking with Collider, the famed director did admit that this film, with its three-hour runtime, pushed the limits of the IMAX projector plate.

"I went to them and I said, 'Okay, I’ve got a 180-page script. That’s a three-hour movie on the nose. Can it be done?'" Nolan told Collider. "We looked at it, they looked at the platters, and they came to the conclusion that it could just be done."

"They’re telling me this is the absolute limit because now the arm that holds the platter went right up against it. So, this, I think, is finally the outer limit of running time for an IMAX film print."