Posted in: Disney, Marvel Studios, Movies, Phase 4 | Tagged: doctor strange, IMAX

An IMAX Issue For Doctor Strange In The Madness Of The Multiverse?

Published Thu, 05 May 2022 14:47:11 -0500

This morning I saw Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness on general release in the UK. I saw it in 3D in a medium-full house on the IMAX screen at the local Kingston-Upon-Thames Odeon cinema, and, while it was all very spectacular, there was a possible issue that may be to do with the IMAX framing – or maybe to do with the cinema I chose to see it in.

It was such a strange feeling to put the 3D glasses on again. I had used a pair to watch the Avatar trailer the previous day, and it struck me that I couldn't;t think of the last time I'd watched or chosen to watch a 3D film. But here we are again. I found the usual acclimatizing issues, and as the film kicks off in full flow, it takes a while to get adjusted and see things the way the filmmaker wants you to see things.

But what I didn't expect the filmmakers to intend was for scenes with subtitles that you couldn't… see the subtitles. I don't think it's a spoiler to say that in Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness, there are scenes where characters speak in foreign or non-human languages, and the English version runs in subtitles across the bottom of the screen. But in the screening that I attended, if there was one line of text on the screen, that was fine. If there were two, that was an issue as the second line was significantly cut off. If there were three lines – well, I wouldn't have known if there were or not. There were lots of straining necks.

IMAX films use different screen ratios from others, and different sized screens show IMAX-filmed versions of movies. Could it be that a version filmed for a taller IMAX screen was squashed into a more standard-sized screen, cropping off the bottom? I don't know; it's just a theory. I let the IMAX folks know; maybe they'll be able to make sure my experience isn't one shared by others. Because there's nothing quite as jarring as a subtitle that refuses to let itself be read.

Let us know if it happens to you. If it does, it will be very obvious.