Ensign Lestat's Film Log, 11/01/2014
A brand new year, and I remain as tardy as ever when it comes to blogging. Shocker!
At work the other day, there was a lot of talk regarding the launch of 4DX for the first time at the local cinema. I'd never heard of it, of course, and wasn't about to pay it much attention till my friend retweeted an opportunity for film bloggers to attend a 4DX screening.
Now, let me start by saying that I have always been resistant to the latest gimmick introduced in cinema. I was very against the 3D revolution, as well as the luxury of reclining chairs and other crazy stuff. A film should be an enjoyable experience, but nothing, in my opinion, can make it more enjoyable than the overall brilliance of what's on the screen. If the story, acting, cinematography and direction are not at their optimum, then nothing can save it.
Lecture over, back to the experience. 4DX is a step up from the immersive experience of 3D cinema - it adds motion, vibration, scents, etc. to enhance the film-going experience. Not for those with motion-sickness. This technology has been around since 2009, and has been featured across the globe. It is still a somewhat experimental form of cinema.
At the press screening for the 4DX film, the CEO of the cinema outlined the company's 4DX plan (release films in all formats, including 4DX, at the same time), and pointed out that the launch of 4DX in the country was being showcased using a variety of genres. Hence we had action, horror and a racing film.
The film we were invited for was 'Fast and Furious 6'. I hadn't seen the film, and then was unable to watch it after Paul Walker's death. Strangely it didn't affect me while I did finally watch the film, and this I put down to his legacy - he enjoyed the 'Fast and Furious' films, and he has left us to enjoy them as well.
A film like 'Fast 6' lends itself well to 4DX because there's ample need for motion and vibration, what with all the swerving cars and revving engines. You also get the chance to get beat up - every punch the character receives is accompanied by a whack on your back or a jet-spray near your ears and legs. They even included motion for the panoramic landscape shots taken from helicopters, which, at first, can feel a bit dizzying.
For the most part, it feels like a crazy rollercoaster ride (though thankfully not quite as intense). As an experience it is a lot of fun - it actually does feel like an experience. For 3D films, there's the addition of 3D glasses, which may or not be an added benefit.
So, is 4DX the future of cinema? It certainly has potential. But, there are disadvantages. In 'Fast 6' there were a handful of chase scenes that were downright impossible to follow. Was this the fault of the 4DX? No. My sister, who had seen the film beforehand, informed me that those chases were edited confusingly. Now, this is a serious problem with today's cinema. Choppy editing and the overuse of shaky-cam makes it impossible to follow the action. The addition of environmental factors in 4DX can hinder that further. If 4DX is to properly pick up in the market, then studios will have to tailor their films accordingly.
The other disadvantages are the reduced seating space and the increase in price. Where I live, ticket prices are standard across all theaters - 2D tickets cost so much, 3D is a certain amount more, and the two IMAXes charge relatively the same. Other countries have the disadvantage of varying prices according to the city. 4DX prices are even higher than the IMAX ones, which is saying something. But, for all I know, 4DX might just capture a lot of people's imagination, and take off brilliantly.
I'm not sure if I'll go for a 4DX film - not anytime soon anyway. My first 3D experience was an utter nightmare. Ten minutes of 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' was enough to put me off those glasses for life. But, looking back, that was probably the best and most immersive 3D I've come across (I never saw 'Avatar' in IMAX 3D, so can't comment, though I know that remains the pinnacle of 3D cinema). Nowadays, even though I tend to head towards the 3D films, there have been a number of times when I've just gone back and watched the 2D version to actually enjoy the film. Other times, I've foregone the 3D version and just taken in the 2D.
For me, while the 4DX screening was thorough fun, I felt it could have incorporated more mechanics. How about the wind-rush when the car goes into overdrive? There's a way to go before it feels fully immersive. Till then, I may just leave 4DX aside, and stick to the tried and tested.
A brand new year, and I remain as tardy as ever when it comes to blogging. Shocker!
At work the other day, there was a lot of talk regarding the launch of 4DX for the first time at the local cinema. I'd never heard of it, of course, and wasn't about to pay it much attention till my friend retweeted an opportunity for film bloggers to attend a 4DX screening.
 |
| At the 4DX press screening. |
Lecture over, back to the experience. 4DX is a step up from the immersive experience of 3D cinema - it adds motion, vibration, scents, etc. to enhance the film-going experience. Not for those with motion-sickness. This technology has been around since 2009, and has been featured across the globe. It is still a somewhat experimental form of cinema.
At the press screening for the 4DX film, the CEO of the cinema outlined the company's 4DX plan (release films in all formats, including 4DX, at the same time), and pointed out that the launch of 4DX in the country was being showcased using a variety of genres. Hence we had action, horror and a racing film.
The film we were invited for was 'Fast and Furious 6'. I hadn't seen the film, and then was unable to watch it after Paul Walker's death. Strangely it didn't affect me while I did finally watch the film, and this I put down to his legacy - he enjoyed the 'Fast and Furious' films, and he has left us to enjoy them as well.
For the most part, it feels like a crazy rollercoaster ride (though thankfully not quite as intense). As an experience it is a lot of fun - it actually does feel like an experience. For 3D films, there's the addition of 3D glasses, which may or not be an added benefit.
So, is 4DX the future of cinema? It certainly has potential. But, there are disadvantages. In 'Fast 6' there were a handful of chase scenes that were downright impossible to follow. Was this the fault of the 4DX? No. My sister, who had seen the film beforehand, informed me that those chases were edited confusingly. Now, this is a serious problem with today's cinema. Choppy editing and the overuse of shaky-cam makes it impossible to follow the action. The addition of environmental factors in 4DX can hinder that further. If 4DX is to properly pick up in the market, then studios will have to tailor their films accordingly.
The other disadvantages are the reduced seating space and the increase in price. Where I live, ticket prices are standard across all theaters - 2D tickets cost so much, 3D is a certain amount more, and the two IMAXes charge relatively the same. Other countries have the disadvantage of varying prices according to the city. 4DX prices are even higher than the IMAX ones, which is saying something. But, for all I know, 4DX might just capture a lot of people's imagination, and take off brilliantly.
I'm not sure if I'll go for a 4DX film - not anytime soon anyway. My first 3D experience was an utter nightmare. Ten minutes of 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' was enough to put me off those glasses for life. But, looking back, that was probably the best and most immersive 3D I've come across (I never saw 'Avatar' in IMAX 3D, so can't comment, though I know that remains the pinnacle of 3D cinema). Nowadays, even though I tend to head towards the 3D films, there have been a number of times when I've just gone back and watched the 2D version to actually enjoy the film. Other times, I've foregone the 3D version and just taken in the 2D.
For me, while the 4DX screening was thorough fun, I felt it could have incorporated more mechanics. How about the wind-rush when the car goes into overdrive? There's a way to go before it feels fully immersive. Till then, I may just leave 4DX aside, and stick to the tried and tested.
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