The Dark Knight

[Stefen]

Wow. Sweet setup. If I had that setup, I'd never leave the house.

[MacGuffin]

'The Dark Knight' DVD is selling at brisk pace
Nearly 3 million copies of Warner Bros.' summer blockbuster are purchased on the first day of its home video release in the U.S., Canada and Britain.

The major promotion push behind the DVD release of Warner Bros.' summer blockbuster, "The Dark Knight," appears to have worked -- at least out of the gate.

The film, which brought in $530 million in ticket sales in the United States, sold nearly 3 million copies Tuesday, the first day of its DVD release in the U.S., Canada and Britain.

"The Dark Knight's" retail reception is reminiscent of strong first-day sales for "The Matrix" and "Titanic" (any debut of 1 million or more units is considered a home run). At the present rate, "Dark Knight" looks to be on pace to catch Paramount Pictures' "Iron Man," which sold 7.2 million units in its first week on store shelves this year.

Hollywood has been anxiously watching home video sales as the recession deepens because they are a major profit center for the studios. Nielsen VideoScan estimates that home video sales are off 5.2% this year as several movies that did well at the box office didn't sell as well as expected on DVD.

The studios have been hoping that the new Blu-ray high-definition format will help to spur the sluggish DVD market. As many as 25% to 30% of the "Dark Knight" discs sold -- or 600,000 copies -- were purchased in the Blu-ray format. That surpasses the previous record set by "Iron Man," which sold 260,000 Blu-ray discs upon its first day of release.

Studio executives say it's a sign that the format, which has been slow to take off, is gaining traction with consumers.

"It's encouraging," said Ron Sanders, president of Warner Home Video. "The Blu-ray sales of 'Dark Knight' were exceptionally strong and much higher than our projections."

By some estimates, DVD and Blu-ray disc sales outperformed other retail categories. While overall retail spending on Black Friday was up 3% compared with a year ago, home video sales rose 15%, according to DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group, an industry-supported trade group (DEG bases its estimates on surveys of retailers, studios and industry data providers).

But Nielsen VideoScan offered a more bleak assessment of Thanksgiving week, reporting that home video sales fell 8.2% compared with a year ago. However, Nielsen's data don't include sales from Wal-Mart Stores Inc., which by some accounts represents 40% of the DVD market.

Retailers did brisk business in Blu-ray players. Researcher NPD Group reported that retailers sold 150,000 players, a 300% increase from a year ago, when two incompatible high-definition disc formats were duking it out for supremacy.

Blu-ray received a huge boost from Wal-Mart, which reportedly sold out of Magnavox players priced at $128.

[cinemanarchist]

Did anyone else "attend" the Blu-Ray viewing of TDK tonight with Nolan? It was the first event done through BD-Live and you basically watched the movie while Nolan answered questions (in text form) from viewers. It was a novel idea but most of the "questions" consisted of someone saying how much they liked such and such actor and why were they chosen for the role or how much they liked when so and so did so and so and who's idea was that. Not to mention that most of the questions asked were already answered in the bonus features. The coolest part was when some guy proposed to his girlfriend and when Nolan paused the movie to go pee. He refused to answer a question about who the 5 people Dent killed were, but said he would answer at a later time...intriguing. He also said Two-Face is dead.

[matt35mm]

Del Toro did that for Hellboy II.

[MacGuffin]

No 'Knight' in Bangkok: Batman won't land in China

HONG KONG - Just because Batman landed in Hong Kong doesn't mean " The Dark Knight " will.

Warner Bros. decided not to release the film in China — or even submit it for censors' approval — because of "prerelease conditions" and "cultural sensitivities," the studio said Tuesday.

Warner Bros . officials may have been concerned the film — particularly scenes shot in Hong Kong , where Batman nabs a gangster — would offend censors. Hong Kong is a Chinese-ruled former British colony that maintains separate political and economic systems .

Another possible sticking point is a brief appearance by Hong Kong actor-singer Edison Chen , who appeared in lurid photos with several women this year.

Bootleg copies have been available in Chinese markets for months.

[abuck1220]

i've watched this on blu-ray a few times, and the first 3/4 is so good, but it really falls apart when two-face and his absurd transformation come into play. the beginning of the end is that completely unconvincing and swallow speech by the joker in the hospital and it's all downhill from there. i can't believe you introduce a character as cool as the joker and then give the ending of the film to the other villian that was introduced 20 minutes prior...and in a climatic scene as lame as that. and that ferry scene is comically bad. i mean, really, really awful.

ledger's performance is so far above the rest of the film it's almost distracting.

[Stefen]

i've watched this on blu-ray a few times, and the first 3/4 is so good, but it really falls apart when two-face and his absurd transformation come into play. the beginning of the end is that completely unconvincing and swallow speech by the joker in the hospital and it's all downhill from there. i can't believe you introduce a character as cool as the joker and then give the ending of the film to the other villian that was introduced 20 minutes prior...and in a climatic scene as lame as that. and that ferry scene is comically bad. i mean, really, really awful.

ledger's performance is so far above the rest of the film it's almost distracting.

I couldn't agree more. It really falls apart at the hospital scene. At that point, it's really all over the place and can't seem to get ahold of itself. It's absolutely flawless up until then.

[Pas]

i've watched this on blu-ray a few times, and the first 3/4 is so good, but it really falls apart when two-face and his absurd transformation come into play. the beginning of the end is that completely unconvincing and swallow speech by the joker in the hospital and it's all downhill from there. i can't believe you introduce a character as cool as the joker and then give the ending of the film to the other villian that was introduced 20 minutes prior...and in a climatic scene as lame as that. and that ferry scene is comically bad. i mean, really, really awful.

I finally saw this one yesterday and I completely agree with this. At the end of the film I was scratching my head.

I was feeling like Bukowski in the first 40 seconds of this vid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1e5Jeh2Fk0&feature=related

[MacGuffin]

The Dark Knight Re-Release IMAX Locations
Source: IMAX Corporation

A friendly reminder to all the fans of the The Dark Knight that the movie returns to theaters on Friday. Here is the official IMAX press release and worldwide locations:

IMAX Corporation and Warner Bros. Pictures today announced that the box office smash hit The Dark Knight, which has grossed more than $997 million at the worldwide box office since its release on July 18th, 2008, will return to IMAX® theatres for an encore presentation. Starting January 23rd, the film will open in 143 IMAX screens domestically, and 29 screens internationally. Last year the film opened day and date in 94 domestic and 15 international IMAX theatres and went on to become the highest grossing live-action Hollywood IMAX release, generating $63 million as it continued to be released throughout the IMAX network.

The Dark Knight: The IMAX Experience features six sequences filmed with IMAX cameras, which marks the first time ever that a major feature film has been even partially shot using IMAX cameras.

"The Dark Knight is a crowning achievement in every sense of the word," said Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures. "We want to provide one more opportunity for moviegoers to experience it on the big screen as it was meant to be seen. We're also very excited to give more fans in new markets an opportunity to experience the film in this special way, thanks to the continued rapid growth of the IMAX theatre network."

"As audiences discovered over the summer, The Dark Knight is not only a phenomenal film, but an extraordinarily unique experience in IMAX," said Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures. "With the multitude of accolades it has received this season, we wanted to bring this amazing film back to theaters to give audiences another chance to see it on the big screen and in the expanded IMAX locations around the globe."

"We are grateful to Chris Nolan and Warner Bros Pictures for incorporating IMAX into such a wonderful cinematic masterpiece, and we're honored to bring it back to our theatres," said Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. "The anticipation surrounding the initial IMAX release reached beyond the markets where we had IMAX theatres and we're delighted that moviegoers in many of those markets will now have the chance to Experience it in IMAX."

One of the most celebrated and successful films of this or any year, The Dark Knight has been hailed by both critics and audiences since its original release last July. The film garnered widespread acclaim for its artistic and technical achievements, culminating with the film being named on more than 150 critics' lists of the year's top-ten films.

In addition, the filmmakers behind The Dark Knight have been honored by their peers, with Christopher Nolan receiving a Directors Guild of America Award nomination; producers Nolan, Charles Roven and Emma Thomas garnering a Producers Guild Award nomination; and a Writers Guild of America Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay going to Chris Nolan, Jonathan Nolan and David S. Goyer. Cast member Heath Ledger received a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination, and has also won a Golden Globe, Critics' Choice Award and numerous other critics groups' awards for Best Supporting Actor.

The Dark Knight also won the Critics' Choice Award for Best Action Film, and swept the People's Choice Awards in five categories, including Favorite Movie and Favorite Cast.

The Dark Knight: The IMAX Experience is scheduled to play at the following locations starting on January 23rd.

UNITED STATES

Arizona

Mesa - Gateway 12 IMAX Theatre
Phoenix - AMC Deer Valley 30 with IMAX
Tempe - IMAX Theatre at Arizona Mills

Arkansas

Little Rock - Chenal 9 IMAX Theatre

California

Anaheim - The Movie Experience 14 at Anaheim Gardenwalk
Arcadia - AMC Santa Anita 16 & IMAX
Burbank - AMC Burbank 16 & IMAX
Cathedral City - Desert IMAX Theatre
Dublin - Regal Hacienda Crossings Stadium 21 & IMAX
Emeryville - AMC Bay Street 16 & IMAX
Fresno - Edwards Fresno Stadium 22 & IMAX
Irvine - Edwards Irvine Spectrum IMAX
Los Angeles - AMC Century City 15 & IMAX
Los Angeles - AMC Universal CityWalk Stadium 19 with IMAX
Los Angeles - IMAX Theatre at The Bridge: cinema de lux
Monterey - Cannery Row IMAX Theatre
Ontario - Edwards Ontario Palace 22 & IMAX
Sacramento - Edwards Fairfield Stadium 16 & IMAX
Sacramento - Esquire IMAX Theatre
Sacramento - Regal Cinemas El Dorado Hills Stadium 14 & IMAX
San Diego - Mira Mesa Stadium 18 & IMAX
San Jose - AMC Eastridge Mall 15 & IMAX
San Francisco - AMC Loews Metreon 16 with IMAX
Simi Valley - Civic Center Stadium 16 & IMAX
Stockton - Regal City Centre Stadium 16 & IMAX
Torrance - AMC Del Amo 18 & IMAX

Colorado

Colorado Springs - Cinemark Carefree Circle IMAX Theatre
Denver - UA Colorado Center Stadium 9 & IMAX
Westminster - AMC Orchards of Westminster 12 & IMAX

Connecticut

Manchester - IMAX Theatre at Showcase Cinemas Buckland Hills
Norwalk - IMAX Theatre at The Maritime Aquarium

Florida

Altamonte Springs - AMC Altamonte Mall 18 & IMAX
Aventura - AMC Aventura 24 & IMAX
Fort Lauderdale - AutoNation® IMAX® Theater at Museum of Discovery
and Science
Fort Myers - Regal Gulf Coast Town Center Stadium 16 & IMAX
Jacksonville - AMC Regency 24 & IMAX
Orange Park - AMC Orange Park 24 & IMAX
Orlando - Pointe Orlando 20 & IMAX
St. Augustine - World Golf Hall of Fame IMAX Theatre
St. Petersburg - Muvico Baywalk 20 & IMAX
Tallahassee - IMAX Theatre at the Challenger Learning Center
Tampa - AMC Veterans 24 & IMAX
Tampa - Channelside Cinemas IMAX
Tampa - IMAX Dome Theatre at MOSI
West Palm Beach - Muvico Parisian 20 & IMAX

Georgia

Augusta - Augusta Exchange Stadium 20 & IMAX
Buford - Regal Mall of Georgia Stadium 20 & IMAX

Idaho

Boise - Edwards Boise Stadium 22 & IMAX

Illinois

Batavia - Randall 15 IMAX
Chicago - Navy Pier IMAX Theatre
Lincolnshire - Regal Lincolnshire 20 & IMAX
Woodridge - Cinemark Seven Bridges IMAX Theatre

Indiana

Evansville - IMAX Theatre at Showplace Cinemas East 18
Indianapolis - IMAX Theatre at the Indiana State Museum
Indianapolis - Kerasotes ShowPlace 16 & IMAX
Noblesville - Hamilton Towne Center 16 + IMAX
Portage - Portage 16 IMAX

Iowa

Davenport - Putnam Museum and IMAX Theatre
Des Moines - Science Center of Iowa & Blank IMAX Dome Theater

Kansas

Olathe - AMC Studio 30 & IMAX

Kentucky

Louisville - IMAX Cinema De Lux 20: Stonybrook

Louisiana

Harahan - AMC Elmwood Palace 20 & IMAX
New Orleans - Entergy IMAX Theatre, Audubon Aquarium of the Americas

Maryland

Baltimore - AMC Loews White Marsh 16 & IMAX
Columbia - AMC Columbia 14 & IMAX

Massachusetts

Boston - New England Aquarium's Simons IMAX Theatre
Natick - Verizon IMAX 3D Theater at Jordan's Furniture - Natick
Reading - Verizon IMAX 3D Theater at Jordan's Furniture - Reading

Michigan

Dearborn - The Henry Ford IMAX Theatre
Grand Blanc - NGC Trillium Cinema IMAX Theatre
Grand Rapids - Celebration! Cinema IMAX Theatre
Lansing - Celebration! Cinema IMAX Theatre
Sterling Heights - AMC Forum 30 & IMAX
Ypsilanti - Showcase Cinemas Ann Arbor IMAX

Minnesota

Apple Valley - Great Clips IMAX Theatre

Missouri

Kansas City - AMC BarryWoods 24 & IMAX
St. Louis - Wehrenberg Theatres Ronnies 20 Cine IMAX

Nevada

Las Vegas - Brenden Theatres and IMAX at the Palms Casino Resort
Las Vegas - Regal Red Rock Stadium 16 & IMAX
Las Vegas - Regal Aliante Stadium 16 & IMAX

New Hampshire

Hooksett - Cinemagic IMAX Theatre

New Jersey

Atlantic City -Tropicana Casino and Resort IMAX Theatre
Cherry Hill - AMC Loews Cherry Hill 24 & IMAX
Hamilton - AMC Hamilton 24 & IMAX

New York

Albany - Regal Crossgates Mall 18 & IMAX
Deer Park - Regal Deer Park Stadium 16 & IMAX
Garden City - Grumman IMAX at Cradle of Aviation
New Rochelle - Regal New Roc City 18 & IMAX
New York City - AMC Loews Lincoln Square 13 & IMAX
New York City - AMC Empire 25 & IMAX
Rochester - Cinemark IMAX Theatre at Tinseltown USA
West Nyack - IMAX Theatre at Palisades Center
White Plains - IMAX Theatre at City Center: Cinema De Lux 15
Williamsville - Regal Transit Center 18 & IMAX

North Carolina

Raleigh - Wachovia IMAX Theatre at Marbles Kids Museum

Ohio

Springdale - IMAX Theatre at Springdale 18: Cinema De Lux
Columbus - AMC Easton Town Center 30 & IMAX

Oklahoma

Tulsa - Cinemark IMAX Theatre at the Tulsa

Oregon

Tigard - Regal Bridgeport Village Stadium 18 & IMAX

Pennsylvania

Bensalem - AMC Neshaminy 24 & IMAX
Harrisburg - Select Medical IMAX Theater at The Whitaker Center
Homestead - AMC Waterfront 22 & IMAX
King of Prussia - UA King of Prussia Stadium 16 & IMAX
Philadelphia - Tuttleman IMAX Theatre at the Franklin Institute
Reading - RC Reading Movies 11 & IMAX
Tarentum - Cinemark IMAX Theatre at the Galleria Pittsburgh Mills

Rhode Island

Providence - Providence Place Cinemas 16 & IMAX

Tennessee

Knoxville - Regal Pinnacle Stadium 18 & IMAX
Nashville - Regal Opry Mills 20 & IMAX

Texas

Austin - The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum IMAX Theatre
Colleyville - Colleyville Cinema & Grille IMAX Theatre
Dallas - Cinemark IMAX Theatre at Cinemark 17
Fort Worth - Fort Worth Museum Omni Theater
Houston - AMC Gulf Pointe 30 & IMAX
Houston - Edwards Houston Marq*E 23 & IMAX
San Antonio - Santikos Palladium 18 IMAX Theatre
Sugar Land - AMC First Colony 24 & IMAX
Tomball - Santikos Silverado Station 18 IMAX

Utah

Sandy - Megaplex 17 IMAX at Jordan Commons

Virginia

Alexandria - AMC Hoffman Center 22 & IMAX
Chantilly - Airbus IMAX Theater at Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
Hampton - Riverside IMAX Theater at the Virginia Air & Space Center
Virginia Beach - AMC Lynnhaven 18 & IMAX
Woodbridge - AMC Potomac Mills 18 & IMAX

Washington

Lacey - Regal Martin Village Stadium 16 & IMAX
Seattle - Pacific Science Center Boeing IMAX Theatre
Spokane - Riverfront Park IMAX
Tukwila - AMC Southcenter 16 & IMAX

Washington DC

Washington DC - Samuel C. Johnson IMAX Theater at the National Museum of
Nat. History

Wisconsin

Fitchburg - Kerasotes Star 18 & IMAX

CANADA

Alberta

Calgary - Cineplex Scotiabank Theatre Chinook IMAX Theatre
Edmonton - Cineplex Scotiabank West Edmonton Mall IMAX Theatre

British Columbia

Langley - Cineplex Colossus Langley IMAX Theatre
Richmond - Cineplex SilverCity Riverport IMAX Theatre
Vancouver - CN Theatre at Canada Place

Manitoba

Winnipeg - IMAX Theatre at Portage Place

Nova Scotia

Halifax - Empire IMAX, Bayer's Lake

Ontario

Mississauga - Cineplex Coliseum Mississauga IMAX Theatre
Ottawa - Cineplex SilverCity Gloucester IMAX Theatre
Toronto - Cineplex Scotiabank Theatre Toronto IMAX Theatre
Woodbridge - Cineplex Colossus Woodbridge IMAX Theatre

Quebec

Montreal - Cineplex Scotiabank Theatre Montreal IMAX Theatre
Quebec City - IMAX le Theatre

INTERNATIONAL

Argentina

Buenos Aires - IMAX Center Norte

Australia

Melbourne - Hoyts Highpoint IMAX
Melbourne - IMAX Theatre, Melbourne Museum
Perth - Hoyts Carousel IMAX
Sydney - Hoyts Entertainment Quarter IMAX
Sydney - LG IMAX Theatre

Brazil

Sao Paolo - Unibanco IMAX Cinema

China

Hong Kong - UA MegaBox IMAX Theatre

Columbia

Bogota - IMAX Theatre Plaza de las Americas

Ecuador

Guayaquil - Fundacion Malecon 2000

Guatemala

Guatemala City - Pradera Concepcion

Korea

Goyangsi - CGV Ilsan
Seoul - CGV Wangsipni
Seoul - CGV Yongsan

Mexico


Guadalajara - Cinepolis Galerias Guadalajara IMAX Theatre
Mexico City - Cinepolis Perisur IMAX Theatre
Mexico City - Cinepolis Universidad IMAX Theatre
Monterrey - Cinepolis Galerias Valle Oriente IMAX Theatre
Toluca - Cinepolis Galerias Metepec IMAX Theatre

Netherlands

Amsterdam - Pathe Arena IMAX

Philippines

Manila - San Miguel Coca-Cola IMAX Theatre

Taiwan

Taipei - Samsung IMAX Miramar Cinemas

United Kingdom

Birmingham - IMAX Theatre at Millennium Point
Bradford - IMAX National Media Museum
Glasgow - Glasgow Science Centre IMAX Cinema
Greenwich - Odeon Greenwich IMAX
London - BFI London IMAX Cinema
Manchester - Odeon IMAX Cinema Manchester at The Printworks
Wimbledon - Odeon Wimbledon

[Gamblour.]

Thanks for the reminder, mac.

[Alexandro]

the only proper way to see this film.

[MacGuffin]

Q&A: Christopher Nolan

It wouldn't be wrong to label Christopher Nolan an auteur, given the distinct dramatic touch he's displayed from 1998's ultra-low-budget "Following" to last year's mega-million-dollar "The Dark Knight." But Nolan -- who's being honored with the American Society of Cinematographers' Board of Governors Award at the ASC Outstanding Achievement Awards on Sunday -- didn't develop his cinematic signature in a vacuum. As Todd Longwell discovered when he spoke to the writer-director-producer for The Hollywood Reporter, Nolan has worked with a tight team of collaborators including cinematographer Wally Pfister and production designer Nathan Crowley, often experimenting in Nolan's garage.

The Hollywood Reporter: Your preproduction headquarters is in your garage. You do camera tests in your backyard. Do you have an aversion to the studio environment?

Christopher Nolan: "Batman Begins" (2005) was the first film where we did (that), and it was the result of trying to find a way to keep the spontaneous, intimate creative process of smaller projects while going into, by far, the biggest project we'd taken on.

THR: Is it a glorified shed with oil spots on the floor or a well-appointed office?

Nolan: When we first started, it was literally a garage with a washing machine in there and all that. I'd just pull the car out and put a desk in. I've had it done up a bit nicer since then because we actually edited "The Dark Knight" in there as well, so it's become multi-purpose.

THR: You've been very faithful to your collaborators. You've used Pfister since 2000's "Memento" and Crowley since 2002's "Insomnia." Your wife Emma Thomas is your producer and your brother Jonathan Nolan is your writing partner.

Nolan: It makes it much easier and quicker to communicate with your team. It also allows for a freer exchange of ideas with less defensiveness from myself, from my other collaborators. You're not fighting your corner so much; you're actually just trying to all contribute to the pool of ideas.

THR: Did you draw on other visual artists for inspiration for the look of "The Dark Knight"?

Nolan: As you try to communicate what's in your head to your team, you give them certain touchstones. For the makeup for the Joker, for example, I showed John Caglione, the makeup artist, Francis Bacon's paintings with a sort of smeared quality in the faces. With Wally and Nathan, I talked a lot about Michael Mann's films -- "Heat" (1995), in particular, in terms of its use of architecture and modernism and the way in which he was able to make a city seem like a playground for the characters.

THR: Did you plot a character arc for the color or the darkness in the film?

Nolan: I had certain notions, but I also like to just let Wally sit with the script and see what he comes up with. The one thing I did continually try to push or just put in the back of his mind is, if Batman only comes out at night, in this film daylight becomes more threatening, because the day belongs to the Joker. So at various points in the film, things you would expect to be dark are actually bright or in the middle of the day. In particular, the interrogation scenes -- which I was very pleased with the way Wally shot. We started out very dark and then turned the lights on as bright as possible to try to invert the usual dynamic of the use of light and dark in a noirish film. Because Batman lives in the shadows, but he's the hero.

[private witt]

ledger's performance is so far above the rest of the film it's almost distracting.

Or vice versa.

[MacGuffin]

Looks like Batman had an assignment for Project Mayhem.

[Stefen]

That was pretty fucking awesome. HBO made me want to watch it. I think I'll download it right now.