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Watching Dunkirk? Bring earplgus, shit was LOUD

K

Kambing

Member
Just finished watching Dunkirk IMAX 70mm at Metreon 16 in SF. Loved the movie but holyshit, this was definitely the loudest movie i've ever heard, and probably the loudest thing i've ever experienced. There are periods of sustained loud sound lasting 3-5 minutes at a time, and not just an instance or 'bang'. I calibrate my sound setup to 75-85 db, this must have been 100-110 db. In every sense of the word, it was deafening and uncomfortable. I get immersion and all but yeah this was too much for me... prior i've never found a movie or concert/club was too loud, a first for me.

So i really recommend bringing ear plugs just in case you experience immense discomfort like i did... wish i knew before hand.

EDIT: my intent is not to deter you from watching this movie. It's masterfully crafted and 70mm is mindblowing. Nothing that can be captured at home. Just in case it gets uncomfortablly loud for you, you'll be glad you brought ear plugs.
 
O

OnPoint

Member
Has there ever been a filmmaker who gets so much crap for his audio mixing?

I thought Dunkirk's noise level was instrumental in the immersion. Yes it was loud. War wasn't quiet. I felt like it gave the film an authenticity I have never experienced before.

YMMV I guess
 
P

Psychoward

Banned
Pat for the course for recent Nolan movies I suppose

Interstellar and TKDR's mixing was god awful

I wanted to see this in imax too so that's disappointing. Did you see Hacksaw Ridge in theaters? How does it compare to that?
 
I

iMax

Member
OnPoint said:
Has there ever been a filmmaker who gets so much crap for his audio mixing?

I thought Dunkirk's noise level was instrumental in the immersion. Yes it was loud. War wasn't quiet. I felt like it gave the film an authenticity I have never experienced before.

YMMV I guess
Click to expand...

Hearing damage occurs at volumes more than 85dB at sustained durations. Is "immersion" worth that?
 
D

Daedardus

Member
Don't theaters have audio level limits? I'm pretty sure they do here. It's a bit louder than usual, but it should never be damaging to your ears.
 
B

Bebpo

Banned
Thanks for the warning. Seeing it tomorrow on IMAX and will bring earplugs just in case. My hearing is semi-fucked from decades of concerts without earplugs, so I do try to preserve the remaining hearing these days.
 
V

ViciousDS

Banned
oh god no, please tell me its not like interstellar where there is a dead silent scene and for some odd reason the subwoofer is blasting like crazy due to a low hz signal being sent through
 
G

Glass Shark

Banned
OnPoint said:
Has there ever been a filmmaker who gets so much crap for his audio mixing?

I thought Dunkirk's noise level was instrumental in the immersion. Yes it was loud. War wasn't quiet. I felt like it gave the film an authenticity I have never experienced before.

YMMV I guess
Click to expand...
I watch war movies to be told a story about war, not feel like I'm in one.
 
K

Kambing

Member
Yeah i get immersion and believe me i am a video and audio enthusiast. I watched TDK and Interstellar in the same IMAX theater. Sound got loud but never uncomfortable, thought the mix was good and served it's purpose for immersion. Again i stress this is the frist time in my life I honestly thought something was too loud. My wife was with me and feels the same.
 
N

nhlducks35

Member
I saw it in IMAX 70mm but never thought it was uncomfortable

It certainly was very loud, but it went along with the very good sound editing and sound design
 
J

Joe Shlabotnik

Banned
Psychoward said:
Pat for the course for recent Nolan movies I suppose

Interstellar and TKDR's mixing was god awful

I wanted to see this in imax too so that's disappointing. Did you see Hacksaw Ridge in theaters? How does it compare to that?
Click to expand...

There's maybe ten cumulative minutes of dialogue in the movie. I don't know if there's a sustained conversation more than thirty seconds.

The movie is fucking loud but the mix totally works in this case. Of course theaters should be paying attention if the overall levels are uncomfortable or dangerous.
 
H

Haribi

Why isn't there a Star Wars RPG? And wouldn't James Bond make for a pretty good FPS?
Yeah guy next to me was covering his ears for the entire movie.
It was extremely loud yeah but it wasn't "awful sound Mixing" but part of what made the movie such an incredible experience
 
P

Psychoward

Banned
Joe Shlabotnik said:
There's maybe ten cumulative minutes of dialogue in the movie. I don't know if there's a sustained conversation more than thirty seconds.

The movie is fucking loud but the mix totally works in this case. Of course theaters should be paying attention if the overall levels are uncomfortable or dangerous.
Click to expand...
Yeah I'll see. I mean I like movies to be loud in theaters obviously but if it's to the point where it's deafening and uncomfortable why the hell would I want that.
 
U

ughkingdom

Member
Timeless said:
Thanks for the warning. I really value my hearing because I already have tinnitus and it sucks.
Click to expand...

Same here actually, my tinnitus has gotten worse lately so I appreciate any heads up about this, especially since I loved Interstellar in the IMAX and am really excited to see Dunkirk.
 
K

Kambing

Member
In Interatellar IMAX for example, during the takeoff scene, it got loud but was never uncomfortable. The scenes in Dunkirk feel 10-15 db louder, and last 3-5 mins at a time.
 
W

wenis

Registered for GAF on September 11, 2001.
guess ill bring ear plugs. ive got tinitus and i don't need it to get worse.
 
M

Musolf815

Member
I have anxiety/panic disorder so the loudness really messed me up. I'd definitely recommend earplugs if you go to this, it really was like a 2 hour panic attack for me.
 
H

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
Thanks for the heads up. I'm attempting to go tomorrow to see it in IMAX and while I don't mind loudness my hearing is getting worse as I get older and I already suffer from some tinnitus from working rock concerts and stuff. I actually had a friend who saw it already that made a similar comment and said he had to hold his hands over his ears in some parts.
 
WaterAstro

WaterAstro

Member
There should be "Nolan earplugs" in which if it detects sound that is too loud, it plays a moderate level of the inception horn.
 
D

daxy

Member
Moppeh said:
I haven't seen the film but it seems to be a film more focused on immersion than on telling a war story.

It's about feeling instead of narrative.
Click to expand...

Interesting take. I would personally still call it a war movie, just like I'd call a movie with cowboys a Western but I can see where you're coming from.
 
D

DarknessTear

Banned
I remember when I went to see Guardians of the Galaxy in IMAX, the trailer for Interstellar was so loud the fucking floor was shaking. So it's like that? Might wait for bluray if so. I love Christopher Nolan movies but I value my ears! Never seen one in the theater, and considered going to see this one though.
 
L

Lil Marco

Banned
the sound mix is loud on purpose, because war is fucking loud- airplanes, gunfire, big ass boats, etc. it's part of the film. wait for the blu ray if you don't like it.

personally i thought it was the best part of the experience.
 
J

Jocund

Member
When ships sunk, the floor shook.

It was amazing. I had a worse time with John Wick 2, 'cause that shit was so inconsistent.
 
E

enzo_gt

tagged by Blackace
Damn so the actor on Colbert wasn't lying when he said that veterans of Dunkirk said the movie was louder than the actual event after watching it.
 
J

Jkmetal

Banned
8BitsAtATime said:
Earplugs for a movie...now that’s silly.
Click to expand...

Not entirely. It isn't common but many people have a slightly lower tolerance for high decibel sound than others. Rarer still are those like myself who have a greatly reduced tolerance. Sound starts to hurt for me at around 68 decibels.

I'd seen others on the subway with earplugs when I used to ride daily. Sometimes I would wear earplugs and the earmuffs that pro lawn mowers use.
 
L

Lifeline

Member
Saw some people covering their ears while i watched it in IMAX.

The sound was amazing, and vibrations with each bomb blasts were incredible.
 
A

Appleman

Member
Seeing it Sunday night at the SF Metreon, I’ll keep this in mind for sure. Earplugs for a movie though? Would I have to keep taking them in and out?
 
S

Social

Member
I an very sensitive to loud noises and it was actually OK for the most part. Just some of the bombs hitting were really loud so yeah, earplugs are not a bad suggestion.
 
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