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[yanipheonu]

One of my coworkers had to go to WB studios to see the film and give feedback on the French dub. She said it was so loud that the WB people there were wearing earplugs. I assumed it was louder than usual so she could pay close attention to the dub, but it now looks like it could be intentional.

I have heard of some films cranking the sound intentionally. Seem to recall the infamous Godzilla roar from the latest Hollywood film was the loudest they could possibly make it.

This seems to imply a lack of regulation for sound in theatres. I'm guessing there's nothing stopping them from the sound being that loud?

 

[Surfinn]

Jesus Christ if you need to wear earplugs for a film.

I wanna see this, but not THAT bad.

 

[TheVampire]

I always bring earplugs to the theater, tinnitus is no joke, I don't want mine to get worse. Shit can get life wrecking. Those who joke about it clearly never experienced chronic tinnitus.

I have chronic tinnitus now after it got louder.

Think about killing my self every day.

 

[nhlducks35]

ITT everyone on GAF has tinnitus

 

[Psychoward]

Nolan didn't want you to watch Dunkirk. He wanted to make it feel like you were at Dunkirk. So when the guns are loud and the planes are loud and the bombs are loud, guess what? War is fucking loud.

not everybody wants permanent hearing damage just by watching a fucking movie


if I wanted to go deaf because of gunshots, bombs and planes I'd sign up for the armed forces

nothing would be lost if dunkirk was in the upper tier of how loud a movie could go without going in to the uncomfortable and straight up damaging route


y'all are crazy

 

[Jaymageck]

I'm happy to hear this. I love the audio of Nolan movies.

 

[robotrock]

Maybe the movie just isn't for you haters

 

[lemmykoopa]

Aren't all movies mastered to sound the same at their highest peaks? How can Dunkirk sound 'louder' than other films? Probably hitting more often the highest peaks than other films, right?

 

[Vault Dweller 111]

not everybody wants permanent hearing damage just by watching a fucking movie

Who has gotten permanent hearing damage from watching Dunkirk?

 

[frontovik]

Tinnitus is one of those conditions that can drive one insane. Your hearing is too important to indulge in loud spectacles.

I have to admit it was certainly loud, especially the rifle fire. People with faint hearts and sensitive hearing should consider giving Dunkirk a pass on the big screen.

 

[NaDannMaGoGo]

I don't care if the noise levels are a deliberate artistic choice, I'd like to not go deaf please.

Seriously, at some point you just have to be pragmatic.

 

[TAJ]

Aren't all movies mastered to sound the same at their highest peaks? How can Dunkirk sound 'louder' than other films? Probably hitting more often the highest peaks than other films, right?

They're mastered so that if the theater's sound system is calibrated correctly then everything will be exactly as loud in the theater as it was in the mixing studio.
If you calibrate to reference levels then the highest possible peak (which is normally very rarely hit) is fucking loud. (115db bass peaks)
If the theater is actually too loud, then... ouch.

 

[chrono01]

not everybody wants permanent hearing damage just by watching a fucking movie


if I wanted to go deaf because of gunshots, bombs and planes I'd sign up for the armed forces

nothing would be lost if dunkirk was in the upper tier of how loud a movie could go without going in to the uncomfortable and straight up damaging route


y'all are crazy

It's a good thing Nolan never did a documentary on surgeons and the ordeals their patients have to go through while under the knife. He might have had members of his crew going around theaters with scalpels giving movie-goers that "authentic experience".

Thanks for the warning, OP. I'm actually seeing this movie tonight (in 70mm REAL IMAX), and I'm not going to lie, I'm a little worried. Not sure how loud it'll be, and I don't currently have hearing issue, and I'd like things to stay that way. I might bring a set of earplugs just in case.

 

[Surfinn]

Who has gotten permanent hearing damage from watching Dunkirk?

Even if it doesn't give you permanent damage, fuck this if it's going to cause discomfort.

Other war films have been successful in theaters without being ridiculously loud.

 

[CopperPuppy]

ITT everyone on GAF has tinnitus

Everyone = less than 10 people in a thread with 150 posts.

Come off it. Pretty dick thing to say given the post right above yours honestly.

Maybe the movie just isn't for you haters

People with hearing damage who don't want it to get worse are "haters" now. Some weak shit ITT.

Also for those worried about their poor little ears

Wow.

 

[Cuburt]

Honestly Volume from the Theatre Speakers being loud enough to cause injury seems more like a problem of the Cinema rather than the movie.

You ever listen to something online that was mixed really low and had to turn up the volume all the way just to hear it then have other content come on like an ad or different video where it peaks the mics and practically blow out your ear drums? Or what about listening to some distortion on small speakers that sounds loud and hurts to hear even when you turn the volume all the way down?

Sound is a weird thing and there is more to it than just the volume, which explains why some sounds bother some more than others or why, for instance, dogs are bothered by sounds that don't bother himans.

 

[lemmykoopa]

Also for those worried about their poor little ears, sit as far back as possible and you'll get lower overal sound volume. Do NOT sit at the front row.

 

[HeartlessNobody213]

I watched it today, granted it was in liemax, still outside of the gunshots, I could tolerate the sound and I have sensitive hearing.

 

[Vault Dweller 111]

Even if it doesn't give you permanent damage, fuck this if it's going to cause significant discomfort.

Other war films have been successful in theaters without being ridiculously loud.

Significant discomfort? I think that's where the disconnect is in this thread.

If you have tinnitus or other hearing trouble, then this won't be your first rodeo and it's basically the same as any other loud thing.

If you've never had issues then it's not like this is SO much more loud than other movies. if people are legitimately concerned than bring some ear plugs just in case I guess. But people who haven't seen the movie turning this into "Nolan is trying to make people deaf" is super weird and disingenuous.

 

[Wag]

Thanks for the warning, OP. I'm actually seeing this movie tonight (in 70mm REAL IMAX), and I'm not going to lie, I'm a little worried. Not sure how loud it'll be, and I don't currently have hearing issue, and I'd like things to stay that way. I might bring a set of earplugs just in case.

I saw the trailer before Spider-Man at my local IMAX and at one point half the theater was literally covering their ears.

I want to see this in IMAX but after Interstellar I'm not too sure...

 

[Cuburt]

Who has gotten permanent hearing damage from watching Dunkirk?

Hearing damage isn't going to be caused by a gun shot in a movie, but if you already have hearing damage, it can aggravate it. Hearing damage is often caused by prolonged exposure to high decibel sounds, so yes, it's quite possible that people experience some degree of hearing damage like you would going to a concert. If you are younger, you probably don't care, but the more hearing damage you accumulate, it doesn't ever come back.

 

[SapientWolf]

If you have tinnitus you should have ear plugs on your key chain. I doubt that I'll need them for a film but we'll see.

 

[Surfinn]

Significant discomfort? I think that's where the disconnect is in this thread.

If you have tinnitus or other hearing trouble, then this won't be your first rodeo and it's basically the same as any other loud thing.

If you've never had issues then it's not like this is SO much more loud than other movies. if people are legitimately concerned than bring some ear plugs just in case I guess. But people who haven't seen the movie turning this into "Nolan is trying to make people deaf" is super weird and disingenuous.

It sounds like there are people calling for plugs who don't have hearing issues.

If that's the case, that's absurd

 

[Cuburt]

Also for those worried about their poor little ears, sit as far back as possible and you'll get lower overal sound volume. Do NOT sit at the front row.

How does sound work?

Is surround sound a real thing?

 

[Dies Iræ]

Protect your ears. They're easily damaged and tinnitus is permanent.

 

[Shadowhaxor]

Thanks for the heads up. Last thing is for my Tinnitus to flare up while watching this.

 

[chrono01]

I saw the trailer before Spider-Man at my local IMAX and at one point half the theater was literally covering their ears.

I want to see this in IMAX but after Interstellar I'm not too sure...

Yeah, it's definitely concerning.

I mean, it might be one of those things that's being over-exaggerated and it ends up being not nearly as bad as I think it might be, but better to bring the earplugs and not need them than to not and later regret it.

 

[George Oscar Bluth II]

I haven't seen it yet but when I went to see Spider-Man: Homecoming at a regular cinema, everyone jumped in their seats when the Dunkirk trailer started. Shit was too fucking loud and a good number of the audience were covering their ears.

 

[Zabka]

Significant discomfort? I think that's where the disconnect is in this thread.

If you have tinnitus or other hearing trouble, then this won't be your first rodeo and it's basically the same as any other loud thing.

If you've never had issues then it's not like this is SO much more loud than other movies. if people are legitimately concerned than bring some ear plugs just in case I guess. But people who haven't seen the movie turning this into "Nolan is trying to make people deaf" is super weird and disingenuous.

I have only ever had problems with Nolan movies. I didn't know I had hearing issues until I saw TDKR when a few scenes were so loud it caused my left ear to go to static. Didn't give it much thought until the same thing happened during Interstellar.

 

[Staccat0]

I have really nice earplugs so I'll bring em to be safe.

Yeah, but my understanding is that this isn't a traditional war story. Like, this isn't Apocalypse Now or Saving Private Ryan.

This thread is bonkers.

 

[Surfinn]

I haven't seen it yet but when I went to see Spider-Man: Homecoming at a regular cinema, everyone jumped in their seats when the Dunkirk trailer started. Shit was too fucking loud and a good number of the audience were covering their ears.

But only the ones who had hearing issues right

 

[Devilinthiscity]

Just got out of my screening and OP wasn't joking about it being loud as hell. I personally didn't find it bad or anything. Really immersive more than anything.

 

[jett]

↓

Haha all right.

 

[clearacell]

Thanks for the warning. Last movie I went to see was Wonder Woman at some kind of imax, and while the movie's sound was fine, some of the previews were incredibly loud and giving me mild panic attacks. I'm not gonna take chances moving forward and bring some protection.

I think this is the takeaway from these warnings. if you think it may be too loud, some ear protection can be recommended...some people are more sensitive than others. it's the same thing where the temperature of the air conditioning may be too low, some may bring a blanket or extra large sweaters (my wife does this). you can still enjoy the movie, you can still "feel" the bass flowing in the seats, just protect your ears if you feel you need it. I literally just bought some replacement eargasm ear plugs, just in case. I doubt I will need it for the movie. but I do go to a lot of dance venues and at work the kitchen is really loud so it's not a waste of money eyes for me

 

[falconxcrunner09]

Watched it in IMAX earlier (First time ever actually in an IMAX theater). It wasn't as loud as I expected it to be. When the planes were screeching, that was only time my ears felt unconformable.

 

[exmachina64]

You guys have me so excited to see this movie tomorrow, can't wait to see if it's as bad as everyone says.

 

[A-V-B]

Damn. This happened during Interstellar, too. I had to plug my own ears with my fingers because I wanted to protect my hearing.

That shit is unacceptable Christopher, what the fuck? Don't literally injure your audience for the sake of art

 

[Krev]

Man, I'm glad my 70mm film screening was at regular action movie levels.

Man of Steel was too loud where I saw it and made my ears ring. Fuck ever going through that again. I asked the cinema to turn down John Wick 2 a few minutes in - it was still really loud but no longer at painful levels.

 

[Teh Lurv]

Thank you OP for creating this thread. I thought people were exaggerating about the noise, but I brought ear plugs just in case. The first half hour was fine, but as soon as the high pitiched whine from the aircraft started, I was reaching for those plugs. If I didn't bring those plugs, there'd be no way I'd have stayed for the whole movie.

 

[Inferno313]

Even if it doesn't give you permanent damage, fuck this if it's going to cause discomfort.

Other war films have been successful in theaters without being ridiculously loud.

I just got back from seeing it in IMAX. It's loud, but nowhere near unbearably or even uncomfortably so. Like, if you've ever been to a concert in your life than you can handle this just fine.

 

[Dinokill]

I love the ticking sound present is the majority of the movie that gets louder and faster and the tension mounts

 

[Magnus]

Thanks for this warning, OP. I need earplugs at concerts, and wouldn't have thought to bring them to this.

 

[Surfinn]

I just got back from seeing it in IMAX. It's loud, but nowhere near unbearably or even uncomfortably so. Like, if you've ever been to a concert in your life than you can handle this just fine.

Thanks for the comparison. I think I can do it then

 

[patrickthehedgehog]

Thanks for the warning. This movie looks great but after some of the audio bullshit in Interstellar I'm not surprised he still includes annoying things like this.

 

[ZombieSupaStar]

ill wait for netflix then.

 

[DreadfulOmen]

This isn't a war movie

Just curious, are there war action scenes in the movie, or is it a movie about people in the time of war? Just a simple yes or no will do. Thanks in advance.

 

[Khaos Kontrol]

Seeing it in like 40 mins. Guess I'll see (or rather hear) if it is really that loud.

 

[Inferno313]

Just curious, are there war action scenes in the movie, or is it a movie about people in the time of war? Just a simple yes or no will do. Thanks in advance.

There's pretty much non-stop war action. But not usually traditional combat scenes. Mostly survival scenarios like being trapped in a sinking ship, stuff like that. There's a lot of aerial dogfighting too.

 

[Hydranockz]

I just got back from seeing it in IMAX. It's loud, but nowhere near unbearably or even uncomfortably so. Like, if you've ever been to a concert in your life than you can handle this just fine.

But you're wrong. If you've gone to a concert or many concerts before, it's super possible that you could end up damaging your ears over time until eventually going to those same concerts becomes too much. This may very well be just as loud as something you've experienced before but that doesn't mean that your hearing tolerance has stood the test of time.

I'll need to buy some snazzy ear plugs.

 

[Inferno313]

But you're wrong. If you've gone to a concert or many concerts before, it's super possible that you could end up damaging your ears over time until eventually going to those same concerts becomes too much. This may very well be just as loud as something you've experienced before but that doesn't mean that your hearing tolerance has stood the test of time.

I'll need to buy some snazzy ear plugs.

What I mean to say is that it's not as loud as a concert.