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LG Offers Limited Time Black Friday Discount on B6 OLED 4K HDR TV, Sale Prices Start at $1,800
Posted Sat Nov 19, 2016 at 04:00 AM PST by Steven Cohen -
Dolby and AMC Schedule Fan Events for 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' at Dolby Cinema at AMC Theaters Nationwide
Posted Mon Nov 14, 2016 at 06:30 PM PST by Steven CohenFans visiting Dolby Cinema at AMC locations can attend a magical opening night for the upcoming film.
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VIZIO SmartCast P-Series Ultra HD Home Theater Display Selected as CES 2017 Innovation Awards Honoree
Posted Thu Nov 10, 2016 at 08:00 PM PST by Steven CohenThe company's flagship Ultra HD HDR display series has been chosen as a CES Innovation Honoree.
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LG Discounts 4K Ultra HD OLED TV Lineup, Sale Prices Start at $1,997
Posted Mon Oct 31, 2016 at 07:30 AM PDT by Steven Cohen -
VIZIO Offers Free Digital UHD Copy of 'Star Trek Beyond' for SmartCast HDTV or Ultra HD Display Buyers
Posted Tue Oct 25, 2016 at 01:15 PM PDT by Steven CohenBuyers of a VIZIO SmartCast display can now receive a complimentary copy of 'Star Trek Beyond.'
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LeEco Announces 4K Ultra HD TV Lineup for US Market, Prices Start at $649
Posted Wed Oct 19, 2016 at 01:15 PM PDT by Steven Cohen -
VUDU Adds 'Star Trek Beyond' to Streaming Library in 4K Ultra HD with Dolby Vision HDR & Dolby Atmos
Posted Thu Oct 6, 2016 at 05:00 PM PDT by Steven Cohen -
Google Unveils Chromecast Ultra with 4K, HDR, and Dolby Vision Support for $69
Posted Tue Oct 4, 2016 at 11:30 AM PDT by Steven Cohen -
LG Launches 77-inch 4K Ultra HD SIGNATURE OLED TV with HDR & Dolby Vision
Posted Thu Sep 15, 2016 at 10:00 AM PDT by Steven CohenThe company's newest premium OLED display will be available soon... if you have around $20,000 to spare.
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Check Out the New PS4 Pro 'Mass Effect: Andromeda' 4K Tech Demo
Posted Wed Sep 7, 2016 at 12:24 PM PDT by Brian Hoss -
LG Set to Highlight Benefits of HDR and OLED Tech at IFA 2016
Posted Fri Aug 26, 2016 at 01:45 PM PDT by Steven Cohen -
VUDU Adds New 4K Ultra HD Titles from Universal with Dolby Vision & Dolby Atmos
Posted Wed Aug 17, 2016 at 04:15 PM PDT by Steven Cohen -
LG 65G6 4K Ultra HD SIGNATURE OLED TV Named Best High-End TV at EISA Awards
Posted Mon Aug 15, 2016 at 04:30 PM PDT by Steven Cohen -
AMC & Dolby Announce Plans to Launch 100 Dolby Cinema at AMC Sites by End of 2017
Posted Wed Aug 10, 2016 at 02:30 PM PDT by Steven CohenThe companies have accelerated their installation plans for more Dolby Cinema locations.
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VIZIO Quietly Updates P-Series with HDR10
Posted Sun Aug 7, 2016 at 02:55 PM PDT by Michael S. PalmerWell, friends, the wait is finally over. The VIZIO P-Series now supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision.
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All hail Firmware Update 2.0.13.13. -
The Xbox One S Will Support HDR10, But Dolby Atmos, Direct Bitstreaming, & DTS:X Support Remain Elusive
Posted Sat Jul 23, 2016 at 08:30 AM PDT by Brian Hoss -
LG Launches "LG Experience" In-Store Displays with HDR OLED & SUPER UHD TVs
Posted Wed Jul 6, 2016 at 10:45 AM PDT by Steven Cohen -
HDD Quick Look: 'The Legend of Tarzan' in Dolby Vision & Dolby Atmos
Posted Wed Jun 29, 2016 at 04:00 PM PDT by Michael S. PalmerMost of my days are spent hunched over a laptop working on my carpel tunnel and twisting my back in ways I'm going to regret in ten to twenty years.
Then there are days when I go to movie premieres.
Last Monday, Warner Bros and Dolby kindly hosted the world premiere for its latest feature, 'The Legend of Tarzan'. Walking into the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood California is an odd experience. First, it's in a mall. Literally. A high end shopping center with restaurants and jewelry stores and huts hawking sunglasses as tourists snap pictures from passing buses. But it's also this extravagant venue for musicals and, of course, home to the Academy Awards.
In that sense, the Dolby Theatre is a magical palace of movie geekdom where you get a free popcorn and soda and the fleeting chance to see your favorite filmmakers and stars. The other great thing is the collective sense of buzz. While celebrities fill some seats, you're generally amongst the people who, in one way or another, devoted time to this production, or are in the middle of their own endeavors. That is to say premieres are generally warm rooms where the thrills chill and the jokes land.
Like I said, an odd experience, but a special one I've very grateful to attend.
Since Dolby took over the naming rights from Kodak several years ago, they set their genius pro cinema engineers to an impossible task -- make a venue that was in no way designed for cinema look and sound as good as it can. Today that means a Dolby Vision dual-4K projection system capable for 31fL in 2D (and 14fL in 3D) coupled with a custom Dolby Atmos setup. Dual 64-channel arrays (and processors) are necessary to run overhead and surround speakers for floor, mezzanine, and balcony seating. To be fair, it's not the best Dolby room in town, and some seats are more acoustically placed others, but given the restrictions faced, I'm always impressed.THE MOVIE ITSELF
Let me begin by saying I have a huge amount of respect for the folks who made this movie. David Yates absolutely crushed his work in the 'Harry Potter' universe. Craig Brewer is an versatile writer-director (I'm not familiar with the other screenwriter's work). Alexander Skarsgård was unforgettable on 'True Blood'. Margot Robbie stood toe-to-toe with Leo in 'The Wolf of Wall Street' in a star-making performance. Christoph Waltz is one of the best all-time screen villains. Samuel L. Jackson is great in everything (even this). And Djimon Hounsou has an unmatched commanding presence.
But, man, I just couldn't get into 'The Legend of Tarzan'. Dramatically. Emotionally. Tonally. It was all a miss for me.
The basic plot revolves around Tarzan returning to the Congo at the invitation of Belgian's King Leopold II because England is hoping to broker a deal for mineral rights. Tarzan, or John Clayton (Skarsgård) as he likes to be called now, doesn't want to go back for reasons unknown, but his wife Jane (Robbie) very much wants to see her friends in the local tribe. Add in George Washington Williams (Jackson), an American Civil War vet who suspects Leopold might be enslaving the peoples of the Congo, and Tarzan has no choice but return to his past.
Shortly after said reluctant return, the villainous Leon Rom (Waltz) kidnap Jane in hopes of luring Tarzan to his death. Tarzan, understandable pissed off, then sets off across the plains and the jungles with Williams to confront his past, rescue his wife, and possibly save the Congo from slavery.
Much like the most recent Edgar Rice Burroughs adaptation, 'John Carter', 'Tarzan' manages to thrill at times with some wonderful action and beautiful photography -- Tarzan is effectively a 19th Century super hero -- but the filmmakers opted to treat characters' emotional-motivations as secrets rather than clear driving forces. In that sense, this film also features a flashback structure with all the origin story beats we've seen before, and where the scenes themselves are less engaging than the present day narrative and slow the film's overall pacing. There are also some odd tonal choices (Sam Jackson wondering if he should lick a gorillas testicles) and even though Jane has been modernized and she says she's no damsel, Ms. Robbie's character is woefully underwritten. Honestly, if it were my cinema dollars, I'd probably go see 'The Jungle Book' again or just Netflix Disney's animated 'Tarzan' (which admittedly has its own flaws).
That said, if you're curious, completely disagree, or simply wish to stare at Skarsgård's abs for two hours... do yourself a favor and click HERE to find a list of Dolby Cinema locations where you're going to see and hear the best possible version of this film.DOLBY VISION
'The Legend of Tarzan' swings into Dolby Cinemas with Dolby Vision high dynamic range graded in the (I believe) DCI P3 cinema color space. While much of the movie has a muted and gritty color pallet -- jungles and Greystoke manner soaked in oppressive mist -- Dolby Vision has such good contrast and black levels that it makes the whole experience much more vivid than conventional digital cinemas. You can see the rich costume colors even in the darkness. Day time sequences are vivid in their own right. The on-location areal photography is some of the most eye-dropping I've seen since the original 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy. Cascading waterfalls dumping into jungle-lined river basins. It's a paradise. And the grassy plains seem to extend outward infinitely. Pay special attention to the brighter skies, where you'll glimpse more clouds and other details that will be washed out in standard dynamic range.
In comparison to other Dolby Vision titles, 'Tarzan' is somewhat limited by its intended color palette (the warmer, saturated 'The Jungle Book' is more classically demo material), but it looked quite good to my eyes.
DOLBY ATMOS
'The Legend of Tarzan' Dolby Atmos mix doesn't evolve the format in any way, but succeeds in implementing Atmos' inherent strengths to bolster the film's technical merits. Surround placement, including bullets and character voice panning, is above average. The Dolby Theatre auditorium is a vast space, but I knew at all times where the characters were going (and what threats were hunting them). Gorilla roars were guttural and deep. And I enjoy the sensation of movement as characters swing through dense jungles. My favorite aural sequence involves rain drenching your senses from the overhead speakers; it was quite effective, even if overall overhead usage is only moderately aggressive. If I had any suggestions, I wish there was a little less epic orchestral music and more jungle environment sonic nuances. Small note. Overall, though, this is a pretty good Dolby Atmos mix and I enjoyed its sonic flourishes more than 'Captain America: Civil War'.
FINAL THOUGHTS
While 'The Legend of Tarzan' wasn't for me, personally, it is a beautifully photographed film with a few thrilling set-pieces. If you're going to see it, I feel no regret in suggesting a Dolby Cinema auditorium. This type of color grading could easily find itself awash in grey-like black levels. Not so in Dolby Vision, which pushes the blacks and brings out dimensional colors even within the sometimes-muted pallet. Bright skies also resolve well. And, though not life-changing, the Dolby Atmos mix is quite good too, offering bursts of action and rain-soaked environmentals that make for an immersive experience. It should make for a nice Ultra HD Blu-ray and streaming experience.
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Another plus: after seeing what David Yates did with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos the first time out, I can't wait to see how 'Fantastic Beasts' looks and sounds.
Are you going to see 'The Legend of Tarzan'? If so, where? -
Amazon Launches Dolby Vision Streaming -- LG 2016 SUPER UHD & OLED TVs First to Offer Dual HDR10 & Dolby Vision Amazon Support
Posted Mon Jun 27, 2016 at 10:30 AM PDT by Steven Cohen -
Lionsgate Set to Offer Titles with Dolby Vision & Dolby Atmos for Home Entertainment Market
Posted Thu Jun 16, 2016 at 10:45 AM PDT by Steven CohenAnother studio has announced plans to support Dolby's video and audio technologies for home releases.
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