10. Seven Samurai
While this is undoubtedly one of the best films on the countdown, I have placed it at the bottom because I have no earthly idea if a film as old as Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai is fit for IMAX resolution. The existing prints could simply be too worn out and battered to undergo the IMAX DMR process, and there’s every possibility that even if it could be done, it would look awful blown up to that size.
But as long as we’re dreaming here, I would love to see this attempted, if only as an experiment. Seven Samurai has some of the greatest, most awe-inspiring cinematography of all-time. Each shot is a gorgeous work of art, lush and detailed and perfectly composed. I would pay unholy amounts of money for the chance to study such masterful photography on an IMAX screen, in such incredibly high resolution. Plus, Seven Samurai was filmed in the 1.33:1 ratio, meaning it would fill the entire IMAX screen. Given the unrivaled quality of the film, that would truly be an enveloping cinematic experience.
9. The Godfather
If you have only ever seen Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather on home video, it may strike you as a strange film to suggest for IMAX viewing. But earlier this year, I had the chance to see the recent Coppola-supervised restoration screened in 4K resolution on Cinemark’s XD screen (the theatre chain’s smaller answer to IMAX), and can attest to the fact that few cinematic experiences are as visually powerful as The Godfather.
It is a stunningly gorgeous film, and Coppola appears to have framed every single moment with the big screen in mind. Home video – even Blu-Ray – does not quite do the film’s precise, painterly cinematography justice. An IMAX re-release would be a glorious opportunity, and thanks to that aforementioned restoration, most of the work is already done.
I very much hope this happens one day.
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