“Transcendence” is the latest film to get a soundtrack recorded in Dolby‘s Atmos, the most immersive surround sound system on the market for the last couple of years that is available in a very limited number of theaters — less than 10 in the entire Los Angeles market.
Filmmaker Wally Pfister uses the technology judicially and not capriciously or arbitrarily, which further enhances the impact.
The movie starring Johnny Depp imagines a not-too-distant future when a man (Depp) discovers how to create a computer system that can be programmed to have a soul and live a life not that different from a real human being.
While the story itself about the impact of computer becoming too human , especially on a romantic relationship, and especially one that develops an egotistical and controlling personality — this one takes over the Internet — is modestly engaging even though it is not much different in the general premise than many sci-fi movies of the past, from “2001: A Space Odyssey” right up through last year’s “Her,” the Dolby Atmos is a valuable and unique component.
Used sparingly, the sound is most noticeable, when the massive rows of computer systems eventually take on the life of a human being for the first time. The Dolby Atmos system, enjoyed by the large audience at the world premiere last week at the Regency Village Theatre in Westwood, Calif. — some in the balcony — features speakers on the ceiling as well as all the walls, truly makes you feel as if you are suddenly enveloped by the voice occupying an entire room.
The Atmos sound is also prominent in other scenes when havoc begins to reign outside the computer rooms as large portions of the desert begin to come to life for various reasons central to the plot of the movie.
— By Scott Hettrick
Director Pfister and others describe the use of the technology in the video below…