Though the $20 spent on a regular sized popcorn bucket and a small ICEE may get you down, it is more important now than ever that we continue to foster one of the cornerstones of community in the face of its seemingly impending perish.
With a recent $83 million deal struck by Netflix to purchase Warner Bros. Discovery, the public is wary about the monopolization of the film industry, and its consequences on art and media.
Specifically, many film fanatics are anxious about the future of movie theaters. With the bulk of the film industry allocated to Netflix, The Writers Guild of America is fearful of not only the possibility of lowered wages, working conditions and diversity of content, but also Netflix’s anti-theatrical release model.
In a letter sent to Congress from an anonymous group of film producers, they state that “Netflix views any time spent watching a movie in a theater as time not spent on their platform,” and “They have no incentive to support theatrical exhibition, and they have every incentive to kill it.”
Ted Sarandos, co-chief executive of Netflix, expresses that the company will continue to release movies as they are today by Warner Bros. Discovery. However, this claim seems more like a public assurance than an actual promised truth considering that Netflix is reputed to favor a shortened release-to-stream window.
Take the release of Guillermo del Toro’s $120 million “Frankenstein” project. Only after facing public pressure did Netflix decide on platforming the well-funded and highly anticipated project in cinemas for… two weeks… in widely selected theaters.
Some may see this two week rollout as a win, but it really only speaks to the broader issue of Netflix’s resistance to the standard 45-day big screen window. Unfortunately, it is well known that Sarandos has been a supporter of the 17-day cinematic window, thus allowing for more immediate profit from streaming that can be risked in longer and more expensive runs in the theaters.
Unfortunately, this shortened window appeals to viewers who are less willing to pay for the film on the big screen and increases the odds that they will wait for its release on the platform.
Though it is convenient to wait for the streaming debut of a film, its harmful impacts on the movie theater industry should not be overlooked. As the window becomes shorter and movie theaters become increasingly neglected, suddenly the option to see a movie on the big screen may not be an accessible adventure.
Netflix’s eagerness for the quick and immediate monetization from at-home viewing coupled with the appeal of a cheaper experience for viewers may contribute to the slow death of movie theaters.
However, now is the moment to invest our time and energy in the cinematic experience. As third spaces become increasingly abandoned and underfunded amidst the growing online landscape of social interaction, community begins with physical connection – even if that means sitting in a dark room silently for a couple hours with strangers.
It is vital we invest in experiences that foster connection, culture and belonging during a time where individualism and isolation are prevalent.
Not only does the commitment to theaters help build community, but it may also help to combat the growing monopoly of streaming services. If more money is invested in the viewing of films on the big screen, those corporations will eventually have more funds to be spent on diversifying the selection of works they display.
For the sake of the dominated arts industry and our communities across the nation, hop on over to your local theater and sit back, relax and enjoy the movie.
