Steven Spielberg revealed why he does not make movies with Netflix. The veteran filmmaker sat down for a chat with ITV News, where he discussed his take on the issue. The interviewer expressed how happy he was to learn that the press screening for his forthcoming film, Disclosure Day, was in the cinemas. The discussion then shifted to watching films on the silver screen versus other devices, with Netflix also entering the conversation.
Why Steven Spielberg prefers theatrical releases over Netflix films
Steven Spielberg discussed how he prefers theatrical releases over Netflix films in an interview with ITV News. The interviewer asked, “What do you think viewers get from seeing things in a communal setting but in giant quality right in front of them that they don’t get from a phone or a laptop or a TV?”
The 79-year-old filmmaker replied, “Well they get to be part of how movies were born. They get to be part of something that happened in the early 20th century, when people got into large halls and had a crude projector flickering and sending an image to a sheet hanging from a ceiling. And yet, it was a communal space and people were unfamiliar with each other.”
He continued, “They have a response to the images they are getting from the screen. So, the idea of sending little cassettes, little DVDs, you know, to individuals to watch a movie — if I did that, I would be happy to work for Netflix and make a movie for Netflix. And know that it’s only going to be seen by millions of people on their home screens.”
“But I’m a movie maker, and I believe in big motion picture, 70-millimeter theatrical experiences with great sound. Because I think the energy to sit in a theatre, a filled-up theatre, you feel the energy of strangers,” he added.
For those unversed, the Indiana Jones filmmaker has always opted for an anti-streaming stance for quite some time now. In a 2018 interview with Variety, Spielberg argued that streaming-first films should not be given Oscar preference. The veteran filmmaker said, “Once you commit to a television format, you’re a TV movie. If it’s a good show, you deserve an Emmy, but not an Oscar” (via Complex).
Originally reported by Anwaya Mane on Mandatory.
