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Christopher Nolan and Sofia Coppola Urge Fans To Watch Films in Cinemas, Not On Netflix (theguardian.com)

Posted by msmash on from the where-to-watch-a-movie dept.

Christopher Nolan and Sofia Coppola have urged audiences to see their films in the cinema at a time when the movie industry is reckoning with the growing popularity of video on demand and streaming platforms such as Netflix and Amazon. From a report: Presenting their forthcoming films at CinemaCon, the annual convention organised by the National Association of Theatre Owners, the directors said that they hoped fans opted to watch them at movie theatres, where they were "meant to be seen." Nolan made his comments during a presentation of his second world war drama Dunkirk, at which he previewed footage from the film. "This is a story that needs to carry you through the suspenseful situation, and make you feel like you are there, and the only way to do that is through theatrical distribution," Nolan told the audience. "I am depending and relying on all of you to try to present this film in the best way possible." Coppola echoed Nolan's comments during a Focus Features presentation for The Beguiled, a remake of the Clint Eastwood civil war drama starring Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman.

31 of 360 comments (clear)

  1. okay... by slashmydots · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Then tell the annoying teenagers behind me to shut the hell up if you want me to go to a theater.

    1. Re:okay... by JustNiz · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The retarded parents that I "love" trhe most are the ones that bring babies and just sit there as they continually cry, or they bring toddlers that they just let scream and run around.
      I've seen some idiot parents even bring babies and toddlers to R-rated movies. It boggles my mind why the theater can even sell them the tickets.

    2. Re:okay... by Mr+D+from+63 · · Score: 2

      If you don't want your pictures to be watched on Netflix, then don't sell the rights to Netflix.

    3. Re:okay... by Ghostworks · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I have only been to a big box theater once in the last decade. And that was a mistake. And I blame my wife.

      For everything else, we go to the Alamo Drafthouse. No screaming babies (unless you go to the special weekend showings for tortured moms who have to bring their screaming baby). No teens sneaking in shitty booze and talking through the whole damn thing. Nobody on cellphones. No tripping over everyone else because there is no walkable aisle in front of the seats.

      The only bad thing I can say about it is that the food -- not concessions, plates of food for adult humans -- is too pricey.

      I pity people who don't live near one, but considering how fast they're spreading -- not to mention the knock-off chains like iPic and Flix Brewhouse, or the smaller independent theaters with a similar sensibilities -- I think kid-free films will be a big thing in the coming years.

    4. Re:okay... by nedlohs · · Score: 4, Insightful

      They are speaking at something run by the "National Association of Theatre Owners". They don't actually mean what they say, it's just playing to the audience.

      For example, I'm going out on a limb and assuming that neither of them will refuse to have their copies of their movies sent to academy award voters since they should go and see it at the cinema to get the real experience...

    5. Re: okay... by cyber-vandal · · Score: 5, Funny

      Trump's not a fan of NATO, he'll deal with them.

    6. Re:okay... by slashmydots · · Score: 2

      I've found that the perfect solution is to pepper spray their kids
      (this is not a serious post, it's called a joke)

    7. Re: okay... by JustNiz · · Score: 5, Insightful

      > It's called "being a kid." If you can't handle that, I'd say the problem lies with you,

      I agree the kid is just being a kid, but kids do not have life experience or awareness of risks. Thats what good parents teach them, but people that think like you (that its OK for their kid to be everyone elses problem, and those people should just put up with some strangers out-of-control kid) aren't ever good parents.

      if kids are allowed to annoy others, such as by running around in a movie theater, then the fault is definitely with the clueless parents. Not least bcause they are encouraging them to be inconsiderate little brats.

    8. Re: okay... by Opportunist · · Score: 2

      Yes, the world is not safe for children. Thankfully it isn't.

      Dead kids don't cry.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    9. Re:okay... by Opportunist · · Score: 2

      In my experience, that makes them noisier.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    10. Re:okay... by ctilsie242 · · Score: 2

      I've been going to the Alamo Drafthouse for decades. The food is expensive, but it is decent. The beer selection is as good as you are going to get. Desserts are surprisingly good. The ushers hunt down texters and yappers methodically and without mercy.

    11. Re:okay... by Grishnakh · · Score: 4, Insightful

      It sounds like a good idea to me, seriously. The problem is that if I do that, I'll surely go to jail for assault.

      So I have a solution which will keep me from both getting angry and going to jail: I just won't go to the theater. As a bonus, I'll save a bunch of money, which I can use instead for going out to eat at a nice, quiet upscale restaurant with my girlfriend. If the theaters go out of business, then so be it. The nice restaurants don't seem to have a problem keeping customers in line and tossing out rowdy people.

    12. Re: okay... by sexconker · · Score: 5, Funny

      If someone throws my kid into the ocean or picks them up or touches them, I will quickly eliminate them permanently and then go after my kids.

      No you won't, you irresponsible twat. You'll bitch and moan and demand they be arrested and try to sue. If you were someone who took action, your little fucking shits wouldn't be running around to the point where someone decided they needed to be punted away.

    13. Re: okay... by BronsCon · · Score: 2

      If someone throws my kid into the ocean or picks them up or touches them, I will quickly eliminate them permanently and then go after my kids. I think that (throwing a kid off the pier) scenario is extremely unlikely less than 1 in 100 million so I don't worry about it.

      As though them being thrown in is the only danger I mentioned. Here, allow me to aid your comprehension:

      And the parents who let them run around uncontrolled should expect them falling, or getting thrown, into the ocean is par for the course.

      To be perfectly honest, I am very paranoid at the pier and anyplace with balconies opening to precipices. So generally there, I keep my kids nearby as they still like holding hands.

      Oh, so you're not one of the irresponsible asshole parents we're talking about, then. No need to defend yourself.

      --
      APK quotes people (including myself) without context and should not be trusted. Just thought you should know.
    14. Re:okay... by myth24601 · · Score: 2

      ...And pause the movie so I can go take a leak. That $8 Diet Coke is HUGE!

      --
      No matter where you go, there you are.
    15. Re: okay... by mjwx · · Score: 2

      I've seen idiot patents let toddlers roam free at the end of the Santa Monica pier, jumping up and down on the seats/steps there shaking everybody up, and climb on and around complete strangers! If one of these kids gets snatched up, I hope both the perp and the idiot parent(s) both go to prison

      The world is not safe for children! We must put them into special incubators until they are mature responsible adults that are raised exactly the way their parents want them to be raised. /sarcasm

      Yeah folks, kids run around, make noise, break things, and make mistakes. It's called "being a kid." If you can't handle that, I'd say the problem lies with you, not the kid that doesn't know what you, a complete stranger, are expecting from them.

      Hi, the point is over here. You seem to have missed it.

      The GP is complaining about parents that dont give a crap. They aren't paying attention to their kid. They're the kind of parent who lets their kid knock over every box on the bottom shelf and ignored the mess.

      If I had of behaved the way you're defending, I would haven't of been able to sit for a week... And I'm someone who advocates non-violent methods of discipline where ever possible, but you still need discipline so that you don't have ratbag kids.

      Take flights for example, I'm usually OK with a parent that makes an effort. Kids, being kids don't always fully understand what is going on with aircraft, know how to deal with changes in pressure and are a bit more sensitive to them than us adults... but FFS, I cant stand a parent who sits there sucking down the complementary booze whilst their little angel acts like a right little shit to everyone else.

      --
      Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
  2. I'd love to by dlleigh · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I'd love to. I enjoy seeing movies in a real theater.

    But I have small children, so there is little opportunity to go out. Netflix and other online providers are my best hope for seeing any movies at all, and even then I see them only long after they've left the theaters.

    1. Re:I'd love to by sconeu · · Score: 2

      That's why we loved the drive-in when our kids were little.

      --
      General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
  3. Don't sell the rights to Netflix by jfdavis668 · · Score: 2

    If you don't want people to watch it on Netflix, don't sell it to them. But, I bet you would make a lot less money if you didn't.

  4. Going To The Cinema Is Great But... by dryriver · · Score: 4, Interesting

    ... different people have different preferences. One person may love to see Nolan's "Dunkirk" on a huge cinema screen, where the experience is probably quite overpowering. Another may prefer to pop the Dunkirk Bluray into his living room Bluray player and experience the film on a smaller screen in the comfort of his home. Also, some people - like working adults with children - simply don't have the time for a 3+ hour trip to the local multiplex. I used to love going to the cinema when I was 13 - 25 years old. I wanted to watch everything on the big screen. These days I like watching Bluray's or streaming movies at home - some even on a laptop screen with headphones on. The films still work. After the first 3 minutes, you forget what kind of screen you are watching on. You cannot expect everybody, in this day and age, to prefer cinema over home viewing options.

    --
    Why did the chicken cross the road? Because Elon Musk put an AI chip in its head.
    1. Re:Going To The Cinema Is Great But... by OneHundredAndTen · · Score: 4, Interesting

      ... different people have different preferences. One person may love to see Nolan's "Dunkirk" on a huge cinema screen, where the experience is probably quite overpowering.

      I don't think that the experience is that overpowering, relatively speaking. The power of the big screen made sense decades ago, when at home you had a 23' screen with a modest resolution. These days, Saving Private Ryan is overpowering at the theater, and also at home, on a 60' screen. You can get an experience at home almost as overpowering as that at the theater. A huge screen and a very loud sound are not worth the price of admission any more.

    2. Re:Going To The Cinema Is Great But... by parkinglot777 · · Score: 2

      I don't think that the experience is that overpowering, relatively speaking. The power of the big screen made sense decades ago, when at home you had a 23' screen with a modest resolution. These days, Saving Private Ryan is overpowering at the theater, and also at home, on a 60' screen. You can get an experience at home almost as overpowering as that at the theater. A huge screen and a very loud sound are not worth the price of admission any more.

      Where can I buy a 23' screen TV, let alone 60' screen TV? And how much is it cost to you? :)

  5. Reconfigure the Theaters by turp182 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I take my kids to movies in theaters and we always do 3D which is fun.

    Otherwise, they need to update the configuration of theaters to enhance the experience.

    I suggest they use the Oatmeal's suggestions:
    http://theoatmeal.com/comics/m...

    "Into the Dome Motherfucker!"

    --
    BlameBillCosby.com
  6. How about. . . no. . . by Salgak1 · · Score: 5, Informative

    . . . does that work for you ? Because it works for me. No crying babies, chatty teens, or rude patrons playing with their smartphones. Better bathroom, and I can pause the movie while I take care of that. And no highly overpriced "refreshments". . .

    . . . and besides, afterwards, I can re-watch scenes, and even MST3K them if warranted. . .

    1. Re:How about. . . no. . . by Holi · · Score: 2

      Or the fact that a ticket costs almost as much as buying the movie on DVD/Bluray,.

      --
      Sorry, teleporters just kill you and then make a copy. A perfect, soul-less copy.
    2. Re:How about. . . no. . . by mellon · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Also, am I the only one who just feels insulted when I pay >$10 for a movie ticket and then when I get into the theater, there's a dozen ads? I never see ads on Netflix. FFS, if you want people to use your service, stop insulting us!

  7. Very Strongly Disagree by MpVpRb · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Theaters suck, I will never go to a theater again

    Drive across town, pay to park, drive around looking for a spot, walk to the theater, wait in line, try to find a good seat, wait until the movie starts while being forced to watch commercials

    Once it starts, it can't be stopped, paused or rewound

    Worst of all..no subtitles. I'm old with bad ears (too many years in the rock band). Without subtitles it's almost impossible to make out what the actors are saying, especially when the music and FX are mixed loud

    At home, I can have a beer and a reasonable priced snack, while being in control

    1. Re:Very Strongly Disagree by dontbemad · · Score: 2, Informative

      It honestly sounds to me like you just don't like going out period. No need to drag the name of Movie Theaters through the mud.

  8. Lost words by ausekilis · · Score: 2

    "This is a story that needs to carry you through the suspenseful situation, and make you feel like you are there, and the only way to do that is through theatrical distribution," Nolan told the audience.

    That may have been true some 10-15 years ago when average TV sizes were still pretty small and home theater setups were prohibitively expensive. But now I can get a 60" TV for $400, and a HTIB for ~$300. That used to be the price of just a TV, and a small one at that.

    Last time I went to the theater (last weekend) I had an obnoxious kid talking on one side of me, and another kicking my seat. I think I'll manage with my big screen, surround sound, and a beer in one hand.

  9. Re:$100+ for a family by Baron_Yam · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Actually, if the tickets were tiered (some movies definitely don't earn their ticket price), if the concession prices weren't obscene, and if there were ushers who would actually remove patrons disturbing everyone else...

    But that means charging less for distribution so the theatres don't have to rape you on popcorn and soda to turn a profit, and that might in turn mean paying actors less than tens of millions for a movie.

    I hope the existing system crashes and burns, it is ridiculous. It needs to normalize so the economics make sense for all the players. If that mean wages move towards the mean, I think everyone but the very top will be OK with that. If that means budgets drop a bit, we'll survive. If it means investors have to invest in more movies to make the same amount of money, lawyers will take a slightly larger cut for the extra paperwork.

    It'll all work out, and the average moviegoer, actor, and crew will be happier for it. But first Hollywood needs to burn.

  10. Erm... by RJFerret · · Score: 3, Interesting

    ...then remove ads at theaters, I'm not paying to watch ads.

    ...then lower the volume at theaters, I'm not paying to have my hearing damaged or remember to bring earplugs and their discomfort.

    ...then offer a pause button, I'm not paying to miss parts because of assorted reasons.

    ...then bring the theater closer to me, I'm not paying gas and an additional hour of time round trip to travel there.

    ...then create a new story, I'm not paying for another version of the seven basic plots I've already seen.

    Note, I already only attend matinées at reduced rates, so consider that in terms of what I'm willing to pay already.

    (I've thankfully not been bothered by other rude patrons, and find films often enhanced by shared reactions, but for many people you'd have to eliminate the audience too.)

    Music has changed to reduce the deeper tones not resolved in tiny earbud headphones, as fewer listen via speakers nowadays, perhaps movies should likewise adapt to how they are consumed?