Decoding Christopher Nolan's passion: Why big screens still matter in the Netflix era!
The renowned Christopher Nolan stood tall for the theatrical film experience, criticizing Netflix's streaming model and emphasizing the irreplaceable charm of the big screen.
Updated : October 20, 2023 05:28 PM ISTThe renowned Christopher Nolan stood tall for the theatrical film experience, criticizing Netflix's streaming model and emphasizing the irreplaceable charm of the big screen.
![Christopher Nolan (Source: Reuters)](https://imagesv2.desimartini.com/images/202307/nolan-1689353104.jpeg?width=800&quality=50&format=webp)
Christopher Nolan: A Champion for Cinemas in the Digital Age
In a world rapidly moving to smaller screens and instant gratification, Christopher Nolan stands as a sentinel for the grandeur of cinema. Looking back, his iconic masterpiece "Dunkirk", optimized for the 70mm experience, captured the sheer thrill of cinematic storytelling. However, Nolan's cinematic ambitions find themselves at odds with today's streaming behemoths.
Nolan vs. Netflix: The Battle of Screens
Drawing the battle lines in 2017, Nolan boldly voiced his skepticism, lamenting Netflix's aversion to the traditional movie theatre. He said, “Netflix has a bizarre aversion to supporting theatrical films." Meanwhile, he tipped his hat to Amazon's approach, favoring a model that includes a theatrical release followed by an online debut.
Despite the acclaim received from Netflix's Cannes premieres like "Okja" and "The Meyerowitz Stories", Nolan remains unimpressed. His disdain isn't solely for the streaming platform's bypass of theatres but rather for its undermining of the entire cinematic experience. Expressing his puzzlement, he noted, "I think the investment that Netflix is putting into interesting filmmakers and interesting projects would be more admirable if it weren’t being used as some kind of bizarre leverage against shutting down theaters. It’s so pointless."
Eloquently and often gravely, Nolan has consistently championed theatrical releases. The very ethos of his creation "Dunkirk" was to make viewers feel as though they were part of the story, a sensation best experienced in a theatre. Going against the grain of the digital age, he reaffirmed, “The only platform I’m interested in talking about is theatrical exhibition.”
Drawing parallels from the past, Nolan reflects on the '80s and '90s when the fear for filmmakers was their movies being dumped directly to video. There's an air of déjà vu, as Netflix brings back that haunting nightmare, albeit in a new-age format.
Also read: 'How Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight re-defined a decade of comic book cinema'
Yet, the digital disruption spearheaded by Netflix might just be a reflection of the Silicon Valley mindset. As Nolan points out, “Corporations are able to portray this kind of behavior to Wall Street as ‘disruptive,'” highlighting that the business strategies of today's streaming services focus more on disruption rather than preserving the traditional richness of cinema.
The Grand Finale: To Stream or Not to Stream
While the debate rages on, one thing's crystal clear: For maestros like Nolan, the cinematic experience is unparalleled, irreplaceable, and certainly not up for compromise.
Also read: 'Christopher Nolan's shocking CGI rebellion': Real explosions in Oppenheimer?
Would he ever collaborate with Netflix? The answer is a resounding "No". After all, when one crafts a magnum opus, it's meant for the magnificence of the silver screen!
(Several parts of the text in this article, including the title, were generated with the help of an AI tool.)