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Christopher Nolan and Sofia Coppola Urge Fans To Watch Films in Cinemas, Not On Netflix (theguardian.com) 360

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

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  • okay... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by slashmydots ( 2189826 ) on Thursday March 30, 2017 @11:40AM (#54144019)
    Then tell the annoying teenagers behind me to shut the hell up if you want me to go to a theater.
    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by JustNiz ( 692889 )

      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.

      • I've found that the perfect solution is to pepper spray their kids
        (this is not a serious post, it's called a joke)
        • In my experience, that makes them noisier.

        • Hmm... what about itching powder spray? I could almost be serious about that one.

        • by JustNiz ( 692889 )

          Dunno, that sounds like it would just result in them becoming even noisier. I'm thinking tranqulizer darts. Keep a few extra handy for when the parents realize what you did.

        • Re:okay... (Score:5, Insightful)

          by Grishnakh ( 216268 ) on Thursday March 30, 2017 @02:17PM (#54145645)

          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.

    • Snap a photo with your phone and send it to me. I'll take care of it.
    • If you don't want your pictures to be watched on Netflix, then don't sell the rights to Netflix.
      • Re:okay... (Score:5, Insightful)

        by nedlohs ( 1335013 ) on Thursday March 30, 2017 @12:00PM (#54144235)

        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...

    • Re:okay... (Score:4, Insightful)

      by Ghostworks ( 991012 ) on Thursday March 30, 2017 @11:56AM (#54144187)

      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.

      • Do you have an iPic theater [ipictheaters.com] near you? Drafthouse to me is a little noisy with the wait staff constantly shuffling. I prefer going to iPic if I am going to a theater. You can reserve your seat weeks in advance.
      • 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.

    • Have you looked around lately? "No one under 18 after X pm" theaters seem to be springing up all over. Or "no one under 21" if they sell booze.

      • That hasn't made it "all over" yet.

        I've never even heard of the concept. I look forwards to them reaching my neck of the woods, although, if I'm honest, it won't make me go to the cinema more often- it'll just make me go to the no-kid theatres instead of the kid-theatres.

    • Noisy teenagers giggling and talking and/or playing with their smartphones. It's also annoying when they slouch down and use the back of your chair as a footrest. Which is why I now only go to the movie theatres that have the larger reclining seats.

      My wife and I went to see "Don't Breathe" in the theatre. It kills the effect when people decide they have to talk through the quieter scenes.

      There is also a relatively new problem where some people decide it's okay to use their vape pen throughout the movie. The

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

  • I'd love to (Score:5, Insightful)

    by dlleigh ( 313922 ) on Thursday March 30, 2017 @11:49AM (#54144101)

    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.

    • 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.

      This must be some kind of attempt at a troll or something. Parents these days (in America at least) are never considerate like this.

    • by sconeu ( 64226 )

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

  • by jfdavis668 ( 1414919 ) on Thursday March 30, 2017 @11:50AM (#54144105)
    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.
  • by dryriver ( 1010635 ) on Thursday March 30, 2017 @11:50AM (#54144115)
    ... 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.
    • by OneHundredAndTen ( 1523865 ) on Thursday March 30, 2017 @12:17PM (#54144439)

      ... 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.

      • It's kind of humorous with the units flipped around, since ' is foot and " is inches. "Yeah, my modest 23 foot home screen just isn't cutting it."
      • 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? :)

    • I had a friend in college who was a film student. She would always say that, if a move is good, you don't need a big screen, you don't need high-end audio, and you don't even need to understand the dialog in order for it to be a great experience. I have a good (not great) home theater system. The cinemas are still better. But if there is any difference in enjoyment between the, it's an indictment of the quality of the movie.
  • by turp182 ( 1020263 ) on Thursday March 30, 2017 @11:51AM (#54144121) Journal

    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... [theoatmeal.com]

    "Into the Dome Motherfucker!"

  • by Salgak1 ( 20136 ) <salgak@speaAAAke ... inus threevowels> on Thursday March 30, 2017 @11:51AM (#54144125) Homepage

    . . . 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. . .

    • by Holi ( 250190 )
      Or the fact that a ticket costs almost as much as buying the movie on DVD/Bluray,.
    • by mellon ( 7048 ) on Thursday March 30, 2017 @12:20PM (#54144477) Homepage

      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!

      • I also feel this way. I had this discussion nearly 30 years ago at a theater when I saw this starting. When I brought this up with the manager, that they were wasting my time by showing commercials after the listed start time, I was corrected and told that they weren't "commercials" they were "entertainment shorts." Uh huh. Never went back to that theater.
      • by H3lldr0p ( 40304 )

        Complaining to the wrong people. You need to talk to the guys running the numbers in Hollywood these days. They're the ones setting ticket prices and how much the venues get from the ticket sales. Which, last I checked, was zero.

        Yeah. Theaters get bupkis for the first three or four weeks from ticket sales If the film stays that long. So in order to have a chance at making any money, they shove advertisement everywhere now. And it's working. Go look at AMC's profit numbers.

    • Fans urge Christopher Nolan and Sofia Coppola to make Netflix their primary distribution model.

      There are plenty of fantastic, high-quality, engaging stories being told in long and short form through Netflix. Challenge yourselves to do the same with your story-telling.

    • ..and comfortable seats, and a floor that our feet don't stick to, and a liquor cabinet, and most important of all: if one of us thinks the movie sucks, they can go do something else without spoiling the other's experience.

    • > No crying babies, chatty teens, or rude patrons playing with their smartphones.

      Mention something to the theater so they can fix it. Complaining on slashdot wont make it better.

  • by MpVpRb ( 1423381 ) on Thursday March 30, 2017 @11:52AM (#54144137)

    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

    • Worst of all..no subtitles.

      Is there really no solution in place for people hard of hearing? Cause that seems important.

    • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

      by dontbemad ( 2683011 )
      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.
    • by sims 2 ( 994794 )

      I always take some light earplugs with me when I go the malco they seem to tune the movies a bit to the crowd they think will want to watch it.

      Though I do watch everything with subtitles/captions turned on at home.

  • How about writing some new stories, instead of remaking movies?

    But really, people want to see movies in the comfort of their own home, not be ripped off for popcorn. Deal with it.

    • How about writing some new stories, instead of remaking movies?

      Yeah, I mean, "Dunkirk?" It's just a remake of something that happened 70-something years ago.

      Hey, Nolan! Do something original!

    • How about writing some new stories, instead of remaking movies?

      But really, people want to see movies in the comfort of their own home, not be ripped off for popcorn. Deal with it.

      Memento, Interstellar, Inception. These were not original? And as for Sophia Coppola, do you even know what kinds of movies she makes?

  • by ausekilis ( 1513635 ) on Thursday March 30, 2017 @11:54AM (#54144177)

    "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.

  • That's a movie I actually will watch in theaters, just because it looks to be a film that benefits from the big screen experience. I'm willing to pay to see large-scale films that take advantage of every inch of the screen and benefit from having big speakers...but tickets here are less than $5 for a regular screening and around $8 for an IMAX screening, so I can afford to do that easily. Were I paying as much for tickets as others mention they pay, my large, high-def TV with surround audio would have to su

  • As long as theatres feel that "making up the difference" means overcharging their remaining customers, they'll continue to lose their following.
  • Really, I was just about to cancel. But now I'm keeping Netflix for sure. When are the entitled Hollywood types going to realize that they are not in a position to ask for charity? Nolan, Coppola_ go back to work making content. You have no influence over where that content will be consumed. When I feel like going out and getting popcorn with friends or family, I'll go to the theater. I may or may not pay to see a first run movie when I do so. I may go to the cheap theater or a rivival house too. No

  • Me and my wife have different tastes in movies, so we can rarely find one that we can both agree to go watch in theaters. If we do go to a theater to see a movie, we go to one of the new types of theaters that serve food and drinks at the seats, which means it's an easy $40-50. I'm already paying for premium movies channels on cable, have access to Netflix, and there are Redboxes all over the place we can use too. There is simply no incentive in most cases to see a movie in theaters anymore.
  • What about people who are
    • champing
    • giggling
    • talking on their phones
    • walking to take a piss
    • smelling dirty

    What about being unable to

    • pause the movie
    • rewind the movie
    • put the movie on slow mo (since too many directors love close shaky cam)

    I still prefer to watch movies in the comfort of my home while nothing and no one are distracting me from them.

  • Has anyone else noticed how bad the sound-mixing is in Nolan's films when in theaters. You can barely hear what the actors are saying. It was like this for Dark Knight Rises and Interstellar. I did some research on it and apparently its a creative choice. Nolan is one of the only directors that could still get me to go to the cinema anymore. But if the sound mix for Dunkirk is terrible, I'll be waiting to see it on Netflix. I have a home theater set up that's comparable to a full theater anyways.

  • I live 5-minutes from a major theatre, I go once every few years. Even if you can get a seat in a decent viewing position you're still stuck with an uncomfortable seat. At 6'1" I'm tall, but normal tall and yet the only way I fit in seats is to cross my shins.

    Insult to injury, a single ticket is ballpark of a blueray and much more expensive than renting.

  • Design them to be seen on my TV, I have no interest in theaters. kthxbai

  • and the $30 for pop and popcorn and I'll go watch it.

  • I will see more movies in the theater if Hollywood makes movies that are worth paying $10 to see once. Frankly, in the last year, there haven't been a lot of those. Rogue One

    and Get Out are the only ones that come to mind.

    Otherwise, my wife and I can watch Netflix or Amazon Prime on our big screen TV, in our pajamas, and have a more comfortable experience. Plus my homemade popcorn recipe is cheaper and tastes better than theater popcorn.

    • by TWX ( 665546 )

      And you can eat something other than popcorn, and you can pause the movie if you need to, and back it up if you missed dialogue that was really important, or if a scene was particularly awesome you can rewind and replay it to just watch it again.

      I've had a video projector in one form or another for sixteen years, current model is an Epson 1080p model, works great. 100" screen that I'm sitting about fifteen feet from.

      As for the "theatre-going experience", the only movie that I've really enjoyed the experien

    • Plus my homemade popcorn recipe is cheaper and tastes better than theater popcorn.

      Okay well don't leave us hanging, are you willing to share it?

  • First of all, yes you can have a big screen, surround sound, and a beer at home. But, you can have all those, plus a wide,comfy leatherish recliner, reserved seating, at modern theatres. Yes, my local multiplex has a full bar and even a kitchen that makes reasonably edible sandwiches.

    But here's the difference: once you're in the theatre, you respect the movie. You don't pause it to take a whiz, or answer a text from a friend (I hope!), etc. So there is something to be said for being in a theatre and gi

  • A Hollywood movie experience is not the same one as your typical sticky-floor cinema. When the stars attend a showing, it's an event where people go to watch it. No slobs are present and the place is likely immaculate. That's a lot like my home Netflix based movie watching. Thanks for your suggestion anyway.
  • The theatrical experience is no longer so much better than that you can get at home. With big TV screens and sound systems available at prices that the vast majority of the population can afford, the theatrical experience is not that compelling any more. Sure, the sound is louder, but that is it. Theaters should start providing something else that you cannot easily get at home - and I say "else" because couples have been using the advantages of the theaters for generations. When it comes to just watching mo
  • 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.

    Translation: We're in charge of the current situation and if it changes we'll have less control.

    Boo-hoo. Not my problem.

    "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"

    Bullshit. Maybe that's the only way it works for him but I can decide for myself what the best way for me to view a particular movie is. Sometimes that's the theater but I have a large 4K screen at home with a good sound system too. For me I enjoy going to the theater but more as a social outing than for any practical movie going reason. It's certainly not convenient to go. The best

  • I urge directors to buy my ticket if they're so concerned about me seeing their films in the theater.

  • It is practical to enjoy the cinema experience at home more than it has been in the past. TVs are better. Sound systems are better and relatively inexpensive. Delivery systems are better. Sure Netflix might not have the movie but I can rent it from Amazon or Apple or cable. Then it's also way more convenient. I can see a movie starting at 1 am with 7 buckets of popcorn. There are no screaming children or obnoxious other patrons.

    Of course, I will see a movie in the theater, but I usually pick movie chains th

  • Erm... (Score:4, Interesting)

    by RJFerret ( 1279530 ) on Thursday March 30, 2017 @12:25PM (#54144519)

    ...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?

  • You want me to soend $20 on a ticket to see a movie once with a bunch of people...most of whom dont know how to behave in public. You want me to pay out the butt for a beverage and snack. Screw that. I'll wait till it comes on HBO or something...where I can eat affordable food...pause when I need to pee...and enjoy the movie by myself on a 70" screen with 9.2 sound thats at a volume other than "goodbye eardrums"
  • Oh ... oh my goodness ... ok, this was great, really.

    Didn't know Nolan and Coppola are doing comedies. Some more killer gags like this and they could really revive the genre.

  • Lets see, I could spend an obscene amount for the ticket, sit through 30 minutes of ads + 15 of more ads for upcoming movies, pay another obscene amount for stale popcorn and flat coke, sit in front of that person who talks on the phone while crunching loud chip, and have to rush to the bathroom, elbowing people out of the way and find that I missed the best part of the movie.

    Or I could sit in my living room, no tickets, no ads, food of my choice that I've already paid for, the only one crunching chips is m

  • People to ride a horse instead of the automobile.

  • If filmmakers think watching a movie in a theater is somehow analogous to seeing a live stage play, they are even more out-of-touch than I thought.

    It's called a "home theater" for a reason. I've got ~87 high-def inches of projector screen that takes up my entire field of view, and speakers that I like just as much. Unless I have a burning need for 4K, which I don't, there is literally no reason to go to a theater except timing.

  • 135" screen, 5.1 surround, theater style reclining chairs for 4 people, cheap refreshments, non-sticky floor, ability to pause or replay certain scenes..


    or I pay $40-$50 and the only advantage is a bigger screen with a better sound system.

    I will still go to a movie theater once or twice a year, normally as a reward for my young son for doing well at something.. I don't mind waiting a year to see new movies courtesy of Netflix, amazon prime, or just buying the disc. Big Star Wars fan, still haven
  • I do go to the theater when I can. But for the other 95% of films I see for the first time, I can't afford the time, ticket, and babysitting.

    I think from living in the LA area, I've absorbed some of the film connoisseur mentality, so I'm right there with them. The first time I saw Interstellar was at the Chinese Theater in Hollywood and the experience completely affected my appreciation of the film. But for the vast majority of films, I'm either going to see it on our 37" living room budget TV after my kid
  • If Hollowood would get some ... oh, I don't know... *NEW IDEAS*... yeah, silly thought there, what am I thinking? ... maybe I'd be a bit more inclined to subject myself to their product?

    Of the three movies they were touting in TFA, two were remakes.

    There's very little of their output that I'd consent to waste what's left of my dwindling lifespan on if it were free.

    ("Hollowood" was a typo, but I decided to keep it. Pretty much says it all.)

  • Christopher Nolan is IMHO one of the few filmmakers who still makes movies the proper way - with film, in regular old 2D cinemascope and uses the whole image, with good cinematrography. Each movie I have seen of Nolan's has been both a visual treat, an immersion into a very special world and sometimes thought-provoking. They have made me think about the movie experience for days afterwards.

    But most of the movies these days are cookie-cutter action/comedy "popcorn" movies, and always with 3D glasses that pro

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