Box office death by streaming?

Before quarantine, taking myself on a movie date became a monthly ritual. Going to the movies was my way of “treating yo self.” The thought of going to the movies is exciting to me. Sitting in the theater eating buttery popcorn, while being startled by the loud surround sound was the highlight of the evening. The movie theater provides a unique atmosphere to the film you’re watching.

However, during quarantine, the convenience of streaming services became a daily ritual. The idea of streaming new-released films at home is more beneficial than going to the movies. You’re in the comfort of your own home, not spending any money on tickets, popcorn, soda, and candy.

The benefits of staying at home and watching a movie makes sense. But what about enjoying the movie theater experience? The thought of movie theaters is not popular with all, however, as demonstrated by Delta student, Randal Bautista. 

“I hate going to the movies! There’s always that one person in the theater that is always loud and inconsiderate. I would rather be at home and watch a movie,” said Bautista. 

People that work in the entertainment industry have hinted that streaming apps are killing cinema. Award-winning director and screenwriter, Jordan Peele, released the film “Nope” last summer in 2022. The plot of the film is to chase and catch the otherworldly phenomenon on film. However, there is more meaning to the film than meets the eye. In Peele’s interviews, he vaguely mentions the word spectacle. But what does it mean?

When the film was released, I bought my ticket the next day. The film is about two siblings that work in the film industry and they are experiencing UFO disturbances on their property. When watching the film I saw a deeper meaning. I saw the two siblings trying to save cinema and its art form. The UFO symbolized the streaming services taking over cinema and making it a spectacle. All the characters in the film had the same idea to profit off of the UFO sighting. Where exploitation becomes its own spectacle.

Award-winning director Martin Scorsese has a similar opinion in his essay “II Maestro,” published by Harper Magazine in early 2021. The essay talks about cinema and how it should be respected as an art form. Scorsese also mentions the exploitation of cinema by huge corporations.

“We can’t depend on the movie business, such as it is, to take care of cinema. In the movie business, which is now the mass visual entertainment business, the emphasis is always on the word ‘business’ and value is always determined by the amount of money to be made from any given property,” Scorsese wrote. 

Streaming eliminates the ambiance of the theater experience, decreasing the value of the American tradition of cinema.

However, this doesn’t phase some people. 

“I believe the movie theaters will become obsolete in the next ten or fifteen years. It’s all about the convenience of staying home,” said Bautista.