Cinema matters…as does Hollywood.
With the Amazon / Bond saga seemingly wrapped up as one chapter ends and another one begins – there is much speculation about the future of the franchise. At first glance, the line appears to mirror what has happened with the sale of Lucasfilm to Disney and the subsequent STAR WARS films that have emerged.
The truth is, even in an expansive age of streaming (which during lockdown salvaged the entertainment industry at a time when people couldn’t go out to the cinema), cinema matters as much as ever. Examples to behold:
- The ‘Barbieheimer’ phenomenon
- Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy
- MCU past and present
- NEW JEDI ORDER and other future high concepts
The reality is that the viewing options are all equally sound and important and feed off each other – cinema can benefit from home entertainment (something I will touch on later in this article) .
Compared to the early years of VHS and Betamax, which were the main options in the early 1980s (until VHS became the key choice), technological advances in digital presentation, both cinematically and domestically has created and equality in what we watch. Who remembers the resistance to letterbox and proper ratioed releases for the home when VHS was at its’ height? Nowadays, we see so much product released in its’ proper ratio for the home, with televisions upgraded to feature the more widescreen look.
Television has been influenced so much lately with the likes of DAY OF THE JACKAL and BLACK DOVES for Netflix encompassing the widescreen ratio, so it is clear that audiences embrace the wider image without a moment’s thought.
Home releases of original hits have actually enhanced the box-office potential of their sequels. The likes of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, LETHAL WEAPON and BATMAN BEGINS generated major success on home video to the point that audiences watching them at home wondered why they didn’t see them in the cinema. INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM, LETHAL WEAPON 2 and THE DARK KNIGHT defied the law of diminishing returns and proved even more popular at times than their predecessors.
The cinematic experience has changed, but I don’t see why it cannot continue to be part of a group of communal experiences like concerts, stage shows and sports events. People question the price of cinema tickets, but they don’t think twice about buying a season ticket for their favourite team or in excess of £100 to see the likes of Katy Perry or Taylor Swift (and that is without all the add-ons like travel, accomodation and refreshments).
The experience of watching films as a kid still stimulates me today as I continue to evolve as a content creator and writer. The industry should continue to look at the expansive potential of what cinema can bring to the entertainment table.
The future remains optimistic and positive. We need the big screen experience