Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos has given this unhinged interview to the New York Times, it’s hard to really grasp some of the absurdities that he says here.
Firstly, he makes the claim that “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” would have been just as big, culturally-speaking, if they had been released on Netflix. He gives as an example his son watching “Lawrence of Arabia” on his phone as the reason why theatrical and streaming is all in the same level:
"There's no reason to believe that the movie itself is better in any size of screen for all people," he told NYT. "My son's an editor, he watched 'Lawrence of Arabia' on his phone."
Sarandos, who seems to have made it his mission to destroy the theatrical experience, is either delusional or conniving in his comments. Yes, you can technically watch “Lawrence of Arabia” on a TV or a phone and still enjoy it, but if theaters didn’t exist then “Lawrence of Arabia” wouldn’t either.
Remember that amusing video which had David Lynch talking to the camera about how watching a film on your phone is not really, technically, like watching the film?
"If you're playing the movie on a telephone, you will never in a trillion years experience the film," Lynch said in the video, which was included as a bonus feature on the “Inland Empire” DVD.
"You'll think you have experienced it, but you'll be cheated. It's such a sadness, that you think you've seen a film, on your f**king telephone. Get real.” he says, barely restraining his rage.
Lynch had a more nuanced riff on this very same topic in the latest edition of Cahiers du Cinema, where he was interviewed by Yal Sadatin:
Feature films are in bad shape, TV shows have taken its place. People don't go to theaters as much as before, the coronavirus has put a stop to it. Before, we made a feature film for the big screen, with nice big speakers. We built the film as if it were a theater itself. You could sit down and actually have this experience of stepping into a whole new world. Now that's all in the bloody history books! It's distressing. And a lot of things are seen on phones and tablets. I always say: people think they've seen a movie, but if they've watched it on a phone, they haven't seen anything. It's sad. But they say: "We don't care, we saw it, it's your problem if you think otherwise." What can you do?
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a full movie on my phone. Not even a TV show.
Then again, I grew up watching classic films on a fairly small-sized TV screen. That's where I fell in love with “Raging Bull”, “Citizen Kane,” “The Conversation” and other Hollywood classics. I was 12 or 13, and I couldn't have cared less about aspect ratio or poor lighting. All I wanted was decent image and sound. The story, the performances, the script — they all came through that tiny screen. All that truly mattered was that a good story was being told.
However, if you have the capability to watch something at home, and on a decent-sized TV, then you have no excuse. There is no reason to watch the movie on your phone. No reason whatsoever. The film will not be experienced up to its maximal potential.
Unless, of course, we’re talking about a Hallmark movie or a goofy Adam Sandler Netflix comedy. If that’s the case, then, sure, go right ahead, nothing will get lost from that experience — Netflix are pros at making these types of disposable movies.