Christopher Nolan on The Importance of Movie Theaters and The Need To Keep Them Alive and Thriving
As you know, we are currently living in a very different world, a world with a virus pandemic that many of us never imagined we would be facing. It’s strange, scary, and a lot of us are feeling uncertain. We don’t know what the future holds!
One of the big effects of this coronavirus is seeing thousands of movie theaters be shut down all over the world. Going to the movie theater to watch films is one of my favorite things to do. I go to the movies at least two times a week and the fact that’s no longer a part of my life is weird. One of the many reasons that I go to the movies is to escape reality, and now we are living in a crazy reality that I would love to escape so badly! Watching movies at home doesn’t provide the same effect as going to the movie theater. There’s just way too many distractions.
Anyway, I can’t wait for the day for movie theaters to open up again. It’s going to be a joyous occasion that I can’t wait to celebrate. We have no idea when that will happen, but one day, hopefully, movie theaters will reopen and when they do, we need to be there to support them!
Director Christopher Nolan recently wrote and essay for The Washington Post in which he talks about the importance of movie theater and the need to support them to keep them alive. Nolan calls movie theaters a “vital part of social life” that not only provides entertainment but also provides jobs for many people.
“As Congress considers applications for assistance from all sorts of affected businesses, I hope that people are seeing our exhibition community for what it really is: a vital part of social life. These are places of joyful mingling where workers serve up stories and treats to the crowds that come to enjoy an evening out with friends and family. As a filmmaker, my work can never be complete without those workers and the audiences they welcome.”
He added:
“When people think about movies, their minds first go to the stars, the studios, the glamour. But the movie business is about everybody: the people working the concession stands, running the equipment, taking tickets, booking movies, selling advertising and cleaning bathrooms in local theaters. Regular people, many paid hourly wages rather than a salary, earn a living running the most affordable and democratic of our community gathering places.”
As you may have heard, movie theater owners around the country are hoping that Congress takes emergency measures to give financial relief for the industry. The National Association of Theatre Owners is asking for loans to help cover costs while no tickets are being sold and for tax benefits to give support to employees. Nolan goes on to say:
“In uncertain times, there is no more comforting thought than that we’re all in this together, something the moviegoing experience has been reinforcing for generations. In addition to the help theater employees need from the government, the theatrical exhibition community needs strategic and forward-thinking partnership from the studios.”
Nolan makes some great points here and I agree with every one of them. I’m sure that the movie theaters and those people employees by them also appreciate his words of encouragement. With so many films now being released on VOD, a lot of people are wondering if that will be the future of movies. I personally don’t think so. I think the future will still be with movie theaters, they will never be fully replaced. Nolan says:
“When this crisis passes, the need for collective human engagement, the need to live and love and laugh and cry together, will be more powerful than ever. The combination of that pent-up demand and the promise of new movies could boost local economies and contribute billions to our national economy. We don’t just owe it to the 150,000 workers of this great American industry to include them in those we help, we owe it to ourselves. We need what movies can offer us.”
Amen! You can bet your ass I’ll be showing up at the movie theaters when they reopen! I’ll be going a lot more than usual to make up for lost time in my place of sanctuary. What are your thoughts on what Nolan had to say about movie theaters?