Martin Scorsese Discusses the Trials of Moviegoing and the Importance of Theatrical Experiences

In a recent Variety cover story, director Martin Scorsese opened up about the evolving landscape of cinema, particularly through his own experiences going to the movies in movie theaters. Following the Oscar nominations for his latest film, The Killers of the Flower Moon, Scorsese candidly shared his views on the current state of moviegoing, which is in line with what a lot of movie fans are experiencing these days.

During the interview, Scorsese was asked if he sneaks into public screenings on occasion like Christopher Nolan has done. Scorsese responded, saying:

"I don't do that. People talk and move around a lot. I'm short and there's always a big person in front of me. It's the same with Broadway — I can't go to theater. There's someone in front of me, and I can't see the stage or hear the show. I really enjoy IMAX as I get older. You go in, you can sit up in the back and you're sort of looking up. Regular screenings, I have found the audiences becoming a bit more raucous than they used to be. But maybe it's always like in the '50s when we used to yell back at the screen."

Scorsese admits to steering clear of public screenings due to the often less-than-ideal conditions of watching movies in a community setting like that.

Despite these issues, Scorsese is obviously passionate about the cinema and he’s been advocating it for years! He does acknowledge a shift in audience behavior, hinting at nostalgia for a time when interactions with the screen were part of the collective movie-going experience, reminiscent of the 1950s.

Scorsese doesn't shy away from theaters altogether but chooses his moments, ensuring his support for films on the big screen isn't compromised by the pitfalls of public viewings. He went on to say:

"But it's very important to me to support films while they're on the big screen. I just wait a while."

I love going to the movies. This has been an experience that I’ve loved ever since I was a kid. Yeah, sometimes people are annoying, but for the most part, from my experience, people are respectful of the theater. It’s usually when the theater is full of young teenagers that things get really annoying. Regardless, I’m all about supporting the cinema in its most traditional and magical form.

I pretty much see as many movies as I can in the theater, but audiences have to pick and choose their own battles when it comes to going to the movies. It’s expensive, so you want to make sure you enjoy your experience.