The Dying Art of the Cinema in the Era of Streaming Services
Image Credit: DC Studio Via Freepik
In the words of Martin Scorsese, “the industry is over”. The last couple of years have seen the rise in streaming services, and their coup against cinemas. Ask people today, and I guarantee that some will say that streaming movies at home is their preferred means of watching films. But what does this say about cinema as an industry, and more importantly, as an art?
The industry is slowly recovering from a decrease in cinema attendance since the pandemic, with an increase of 2.35% in attendance since 2023. However, with the ever-rising price of tickets, alongside unreasonably priced food and drinks, many people are moving away from the small mortgage ticket, choosing to combine the cost into the one fixed payment of a streaming service. In 2006, the average cost of a cinema ticket was £4.82; ten years later, this has increased to £8. For us students in London, however, the cost is even higher, with the average London cinema ticket being over £15. For many people, this price is neither justifiable nor sustainable. Regardless of the immersive atmosphere provided by the cinema, these prices are not admissible for the average student, let alone the average UK resident.
Alongside the cost of going to the cinema, it seems that there is a rising disinterest in the art, which may be caused by the proliferation of social media and the decreasing attention span of Gen-Z. The decline in our attention span is even felt by the people within the industry, with Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown commenting on watching films with her husband: “How long do I have to sit there for?” What is the cause behind this? TikTok and Instagram Reels can be seen as one source of the issue, with 76% of people aged between 13-39 using TikTok in 2023, resulting in our generation taking a penchant for short-form media over long feature-length films.
Personally, I love going to the cinema. It is near impossible to recreate the atmosphere provided by the theatre: being ‘seated’ and ‘lensed’ for an intimate experience surrounded by strangers is very hard to beat. However, will this persist? The recent Netflix-Paramount acquisition battle for Warner Bros. has brought into question the longevity of theatrical releases and the future of the industry, with the prospects of a Netflix-owned Warner Bros. causing great derision. When questioned about the future of cinema, Netflix’s CEO, Ted Sarandos, said that the current model is “outmoded” and that Netflix is a “consumer oriented… deliver[ing] the program in a way that you want to watch it” (a debatable statement considering the reception of Stranger Things’ Season Five). Nevertheless, Netflix pulled out of this battle, paving the way for a Paramount victory, which promised avid cinephiles 30 theatrical release films annually, giving them a minimum of 45-60 days to run.
‘Times change and so should the cinema’ is one argument floated by streaming service buffs. However, this perspective brings an enormous devaluation of cinema as an art form. Film is not just content to be consumed; it is artistic expression. Film debates the politics of the world around us and enriches our understanding of cultures different from our own. Through it, we explore oceans and far-off planets, travel magical worlds and glimpse into possible futures. Yes, cinema should adapt to the changing demands of its audiences. But what’s truly vital is ensuring that it is never stripped of its artistic value.