Steven Netflixberg

I try not to discuss Oscars-related drama after The Academy Awards. There are many reasons why, but it largely doesn’t warrant my time and energy. Everyone knows what I think of the show and its politics, and it’s not worth the energy to overstay my thoughts. That said, I have to make an exception this year, as Steven Spielberg has decided it’s worth keeping the conversation alive.

I’m sure Spielberg needs no introduction. Ever since Jaws revolutionized the modern blockbuster in 1975, and even before that, he’s been shaping the way we look at action movies and dramas on the big-screen. He’s one of the living giants of film, with his producing credits have often rivalling his directing credits. He’s simply that good. Factor in that his work with legendary composer John Williams, whom I regard as one of Hollywood’s best, has produced some of film’s greatest orchestrations of the last 40-odd years, and you have a man whose impact is huge.

Unfortunately, Spielberg can also put his foot in his mouth in really uncomfortable ways. His initial plans for the Harry Potter franchise, which he abandoned, are one example, but he’s also made bizarre remarks about the Indiana Jones franchise. And then there’s his jab at Netflix, which is what I plan to discuss here. Because, rest assured, I have many thoughts!

In a fairly-recent interview, Spielberg was vehemently insisting that Netflix originals shouldn’t warrant Oscar nominations because of their short theatre runs. He argued that they’re “TV films”, and, therefore, should qualify for Emmys. And while he never said they shouldn’t be released in theatres, his reasoning bothered much of the film community. I know it bothered me!

It’s also prompted a wave of backlash, with people calling him “a racist who loved Green Book” and “an old man who hasn’t made a good movie in years”. Regardless of whether or not Spielberg’s remarks were warranted, I don’t think that either claim helps the conversation. Especially since I don’t even think the latter’s true: Spielberg might not be making movies that certain people like now, but to claim he hasn’t made a good movie in years ignores the fact that his last three Oscar dramas were really well-received. I also happened to like Lincoln and Bridge of Spies, but that’s for another day.

That said, I do think he’s in the wrong. See, movies in theatres are expensive now. The average, low-end ticket at my local chain is $13.75 with taxes, and that’s going to continue to increase. Even “Movie Tuesdays”, when tickets are discounted, still put the prices close to $10. I have a SCENE points card, which enables me to occasionally watch movies for free, but I have to pay for 10 films first with my own money. This isn’t including concessions, which are also ridiculously-expensive.

People are catching on. According to sites like Quora, the average person sees movies in theatres about 4 times in any given year. This is largely why Disney has 7 major tentpole releases each year, but the truth is in the consumer’s spending habits. Movies, simply put, are an expensive hobby, and moviegoers are opting out unless it’s worth their time.

This is where streaming platforms, like Netflix, are picking up the slack. For one, even with the recent price surge, it’s cheaper to stream on Netflix than it is to go to theatre. With the latter, you’re paying per ticket. With the former, however, you’re paying a monthly flat fee for unlimited content. There’s always the issue of available content being pulled without notice, which is an issue for another day, but it’s still a fraction of the price.

Two, Netflix allows for watching content whenever and wherever. While “nothing beats the big screen experience”, movies have limited runs and restricted showings in cinemas. Sometimes, as is the case of indie dramas, they’re only shown at certain times and in certain places. Other times, like with foreign films, they’re either shown in obscure theatres, or not at all. I know that anime films routinely get shafted with theatrical releases, especially when they don’t have Studio Ghibli’s name attached. If you want proof, Mirai, which was nominated for Best Animated Feature, didn’t even get a showing in my home city. Netflix doesn’t have these issues, or not to the same extent.

And three, Netflix has been upping their game with original content. A lot of it’s terrible, but occasionally you get gems like Roma that impresses enough to warrant a limited theatre run. And that’s what Spielberg has pointed out, as many of these movies are low-budget and wouldn’t survive in the competitive world of Hollywood. They simply can’t.

Which begs the question: can you market these movies for mainstream audiences? The Academy has strict rules for its Oscar runs, but a “TV movie” that makes its way into theatres for a short time can qualify. If not, then Roma wouldn’t have made the cut. And besides, if Netflix originals became the norm for indie films that’d never survive in theatres, then who’s to say they don’t deserve a shot at big-name award ceremonies? Why’s it suddenly an issue?

I get the feeling much of this backlash is coming from Spielberg’s misunderstanding of how the film landscape’s changed over the past 10 or so years. Even ignoring ticket prices and the limited availability of some movies, digital streaming on TV is the way of the future. You’d think a director whose debut was a TV movie would understand that, but even if he doesn’t…this is the way of the market. It sucks that the theatre’s becoming a relic, like the dinosaur, but that’s reality.

Still, I don’t think it’s fair to call Spielberg a “washed-up hack” because he made closed-mined remarks about Netflix. Does it suck that he trashed streaming services? Yes. Do I agree with him? No. But calling him washed-up implies that he hasn’t made anything of note in years, and that’s not true. You might not be a fan of his recent output, and that’s fine, but show a little more tact.