Spielberg vs Netflix: The Future of the Movie-Watching Experience

According to multiple media reports, filmmaker Steven Spielberg and video-streaming service Nexflix are at loggerheads over how and where Americans should watch first-run movies in the future.
 
Netfix, which has become an important content-producer in its own right, wants to offer new movies to its subscribers without necessarily being widely screened in theaters first. Furthermore, Neflix contends its TV streaming-centered movies should be eligible for Academy Awards.
 
Many in the movie industry see the Netflix position as the death knell of America’s cinemas. Spielberg and others believe theaters bring something very special to the movie-watching experience, and that streaming-centered films should not be in Oscar contention.
 
It’s a complicated and controversial issue, and compelling arguments have been made on both sides.
 
Quote: “I hope all of us really continue to believe that the greatest contributions we can make as filmmakers is to give audiences the motion picture theatrical experience. I’m a firm believer that movie theaters need to be around forever.” — Steven Spielberg
 
Sources: CNN.com, Variety.com
 
Learn more about Steven Spielberg on Wikipedia. >>
 
Watch Steven Spielberg delivering the quote above, and a bit more, at the Cinema Audio Society’s CAS Awards. >>
 
Read an article about the issue, written by Frank Pallotta, on CNN.com. >>
 
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