Isabel Bishop

In Italy, for a long time the bulk of movie theaters were attached to (and managed by) catholic churches. A movie would be launched in premium theaters (“prima visione”) then move to these cheaper, smaller theaters (“seconda visione”). They would also replay lots of old westerns, toga & sandals, old 007 movies, etc. The theaters had wooden creaky chairs. The projectors would malfunction (see Tarantino’s Planet Terror to get a sense of a burned film). People would comment on the movie loudly, and smoke, and laugh together. The theater was packed in the weekends. It was exactly like you see it in “Cinema Paradiso”. It was truly a magical experience, to be in some aesthetic communion with strangers, full of wonder and excitement for two hours. We were not simply watching movies. We were traveling with and through them. Sociologists and economists fight it out all the time on how materially well off we are now. True. I watch streamed movie all the time. Convenient. But we have also lost many treasured experiences. Some people like Tarantino deeply understand it. I am afraid that Sarandos has absolutely no idea of this.