Tenet Will Not 'Save' Cinema or: How to Talk About the End of Cinema Without Reactionary Positing
stanleynolan.substack.com
Most of the reviews for Christopher Nolan's new film, Tenet, argue that its supposed to be the savior of cinema because it’s the first blockbuster release post-lockdowns. While they largely cite Nolan's Washington Post op-ed from March, which correctly argues that cinemas are socially vital and need our help in hard times, the reviews naively suggest that a single film can combat a seventy-plus year decline in moviegoing attendance in the United States. After peaking in the late 1940s, American audiences have been attending the cinema less and less. The only way to combat this decline over the years was through the introduction of new technology that enhanced the uniqueness of cinema's big screens and large auditoriums (CinemaScope, 3-D, Imax, etc.).
Tenet Will Not 'Save' Cinema or: How to Talk About the End of Cinema Without Reactionary Positing
Tenet Will Not 'Save' Cinema or: How to Talk…
Tenet Will Not 'Save' Cinema or: How to Talk About the End of Cinema Without Reactionary Positing
Most of the reviews for Christopher Nolan's new film, Tenet, argue that its supposed to be the savior of cinema because it’s the first blockbuster release post-lockdowns. While they largely cite Nolan's Washington Post op-ed from March, which correctly argues that cinemas are socially vital and need our help in hard times, the reviews naively suggest that a single film can combat a seventy-plus year decline in moviegoing attendance in the United States. After peaking in the late 1940s, American audiences have been attending the cinema less and less. The only way to combat this decline over the years was through the introduction of new technology that enhanced the uniqueness of cinema's big screens and large auditoriums (CinemaScope, 3-D, Imax, etc.).