The recent announcement that Avatar will be back in theaters, and the return of other classics to the big screen makes us think that, in addition to new formats, the cinematic experience is still different. While the main production companies are promoting on the platforms streamingin the fight for subscribers, the big screen occasionally reveals old films in a commercial gesture that can be interpreted in a different way.
The cinematic experience entails a process of abstraction, the acceptance of a fictional pact supported by a system of verisimilitude, and at the same time represents a break from routine. To go to the cinema is to leave aside everyday life, turn off the phones, get away from street noise, passers-by and the cityscape to spend a couple of hours in a black box. Procedure opposite to that offered by streaming videoknown for its accessibility: content is just a click away from the sofa at home.
This immediacy defines part of the experience because it has made available many possibilities that were not there before; even in the days of video stores, there were few alternatives for rent and next to nothing. Now every streaming platform is an endless video library of content that adds new features to its offering base over time. Part of this dynamic and context explains industry saturation. It also tends to be an even more personal experience, unlike what happens in movies where a story is shared with dozens of unknown people.
Return to theaters
FROM Avatar, there will be productions from another time, which will also be shown in cinemas in some regions of the world. Some of them refer to a historical moment that is very different from the present. In addition to the technological differences that may exist between one and the other, many more aspects are added, such as their context and the different consumption habits that have been created in this structure. Although it may seem foreign when viewed from the point of view of the present, these were issues that influenced the enjoyment of production.
Not so long ago, movie lists were viewed daily. It is possible that more than one cinephile went to the big screen without seeing the trailer of the film, something unthinkable today, replete with images and video. For example, in Argentina, Warner Bros. Picture will re-release the following films in theaters:
- Unexpected Miracles (1999)
- Dreams of freedom (1994)
- devil games (1982)
- Superman (1978)
- Crazy Max (1979)
- blade runner (1982)
- White House (1942)
- exorcist (1972)
Drama, science fiction, superhero movies. Terror. These are the products that are currently being seen on video streaming platforms, and which, however, are likely to attract many people to cinemas. Is this a nostalgic gesture? Yes, is it also commercial? Yes, but also It’s a way to keep the tradition aliveremembering the cinema as a space in which reality is pulled aside to immerse yourself in the narrative universe that each story represents.
Cinema as a plan (and a tradition)
Access to various content through platforms streaming it can also affect “going to the movies” as an appropriate plan within each person’s entertainment and entertainment program. For many families, watching a movie on the big screen can mean their primary space for entertainment and access to culture. For those who were just starting to get to know each other, the darkness of the cinema also served as an accompaniment to the first dates.
The cinema retains a nostalgic atmosphere. Preparing to watch a movie long before you are in front of the screen. Let yourself be surprised by what it offers, on a massive scale and as part of a collective experience: sometimes while some people laugh, others don’t, and vice versa. The cinematic experience entails the paradox that, although it is an individual affair, it is produced in the company of others.
Added to this is its nostalgic value. From YesLeaving the Lumiere Factory until the next Marvel Cinematic Universe premiere, being in front of the movie screen approaches the unexpected, the sensual enjoyment of productions that, for various reasons, can move those who watch it, and perhaps evoke the memory of those who are no longer: the parents with whom this performance was viewed , or a couple that had common sense.
The list of films mentioned is of key importance in the history of the seventh art. For their impact on these productions, their impact on pop culture, the technological development they represented at the time, among other values. So enriching the cinematic experience in many ways seems certain.
Quality as a Differential Value
While it seems obvious, it’s worth remembering: the home screen may be the best, but still fall short of the added value of a movie theatre.. The first obvious aspect is the size of each other. This, in turn, solves other problems. In them, better evaluate the photo, film grain, its colors and other aspects. It is no coincidence that the premiere Rings of Power It was also created with movie features: this is the best way to take advantage of all the technical features of the series.
In the case of the aforementioned productions, starting from White House before Avatar, were films intended for the cinema. It should be remembered because, although they can currently be seen on video platforms in streaming, were produced in a context where this option may not even have been intended. This detail is not secondary, because it determined the various stages of production and implementation. This was a craft time in relation to many current productions, which, due to agreements and omissions, in many cases had to be done in a hurry..
When such proposals Crazy Max, exorcist or some of the others mentioned – along with a wide variety of options – are made into a film, something more than a commercial gesture is achieved. Its reproduction on the big screen invites new generations to wonder what has touched or impressed others. The ability to expand on these emotions essentially cultivates the cinematic heritage of these options so that references such as “Play it again Sam” are clear from the very beginning, in addition to the importance of “Casablanca”, she has become a kind of key pop image in film culture.
