What streaming platforms mean for traditional cinema
In a world where content is king, cinephiles like Martin Scorsese are fighting an uphill battle — but it’s not just black and white
In February, 78-year-old filmmaker Martin Scorsese raised more than a few eyebrows when, in an essay on the work of legendary filmmaker Federico Fellini for Harper’s Magazine, he bemoaned that in our world, oversaturated with streaming platforms and algorithms, “the art of cinema is being systematically devalued, sidelined, demeaned, and reduced to its lowest common denominator, ‘content’.”
Scorsese argued that the streaming universe had reduced the idea of cinema to just one in a long line of products that make up what the business people behind streaming giants Netflix, Disney Plus and Amazon Prime Video, refer to as “content,” an umbrella term that includes, “all moving images: a David Lean movie, a cat video, a Super Bowl commercial, a superhero sequel, a series episode”...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.