Martin Scorsese admits that audience behaviour has stopped him going to the cinema to watch movies. Uh-oh.
When Martin Scorsese no longer wants to watch a film in the cinema, you know we’re in trouble. Apparently though, according to veteran film critic Pete Travers, that’s exactly what’s happened.
On his new website (specifically, on the ‘About’ page), Travers recently wrote about a discussion he had with Scorsese (thanks, World Of Reel) and made the rather surprising admission that one of Hollywood’s most ardent supporters of cinema appreciation no longer watches films in cinemas.
In Travers’ own words:
“I asked the maestro why he doesn’t see movies in theaters anymore and he went all raging bull about audiences who babble on phones during the movie, leave to order snacks and vats of soda, and keep up a noise level loud enough to drown out the actors. ‘Come on, Marty,’ I said, ‘we couldn’t keep our mouths shut when we were kids.’ His eyes darkened. ‘Yeah, maybe,’ he conceded, ‘but when we talked it was always about the movie and the fun we had chewing over the details.'”
Given that we’ve just emerged from a news cycle that has shone a light on questionable practices in cinemas – not least the whole controversy surrounding audience behaviour at screenings of A Minecraft Movie – the revelation that Scorsese now just watches movies at home is somewhat sad.
Yes, Scorsese’s screening rooms at his private residence are probably better furnished than screen six at our local multiplex. But still, for a fan of cinema like Scorsese to feel that audience behaviour is so bad he can’t even venture out to enjoy a film? That’s sad news, to say the least.
What are your thoughts? Is anybody else in the Scorsese camp, even if you don’t have a personal screening room to retreat into? And who is prepared to continue braving the cinema in spite of the distractions? Let us know in the comments below.
