Visiting a great old movie house is a magical thing. You get to truly experience the grandeur of older times. There are not many of these theaters left, but I got to visit one of them today. I saw Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F at the Netflix owned Paris Theater in New York. The charm of the Paris Theater lies in its vintage ambiance, from the classic marquee to the ornate interior design, offering a nostalgic journey that you simply can’t replicate at home.
The Paris Theater shows each movie for one week, four times a day. Movies are $17, popcorn is $7, candy is $5, and you can pick up a free copy of their beautiful glossy magazine “Queue.” The movie was already playing on Netflix so there was a grand total of 12 people at the 7 o’clock showing on Thursday night. Two people bought tickets in advance. I know this because they were sitting directly in the middle of the theater and were the only white dots selected during seat selection that were unavailable for purchase. I congratulated them on their planning skills.
Netflix’s ownership of the Paris Theater is part of their broader strategy to gain prestige in the film industry. Owning the theater has significant implications for things like the Academy Awards. Traditionally, films needed a theatrical run to qualify for these prestigious awards. By owning theaters like the Paris, Netflix ensures their films meet these requirements, allowing them to compete for Oscars and other major awards. Some people question if Netflix is really having a “theatrical release.” Essentially, Netflix uses these theatrical runs to gain the prestige and recognition typically reserved for traditional cinema, positioning themselves as serious contenders in the industry.
Netflix as a movie studio has become a force to be reckoned with. In 2021 alone, Netflix spent over $17 billion on content, a figure that eclipses the budgets of many of its competitors. Netflix spent around $150 million on Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman and similar amounts on other blockbuster films. Additionally, the number of high-profile filmmakers and actors choosing to work with Netflix highlights their growing clout. Renowned directors like Alfonso Cuarón, David Fincher, and Spike Lee have all created films for Netflix.
Watching a movie at the Paris Theater is a unique experience, blending the very old and the very new. Netflix’s decision to show their films here is clearly self-interested and almost cynical, aiming to qualify for Academy Awards while drawing prestige from this historic venue. Yet, I was still able to enjoy the ambiance and grandeur that the Paris Theater offers. It’s a bit of a shame that most people don’t see the purpose of going to a movie theater anymore if they can watch the same film online. Experiencing a movie in such a beautiful, historic setting is something streaming simply can’t replicate.
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