If Christopher Nolan is the saviour of cinema, then what kind of cinema is he saving?

Christopher Nolan might just have saved cinema the cry went up when the first box office figures got released for his film Tenet. The name saviour of cinema suggests Nolan could be the messiah or a very naughty boy. The idea of saving cinema ‘a theatre where films are shown for public entertainment is not new. Every era has one, like the time cinema needed saving from television, then video recorders, streaming services and now the latest mortal threat is coronavirus which has seen cinemas shut down since March 2020. There is I suppose something of a vogue for programmes with the words ‘is this the end of the office, buffets, etc. BBC Radio 1 Extra broadcast a documentary with the title ‘Is this the end of clubbing’, surprise, surprise it is not the end of clubbing. Nor is it the end of cinema so what are we saving? Even if Nolan saved cinema, what kind of cinema is Nolan s saving? The kind of cinema Nolan is saving is the soulless multiplex model were films like Tenet play on most film screens that are divided into seating ranging from sofa, luxury to regular all coming in at variable prices. The cinema that is being saved is one that is overwhelmingly for films that are in the main spectacle thought worthy of the big screen.

To my mind the whole saviour of cinema cult is conservative. It asserts the importance of the cinema as the one and only church were films are shown. You may choose to worship, sorry watch, a film at home on streaming then you are a lesser believer. It is only by paying £25 to watch a film on giant IMAX screens that you can hope to ascend to Christopher Nolan cinema heaven or go higher with a 70 mm screening. The end is not imminent for cinemas as they will continue to draw audiences long after the pandemic fades into memory. Cinema will be around to fight another day but the cinema that survives will be the multiplex model showing all future Christopher Nolan films. What is harder to predict is the fate of independent cinemas showing more niche films that do not always get screen time at the multiplex. To be fair during the pandemic with few films to show foreign films have shown at the multiplex like Les Miserable (2019) The BFI will survive but the eco system of independent cinemas is under threat. Some of those independent cinemas most notably Curzon having pivoted to steaming services before the pandemic look good to continue. They will for now ride two horses: cinema and streaming. Watching films at the cinema will survive but will erode further over time the importance of the cinema to the watching of films.