Martin Scorsese: The Irishman director speaks out on Netflix and why TV ‘is not cinema’

Martin Scorsese is a renowned director behind films such as Raging Bull and Taxi Driver. With a career spanning more than 50 years, Scorsese has become well known for creating “pure cinema.” Recently he highlighted why Netflix may be turning home-viewing into cinema – and why TV is not.

At a press conference for Scorsese’s latest film The Irishman, Express.co.uk heard what Scorsese would call “pure cinema.”

While Scorsese struggled to completely put his finger on what cinema really means, he was incredibly articulate in describing what is not cinema – namely Marvel and TV – no matter how cinematic they have become.

He said: “Film, narrative stories, are told with emphasis with motion picture images, but it opens up…

“The original conception of what a film is and where it has to be seen has now changed so radically that we now have to say, ‘OK, so let’s say there’s certain kinds film that’s made here.’

“There might be virtual reality film, there’s holograms, there’s all sorts of things and they’re becoming what we now call, in effect, one thing…

“Something that should always be protected, as much as possible, is communal experience, and I think that’s best in a theatre.

“Now homes are becoming theatres too, but it’s a major change and I think that one has to keep an open mind.

“There’s no doubt that seeing film with an audience is really important, but there is a problem though, that you have to make the film and we ran out of room.

“There’s no room for us to make this picture.”

For Scorsese, this is one of the key reasons he teamed up with Netflix.

They offered financial support with little interference, with the “trade-off” being that the film must be plated on home video after a theatrical release.

As the communal experience can still be enjoyed in the comfort of one’s home, Scorsese did not seem to mind this.

But he believes streaming services will “define” a new era.

He added: “What streaming means and how that’s going to define a new form of cinema? I’m not sure.

“For a while I thought long form TV is cinema – it’s not. It simply isn’t. It’s a difference viewing experience.

“You could look at three episodes, two, four, 10, you know.

“One one week, a second episode the second week, it’s a different kind of thing so what still has to be protected is the singular experience of experiencing a picture, ideally with an audience.

“But there’s room for so many others now and so many other ways and there’s going to be crossovers completely.”

While Scorsese may have believed TV could have been allowed to be called “cinema,” he has made clear that one type of film will never get the coveted name: Marvel films.

He named these “theme-park movies” and said they are “invading” cinemas, asking theatre owners to “step up” to try and make room for other films.

The Irishman is released in cinemas on November 8 before its release on Netflix on November 27