Entertainment & Arts
Netflix takes over its first cinema by leasing New York's historic Paris
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| Ray Liotta (left) at the premiere for Netflix's Marriage Story at the Paris earlier this month |
It's
the first time the streaming giant - which has been accused of threatening the
cinema experience - has taken a long-term lease to screen its films.
Hollywood
website Deadline said the deal was a 10-year lease agreement.
Previously,
Netflix has rented various cinemas for limited periods to ensure its films are
eligible for awards. Its Oscar contender Marriage Story is now on at the Paris,
which dates from 1948.
"Now,
the iconic theatre will be kept open and become a home for special Netflix
events, screenings, and theatrical releases," the company said on Twitter.
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It is 71 years since
screen legend Marlene Dietrich cut the ribbon to open the Paris, which became
one of America's most notable art house cinemas. It is New York's last single
screen cinema and had closed in late August.
Netflix vs cinemas
There
has been some animosity towards streaming services in recent years from those
who champion traditional cinema.
Netflix
film Okja, starring Tilda Swinton, was booed by some journalists in 2017 when
it played at the Cannes Film Festival.
Speaking
to the BBC earlier this year, Swinton said: "I hope that Netflix are going
to build some nice big cinemas in every single city around the world. That's
what I want them to do... and then they'll prove that they're really dedicated
to big screen entertainment."
Earlier
this year, Steven Spielberg voiced his concerns about the future
of the "motion picture theatrical experience" in the face of
competition from streaming services.
In April, Dame
Helen Mirren gave Netflix even shorter shrift and said the rise of watching films
at home was "devastating" for people who make films for the big screen.
Film
fans on Twitter welcomed Netflix's decision to reopen the Paris.





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