I know Steven Spielberg has been very adamant with his campaign to de-legitimize Netflix and to preserve the theatrical experience, but I found this little nugget, courtesy of Anne Thompson’s reporting, which gave me a little chuckle, because, apparently, Spielberg was quoted as saying that “a vote for ‘Green Book’ was a vote for cinema itself.”
Full transcript:
“It was the most divisive Oscar season since “Saving Private Ryan” lost Best Picture to then-upstart Miramax’s “Shakespeare in Love” (produced by 2019 Oscar producer Donna Gigliotti). In the final weeks, a narrative emerged that revealed just how threatened the major studios are by streamer Netflix. According to such gung-ho “Green Book” advocates as Academy governor Steven Spielberg, who helped writer-director Peter Farrelly find a home for the Participant Media movie at Universal, a vote for “Green Book” was a vote for cinema itself. The filmmaker has been vocal about defending the theatrical experience and wanting Netflix movies to vie for Emmys, not Oscars.”