Kevin Bacon wants you to go to the theater to see a movie this week, saying there is just no experience that compares.
One night, I happened to be in the same movie theater as Gary Oldman watching Blue Jasmine. We weren’t together in a formal sense, but we were sharing the experience of leaving the house, going to the cinema and watching something unfold before our eyes. You just don’t get that at home – and not just because Gary Oldman has turned down every invite I’ve sent. But people of a certain generation will always champion going to the theater to see a movie; now, Kevin Bacon is taking a stand to join the cause.
In a new video, Kevin Bacon records himself coming out of a daytime showing of Strange Darling, saying it was the third movie he had seen at the theater that week (along with Blink Twice and Alien: Romulus). And while he loved all of these and had nothing but praise for the filmmakers, he noted that his opinion on the movies doesn’t matter – but getting to the cinema does. “I’m not saying this because my opinion is of any value when it comes to movies and what you’re going to like. But what I’m saying is, going out to the movies is a very special experience. This is the experience that I grew up with, it’s what made me want to be in the movies, going to see Dog Day Afternoon and Godfather and Chinatown and Tootsie…It’s a really great thing to go and share that experience…A guy stopped me in the bathroom and said, ‘Wow, man, what did you think of that movie?’ I said, ‘That was crazy!’ That was an experience that we share.”
A recent study indicated that two-thirds of people would rather skip the theater experience altogether and stream a movie from their couch. And while Bacon couldn’t deny the convenience of that, he knows what’s ultimately better. “It’s cool to stay home and watch things, for sure, I’m all about it, I love my shows. But once in a while, go to the movies. It’s cool as hell.”
Bacon had two movies out this year, both of which highlight the importance of the modern theater: MaXXXine took in just $15 million domestically despite the franchise’s cult following, while Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F had huge streaming numbers for Netflix when we all know it should have gone to the big screen.
Are you on Kevin Bacon’s side when it comes to seeing a movie at the theater? How many do you typically catch in a month? Pick your favorite seat and let us know below!
