James Cameron is one of those filmmakers always seen as creating highly cinematic experiences that demand viewing on the big screen in the best quality possible.
This can be seen with the recently released “Avatar: The Way of Water”, where IMAX 3D, Dolby Cinema and other premium format theaters have been raking it in for the film as demand to see it that way is running very high.
Even so, Cameron says he has no problem with people watching his films at home – especially now with the quality of home theater setups as large 4K TVs, Dolby Vision HDR, and Dolby Atmos soundbars and systems are accessible to the consumer at major retailers.
The Oscar-winning director recently spoke to NPR about the various ways to view “Avatar” and says a good experience can be achieved at home:
“If you watch ‘Way of Water’ at home on a reasonably large flat-screen TV with a decent sound system and you sit close enough and that way across the room, you’re going to have a good experience.”
He does, however, draw a line with viewing on a phone or with home viewing in a certain way – namely, the practice of ‘second screening’. Simply put, he wants your full and undivided attention with his films – no multitasking by either checking out social media, working on your computer or doing other things around the house at the same time:
“When you start looking at something on a phone, you’re sort of missing the point. Going to a movie theater is less about the size of the screen and the perfection of the sound system. And it’s more about a decision to not multitask.
I think that’s the critical part that people are missing. You’re making a deal between yourself and a piece of art to give it your full attention. And you don’t when you’re at home. People don’t cry as much when they watch a movie at home as they will in a movie theater. You don’t have the depth of emotion.”
This matches comments Cameron made earlier this month to Variety, saying:
“When we go to the movies, we make a deal with ourselves to have undivided attention for a couple of hours. It’s about immersing yourself…choosing to commit to that ahead of time.”
“Avatar: The Way of Water” just surpassed “Spider-Man: No Way Home” to become the sixth-biggest worldwide box-office hit in history with $1.92 billion.
