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Three major filmmakers have come to the defense of Turner Classic Movies, making an “emergency call” to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav. Following the merger of Warner Bros. and Discovery, which coincided with the appointment of Zaslav, there has been some major restructuring of many areas of the company, especially the streaming service Max. This has included recent layoffs at Turner Classic Movies, the Atlanta-based pay-TV network that airs older movies for consumption by modern audiences.
Per Deadline, esteemed directors Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, and Paul Thomas Anderson have leaped into action to help defend Turner Classic Movies from shutting down entirely. In a joint statement, they share that TCM is a “precious resource” that, while never a “financial juggernaut,” has always been able to turn a profit as well. Reporting back on the results of their call, they have shared that Zaslav shares their commitment to keeping TCM on the air. Read their full statement below:
Turner Classic Movies has always been more than just a channel. It is truly a precious resource of cinema, open 24 hours a day seven days a week. And while it has never been a financial juggernaut, it has always been a profitable endeavor since its inception.
Earlier this week, David Zaslav, the CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, got in touch to talk about the restructuring of TCM. We understand the pressures and realities of a corporation as large as WBD, of which TCM is one moving part.
We have each spent time talking to David, separately and together, and it’s clear that TCM and classic cinema are very important to him. Our primary aim is to ensure that TCM’s programming is untouched and protected.
We are heartened and encouraged by the conversations we’ve had thus far, and we are committed to working together to ensure the continuation of this cultural touchstone that we all treasure.
Spielberg, Scorsese, and Anderson Constantly Prove Their Devotion To Classic Cinema
It makes perfect sense that these three directors would team together to come to the aid of Turner Classic Movies. Classic cinema is an influence on many, if not all, directors, but all three have also used their own movies to pay homage to the classics at one time or another. For instance, Anderson’s classic 2003 movie Punch-Drunk Love homages the works of iconic director Robert Altman in many ways, including the use of the song “He Needs Me” from 1980’s Popeye.
Spielberg’s career especially explores his classic movie influences from end to end. His most recent movie, The Fabelmans, explores how the power of cinema inspired him as a young man. However, even his major blockbuster successes like 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark are influenced by classics, in that case the weekly adventure serials of the early 1900s.
Scorsese’s love of classic cinema is likewise quite apparent in his work. Perhaps his most notable homage is his 2011 movie Hugo, which largely revolves around the life and work of legendary early French director Georges Méliès, whose silent movie A Trip to the Moon remains one of the most iconic pre-sound works. With these three directors taking a stand, hopefully Warner Bros. Discovery will take their stewardship over the legacy of cinema seriously in the midst of this restructuring.
Source: Deadline
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