Paramount Ceases Killers of the Flower Moon Intermission Plans Despite Extended Runtime

Summary

Paramount and international partners are stopping theater owners from inserting intermissions into Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon due to licensing violations.

Thelma Schoonmaker, Scorsese's editor, labels the unauthorized intermissions as "inappropriate" and intends to tackle the problem.

The controversy surrounding intermissions prompts consideration on whether movie theaters should reinstate them as a customary practice, providing intervals for convenience and extra opportunities for concession sales.

Paramount steps in to intervene with a few theater owners who have taken it upon themselves to include an intermission in Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon. Scorsese had previously addressed criticisms about the movie's lengthy runtime, pointing out that people can "sit in front of the TV and watch something for five hours." However, since the film's release, some exhibitors worldwide have been attempting to break up the screening by adding their own intermissions halfway through.

According to a report from Deadline, Paramount, as the primary distributor of the film, has quickly put an end to this practice, as it goes against the licensing agreement for exhibiting Killers of the Flower Moon. Additionally, Thelma Schoonmaker, Scorsese's long-term collaborator and editor, recently spoke out against the unauthorized practice in an interview with British newspaper The Standard, stating that it was "not right."

I understand that somebody's running it with an intermission which is not right. That’s a violation so I have to find out about it.

Why A Return To Intermissions Could Be A Good Thing

Paramount's concerns regarding film exhibitors violating licensing agreements by implementing their own intermissions during Killers of the Flower Moon are understandable. However, it does prompt an interesting question about whether movie theaters should reintroduce intermissions as a standard practice. Intermissions were once widespread in the early days of the film industry, serving as a tribute to the art form's origins in live-action theater. Additionally, intermissions provided projectionists with valuable time to switch film reels before more advanced equipment became available.

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Despite subsequent advancements in film projectors that led to more seamless reel switches and eventually eliminated the need for intermissions, intermissions continue to serve a purpose and are still prevalent in countries like India. In the absence of a pause button that enables viewers to watch TV for extended periods, intermissions help guarantee audience members' comfort and provide designated time for restroom breaks and other needs. Additionally, since a major portion of film exhibitors' revenue stems from concession stands, intermissions provide theater owners with another opportunity to persuade viewers to purchase drinks and snacks.

In a film industry increasingly controlled by streaming media, numerous exhibitors are facing extreme difficulties in staying profitable. To gain a crucial advantage, perhaps revisiting an older and largely abandoned practice could be beneficial. Furthermore, this could address the issue of long movie runtimes such as that of Killers of the Flower Moon, which ultimately limits the number of screenings that can be accommodated in a single day. Naturally, implementing this solution would require the cooperation of filmmakers and distributors, but it is undoubtedly a concept deserving of deeper exploration.