Brian Cox reflects on the future of Turner Classic Movies (TCM) after leadership changes at cable network Hollywood worried Warner Bros. Discovery was ready to pull the plug.
After filmmakers such as Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Paul Thomas Anderson arranged a meeting with CEO David Zaslav to explain why TCM is so important, they were assured that the network would not go away. A reorganization of the network would allow the filmmaking trio an active role on TCM alongside Michael de Luca and Pam Abdy.
Cox recently commented on TCM, saying he was “appalled” at the thought of the network being shut down.
“I just wrote something for Facebook because I’m horrified,” Cox said Above the line. “The head of Warner Brothers once they get rid of TCM/Turner Classic Movies, which I think is one of the most important resources – and certainly Robert Osborne started that, and the five girls who are running it now.” I mean, who is a movie expert I just love this sense of who we are, where we come from and what our history is. For me it is important that we see and live that.”
The successor Absolvent said TCM is a history lesson about cinema and a great resource to see how far filmmaking has come and how much still needs to be done.
“To me, the history of cinema, watching it, and the way TCM presents it are incredible resources because they really make me realize how far we’ve traveled,” he added. “But also how far we haven’t traveled yet. You know, we’ve come a long way technically, but as far as acting truth goes, there aren’t more real actors than Spencer Tracy or Katherine Hepburn. And you see them together in what they create, so cinema has always been vital to me. Absolutely important.”